The Secretary Time Forgot

The NY Times reports on the view from down the memory hole, bemoaning the lack of authentic Russian experts in these troubled times:

Russia Experts See Thinning Ranks’ Effect on U.S. Policy

...

But while the control of Crimea by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia has brought America’s Russia experts in from the cold, the news media spotlight has also showed important shifts in how American academics and policy makers think about Russia, not to mention the quality and quantity of the people doing the thinking. Among those experts, there is a belief that a dearth of talent in the field and ineffectual management from the White House have combined to create an unsophisticated and cartoonish view of a former superpower, and potential threat, that refuses to be relegated to the ash heap of history.

“It’s a shorter bench,” said Michael A. McFaul, who returned from his post as the American ambassador in Moscow on Feb. 26, as the crisis unfolded. He said the present and future stars in the government did not make their careers in the Russia field, which long ago was eclipsed by the Middle East and Asia as the major draws of government and intelligence agency talent.

“The expertise with the government is not as robust as it was 20 or 30 years ago, and the same in the academy,” Mr. McFaul said.

However, the Times is able to think back to happier days:

“It is certainly harder for the White House, State Department and intelligence community to find up-and-coming regional experts who are truly expert on that region,” said Strobe Talbott, the president of the Brookings Institution and President Bill Clinton’s Russia point man. “It’s a market problem.”

Compounding the effects has been a lack of demand for Russian expertise at the very top of the foreign policy pyramid. Successive White Houses have sought to fit Russia into a new framework, both diplomatically and bureaucratically, as one of many priorities rather than the singular focus of American foreign policy. Since Mr. Clinton empowered Mr. Talbott, the portfolio has shrunk, and with it the number of aides with deep Russian experience, and real sway, in the White House.

Strobe Talbott?  I know what you are thinking (unless you are one of the rare JOM readers who is also an Upper West Side progressive) - wasn't there someone in the Bush White House with a smidgin of Russian expertise? Be patient, a hint is coming:

While President George W. Bush looked into Mr. Putin’s soul, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke his language and President Obama sought a so-called reset of relations, they all found themselves discouraged that Mr. Putin, and Russia, did not behave the way they thought they should.

Condi Rice! That is the former Secretary of State, NSC head, and Bush alter-ego who came to prominence as a Russia expert in the first Bush regime. OK, earnest libs don't want to hear from her (Iraq, enhanced interrogation, drone executions of Americans... oops), but that doesn't mean she does not exist. Well, other than in TimesWorld.

Comments

[Captain Hate]

Ouch, not good; Nytol.

[Gus]

Narciso, since the news that an AIRLINE FLIGHT of ANY KIND was missing.... I have prayed. The fact that a flight was off the radar is obvious reference to a tragedy. God help those who are victims, and God help their families.

[Dave (in MA)]

Apparently it's become acceptable to say "friggin'" in a mayonnaise ad on network TV.

[Danube on iPad]

Dewey used to be Dewey, Ballentine for ages before merger madness took over and they joined up with LaBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & McRae, universally known as LaBoeuf, LaLamb & LaPork.

[Gus]

Yes Dave, and it's OK to give 14 year old boys, condoms at school.

[narciso]

this leaves out the obvious question, why interview 'Tommy Boy' in the first place;

http://weaselzippers.us/178603-was-christiane-amanpour-paid-by-nicolas-maduro-for-her-interview-on-cnn/

[Ignatz]

Speaking of hideous; MOTUS has a few before and after shots of Hollywood broads who can't possibly think they look better than if they had just aged naturally.

Plums age better than these jobs. I figure Hollywood plastic surgeons had to be the guys who got CA medical malpractice awards limited to $250 grand.

[Danube on iPad]

Bumptious simpleton Joe Arpaio escapes federal indictment on a technicality -that nettlesome "burden of proof" thing, an arcane relic of the English common law.

"Federal investigators concluded there was sufficient evidence to bring charges against public officials during their years-long abuse-of-power investigation targeting Maricopa County law-enforcement agencies, according to heavily redacted records obtained by The Arizona Republic.

"The records indicate that FBI agents found probable cause to recommend felony counts of obstructing criminal investigations of prosecutions, theft by threats, tampering with witnesses, perjury and theft by extortion.

