The Washington Times
  • Subscribe
  • Times News Services
  • RSS
  • Mobile Headlines
  • e-edition
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • REGISTER
  • LOG IN
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • WELCOME
  • Your Profile
  • Log Out
  • Front Page Image
  • Classifieds
  • Autos
  • Real Estate
  • Jobs
  • Special Sections
  • Customer Service
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • NFL
    • NBA/WNBA
    • MLB
    • NHL
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Motorsports
    • Soccer
    • NCAA
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Other
  • Culture
    • Home & Living
    • Family & Kids
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Washington Visitors
    • Books
    • Military History
    • Life
    • Auto
    • TV Listings
    • Movie Listings
    • Death Notices
    • Entertainment
  • Themes
  • Communities
  • Shopping
    • Stores
    • Coupons
    • Daily Double
    • Promotion
    • How It Works
  • Videos
    • Two Guys
    • Birnbaum on Washington
    • Liz Glover
    • Amanda Carpenter
    • Morning Briefing
    • Documentaries
    • Joe Giganti
    • Video Game Minute
  • Podcasts
    • About Headlines
    • Audio and Radio
    • America's Morning News
  • World
  • National
  • Politics
  • National Security
  • DC Area
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Technology
  • Investigations
  • Faith
  • Energy
  • Environment
  • Headlines
  • Citizen Journalism
  • Politics

    Climate 'czar' says hacked e-mails don't change anything

  • Food

    Obama pardons 'Courage,' the Thanksgiving turkey

  • Politics

    Obama to announce war plan at West Point

  • Politics

    Obama will attend Copenhagen climate summit

  • Business

    Initial jobless claims lowest in about year

  • National

    PULLEN: GOP came unmoored in last decade – it hurt

  • National

    WILLIAMS: Finding gratitude in difficult times

Home » News » Politics

Sunday, October 25, 2009

'Proxy' diplomats deployed for crises

Rate this story

Average 3.00
after 2 votes
Login or register to rate this story

  • Font Size -+
  • Print
  • Email
  • Comment
  • Tweet this!
  • Share
  • Article
  • Comments ()
  • Click-2-Listen
  • Videos
Please stand by, images loading!
  • Katie Falkenberg/The Washington Times
Afghan President Hamid Karzai (left) met with Sen. John Kerry and administration officials along with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari (right) in May 2009 before presidential elections in the country.

More Politics Stories

  • Climate 'czar' says hacked e-mails don't change anything
  • Obama to announce war plan at West Point
  • Obama will attend Copenhagen climate summit
  • Lou Dobbs weighs Senate run in N.J.

By Jon Ward

If President Clinton was known for political triangulation, his wife is establishing herself as the quarterback of a multidirectional diplomatic offense.

Sen. John Kerry's dramatic insertion into talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai last week marked the third time the Obama administration has used proxy diplomats to resolve major foreign crises.

While critics of the approach say it is undermining Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and regular diplomatic channels, Mr. Kerry and State Department officials say that the secretary fully supported the senator's unusual role.

Mrs. Clinton even called Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, on Monday to make sure it was OK for Mr. Kerry to miss a few important votes to secure Mr. Karzai's consent to a runoff election to settle an August vote tainted by fraud.

The mission by Mr. Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, followed high-profile diplomacy by another committee member, Jim Webb, Virginia Democrat, and by Mr. Clinton.

"Secretary Clinton has ... talked about expanding the diplomatic tools in the toolbox," said P.J. Crowley, assistant secretary of state for public affairs. "What is most significant - if you focus on the examples of Senator Kerry and Senator Webb - it is the case of having the United States communicate through a variety of channels, but with a consistent message, and that's very important."

Mr. Webb in August went to Myanmar, where he met with political dissident Aung San Suu Kyi and Gen. Than Shwe, the head of the military junta that is keeping her under house arrest. While Mrs. Suu Kyi remains a prisoner, Mr. Webb won the release of an American detainee, John Yettaw.

Coming a few days after Mr. Clinton's trip to North Korea, where he secured freedom for two American journalists, Mr. Webb's trip also became a big story.

Mr. Webb's staff said much of the reporting inaccurately portrayed his trip as a renegade mission.

"He had a number of conversations with Secretary Clinton both before and after the trip," said Webb spokeswoman Jessica Smith.

[Get Copyright Permissions] Click here for reprint permissions!
Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC

123Next »

Post a comment

There are comments on this article, submit your opinion!

Please login or register to post a comment

Ask a Question

You Report

Do you have another point of view, photos, audio, video or more information about a story?

Top Stories

Most Read

  1. EDITORIAL: Hiding evidence of global cooling
  2. Top Republican lawmakers not attending State Dinner
  3. Fenty trails Gray in D.C. poll
  4. Conservatives seek test for RNC funds
  5. Food snobs fork over $225 for taste of heritage turkey
More Top Stories »
  1. Religious leaders vow civil disobedience on anti-life issues
  2. PRUDEN: Obama's due process doctrine
  3. Company that repaired Chairman Gray's house lacked license
  4. KELLNER: New Apple mouse really is 'Magic'
  5. List of W.H. state dinner guests

Most Shared

  1. EDITORIAL: Hiding evidence of global cooling
  2. EDITORIAL: Obama's sacked inspector general
  3. The United Socialist States of America
  4. EDITORIAL: Terrorists use Democratic talking points
  5. EDITORIAL: Kennedy vs. Catholicism
More Top Stories »
  1. PRUDEN: Obama's due process doctrine
  2. Food snobs fork over $225 for taste of heritage turkey
  3. Fenty trails Gray in D.C. poll
  4. 'Boutique' patients pay for better access to doctors
  5. PULLEN: GOP came unmoored in last decade – it hurt

Most Commented

  1. EDITORIAL: Hiding evidence of global cooling
  2. Top Republican lawmakers not attending State Dinner
  3. Conservatives seek test for RNC funds
  4. PRUDEN: Obama's due process doctrine
  5. EDITORIAL: Terrorists use Democratic talking points
More Top Stories »
  1. A-listers, fundraisers at W.H. state dinner
  2. Ky. hanging, ruled a suicide, leaves bloggers at loss for words
  3. WH: Obama Afghan decision 'within days'
  4. The United Socialist States of America
  5. EDITORIAL: Obama's sacked inspector general

Listen to Washington Times Radio

  • America's Morning News

    with John McCaslin and Melanie Morgan

Question of the day

Are you changing how you celebrate Thanksgiving this year because of the economic times?

Blogs & Columns

  • Hot Button Blog

    RNC: Breast cancer recommendations may lead to 'rationing'

  • Belief Blog

    Evangelicals OK civil disobedience

  • Out of Context

    Foods that might kill libido

  • On the Fly

    United lifts some 'award' blocking

  • Technology

    Facebook wins round against phishing spammer

  • Redskins 360

    NFL Power Rankings: Week 12

  • SNOBlog

    Beyond 'Woody'

Videos

Advertising Links
TWT Store
  • e-edition
  • Print Edition
  • Weekly Washington Times
TWT Affiliates
  • Middle East Times
  • Golf
  • UPI
  • Arbor Ballroom
  • Washington Times Global
  • About TWT
  • Press Room
  • F.A.Q.
  • Work for TWT
  • Advertise
  • Sponsors
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

All site contents © Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC.