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

[carrieanna]

Yeah, I've been bummed because the only foreign policy McCain wants to talk about is war. I'm much more interested in how he's going to push forward relationships with friendly countries.

[Shrinath]

Wonderful! Extremely insightful. It is indeed heartening to see that so many career officer's from FS are coming out with such strong support for Sen.Obama. As someone recently said that half the diplomatic battle would be won by just electing Sen.Obama. I have pointed out, the very reasons Amb. Bridges has laid in this article, to many of my friends who were debating on the issue of experience. Most seem to disregard Sen.Obama's education.
The C-in-C should have the knowledge and insight, with strong advisors to make the right decisions. The ambassadors and his staff are extremely crucial in advocating the course that the President needs to take. They are at ground zero so to speak. I hope, people read this article and come to a conclusion. I plead to the 7% that are still undecided. Listen to the cries of people who have rendered great but unheralded service to the nation. Just because they are not in uniform in no way diminishes the fact that they have served this country.

Sen.Obama has already surrounded himself with a good number of intelligentsia. Whatever may be the short comings of Sen.Biden ( and I refer to his gaffes), he does bring with him the experience in the senate. The depth of knowledge that Sen. Obama has displayed so far has been mind boggling. So, please make your ballot count. A vote for OBAMA-BIDEN is a vote for PROSPERITY and PEACE!

Cheerio!

[greenwitch]

This is really impressive. Thank you!

[sharonmacc]

With great respect, thank you.

[NotMcCain]

I have tremendous respect for our foreign services officers. They are brave and brilliant men and women who provide invaluable service to our country (even when their sage advice is often ignored by higher-ups for political reasons).

Thank you so much for this well-reasoned article and -genuine- straight talk. It is always enllightening to read experts who are impressed by and support Barack Obama. I hope voters will show the wisdom next week that our country needs.

I will be emailing this. Thank you.

[kingmiller]

Delicious my friend, delicious.And only because it is from the source of all good cooking --- authenticity!

Bon Chance,
King Miller

[CrankyCurmudgeon]

It is often said of the military, but should be said of the Foreign Service as well . . . Thank you for your service, all of you. By taking the position you are taking, I would also say thank you for your continuing show of love and respect for your country.

[TongoRad]

Thanks for your service and your comments, Amb. Bridges.

As an American living in a small town in Thailand, I feel very proud when I see copies of Barack Obama's books, translated into Thai, in local bookstores. Perhaps many Americans don't realize how well regarded and admired Obama is in other countries. Powerful stuff.

[lafrance]

A wonderful op-ed. I have backed Obama since he began. I have felt this man possessed a brilliant mind, judicious temperament and good moral compass. I have known about his years as a constitutional law professor and that also was huge for me as I have watched our constitution be disregarded and disrespected by our own president and vice president, described as 'just a piece of paper' by them.
Barack Obama is my senator so, we in Illinois know what a decent man he is and so highly thought of by those who know him.
I have felt for a long time that Obama has the aura of a man who can be not just a good president, but, a great one.
There is something about him that just makes me feel sure of this.

[curocat]

This article needs to get to the main stream media ASAP....

[ddemos]

Sir,
Thank you for your service and insight. I am convinced that the "older" generation cannot fathom the idea of America as the only superpower, because it has been for their lifetime. I feel McCain's generation still think of our country as being in the cold war. They will not wake up to the fact that there are many other countries that are developing at an astonishing rate. If we refuse to see that this country needs a "fundamental" overhaul, we are most assuredly going to be left in the dust. I don't believe the word global exists for them. It's such an insular way to live.

I thank you for being open-minded enough to see that wanting change is not equivalent to being un-American or un-patriotic. I wonder how many Republican parents would say they didn't want their children to improve and be better? Who would ever accuse them of not loving their child? It's so ridiculous to me, that I've given up trying to figure it out.

[janpradder]

I read your piece about "The Audacity of Hope: and it was excellent. Glad you are giving your endorsement and those of many Ambassadors here. You are on the front lines and know what's happening out there.

[Martha601]

I can appreciate your candor because you are truly qualified, as others who have signed on with you, to make a reasonable and responsible decision with regards to who will best serve as President. Thanks for this article because, although, I already am voting for Obama with complete confidence, this endorsement from you only assures me that he is ready for the job.

[emtem]

Thank you, sir, a powerful endorsement.

Diplomacy, negotiation, compromise. These are uniquely human survival traits, allowing conflict resolution without mortality, and are largely responsible for our species remarkable success.

How unfortunate that such subtle methods (roll eyes) fell out of favor with our recent anti-intellectual foreign policy.

[NoSillyName]

That's fantastic, Amb. Bridges!

I'm glad that Obama has support from such a wide area of government, the military, and society in general.

Your analysis of McCain and Palin is accurate, in my opinion, and I hope the MSM picks up on your article.

Thanks for your service to our country.