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Being There
New York Times, by Bill Keller
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Original Article
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Posted By:LittleHoodedMonk, 1/3/2013 5:57:26 PM
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| In a smart, disheartening piece in The New York Times Magazine last month, Robert Worth surveyed the frustration of American diplomats who signed up to engage the world — even dreamed of changing it — and now find themselves encumbered by the safeguards and protocols of a risk-averse Washington. It is hard to change the world when you live in a fortress and travel in an armored motorcade. The article was prompted, of course, by the death of J. Christopher Stevens, the ambassador killed in a Sept. 11 jihadi attack on the American mission in Benghazi, Libya.
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Comments: This is one of the most remarkable and thought proving articles I have read in the NY Times. Keller realizes the dangers, mostly played down by State Department as not only effecting diplomats, but the reporters sent into harm´s way with them. He sees the need for their boots to be on the ground, as Washington does get some of its intel from what is being reported in a given region. And, that the next trained generation of media must balance the story with security to get it.
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Reply 1 - Posted by:
Okie 52, 1/3/2013 6:14:32 PM (No. 9097144)
OMG! Next thing you know, Keller is going to suggest that "media" question "facts" that come out of the mouths of Obama spokesmodels. Hold on their, partner, that´s awfully close to committing journalism. You know, that thing they supposedly teach at Columbia? No? Don´t remember?
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Reply 2 - Posted by:
Sanspeur, 1/3/2013 6:16:30 PM (No. 9097148)
I would settle for ambassadors representing the US as is.. Not doing end runs , gun runs, money bundling, black ops .. All seemingly from a rogue concept of US interests..we do not topple governments, advise thugs and terrorists, enable drug dealers..an embassy is to mediate our interests abroad.. Not go off piste with their unsavory ideals and "making a difference" bs.. That is for college professors indoctrinating mushy skulls safely on campus or ows bonfires...
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Reply 3 - Posted by:
JSanders, 1/3/2013 6:18:54 PM (No. 9097150)
There was a story years ago that Ronald Reagan once called into his office different US ambassadors, pointed to a large map or globe and asked them to point to which country they represented.
After they identified the country they were "appointed" to, President Reagan corrected them saying, ´No, you represent the United States".
I doubt that prior attitude has changed which explains a lot about out diminished standing in the world.
Then, when an incident happens like in Benghazi and they rest of the world sees the US response, or more precisely, the lack thereof, our standing in the world is further diminished.
Our diplomats deserve better, but with globalists at the State Department I´m afraid things will get worse before they get better...if at all.
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Reply 4 - Posted by:
weirdone, 1/3/2013 7:53:19 PM (No. 9097287)
It is really really hard to change the world when your dead...
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Reply 5 - Posted by:
BcdErick, 1/3/2013 8:56:58 PM (No. 9097358)
What reprehensible, despicable garbage. There are so many lies here I want to hurl. This loser Keller first lies like a Stalinist when he claims that Stevens’ death was no big deal and "goes" with the territory. Imagine if exactly this event had occurred while George W. Bush was president. Keller and his merry cabal of apparatchiks in the LSM would have demanded Bush be impeached immediately; like yesterday. The frenzy, hate and hysteria would have been so over the top as to be an obscenity. The goal would have been to create a national crisis.
Too bad for Keller and his posse that the reality is this murder of an American Ambassador was the direct result of Yo´ bama´s incompetence. And Keller and the gang have constantly screamed that any mention of that fact or even Susan Rice´s name is racist and driven solely by Republican hate filled extremists. Welcome to America 2013.
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Reply 6 - Posted by:
asu86pe, 1/3/2013 10:09:17 PM (No. 9097424)
Thanks #3 Great story
A brave journalist is invaluable ...... finding one is impossible apparently.
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Reply 7 - Posted by:
Penney, 1/3/2013 10:41:05 PM (No. 9097449)
The theatrics employed by the conniving policy tactics of the current, ´leadership,´ and devious Congressional manipulators are apparently attempting to build a house of cards, which seems about to collapse. Not only are American diplomats in peril around the planet but ALL people seem less safe & Less free everywhere as the world has rapidly become more unfriendly, even violent, during the past 4 years. The bad guys seem to be on the move intemidating Life & Liberty. Such lefty political opportunists always prey on the most helpless and they apparently sense weakness EVERYWHERE now.
But then, is that turn-of-events any wonder when the lefty/libs of the world throughout the past 40 years have sang & demanded peace & love but the results of their song-&-dance are in now & have turned out to be exactly the opposite?! From local communities to the various countries and the communal UN, there is decay, decadense and cruelty among even formerly civil peoples as a result of these same ditzy lefty/libs´ politics! Lefty/libs have now even claimed tenure in the universities, media and apparently inside the USA beltway but, ´´Peace,´´ AND prosperity are nowhere to be seen, as both obviously are to be found in the opposite direction!
Leftists are ignoring history as they again march toward wrong direction. Their bogus statist illusions &, ´siren songs,´ have proved time & time again to be totally phony. And good people are dying now, in our time, because of their redundant bad leadership.
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