It's been inspiring and uplifting to follow Barack Obama's magnificent week abroad and to see him gain the admiration and respect of those with whom he came in contact. The US Military, from troops to Generals, leaders in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Gaza, Germany, France and the UK and the 200,000+ who greeted him in the center of Berlin all saw the potential for CHANGE in America that will come with his election as President. It cannot come too soon. The Bush Administration continues, and will continue until 19 January 2009, I'm afraid, to use the government against its citizens, to take the law in its own hands, and to abuse and bend laws and regulations in order to maintain fear and vulnerability. Three petty government sanctions during the private part of Obama's visit sent shivers down my spine. First, Secretary Rice's cable instructing Embassies they were prohibited from aiding, physically or financially with arrangements for Senator Obama. That the campaign had not asked for assistance made this caution seem calculated to draw media attention. Similar instructions had not gone to Mexico or Colombia during the recent trip of Senator McCain. Of the other two I know at least one is illegal, and in fact was protested by AFSA, the American Foreign Service Association. From my experience both outside and inside the Foreign Service I know the limits placed on campaigning by US government employees - inside government facilities campaigning and fund raising are not permitted - BUT fundraising and campaigning for candidates outside government facilities is clearly allowed. In all the Democrats Abroad organizations I've belonged to in Tokyo, Prague and Casablanca, US government employees have attended functions and get out the vote gatherings. To learn that the State Department prohibited USG employees from attending the speech in Berlin yesterday was shocking. And yesterday the somewhat confusing story regarding the cancellation of Barack Obama's visit to the Military Hospital in Ramstein and visits with US troops in Germany is now explained. After first receiving Pentagon approval, it was suddenly canceled, again by the Pentagon, citing it being a campaign stop - even though Senator Obama was intending to make a private visit without press or photographers. Senator McCain has made similar visits with clearance. These are petty bureaucratic nuisances, and unfortunately the federal bureaucracy is rife with small minded obstructionists who are only too happy to support the status quo for brownie points. My government career, not quite 10 years, was for the most part during the Clinton years, and I left in July, 2002. I know I had real problems "adapting" to the system, and never really could. I know it's gotten worse in the Bush administration. I noticed, particularly during the 2004 campaign, that foreign service officers seemed reluctant to participate in gatherings I held at Rick's. When Diana Kerry visited Casablanca and was guest of honor at an Americans Overseas for Kerry event, the Consular Officer who had confirmed attendance and supply of official USG forms for absentee ballots, canceled at the last minute. It seems to me that most of the young officers being turned out of the Foreign Service Institute these days come here afraid, unduly cautious and full of preconceptions. It's a real shame, and I worry about how deep the damage is in the system. Just like everything in his magnificent campaign so far, I know they're already working on the transition. That's not being presumptuous, that's being patriotic! |
