Sen. Kerry joining CODEL trip to Southwest Asia this week

[TayTay]

Kerry To Join Sen. Biden on Bi-Partisan Senate CODEL to Southwest Asia

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Incoming Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) today announced he will join outgoing Foreign Relations Committee Chairman and Vice President-Elect Sen. Joe Biden later this week on a fact-finding trip to Southwest Asia. The CODEL will also include Sens. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)

Kerry most recently traveled to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Georgia and India, this past December where he met with Presidents Asif Ali Zardari, Hamid Karzai, Mikheil Saakashvili, and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, among other top officials. In the 110th Congress, Kerry served as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs.

For security purposes, the details of the congressional delegation’s itinerary will be released throughout the week-long trip.



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[karynnj]

1. It strikes me as odd that Clinton is not going

Everyone going is either on SRFC (Kerry, Biden) or Armed Services (Reed, Collins and Graham). HRC is on Armed Services, so even her old job is one where going would make sense. It would seem that meeting the leaders with several of the top policy experts - as Kerry, Biden, Reed, and Graham are all considered to be - I'm not sure of Collins would be a good way to get started. She really is not a foreign policy expert.

[jillan]

2. Good point.

Funny - when I heard of Biden's trip, my first question was 'is Kerry going?'

Never even thought about Hillary. Maybe she will go at a later date to continue whatever this group is starting.

About Collins, all I can think of is maybe they wanted a moderate Repug? Graham? yuck!

[karynnj]

3. Reed, Collins and Graham are all on Senate Armed Services Committee

It might be to have leaders on both sides of the aisle on both these two important committees willing to agree on legislation needed on Pakistan. (Both Kerry and Biden have excellent relationships with Lugar)

[Muttocracy]

4. there are so many foreign policy fires to put out - I wonder how things will be divided

Maybe HRC will get involved with Gaza? Kerry and Biden are stronger for south and central Asia.

[jillan]

5. Marc Ambinder has an interesting piece on this trip

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/01/why_bidens_going_to_the_region.php

and it may answer the Hillary question (as to why she's not going)