Sec of State Rice and "Transformational Diplomacy" [View All]

I found SOC Rice's statements at Georgetown University chilling.

She opened with a clear salvo, a statement of American unilateralism - diplomacy will no longer deal with the world as we find it, "transformational diplomacy" means we will deal with the world as we want it to be. The goal doesn't sound like recognizing and resolving differences in the national community through diplomacy. And couch it in terms of democracy as she might, it doesn't sound like carrying the example of self rule and self determination as the foundation of our diplomatic relationships. Nor does it sound like supporting internal solutions for countries' internal affairs.

It sounds like a mandate, imposed by the US, defined by the US and, more importantly, enforced by the US via the military.

Her segue into the military arena made just that point. Modern diplomacy will involve closer coordination with the military. No bones about it. "Further and further integration down the chain" she said. Speaking as the Secretary of State this is an astonishing recognition that State will become an arm of the Pentagon which has increasingly become an arm of the political interests of the Executive.

I'm not naive. I understand that American diplomacy has always held the possibility of American military might as a hole card. And it has been used in the past. I also understand that outside pressure - notably UN sanctions - has been used in the past toward a diplomatic end.

This is different. "Transformational diplomacy" is, in the best Bush doctrine tradition, really about dismantling diplomacy.

A unilateral intervention doctrine is just as dangerous, if not more so, as the unilateral isolationism some Americans espoused prior to the World Wars.

She made the Administration's case well. That's what I found chilling. This is their agenda, no bones about it.