Sunday, December 30, 2007

Ah, Nuance at Last!

France could teach our State Department some lessons in dialogue:

France "will have no more contact with Syria... until we have proof of Syrian willingness to let Lebanon appoint a president by consensus," Sarkozy told journalists following talks in Cairo with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Former colonial power France "wants a president for Lebanon," Sarkozy said. "It's time to provide proof (of goodwill), it's time for Syria to show it."

"It's time for Syria to prove with facts what it has not stopped saying in speeches," Sarkozy said. "We are now waiting for acts on Syria's part and not speeches."


This is dialogue. I once had hope that Rice would tame the State Department and get them to promote American foreign policy as set forth by the administration. Instead, State Department goes on promoting State Department foreign policy. State never needs proof of foreign goodwill--everlasting hope of good will is enough for Foggy Bottom.

State still needs an America Desk.