March 20, 2004
Put your money where your mouth is...
You know how the Democrats go on and on about how vitally important our traditional alliances are? Well, this made me sit up and think... Blaster writes:
Wouldn't it be smarter ...Democrats are always claiming that their being chummy with European leaders and appreciating their nuanced shades of gray means that they could do a better job of diplomacy and alliance-tending, and save America from the catatrophic isolation that results from electing Republicans...So why wait? Your country needs you now--here's your chance to shine!For the Democrats to recognize that alliances are two-way, and call on our European allies to be allies? They could still stick it to Bush and say "despite our cowboy President blah blah blah, but the future is too important, why don't you guys support us because success is too important to let our alliances fall by the wayside?"
Of course some skeptix types might suggest that Democrats might prefer that America have difficulties, just to improve their electoral chances...But surely they wouldn't sink so low.
Or that countries like France and Germany favor Democrats because they expect that they won't actually do anything or ask for any help. And that F & G would no more help Kerry overthrow a genocidal fascist dictator who lines their pockets, than they would help Bush...Nahhh. I refuse to believe such cynical things.
Seriously, Kerry did request that Spain reconsider removing forces from Iraq. Which was highly credible of him. But if he wanted a break from campaigning, he should have hopped a plane to Spain and made a real push. If he failed, at least he would have shown himself to be a serious guy. And if he succeeded, he would have an actual accomplishment to brag about!
You might find this article interesting:
http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=6303
Here's a sample graf:
"Modern Democrats are peculiar in American political history in that they actually brag about non-American support. This is a political boast the Founding Fathers and early Federalists would find puzzling if not shocking. Independence from foreign opinion and influence is one of the founding marks of America. The Federalist Papers contain chapters entitled "Concerning Dangers From Foreign Force and Influence." John Kerry's foreign-leaders-are-pulling-for-me talk would sound to the American founders like the beginnings of treason."
Posted by: average joe at March 20, 2004 07:39 PMFor anyone but the President or his appointed representatives (e.g., the State Department) to negotiate with a foreign power in the name of the United States is a violation of the Logan Act:
"Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.
"This section shall not abridge the right of a citizen to apply, himself or his agent, to any foreign government or the agents thereof for redress of any injury which he may have sustained from such government or any of its agents or subjects." (Logan Act, 1799)
You might remember that Jesse Jackson's grandstand play a few years ago over American hostages being held in the Middle East had that in the news for a while. It would be nice to see Kerry get hung on that one.
Of course, that law has been honored less in the observance than in the breach, but it's still on the books.
Joe, it's truly odd by historical standards. Can we say "Tranzi?"
Francis, I'm at least vaguely aware of that law. I ignored it in the post since I was just being snarky and I'm sure it won't happen.
But by both law and propriety any such move would have to be approved by the Administration.
What I wonder is, if Kerry actually offered to do something like that, would the Bush crew be classy enough to let him try?
Posted by: John Weidner at March 21, 2004 10:35 AM
