We Know the World and We Support Obama

Dear Friends and Relations,

A friend and former colleague of mine in the Foreign Service, Kevin McGuire, some time ago drafted a short statement of support for Obama and began to ask retired Foreign Service officers if they would sign it. So far 334 of us have done so, including by my count 66 former American ambassadors.

If you would like to know why we have done so and who we are, you can find our reasons and our signatures at Foreign Policy for Obama.Com: Declaration of Support by Over 280 Former Diplomats. (Ed. note: the number is now over 330.)

You can go to ForeignPolicyforObama.com and click on the link in the left hand column.

I will remind you that the Foreign Service of the United States is our country's career diplomatic and consular service. We staff both the State Department in Washington and our embassies and consulates abroad. Usually two-thirds or more of our ambassadors are Foreign Service officers, although both Democratic and Republican administrations have made a number of ambassadorial appointments for political reasons. Some of these Republican appointees and, by my count, two former career officers, have come out for McCain.

Our Service has sometimes been criticized by Republicans who label us a bunch of liberals. I cannot speak for my former colleagues, but as I said in a recent essay, if we must use labels I want to be considered a liberal conservative. I am a conservative because, among other reasons, I believe in a prudent course for the country, including a conservative fiscal policy and conservation -- two old Republican virtues that present-day Republicans have forgotten.

In the Foreign Service we serve the President and the Constitution faithfully -- I served under seven Presidents, finally as ambassador to Somalia under President Reagan -- and we do our best by our country. We do not speak lightly about national security. Five of my friends and colleagues were killed by terrorists. More American ambassadors have died violent deaths since World War II than our admirals and generals combined. Two other friends and colleagues were kidnapped by terrorists, but survived.

I have backed Obama since I wrote, in early 2007, the review of his second book that I hope you will read at The Cal Review. He is a prudent manager, a professor of constitutional law, and a moral and upright man with sound judgment. I agree with Colin Powell that Obama is fully qualified to be commander in chief. He understands the problems that we face at home and abroad, and he will begin -- though it will take years -- to resolve them. He has a sturdy and experienced running mate, Joe Biden, whom I have admired greatly since I first met him in 1981.

Obama is running against a man whose chief virtue seems to be that he withstood five years of arduous imprisonment and torture and, since he could not equal the Navy record of his father and grandfather, went into politics after he married a rich wife. McCain has changed his positions as the years have progressed, but he has always supported the super-rich through the years as our society has divided.

He is the candidate of a party whose last candidates for President and Vice President were George W. Bush and Richard Cheney -- who inherited a budgetary surplus, sent us to war under false pretenses, and ran the country into the ground. McCain has chosen as his running mate and possible successor a woman who backed hundreds of Federal millions for the "bridge to nowhere" before she opposed it (and then kept the money) -- whom an independent investigator in Alaska finds guilty of ethics laws in the Troopergate scandal--and who knows so little about our Constitution that she says the Vice President is in charge of the Senate. I will leave it to the Republicans to explain the new report that she spent $150,000 of party funds on clothing and cosmetics.

Barack Obama did not approve this message. It's all mine.

Regards to all--
Peter

Comments

[TheIndependenceParty]

Thank you Ambassador Bridges. It is amazing how real experiences among the peoples of the world can reshape our thinking of America.

Republicans like Bush, and Cheney and the AEI claim it makes us smaller, less powerful, and more vulnerable.

I say it always makes us more intelligent about our risks, more reliable to our allies, and more secure in every sense.

Your service is appreciated!

[Kalena]

Thank you, Sir, for your courage and support.
I have just returned from a trip to Portugal -- where, in a small shop in a tiny village (where I was asking for a Herald Tribune), the owner behind the counter suggested in halting English that we put Bush in a one-way rocket into outer space. "We want peace," he followed. "Obama!" It's the sentiment of all my overseas friends from Australia, New Zealand and Asia to Europe -- who were devastated when we re-elected Bush in 04...and have been more dismayed since. For 8 years it has been more and more difficult to travel abroad...b­eing American -- the loss of respect being so deep. They used to envy us. Now they pity us. We NEED to change.

