Joe Conason: Putting Our Worst Foot Forward (Truthdig)

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Putting Our Worst Foot Forward

Posted on Apr 26, 2007

By Joe Conason

While international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the United Nations may still seem remote to most Americans, those institutions symbolize the increasing integration of a planet that deeply needs capable, trusted and farsighted guidance. Not so long ago, the United States was known as the “indispensable nation,” the one that could be relied upon to lead in times of crisis. That forfeited reputation is not only the world’s loss, but ours as well.

Cronyism, neglect, corruption, rigidity and plain stupidity—perpetrated by figures who had billed themselves (and were billed by the mainstream media) as the geniuses of our time—have exacted an awesome toll on the inheritance we received from previous generations. Our heritage of world leadership in the last century was built not upon military power alone, but arose from economic, diplomatic and moral foundations that somehow survived despite many earlier mistakes and even crimes.

With the advent of the Bush administration, however, our luck has obviously run out. Neither allies nor adversaries pretend to believe that the ludicrous characters sent forth by the president to represent us are statesmen. Not only does nobody much care what we think, but most people are now inclined to distrust and oppose us on principle.

The latest example of American decline is, of course, the embarrassing little scandal that has besmirched World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz. Always an overrated bureaucrat, he seems to have spent an inordinate amount of time and effort in recent years fashioning literal sweetheart deals for his paramour—a Tunisian-born Saudi named Shaha Riza—at the bank, the State Department and the Pentagon.

...(snip)...

All this familial boodling proceeded happily while Vice President Dick Cheney whispered lies about the supposed “nepotism” behind former Ambassador Joe Wilson’s unpaid mission to Niger. The White House didn’t appreciate Wilson’s exposure of the truth behind the administration’s “mushroom cloud” fear-mongering about the perils of Saddam Hussein, so they exposed his wife’s CIA identity to smear him. Hypocrite is far too inadequate an insult to describe these people.

With its endless procession of tawdry scandals and buffoonish antics, the Bush administration often looks and sounds like a sitcom. In retrospect, as America and the world confront terror, disease, poverty and environmental peril, it will be recognized as a tragedy. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/putting_our_worst_foot_forward/