DIPLOMAD BLOG - Behind Enemy Lines
One of our Diplomads has burrowed deep within the bureaucracy at HQS back in Washington and sends us the following emailed report on reactions to the Bush win. We have edited out anything that might give the enemy information to identify our agent:
I was telling a friend who voted for Kerry my theory as to why so many State Dept weenies (Note: a technical term) have it in for Bush.
Most State types, deep inside, believe that the primary purpose of American
diplomacy is not to advance our country's geo-strategic interests, but to provide for them a prestigious career in which their unusual talents (e.g. foreign languages) and interests (foreign lands) are properly valued and appreciated (Note: there's precious little demand in the real world for experts on the history of Venezuelan political parties). This is a mindset that makes too many diplomats contemptuous of most ordinary Americans, who, in their view, are narrow-minded and boorish. You see the looks of bemused disbelief around the conference table - especially an AID one - whenever anyone suggests that a policy decision should be governed by the interest of the American taxpayer.
So, we were all minding our business one fine day, when one of these very boors - from Texas, no less - turned our little world upside down. It's not that Bush is a Republican, or conservative, or overly aggressive. It's that he's NOT a member of the club of Those of Us Who Understand These Things. As such, he had no right to redefine our foreign policy and security doctrine overnight. Certainly not without first commissioning many feasibility studies and blue-ribbon panels informed, of course, by Us. As a result "all our allies" hate us, and our international relations have been set back years.
Now look at the "mess" he's made in Iraq and Afghanistan! Too many junior officers at post, not enough from PD (note: Public Diplomacy) and worst of all - the DOD (Note: Department of Defense) people aren't even under Chief of Mission authority! On the home front, Bush's misadventure has completely screwed up the assignments and promotions system, damn him! And we have "the military" speaking up at all sorts of interagency policy discussions where they simply don't belong. In essence, to the career diplomat, Bush's crime was in being an outsider who refused to stay in his place - outside. None of our esteemed colleagues who holds this view would articulate it this way. But it's there. They express it in euphemisms, when they think the audience (their peers) is receptive. It's in the snide remarks, the rolling eyes, the upturned noses. And yesterday, in the gnashing teeth.
Fortunately, there were a number of us - a good and growing number - who bounced around the building cheerfully, grinning at everyone, enjoying ourselves.
Those of us Diplomads in the Far Abroad can confirm similar reactions from many of our Embassy colleagues. They were joyous upon hearing the early "exit poll data" showing Kerry well ahead, and grew increasingly despondent as the day wore on and the enormity of Bush's win became obvious. Too many of colleagues want to be liked by their foreign counterparts; they want to appear sophisticated; they want to have a "sophisticated" President. They deride American culture, prefer foreign movies, music, cars and wine -- all the while sniffing about Republicans "outsourcing" American jobs. They ridicule the American blue collar worker-- but don't mind being rescued by the Marines, i.e., the sons of those workers, when the poo hits the fan.
Anyhow, we Diplomads have had a great couple of days! And we are still not ready to stop gloating and be magnanimous! Not yet!
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