Lugar Says U.S. Is "All Thumbs" in Dealing with Muslims

[kskiska]

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 — Senator Richard G. Lugar of Indiana, a leading Republican foreign policy voice, today sharply criticized United States efforts to improve the American image among Muslims and others abroad, calling them an "all thumbs" policy in need of reform.

He leveled the charges during a nomination hearing at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for a new undersecretary of state for public diplomacy. Mr. Lugar, the chairman of the committee, called the position "one of the most difficult posts in the United States government," but praised the nominee, Margaret D. Tutwiler, as "eminently qualified."

Ms. Tutwiler, a former State Department spokesman and ambassador to Mo rocco, whose nomination is expected to be confirmed, appeared before the committee just weeks after a study panel named by the Bush administration urged a drastic overhaul of United States public relations efforts in the Arab world.

"Hostility toward America has reached shocking levels," said the panel, the United States Advisory Group on Public Diplomacy for the Arab and Muslim World. Mr. Lugar and others have said that recent American public diplomacy efforts, undertaken after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, reflected more a heavy-handed, Madison Avenue advertising sensibility than a nuanced understanding of Muslim concerns and realities. The previous head of public diplomacy, Charlotte Beers, resigned, citing health problems.

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/29/international/middleeast/29CND-DIPL.html

[Fovea]

1. Sen. Lugar is WRONG!

We are also kneecaps, elbows, and fists, as well.
Oh, and did I mention the boots?

[Punkingal]

2. Margaret Tutwiler......

OMG!!! She was the spokesperson when James Baker was Secretary of State under the first Bush! She had the most boring, droning voice I have ever heard!

[DivinBreuvage]

3. Yes, but as usual the liberal media failed to report the GOOD news...

namely that they are all RIGHT thumbs (it would be worse if they were left thumbs, as in "two left feet")

Okay, it's not that funny, but 'tis like the breath of an unfee'd lawyer -- you gave me nothing for it. Also I have no wine tonight to lubricate my wit.

Françoise

[Ouabache]

4. ohYeah message me when Lugar actually VOTES to back up his thoughtful

and measured statements, about the travesty of this white house's foreign policies...

Same with Hagel. All blow and no go.

They never cross over and VOTE to send a message to this fascist white house, so just how principled and upstanding are they anyway ?

Zell Miller and Nebraska Nelson and Evan Bayh all throw WAY more votes to their side than they will ever think about throwing over to our side, so screw Lugar and Hagel. Stop saying what great Republicans they are until they actually start voting liking Republican Statesmen instead of the BFEE water-carriers that they always end up being.

Sorry kskiska, I know you did not jump off with the Lugar praise train, this is just pre-emptive disparagement for Lugar for the DUer post that will inevitably show up here talking about him that way.

[KoKo]

5. OMG! Not Maggie Tutwiler! She was spokesperson in Poppy's Administration!

during the Gulf War, I believe. She was always on the air giving press
conferences. I couldn't stand her. She was insufferable! Doesn't the Chimp ever
put someone out there who isn't part of his crony filled world of Poppy's retreads
and Repug hacks who've been around Washington too long?

This is NOT good news for Chimp. But, maybe good news for his downfall.

[goforit]

6. What are gonna do?

:shrug:

[DuctapeFatwa]

7. On the contrary, the regime is on message, and the message is clear

A few pockets of the US population may not get it, but the world does.