The return of James Baker
David Sanger reminds in this morning's New York Times that James Baker is back as chairman of the panel reassessing Iraq strategy -- "and he strongly suggested that the White House enter direct talks with countries it had so far kept at arm’s length, including Iran and Syria." William Katz comments:
In all the commotion over the North Korean nuclear test, it's easy to ignore another critical, and disturbing, story - the emergence of former Secretary of State James B. Baker III as a key adviser to President Bush on Iraq.Let us not forget Baker's catastrophic performance as secretary of state under Bush 41, a performance marked by cynicism, an absence of any admirable principle, and an intense hostility to Israel. Baker is widely reported to have said, in a private meeting, "F**k the Jews, they don't vote for us anyway," when asked about Jewish concern over his Mideast policy. He famously read out the White House phone number when testifying before Congress, saying the Israelis
could call it when they were ready for peace.He presided over the sending of Brent Scowcroft to break bread with the Chinese only six months after Tiananmen Square, as if nothing had happened. When asked why Americans should support the first Gulf War, he replied, "Jobs." Nothing like inspiring the nation. After that war, he famously went to Iraq and essentially turned his back on those who were revolting against Saddam.
He says we should talk to enemies like Syria, and relates how he made 15 trips there without result, but that on the 16th try he succeeded. What was the "success"? Why, Baker says, the Madrid Conference. What did the Madrid Conference accomplish? Hard to say, but, to paraphrase Eisenhower's famous comment - if you give me a week, I might be able to think of something.
The first Bush administration was even said to worry that the liberation of Eastern Europe was proceeding too quickly. No "tear down that wall" talk from the crowd.
With the exception of the freeing of Kuwait's oil wells, it's hard to think of any real, lasting accomplishment when Baker was at State. If he should emerge as a pinch hitter, we should recall what happened the last time he came to bat.
