2009.01.09: January 9, 2009: Headlines: Figures: COS - Congo Kinshasa: Foreign Policy: Brookings Institute: Politico: Michael O'Hanlon writes: Biden entitled to his overseas trip

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Congo - Kinshasa (Zaire): Special Report: National Security Expert and Congo Kinshasa RPCV Michael O'Hanlon: 2009.01.09: January 9, 2009: Headlines: Figures: COS - Congo Kinshasa: Foreign Policy: Brookings Institute: Politico: Michael O'Hanlon writes: Biden entitled to his overseas trip

By Admin1 (admin) (151.196.21.118) on Monday, January 12, 2009 - 11:06 am: Edit Post

Michael O'Hanlon writes: Biden entitled to his overseas trip

Michael O'Hanlon writes: Biden entitled to his overseas trip

The nation is at war. In these circumstances, any important elected official should learn as much about overseas combat operations as possible. If there were any gray in this situation, which there is not, those serious about winning the war should advocate that officials err on the side of learning as much as they possibly can. That applies to executive branch and congressional officials, Democrats and Republicans, as well as war critics and war supporters. Michael O'Hanlon, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institute and a Visiting Lecturer at Princeton University, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Congo Kinshasa.

Michael O'Hanlon writes: Biden entitled to his overseas trip

Biden entitled to his overseas trip

By MICHAEL O'HANLON |

1/9/09 4:14 PM EST

Sen. Joe Biden — note that is Sen. Biden, not former senator, or vice president-elect, or distinguished citizen of Delaware — is entirely within his rights to travel overseas in the coming days to prepare for his new responsibilities. In fact, he is fulfilling his duty in taking the trip. The criticisms of his trip have a forced, partisan quality to them that do not even cross the threshold of being serious.

At least four separate arguments support Biden's decision to travel to an overseas combat theater. Any one of them would probably suffice to justify his plans. This isn't a close call.

First, he is in fact a senator. Today, not just yesterday or last year. The people's representatives are supposed to make trips like this to exercise their responsibilities and obligations. And no one could seriously consider this trip a junket that he is sneaking in at the last minute for personal enjoyment.

Second, the nation is at war. In these circumstances, any important elected official should learn as much about overseas combat operations as possible. If there were any gray in this situation, which there is not, those serious about winning the war should advocate that officials err on the side of learning as much as they possibly can. That applies to executive branch and congressional officials, Democrats and Republicans, as well as war critics and war supporters.

Third, Biden will presumably be listening and studying, not pronouncing or deciding, on his trip. Admittedly, he has to be careful not to overstep his current role in his public statements; for a few more days, we still have a different vice president and a different administration. So those who are constructively and politely reminding the senator of this fact are correct. Somehow, though, I doubt that Biden really needs the reminder.

Fourth, to this administration's early critics, let's not try to have it both ways. I joined the critics of then-Sen. Barack Obama last year in underscoring that he had not been to Iraq and Afghanistan enough; Fox News had the famous ticker tracking how long it had been since his last visit. If Obama was wrong then to let 2½ years elapse between trips, Biden is presumably correct now to ensure that there is no gap in the incoming team's understanding of conditions on the ground, and to take a fact finding trip as he prepares for his solemn duties in the coming weeks and months.

There is plenty to debate about Iraq and Afghanistan and other theaters in the war; let's get back to the serious questions, and not this one.

Michael O'Hanlon is a senior fellow in foreign policy studies at the Brookings Institution.




Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: January, 2009; RPCV Michael O'Hanlon (Congo Kinshasa); Figures; Peace Corps Congo Kinshasa; Directory of Congo Kinshasa RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Congo Kinshasa RPCVs





When this story was posted in January 2009, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers RSS Feed

 Site Index Search PCOL with Google Contact PCOL Recent Posts Bulletin Board Open Discussion RPCV Directory Register


Director Ron Tschetter:  The PCOL Interview Date: December 9 2008 No: 1296 Director Ron Tschetter: The PCOL Interview
Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter sat down for an in-depth interview to discuss the evacuation from Bolivia, political appointees at Peace Corps headquarters, the five year rule, the Peace Corps Foundation, the internet and the Peace Corps, how the transition is going, and what the prospects are for doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011. Read the interview and you are sure to learn something new about the Peace Corps. PCOL previously did an interview with Director Gaddi Vasquez.

PCOL's Candidate for Peace Corps Director Date: December 2 2008 No: 1288 PCOL's Candidate for Peace Corps Director
Honduras RPCV Jon Carson, 33, presided over thousands of workers as national field director for the Obama campaign and said the biggest challenge -- and surprise -- was the volume of volunteer help, including more than 15,000 "super volunteers," who were a big part of what made Obama's campaign so successful. PCOL endorses Jon Carson as the man who can revitalize the Peace Corps, bring it into the internet age, and meet Obama's goal of doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011.

December 14, 2008: This Month's Top Stories  Date: December 14 2008 No: 1305 December 14, 2008: This Month's Top Stories
Michael Adlerstein to make UN green 21 Nov
Harris Wofford writes: America at a turning point 14 Nov
Margaret Krome writes: Obama win shows power of idealism 11 Nov
Joseph Acaba to fly on February Shuttle Mission 11 Dec
Mary Matterer caught in Bangkok protests 6 Dec
Gen. Victor Renuart Jr. son served in Peace Corps 6 Dec
Kim Kohler opposes mega-projects in Guatemala 5 Dec
Gretchen Snoeyenbos' small town in Mali 5 Dec
Tim Shriver Calls for 'Dept of Development and Service' 4 Dec
Phil Lilienthal brings camp to kids in South Africa 3 Dec
New Peace Corps for Kids Web Site 3 Dec
Ilene Gelbaum brings infants into the world 26 Nov
Jonathan Zimmerman writes: Nepal's ban on private schools 26 Nov
George Packer writes: Will Obama Change? 25 Nov
Aly and Buddy Shanks exhibit African art 23 Nov
Luke King heads Mercy Corps in Congo 23 Nov
Echoes of JFK unavoidable in Obama Presidency 23 Nov
Joseph Opala Connects Africa to Gullah Community 21 Nov
William Yeatman writes: Coal in Kyrgyzstan 20 Nov
Doyle may become next PC Director 14 Nov
Michael O'Hanlon writes: How to Win in Afghanistan 14 Nov

New: More Stories from October and November 2008.

Some PCVs return to Bolivia on their own Date: October 23 2008 No: 1279 Some PCVs return to Bolivia on their own
Peace Corps has withdrawn all volunteers from Bolivia because of "growing instability" and the expulsion of US Ambassador Philip Goldberg after Bolivian President Evo Morales accused the American government of inciting violence in the country. This is not the first controversy surrounding Goldberg's tenure as US ambassador to Bolivia. Latest: Some volunteers have returned to Bolivia on their own to complete their projects.

PCVs Evacuated from Georgia Date: August 19 2008 No: 1254 PCVs Evacuated from Georgia
The Peace Corps has announced that all Volunteers and trainees serving in the Republic of Georgia are safe and they have been temporarily relocated to neighboring Armenia. Read the analysis by one RPCV on how Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili believed that he could launch a lightning assault on South Ossetia and reclaim the republic without substantial grief from Moscow and that Saakashvili's statements once the war began demonstrated that he expected real Western help in confronting Russia.



Read the stories and leave your comments.








Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

Story Source: Politico

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Figures; COS - Congo Kinshasa; Foreign Policy; Brookings Institute

PCOL42689
27


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: