Hillary Goes To Bat For Gay Diplomats

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has announced that she will provide equal benefits for partners of gay U.S. Diplomats stationed in foreign countries. Because of the current regulations under DOMA and other federal laws, these benefits cannot be offered inside the US, yet. In this instance, hopefully where Hillary leads, President Obama, whose follow-through on campaign promises to the GLBT community has been tepid at best, will follow. Secretary Clinton was quick to embrace the gay community in her 2008 presidential campaign, causing a fluster of copy-catting from the Obama campaign; maybe that same urgency will carry over to the Oval Office, as well.

Bill Clinton To Be UN Envoy to Haiti

BBC and the Miami Herald are reporting that former US President Bill Clinton will assume the role of UN Envoy to Haiti, assisting the country in rebuilding after tropical storms in 2008 killed 800 people and caused over a billion dollars in infrastructure damage. Because of his marriage to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, state department lawyers will have to review and approve his new role. This work, in my opinion, is a) very appropriate for an ex-President, and b) exactly the kind of work President Clinton already does through the William Clinton Foundation, the Clinton Global Initiative, and his co-founded projects with former President George H. W. Bush, the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund and Bush-Clinton Tsunami Fund, for which they were awarded the 2006 Philadelphia Liberty Medal. President Clinton is also head of the United Nations earthquake and tsunami relief and reconstruction effort, since 2005.

Opening the Door To Iran

I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with the smooth way the Obama-Biden-Clinton global triumvirate is working out. First, I think it puts a little teeth into Hillary Clinton's claim that she and then-Senator Obama agree on more things than they disagree on. Second, Joe Biden's foreign policy expertise is shining more and more every day, coupled with an easy relationship with both the President and the Secretary of State. And the President, having laid out high-level policy goals (most of which do still conform closely to his campaign promises) has stepped back and let Biden and Clinton have close to free reign with carrying out the details. Economic woes, gaffes, botched Cabinet nominations, and D.C. infighting may besiege the President at home, but "Foreign Policy," which Obama consistently took hits for not knowing enough about during his campaign, is going swimmingly.

Today, President Obama came very close to keeping an early campaign promise which was to meet with Iranian leadership "with no preconditions." By releasing a video message directly to the Iranian people which was open, congratulatory, and inclusive, Obama has begun the process of reversing a generation-long silence between our nations. I'm certain it is not pure philanthropy. Obviously, the President is smart enough to understand that if we are going to simultaneously get out of Iraq, deeper into Afghanistan, root out al-Qeada, decide if the Taliban is our friend or foe and act accordingly, get Russia back on board and realign our relationship with China.... hm, we better get Iran on board, too.

And, that would require un-demonizing them first. If Barack Obama is good at anything, it's making moving speeches. I think this video message to Iran is as much about American people and their perceptions as it is about Iran. What was once Persia is an industrialized First World country in the cradle of civilization, rich with culture, art, history, and money. They are viewed as an isolationist state sponsor of terror. I'm sure that's what they say about us, too. But, Kim Kardashian is a far cry from the turban-headed pipe bomber we all fear. She's "Persian," not Iranian. President Obama has done a brilliant thing with this video message, celebrating an Iranian holiday, and praising their culture, opening the door. As long as it is followed by action, we are on the right road.

I believe a Cabinet-level official will set foot in Iran, and soon. If it is Joe Biden or Hillary Clinton hardly matters, although I would bet on Biden first. He has the gravity of having the word "President" in his job title. Hillary Clinton has a lot of star power, but her real punch is packed by already-existing US ties. She is appointing well versed envoys to hot spots all over the globe, which frees her to work on high-level policy crafting and to show up to cut ribbons and shake hands. Critics say this makes her little more than a new incarnation of her former role as First Lady; I won't go into a long refuting of that here, but it should be obvious this is not the case. Again, the Obama-Biden-Clinton triumvirate is working out to be a well-oiled machine, a 1-2-3 punch, if you will.

While the State Department has used very careful language, it should be clear by now that the US is open to meeting with Iran. In the Hague on March 31st an international conference on Afghanistan will be held, and while no plans have been made for a distinct US-Iranian meeting, Secretary Clinton has been receptive and open toward including them. Iran's Vice President last week got the ball rolling on that. And, Vice President Biden has been very vocal about the need for bringing both Iran and Syria to the table for Middle East talks in general. Naturally, Russia will be a key ally in this, as one of the few global powers with unshakable ties to Iran. Note that Biden and Clinton together in tandem have already been working the "Russia Rope Line" so to speak, hard. I predict that by the end of August 2010, when we should be leaving Iraq in total, there will be at the very least, an Iranian delegation on the ground in Tehran. If this works out, it could be one of the greatest achievements of the Obama administration, comparable to Richard Nixon's achievements with China.

