With almost unanimous support John Kerry confirmed as US Secretary of State
Massachusetts Democrat John Kerry won overwhelming confirmation from his fellow US senators as secretary of state, succeeding Hillary Clinton as the top US diplomat. The vote was 94-3. Dissenters were Republicans Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma and Texans John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. Kerry.
With Kerry easily winning Senate confirmation, attention will turn to Obama’s more contentious choices for other national security positions. Confirmation hearings are scheduled on Jan. 31 for former Senator Chuck Hagel to be secretary of Defence and on Feb. 7 for John Brennan to head the Central Intelligence Agency.
Senator Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat who will replace Kerry as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, praised Kerry as “uniquely qualified” for the job because he has “already built relationships with leaders across the world.”
Menendez cited Kerry’s wartime service in Vietnam as having schooled him in the horrors of war and the importance of using diplomacy when possible. He also said that during Kerry’s years in the Senate he led investigations into drug trafficking and money-laundering by former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega and criminal wrongdoing at BCCI, an international bank that was closed by regulators.
Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, the top Republican on the committee, also praised Kerry’s readiness for the job, while predicting they won’t always agree on policy. Corker referred to inadequate security at the US mission in Benghazi, Libya, that was attacked in September as an example of weaknesses at the State Department that Kerry will need to overhaul.
Kerry will inherit a “sclerotic” State Department “that needs some oversight,” Corker said.
On foreign policy, Kerry shares Obama’s preference for working through multinational alliances and for avoiding open- ended engagement, such as the Iraq war. Kerry’s approach to US intervention abroad has been reflected by his comments on the war in Syria, in which he has shared Obama’s reluctance about direct military involvement.
After graduating from Yale University, Kerry volunteered for the Navy. In two tours of duty in Vietnam, he rose to the rank of lieutenant and served on a Swift Boat that travelled treacherous river deltas. He was decorated with a Silver Star, a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts.
Kerry came to see the war he fought as futile, and on his return to the US he became a leader of Vietnam Veterans Against the War. Kerry made an unsuccessful bid for a House seat from Massachusetts the following year, then worked as a prosecutor before being elected lieutenant governor in 1982 and senator in 1984.
In related news former US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, said to be optimistic about the future of democracy in Latin America, and assured that she's still working with President Barack Obama in order to outline “the best proposals for the region.”
“I’m working with President Obama on some new initiatives that will show the entire world how much we care about our nearest neighbours.”
“There are many reasons for being optimistic about the institutionalization of democracy in Latin America. It has shown a robust economical growth since the 2008 international financial crisis, plus levels of poverty have been reduced.”
To end, Clinton, who’s seen as a potential presidential candidate for 2016, also remembered that “Unfortunately there is still a dictatorship in Cuba, but we expect it to end shortly”.
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23 comments Feed
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Unfortunately not TMBOA but Hilary Rodham Clinton.
You will not find any joy in Secretary Kerry - he has no love for the British.
“You will not find any joy in Secretary Kerry - he has no love for the British.”
Really? No doubt you will be able to justify this claim with a link demonstrating 'this as fact' instead of just your opinion.
Fantastic bit of Argentine political logic there. Well done on being such a stereotype.
The time of America propping up Europe is over. And not too soon. I, for one, am sick of Europeans disrespecting the US!
@4 Hapatia
“You will not find any joy in Secretary Kerry - he has no love for the British.”
Really? No doubt you will be able to justify this claim with a link demonstrating 'this as fact' instead of just your opinion.
“The justification well be presented as time progresses.”
So you were bullshitting as I thought and have NO evidence to support your ludicrous post.
Situation normal then.
You are right to be concerned. Your little pissant country is going down. This is why your wingnuts are going crazy, accusing the US of abandoning them. Ironically they seem to have some vague understanding of the true nature of the relationship.
Of course, I see it now, you are correct about everyuthing in the universe.
LOL's
www.gallup.com/poll/146090/Iran-North-Korea-Americans-Least-Favorite-Countries.aspx
In any case you will note that the public view of the favorability of any particular country can change fairly rapidly. For instance, the favorable view of Mexico has dropped from 74% in 2005 to 45% in 2011 and the positive view of France plummeted from 79% to 34% in 2002/2003. So your statement that, “the people always stay”, is not true.
But further than that the Pivot to Asia is driven by economic and geopolitical realities, not public sentiment about which countries are viewed as favorable.
If you dislike Argentina so much why do you go there? Are you weak or stupid? Do you not have a mind of your own? From you posts I can see that you are a negative and angry person, and not much fun to be around. So I would think that the Argentinians would like appreciate it if you were not to pollute their country with your presence
The USA has given up on Rgentina and moved onto other countries in SA.....get use to it. But it should not matter unless you live there so no worries.
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