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Monday, April 14, 2008
Rich Galen :: Townhall.com Columnist
Summer Soldiers and Sunshine Patriots
by Rich Galen
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For everyone who thinks the US foreign policy has had no effect, consider this: In the summer of 2003, prior to my posting to Iraq, I went to Kuwait to cover its national elections. The shorthand as I wrote on July 4, 2003, was this:

There are about 2.1 million people here, of whom about 1 million are citizens but only about 120,000 of those are permitted to vote. No women are among them.

Got that? 2003. 2.1 million people. No women could vote. Pretty typical of the Persian Gulf States back in the day.

Since that time, women have been granted the right to vote in Kuwait (as well as most of the other countries) and, more that than, women have been appointed Ministers of Cabinet-level Departments.

I bring this up because on Friday I was invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of a career Foreign Service Officer to be the new US Ambassador to Kuwait.

The new Ambassador's name is: Deborah K. Jones.

Five years ago, the suggestion that the United States - or any other nation - would dare to send a female Ambassador to a Gulf State would have been laughable.

AMB Jones was the subject of a previous Mullings. I met her in April of 2006 when she was the US Consul-General in Istanbul, and of whom I wrote: Counselor Jones is a delight. A Turkish delight. She has been in the service of our nation for coming up on 25 years in posts which include South America and just about every caravan stop in the Middle East. She is brilliant, forthcoming, attractive, and witty.

The ceremony was held at the State Department. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte spoke words. Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsberg administered the oath. There were, maybe 200 colleagues, friends, family and (like me) hangers-on.

Because AMB Jones is largely a Middle East hand, a number of her colleagues from that section of the Foreign Service were in attendance. I had served with many of those same patriots during my time in Iraq. Continued...
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About The Author

Rich Galen has been a press secretary to Dan Quayle and Newt Gingrich. Rich Galen currently works as a journalist and writes at Mullings.com

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(21 comments so Far)
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Reply # 1
Date: Apr 15, 2008 - 5:48 PM EST
Sharkfighter
Galen's first four paragraphs draw a conclusion that our foreign policy, i.e. the invasion of Iraq, has resulted in a change of atmosphere in Kuwait on the issue of women's suffrage.

And later Galen opines that "five years ago, the suggestion the U.S. would send a female ambassador to a Gulf state would have been laughable".

Again the implication is that Bush foreign policy, the Iraq invasion, has had a spillover effect in promoting "tolerance" of Arab regimes to female ambassadors.

It is not a stretch to conclude, given that mindset, that Galen would like the U.S. to encourage this socalled "tolerance" by selecting females to represent our nation to Arab governments.

My only point, which I still maintain, is that the selection ought to be done in terms of merit, not gender.

I have no doubt the female ambassador of whom Galen spoke so highly is eminently qualified.

I would just not want the selection to ever be done from the standpoint of making a "statement", or sending a "message", or encouraging this or that development.

It should be made on merit, period.

But I appreciate your post.

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Reply # 2
Date: Apr 15, 2008 - 1:58 PM EST
jerabaub Pt 2
jerabaub, your whole argument is based on a presumption.

Mr Galen writes about the ambassadors qualifications and makes the undoubtedly true assertion that 5 or 6 years ago a woman could not hold the post. Now a woman can, and a very competent and capable woman is going to do so. Mr Galen points out what everyone that believes in equality knows is a good sign that the first woman Ambassador to the mid-east is getting the job.

Republican Party since its inception has always believed in equality and freedom and that is what his post is about.

Nowhere does Mr Galen suggest that we should be 'Purposely staffing a woman to a Muslim nation to represent our interests, simply due to gender and in order to make some "statement",

He suggests that it is an accomplishment that the highly respected woman who has the background to represent us can get the job.

When you state that "To place a woman in such a position based exclusively or even partly on gender, simply to send some socio-politically correct half baked message, is ludicrous." I merely point out that someone reading YOUR words would believe that meant the person selected was unqualified. No where does Mr Galen suggest staffing 'UNQUALIFIED' women to the job.

If you agree, like YOU said that the best qualified person, regardless of gender, get the job and that it is good that Females can even be considered for it equally alongside males, then you agree with article.

Also notice nowhere does Mr Galen say this justifies the initial invasion. Do you find any statement in the article that supports your conclusion in your first posting?

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