State Department Mum On Nature of Olmert Call

This was the last question of the day at today's State Department press briefing, presided over by Gordon Duguid, Acting Deputy Department Spokesman. (Note this is also a change, as the briefings since January 21st have been conducted by Robert Wood, Acting Spokesman.)

QUESTION: I got one, I got one.

MR. DUGUID: Oops. Here we go.

QUESTION: Secretary Clinton called Israeli Prime Minister Olmert yesterday?

MR. DUGUID: That is correct.

QUESTION: Accounts of the conversation vary. Some Israeli media report that she called to thank him for the release of – I believe it’s about $43 million to go to pay PA salaries in the Gaza Strip. Other accounts are that she had called to press him to release that money, which presumably is something the United States Government would support since it’s trying to bolster the Palestinian Authority, notably in Gaza.

So can you give us any detail on the substance of that call, whether it was just thanks for doing that or whether it was please do this?

MR. DUGUID: Accounts vary because the call was confidential and it will remain so with me.

Thank you. [SOURCE]

Note also that as of this writing, there is no video transcript of this press brief. It was also very short in comparison to most, odd considering the State Department has been very busy.

Something strikes me as a) odd about this press brief and b) it is related to the Olmert question. I don't know what it is. Just something. I'd bet it has something to do with coming Israeli elections where it is predicted anti-Arab hardliners are headed for a landslide. Prime Minister Olmert is leaving office soon, largely in disgrace, and it is predicted that peace efforts with the Arab world in general will take a nose dive with his exit.

Hillary Hits The Ball To Iran. Sort of.

In a clear show of solidarity with President Obama, Secretary of State Clinton yesterday made her first public statements concerning US-Iranian relations, telling reporters, "here is a clear opportunity for the Iranians, as the president expressed in his interview, to demonstrate some willingness to engage meaningfully with the international community. Whether or not that hand becomes less clenched is really up to them." The same say, Secretary Clinton also released statements coming down clearly on the side of Israel in the Gaza conflict, and must have know as she was speaking that Egypt, in cooperation with the US, was moving to block Iranian ships coming to the Gaza Strip to re-arm Hamas. UN Ambassador Susan Rice echoed similar calls, saying the US will only directly engage Iran diplomatically if they halt nuclear programs. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad quickly shot back with a laundry list of demands, including an apology, "profound changes" in US policy in the Middle East, and a blunt refusal to halt nuclear programs. And, the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Ali Larijani had an equally damning evaluation of President Obama's policy toward Iran and the Middle East in general, indicating doubtfulness that much will change from the Bush administration.

Phones Around The World Are Ringing

Hopefully Secretary Clinton has speaker phone. According to the State Department daily press brief, here are all the people she talked to yesterday:

Middle East:

Israeli Prime Minister Olmert,
Israeli Foreign Minister Livni,
Israeli Defense Minister Barak,
Egyptian Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit,
Jordanian King Abdullah,
Palestinian Authority President Abu Mazen,
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Fayyad,
Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faysal.

Europe:

UK Foreign Secretary Miliband,
French Foreign Minister Kouchner,
German Foreign Minister Steinmeier,
Czech Foreign Minister Schwarzenberg.

Asia & South Pacific:

Japanese Foreign Minister Nakasone,
South Korean Foreign Minister Yu,
Australian Foreign Minister Smith,
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang,
Afghani President Karzai,
Pakistani President Zardari,
Indian External Affairs Minister Mukherjee

North America:

Mexican Foreign Secretary Espinosa

Foggybottom Watch, Hillary Edition: Clinton Confirmation Hearing Set

The Hill is reporting that Hillary Clinton's Senate confirmation hearing to be installed as incoming Secretary of State has been set for Tuesday, January 13th. John Kerry is now the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman, and will preside over the confirmation. Kerry has already heaped praise on Clinton as America's top diplomat, indicating that her confirmation should be a cake walk. Constitutional barriers to her appointment were already removed by Congress in December, and most Senate leaders have indicated optimism towards the appointment.