"Ultimately, federal prosecutors in August 2012 closed the three-year FBI criminal investigation and grand-jury probe into Sheriff Joe Arpaio, former County Attorney Andrew Thomas and their top deputies, saying there would be no indictments due to a lack of evidence or an insurmountable burden of proof."

[Gus]

Amanpour is a LIBTARD LOSER. Why is it even within question, as to whether this LIBTARD HUSTLER is a Commie? Why do WE give people like Amanpour the benefit of the doubt???
The answer is. We are victims of the MFM STOCKHOLM syndrome. We, just like WEEEEEEPING Johnnnny Boehner, SIMPLY CANNOT, JUDGE THESE BASTARDS as to what they ARE. We need to fight with these BASTARDS.

[narciso]

Well the Rupert Pupkin network strives for relevance,

[Danube on iPad]

At least she can't vote in this country. Probably.

"When a young British beautician realised relations between Russia and Ukraine were at crisis point, she decided to share her feelings on Twitter. Without pausing to check her facts, or her spelling, Gemma Worrall, 20, wrote: 'If barraco barner is our president, why is he getting involved with Russia, scary.´ Within hours, Miss Worrall, from Blackpool, was trending in countries around the world as her message was retweeted thousands of times."

[Jim Rhoads f/k/a vnjagvet]

A law school classmate of mine joined Dewey right out of law school, and became a very well respected, highly compensated litigation senior partner.

He got out well before the carp hit the fan. He was not impressed with the way the firm was managed at the time of his departure.

[Gus]

Danube, we are living in scary times. You and I MAY or MAY NOT disagree from time to time, but the LIV... Low info voters are EPIC, FECKING EPIC.

[Gus]

I just heard the THE 5 bumper music, PLAY.......START by THE JAM!!! Wow. Unbelievably cool.

[Ignatz]

--If barraco barner is our president--

Sounds like she's got a nice thick Chicago accent herself.
In any event she was closer than "JEF" or "BOzo". :)

[Gus]

Our President Ignatz. Obama is a marxist, and he has no problem with blurring the line between America and MARXISM. Obama is a filthy pile of crap.

[narciso]

well in Canada, Hus, that is actionahle;

http://www.steynonline.com/6149/what-is-a-satrap

and I have to add, verifiably insane;

[narciso]

Well you know what I mean, as Hunter Thompson said 'when the going gets weird, the weird go pro'

[Danube on iPad]

We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold....

[Janet - the districts lie fallow, while the Capitol gorges itself]

Sorta related to the thread topic...
Remember that Stanley & Obama Sr. supposedly met in a Russian class. hah!

Am Thinker has another post about the sketchy life narrative - http://www.americanthinker.com/2014/03/in_name_only.html

[Captain Hate]

this leaves out the obvious question, why interview 'Tommy Boy' in the first place

We know what Imawhore is, the price is the only thing in question. I'm sure with the Venezuelan economy being in the toilet and the currency extremely inflated, the dumb bint is feeling like her market value has risen in inverse proportion to her ratings.

[Captain Hate]

Speaking of hideous; MOTUS has a few before and after shots of Hollywood broads who can't possibly think they look better than if they had just aged naturally.

Tammy Bruce was talking about the Oscars and it sounds like she used to have a major girl crush on Kim Novak based on her body of work and how the reaction by the crowd at her trainwreck appearance indicated many of them were completely unfamiliar with what she'd done. Depth of knowledge like a mud puddle.

[Captain Hate]

At least she can't vote in this country. Probably.

Jethro Bodine Stedman, double aught lawyer, is doing his best to ensure the lack of a picture ID won't be an impediment.

[Jane on Ipad]

Apparently the plane is still missing. What horror.

[Captain Hate]

From Janet's link:

Whatever Ann majored in, Ann's University of Washington (UW) transcript shows eight credits transferring from UH in which she received a grade point average of 1.35.

No wonder we don't see Ear Leader's transcripts, he probably inherited his nympho-tramp mother's brains.

[marlene on Kindle]

Morning! Speaking of Russia and vodka...yesterday we met the photographers for the daughter's ceremony. They are two young Russians who welcomed us into their studio.Please sit down! Would you like a vodka? It is going to be great week-end!

[Jeff Dobbs]

The snow here is beautiful this morning under a cloudless sky. New thread btw.

[Jane]

Marlene,

When is the wedding?