Hillary’s first day as Madam Secretary

Good morning, Foggy Bottom. For Hillary’s first full day as Madam Secretary, here’s the news you need with your first cup of coffee. You know how sometimes, knowing your boyfriend is about to dump you, you dump him first just to say you dumped him? So does Caroline Kennedy. Hillary Clinton’s people probably spent a ...

Good morning, Foggy Bottom. For Hillary's first full day as Madam Secretary, here's the news you need with your first cup of coffee.
You know how sometimes, knowing your boyfriend is about to dump you, you dump him first just to say you dumped him? So does Caroline Kennedy. Hillary Clinton's people probably spent a little time cleaning into the wee hours at State last night, as President Obama planned to drop by this morning. Given that he didn't take a ride up to Homeland Security yesterday, I'm guessing he and Clinton have some big things to discuss. It might have been to give her a run-down of his first meeting on Iraq policy yesterday, at which Ryan Crocker (the U.S. ambassador in Iraq), Defense Secretary Bill Gates, Joint Chiefs chair Admiral Mike Mullen, Gen. Raymond Odierno, Gen. David Petraeus, National Security Adviser Jim Jones and Clinton's hastily-arranged subsitute talked about what to do. Because of Senator John Cornyn, Clinton was unable to be confirmed in time to attend. Or it might just be to go over their joint address before State Department staff scheduled at 2:40 today. Or to talk about Obama's appointment of former Senate majority leader George Mitchell as Middle East envoy and former U.N. ambassador Richard Holbrooke as envoy for Afghanistan, Pakistan "and related matters," which is scheduled for today. Russian sources are saying that Hillary Clinton will be visiting Russia in March, just in advance of April's G-20 and NATO summits that Barack Obama will be attending. Obama is reportedly considering a swing though Europe after the summits, including to Russia, but there's yet to be any official confirmation of that.

Good morning, Foggy Bottom. For Hillary’s first full day as Madam Secretary, here’s the news you need with your first cup of coffee.

  • You know how sometimes, knowing your boyfriend is about to dump you, you dump him first just to say you dumped him? So does Caroline Kennedy.
  • Hillary Clinton’s people probably spent a little time cleaning into the wee hours at State last night, as President Obama planned to drop by this morning. Given that he didn’t take a ride up to Homeland Security yesterday, I’m guessing he and Clinton have some big things to discuss.
  • It might have been to give her a run-down of his first meeting on Iraq policy yesterday, at which Ryan Crocker (the U.S. ambassador in Iraq), Defense Secretary Bill Gates, Joint Chiefs chair Admiral Mike Mullen, Gen. Raymond Odierno, Gen. David Petraeus, National Security Adviser Jim Jones and Clinton’s hastily-arranged subsitute talked about what to do. Because of Senator John Cornyn, Clinton was unable to be confirmed in time to attend.
  • Or it might just be to go over their joint address before State Department staff scheduled at 2:40 today. Or to talk about Obama’s appointment of former Senate majority leader George Mitchell as Middle East envoy and former U.N. ambassador Richard Holbrooke as envoy for Afghanistan, Pakistan "and related matters," which is scheduled for today.
  • Russian sources are saying that Hillary Clinton will be visiting Russia in March, just in advance of April’s G-20 and NATO summits that Barack Obama will be attending. Obama is reportedly considering a swing though Europe after the summits, including to Russia, but there’s yet to be any official confirmation of that.

     

More from Foreign Policy

Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.
Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.

Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America

The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.

Austin and Gallant stand at podiums side by side next to each others' national flags.
Austin and Gallant stand at podiums side by side next to each others' national flags.

The U.S.-Israel Relationship No Longer Makes Sense

If Israel and its supporters want the country to continue receiving U.S. largesse, they will need to come up with a new narrative.

Russian President Vladimir Putin lays flowers at the Moscow Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin lays flowers at the Moscow Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow.

Putin Is Trapped in the Sunk-Cost Fallacy of War

Moscow is grasping for meaning in a meaningless invasion.

An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.
An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.

How China’s Saudi-Iran Deal Can Serve U.S. Interests

And why there’s less to Beijing’s diplomatic breakthrough than meets the eye.