Diplomatic Stupidity 101
Lesson 1
How NOT to prepare for your meeting with the other side.
Issue public insults and rebukes of your advisory and his policies.
Taking a quick glance at a TV earlier today, I could not believe what I thought I heard Bush saying in public about Russia and President Vladimir Putin less than 24 hours before his planned meeting with the Russian President. Checking the reports in the MSM of what he said, I guess I did hear stupidity.
More below the fold.
First all, I find it rude and showing lack of respect for the man and the office to refer to President Putin as "Vladimir" when speaking in public. I cannot recall ever hearing a President of the United States referring to the head of state of another country by his first name in a public setting. It appears that Bush is trying to be cute and show how slick and cool he is, but in my mind, Bush is over playing his hand. He shows lack of respect by NOT always referring to Putin as "President Putin," especially in the setting of a press conference or when addressing the heads of state in another country as he did today in Belgium.
Second, I find it absolutely stupid to publicly rebuke Russia and the Russian President they way Bush did today when he criticized both in public.
I may be wrong, but I have a feeling that the Russians are not going to roll over and play dead and kiss Bush's ass over this deal.
For an idea of what Bush might have waiting for him, take a look was Pravda is saying:
Bush: Arrogance instead of diplomacy before summit
02/22/2005 10:15
Bush insinuates that Russia is not democratic enough.
If George W. Bush is arrogant enough to speak about Russia's supposed lack of democratic processes on the eve of his summit with President Vladimir Putin in Bratislava, then let us treat this insult with the answer it deserves.
"I also believe that Russia's future lies within the family of Europe and the transatlantic community", said George W. Bush in his address at the Concert Noble, Belgium, today.
For the information of this President, who parachutes into Europe once every two years because he dare not step off an aircraft in most countries outside his own, Russia has always been part of Europe, while the USA has not. Therefore what authority does this citizen of the USA have in speaking about European affairs?
"Russia, to make progress as a European nation must renew a commitment to democracy and the rule of law".
Democracy? President Putin was elected by a democratic process, was he not? Rule of law? Did the Russian Federation break every rule in the book by breaching the Geneva Convention and UN Charter, launching an illegal war, based on barefaced lies, slaughtering tens of thousands of innocent people in a sovereign nation? No.
Therefore what authority does George Bush have to speak about the rule of law and a commitment to democracy?
For the rest of the story see:
http://english.pravda.ru/mailbox/22/101/399/14999_bush.html
Having a difference of opinion is one thing; insulting the other side in public is something else.
Putin did not get to where he is by being either stupid or one to roll over and play dead.
Bush's "my way or the highway" attitude is going to unwind and destroy all of the gains in our relations with the Russians over the past sevearal years.
Hopefully Bush will find a recipe for a way to eat crow before he meets with the Russian President, but I doubt he will.
Stupid is as stupid does.
-- Forrest Gump