Americans around the globe support Obama. The world cheers for Obama.
As do I.

[Bftsplk]

It's good to see Foreign Service retirees speak out more about the candidates' foreign policy agendas and let the American people know the realities. I retired, after thirty years as a Foreign Service Specialist, to a predominantly military city where almost no one has heard of the Foreign Service. More FS retirees speaking out may convince the American people that diplomacy is the right tool to mitigate international confrontation and talking to unfriendly country leaders is the more effective way to resolve issues; much as Ambassador Hill is doing with North Korea. Obama has it correct but too many people don't realize this.

[MontanaHome]

Nicely put, Ambassador. Thanks so much.

[boycottrightwingthings]

Thank you, Ambassador Bridges, You have summed some of the most important reasons not to vote for McCain, who would be the same as Bush, in two short paragraphs near the end of your endorsement, and I admire your flair for using so few words for what takes many more words for most people to articulate!! I knew that Bush the son would be even worse than his one term father, and I see McCain as being even worse than George W Bush if that is even possible. I like Obama for his intelligence, his calm, cool, and collected way about him, his genuine caring, and he comes from a family where you can actually see where he gets these traits. Obama inspires hope in a way that we haven't had since president Clinton. We need a president who cares about the people, and who invites the people to get involved in their democracy again. The thing we need the most is someone level headed, we can't expect miracles from him, but we can all pull together to help our country, we can participate again in our democracy! It is about time that we had a president again who can inspire us, a leader, (instead of a dictator for the few like GW Bush, who was for the rich or righteous and lead through fear and intimidation and borderline facism) and the person that we need is Barack Obama. Obama Biden 08'

[dashcat]

Thank you Ambassador Bridges.

[Frannyvida]

Ambassador, thank you for your service and thank you for that signed statement. This is an endorsement worth letting people know about. Isn't it a wonderful thing that we can all so easily communicate with one another at the click of a button? We all need to remember these endorsements and have faith in the days ahead as decisions are made and policies are set and as the muck is cleaned from the stable floor. We'll need to continue to communicate with one another and lend our leaders and each other patience and support..

[canuck4barack]

The Declaration of Support was posted on Sept. 11 (very fitting), but this is the first time I have heard about it. Did I miss this or has the MSM not covered it? This is far more important than Scott MacLellan's endorsement which made it to the MSM.

[TheMediaRanger]

Thank you, and much respect from me. As a retired member of the Foreign Service, you probably know that people of other countries typically go to much greater lengths to stay current with world events than Americans do. Sadly, it seems to be particularly true of our politicians. Among our leaders, it's a tendency that can easily lead to hubris, cultural insensitivity, and indignities (even where none were intended).

One of the most appealing traits that Barack Obama will bring to the presidency, IMO, is an eagerness to reestablish lines of communication. We have to talk to others in the global community, but moreover, we have to show leadership in this area by quickly repairing the damage done by the Bush administration with their "Us vs. Them" divisiveness.

There's very little that people of any language respect more than having their hearts and minds won over.

[katocat]

Thank you for your service and words.

[tomas0808]

Bravo sir. I commend you. Here's to hoping sanity prevails and the repubs will be forced into evolving into a party by the people and for the people again.

[veggiequeenmo]

thank you. you serve as a window to the rest of the world. your service is appreciated.

[childofdalight]

big up my man

[mwestorca]

A wonderful and meaningful endorsement. I think if we can get through the next few days, we will see interesting times ahead. I think Obama could make a difference in the world. That's a scary thought, though, because the last political leader I thought that of was Bobby Kennedy.

May God bless and protect Barack Obama and send legions of angels to surround him from the forces of hatred and anger that have been set loose in our world. (How's that for a politically incorrect hope. The word Christian has become so tarnished of late, that I'm almost uncomfortable to identify myself with the brand that's out there. Won't it be great to reclaim the high ground of peace, justice, mercy, and hope?)

[childofdalight]

much respect