The State Department and the Pentagon

[Jamie Young]

What is the problem in this area of the Government? I never understood what the role of the State Department was?

I have heard about fighting between these to parties over "bombing opium fields in afghanistan" and now with "going after Irag." Apparantly the State Department has persuaded the Pentagon to not go after Iraq.

How are people put into position at the State Department? I understand how the Pentagon runs but who are these people that have been in positions for over 10yrs? With all these intelligence failures, in the FBI, who put all these people in there positions? It can't be all the Bush administrations.

 

[buzz_knox]

The State Department is the governmental body responsible for handling foreign relations. It is part of the Executive Branch and headed by the Secretary of State, currently Colin Powell. The SecState is appointed by the President and confirmed by Congress. Lower levels appointments are made by the Secretary and/or normal gov't hiring policies. It's here that you run into the career employees who both embody institutional memory and institutional stupidity.

The problem is that there is a historic tension between State and the Pentagon as State believes political expediency is more important than military success. State usually wins in a conflict between the two because of the natural antipathy towards the use of force among politicians.

 

[trapshooter]

Quite simply:

State Department - talk them to death.

Pentagon (Department of 'Defense') - for when talking is not an option.

 

[Jamie Young]

I'm becoming severely concerned about Powell. I thought he was going to be more effective but things don't seem to be working. I think he's too afraid of war. He was the one that went to former Pres. Bush and wanted to end the Persian Gulf War. He has messed around with Arafat far too long and I've lost confidence in him for doing that. He's haunted by his experiences in Vietnam. He's "too" afraid of war.

 

[Carry24x7]

I have reservations about Colin Powell but for different reasons. I think he's the loudest voice holding back the Israelis from doing what you gotta know they really really want to do.

The State Dept. is the commercial equivalent to your Marketing/Advertising dept.

 

[HankB]

Trapshooter, you're partly wrong. It's:

State Department - Talk them to death. Send them money. LOTS of money.

 

[trapshooter]

HankB...

You definitely got me there!


"Blah, blah, blah, peace, love, blah... how much do you need?"

"Blah, blah, blah, sweetness, light, blah, blah...here, take twice what you asked for."

 

[Sodbuster]

Hank and Trapshooter

Thanks a lot! Like a stupid song you can't get out of your head, now I'm thinking about the Mouse that Roared. A case of art imitating life?

 

[Skorzeny]

I have reservations about Colin Powell but for different reasons. I think he's the loudest voice holding back the Israelis from doing what you gotta know they really really want to do.

Secretary Powell doesn't do anything that President Bush does not approve of.

The State Dept. is the commercial equivalent to your Marketing/Advertising dept.

Really? That's funny, because Foreign Service Officers are some of the best educated people I ever met (even though I may dislike State for a number of "institutional" reasons as Buzz_Knox put it). I can't say the same about marketing/advertising folks of most corporations.

BTW, What does that make the DoD?

Skorzeny