Karen Hughes
Karen Hughes will be nominated to become Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy. There have been criticisms of the selection, as I would have expected from some who are critical of every nomination the President makes. Surprisingly, there are some who are politically more inclined toward the President’s policies that are also critical of the selection. At this point, I’ve seen nothing to warrant the criticism of either group. The criticism seems to focus on Hughes lack of "credentials" in diplomatic circles, her close relationship to the President, or her decision to spend the last couple of years with her family in Texas, where her son will soon be graduated from high school and head off to college, none of which seems worthy of criticism.
As for this rarely read blogger, I believe that the selection of Hughes is significant and positive. President Bush has chosen his most trusted advisor for a role that has long been under represented. Combined with Secretary Rice and Dina Habib Powell, who will be named Deputy Under Secretary to Hughes, there will be a trio of strong women that present a foreign affairs and diplomacy background as well as an absolute understanding of the position of President Bush. Middle Eastern leaders will hear less convoluted messages of U.S. policy and instead hear with conviction and clarity the essence of U.S. policy for the Middle East.
