Why are so manyleaving the StateDepartment–andwhy aren’t theybeing replaced?
State Department Losing Top TalentBy Cliff Montgomery – Feb. 2nd, 2007Something strange is going on at the Bush State Department.Every administration suffers the loss of some of its talent as the weeks and months roll by–through retirement, difference of opinion, etc. But the talent drain currently going on at U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice‘s department may be reaching crisis proportions.Rice’s key non-proliferation expert resigned at the end of January, making at least five top positions at the State Department which are either vacant or soon will be.The latest resignation has only heightened the criticism by some analysts over how long the Bush Administration is taking to fill key posts at the department, possibly weakening efforts to tackle foreign policy crises from North Korea and Iran to the Middle East.But State Department spokesman Sean McCormack has denied such criticism, adding in statements to reporters on Jan. 25th that he was confident “good, strong” people would soon be appointed.”In the meantime, we have some very good people who are filling in,” McCormack said.But reality may be telling a different story. It took six months to find a replacement for Rice’s deputy, Robert Zoellick. And even then, the administration’s pick for the job–John Negroponte–had to face a set of uncertain confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill in the last week of January, headed by Democratic leaders who often strongly disagree with administration choices.”[The delays in filling posts] raises the question over how much of this is purposeful to not have the State Department the strong player in the interagency process,” Foreign policy expert Jon Alterman told the New York Times in a recent interview on the subject.Alterman, a Middle East expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), added it was also “curious” how many people appeared to have turned down top jobs.”That is not a vote of confidence in the secretary’s leadership or in the policies that the government is pursuing,” said Alterman.But Spin-Doctor-at-State McCormack replied that many of those who had quit were in their jobs for the past six years of the Bush Administration–a pretty long time in Washington.”You are starting to see some people move on. We absolutely appreciate their service and their dedication to the secretary and the president’s policies,” said McCormack.But not everyone agrees, even on the far right side of the political fence. On January 11th, syndicated neo-conservative commentator Robert Novak (who Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” has named “douche bag for liberty”–and they’re being polite) ran a column titled “The Mess at State.” The neo-cons rarely have good words to say about any government agencies, save the ones which deal in war; but this story was scathing even by their standards. It was particularly critical over how long the Bush Administration had taken to replace Zoellick, who was instrumental on diplomatic efforts with China and Sudan.Asked about Novak’s criticism, McCormack called it “just ridiculous”–which in Washington doublespeak means there may indeed be something to the story.A recent tally will give readers an idea of what’s really going on at State.Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Robert Joseph gave his resignation letter to President Bush on Jan. 24th.Counterterrorism coordinator Henry Crumpton’s last day at the department was a few scant days later, and John Hillen, assistant secretary for political-military affairs at State, has also resigned.Yet another senior official, Josette Sheeran, undersecretary for energy, economic and agricultural affairs, is leaving to head the World Food Program.And State Department counselor Philip Zelikow, a key adviser to Rice on Iraq and Israeli-Palestinian issues, has perhaps mercifully quit his position; he has left to poison defenseless young minds in academia. It is unclear if Rice will attempt to find a replacement for him.In fact aside from the Negroponte pick, there has yet been no announced replacements for any of these jobs. But ever hopeful, McCormack put on a brave face and told reporters he trusts this may happen in the coming days and weeks.
