Where is he now: Richard Armitage

Richard Armitage has become the poster-child for State Department perfidy.  Thanks to him, an innocent man has been hounded, tried and convicted while many others were distracted from their duties to defend themselves from the malicious prosecution of the non-crime that was the Valerie Plame affair.  Mr. Armitage himself is alive and well and walking free and posing as the token "Republican" on blue-ribbon task forces that want the United States to use "smart power, " that is, to make people love us by running to the rescue whenever an earthquake strikes or a tsunami hits, and to "take the lead in technology" to combat global warming.   In his opinion piece, co-authored with Joseph Nye, Jr., plaintively titled, "Why So Angry, America?"  Armitage cobbles together a mish-mash of recommendations that don't amount to much except expanding foreign aid generously with the objective of getting people to like us.  There is little of substance in this self-contradictory, dated appeal for "letting diplomacy work."  Consider this gem:

Since 9/11, the war on terrorism has [become] the central focus of U.S. engagement with the world. The threat from terrorists with global reach is likely to be with us for decades. But unless they have weapons of mass destruction, groups such as al-Qaeda pose no existential threat to the United States -- unlike our old foes Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.

"Unless they have weapons of mass destruction!"  

Armitage and Nye go on to cherry-pick examples of the effective use of hard/soft power ("Smart Power!") and all of the examples of good use of hard power come from pre-9/11 days.   They don't mention any use of military force post-9/11 as being a good thing.  Like maybe the fact that al-Qaeda doesn't pose an existential threat to the United States is because they have been on the receiving end of "dumb" power for six years.

We do love being lectured about the high road, too:

More broadly, when our words do not match our actions, we demean our character and moral standing.

Really, Richard?  And what would you know about character and moral standing? 

Comments

[aelfheld]

'Soft power' is good as a conduit, but not much else. Kinda like something else soft.

[bbmoe]

Yes, well "Armitage" in German is "schlappschwanz."

[David M]

The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the - <a href="http://thunderrun.blogspot.com/2007/12/web-reconnaissance-for-12082007.html">Web Reconnaissance for 12/08/2007</a> A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention updated throughout the day…so check back often.