Dear C.s,
I want to suggest to you that you watch the news and commentary for increasing hostility to the State Department. As in the McCarthy era, I believe we are to be treated to lavish stories about how State is the locus of softness on "the enemy".
The reasons are two, I think. First, it's obvious that professionals in State and the CIA are rightfully resentful of having been embarrassed by the Pentagon-White House nexus of rash action and thinly-veiled deceit. Second, the State department contains the most powerful political weapon that either party now possesses - Colin Powell. If President Bush were to have the nerve to replace Cheney with Powell, he would almost certainly win in '04. Selecting Powell as a running mate would be a demographic bomb (a weapon of mass defection?) for which the Democrats would have no answer.
Discrediting the State Department is essential for the Cheney crowd to be certain they can keep their jobs, given their record for consistently embarrassing the White House and losing almost every public battle of ideas, save that for tax cuts (and they only hang on to that victory thanks to the Democrats).
I have been watching for this turn against State for a while. William Safire's column today contains a warning shot.
peace,
boddi