Rachel got a great "get" as usual tonight in her interview with U.S. Ambassador to the Afghan/Pakistan Situation Richard Holbrooke. She did an awesome job threading the needle in her talk with Ambassador Holbrooke about our current drone strike campaign(missile attacks are happening at a rate never before--more than 20 this month alone) in Pakistan.
Holbrooke speaks diplomatese by necessity, and Rachel navigated it extremely well, respectfully, but got answers. I don't think anyone on TV could have done it but she. Holbrooke justified these remotely-manned military incursions into the sovereign Pakistani nation adeptly, but with echos of Kissinger's justifications for the private wars in Laos and Cambodia. She expressed her disapproval well, and closed the interview with the obvious intent on Holbrooke's part to return soon for another interview.
The idiocy that is the current Republican leadership in Congress guarantees that the Obama administration cannot even hope for adult consultations with Congress on its foreign policy, let alone any sort of approval for what used to be a bipartisan matter--U.S. foreign policy, especially the Commander-in-Chief's prerogatives regarding matters military. So one can understand Holbrooke's frustration, and justifications for going it more or less alone when it comes to these drone strikes.
General Petraeus, yesterday's NY Times reported, has finally acknowledged that high level negotiations are ongoing daily between Kabul and the Taliban(minus the half dozen or so fools at the top, including woman-stoner "Mullah" Omar) with U.S. approval. Ambassador Holbrooke has all but confirmed these talks for weeks in on-the-record and off-the-record comments in the media. Just as he has all but confirmed the drone strikes themselves.
This is a clear indication that the inside war within the administration[which had to be fought] between the civilian foreign policy leadership and the uniformed brass[especially McChrystal, Petraeus, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mullens] is over, and that the civilians have won! Secretary of Defense Gates will soon offer his resignation--mark our words. Also good news!
But the best news of all is that Unabashed Left, as of today, is optimistic that a negotiated and workable peace treaty in Afghanistan will happen well before the on-again off-again August troop drawdown deadline. Congratulations are due to, in order for good reason: VP Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, President Barack Obama, and Ambassador Holbrooke. And to Rachel Maddow and the best little research, editing staff on television.
Peace...
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