media lizzy & friends

This column was originally published in 2006.

This man is Justin J. Molisani, Jr. He was killed by Islamic terrorists on September 11th. Justin was Senior VP for Eurobrokers in Two World Trade Center. Every place I have looked for information about him tells the same story… good man, big guy, big heart – loved his wife and daughter more than words could say. He & his wife were hosts for the neighborhood Christmas Party. One of 2,996 souls who were taken from their loved ones – and from America’s complicated and beautiful fabric.

New York Times: Portraits in Grief, Justin J. Molisani, Jr.

On September 11, 2001, Justin called his wife Jodi just after the first plane hit. His office was on the 82nd floor of Tower Two. After they hung up, Justin began evacuating his coworkers. Due to his efforts, about 80% of Eurobrokers employees escaped death by mere moments. His courage is one of so many examples of the courageous goodness in mankind. That he was an American, is our good fortune.

On Monday, all the Cable networks will show footage in real time of September 11, 2001. Some will stream the coverage in its entirety on their websites. Most will have some picture-in-picture stuff happening during the broadcasts. Newspapers have been sorting through photographs of that day, contemplating which to put on the front page.

President Bush will address the nation in prime time. America will grieve all over again. The memories for some have faded. For others, it will seem like yesterday. The sound of a loved one’s voice is harder to recall now. For others, it will be the first time they put an old home-video in the VCR… just to jar their memory. As a survivor, the burden to remember never fades. The words left unspoken wear on the tenuous connection we have to our past.

This weekend, remember Justin Molisani – and his wife Jodi, his daughter Morgan Lynn – in your prayers and thoughts. Gather your loved ones close, and raise a toast to this wonderful man. He was your brother too.

In the News:

Wall Street Journal: Ground Zero – Not Just an Empty Hole

Washington Times: Bernard Kerik – Preventing Days of Infamy

Investor’s Business Daily: Bush Puts War Foes on Defense

The Nation: Politics, the Media & 9/11

Washington Post: Bush Plans Primetime Address

Washington Post: September 11th, From Many Angles

Every once in awhile a girl has to say something out loud. 

Most little girls dream of “Prince Charming.” When we get a little older, our standards become more realistic – but we hold on to hope, that a really good man will come our way.  Some settle for  a piece of happiness, and grow accustomed to their partner.  Many, many beautiful marriages are built on that strong, common purpose foundation.  Others seek blistering passion, confuse it with love and are disappointed. 

Some of us believe “The One” is out there.  And when you find him or her, you know it.  Life goes from black and white to technicolor, and IMAX 3D. 

I would never pretend to have all the answers.  Or understand the human psyche.  But I will say this… the human heart can understand, see, feel and interpret an infinite number of emotional, intellectual and moral shadings.  At our very core, we have that little voice… it guides us.  We make professional calculations, temper our ambition, maintain lifelong friendships. develop political ideologies and alliances by listening to this compass we set for ourselves. Some also define their patriotism by this inner compass rose.

Love is just love.  Pure and organic.  Politics is murky, complicated and a bit like a heavy metal that settles in our organs.  This evening, we watched Taking Chance on HBO.  Quite a few tears were shed, as it was the first time my daughter realized what it was her deceased father’s friends, colleagues, and superior officers had done for him – and our family nearly eleven years ago. 

Many of my regular readers are aware that I am a Gold Star Wife.  Memorial Day has not been an occasion for a barbeque, or a “Blow-Out Sale” in many, many years.  My late husband loved Memorial Day – he had friends to visit in Arlington National Cemetery.  Buddies to call on, have over for a few beers and kick off the summer season.  Not that they had much play time.  They were all leaving their jobs in DC, where they all held Yankee White clearances – tended to protocol at the White House, the Pentagon, and with the President or other Heads of State.  It was the place where we met, were married, and had our beautiful daughter. Before the tours in the MidEast started and other, tough lessons were learned.

I have occasionally written about my late husband but, not in quite so direct a way.  Last fall I was interviewed by CNN about the relationship – just after news broke of John Edwards’ extramarital affair.   It was a bit painful – but CNN did right by me over all.

Forgiveness is a lesson I learned the hard way but I was no longer tethered to the pain once I forgave him.   It was not my burden to carry, but his. I know he was a good man, a great warrior, who struggled with fidelity.  He was a tremendous father and without question loved having a family.  His colleagues often called him “Headquarters” because he was so squared away.  I laugh now, when I think of those days.  Everyone was so young, full of promise and ambition.  After his death, I had many responsibilities.  To make sure his life and legacy were a part of the fabric of our daughter’s life was high on my list. To be a good mother was first.

Watching Taking Chance was – let’s put it this way: I am fairly certain we will never forget it.  Lance Corporal Chance Phelps was a United States Marine.  My late husband was a Senior Airman in the US Air Force.  But they were both heroes.  My heroes however, are the men and women who manage the careful tending to the body of our fallen warriors, America’s heroes.  Their job is breathtakingly complex and respectful.  They bathe and dress the body – no matter the condition.  They wash the grit of war away, from the body and any personal possessions.  The uniform is impeccably prepared.  Every ribbon, every bronze leaf or Silver Star properly fastened.  Every bit of brass polished.  Creases are so crisp that even a Pharoah would be honored.  All of this is done – even if they are to be cremated.

There is a faithfulness in our burial rituals.  They are forged with the fire of a warrior’s heart, and conducted with the grace of a good man (and some women’s) souls.  The flag is folded just so.  I remember standing in Arlington National Cemetery, after participating in hundreds of funerals there, for the first time as Next of Kin.  I remember the scratch, step, scratch, step of the Presidential Honor Guard as they marched three by nine to graveside at the intersection of York and Bradley in Section 65.  I remember these friends, carrying out that beautiful ceremony – after our Remains Escort had so carefully tended my heart that year.  I barely remember the words of the Priest.  But I remember the crack in the crisp September air three times, for the Firing Party’s 21 gun salute.  I remember the snap of the flag as the Body Bearers folded it perfectly.  I remember his former Commanding Officer getting down on one knee, and offering the flag… I remember his kindness and the gratitude offered on behalf of a grateful nation.  His voice cracked only once – for we were friends.  No Commander wants to bury his troops. 

Then, it was a sea of faces.  Old friends and colleagues.  His.  Mine.  So many others.  I comforted them as much, and in some cases more, than they did for me.  For the men that were going back to work – I could see they now realized how time is fleeting.  That the immortality we all felt Once upon a time was now a fairy tale.  When all the cars were gone, I was there alone – my parents escorting my daughter to the car and fastening the buckles on her car seat as the Remains Escort approached.

Chief Master Sargeant Timmothy Dickens is a good man.  In fact, he is one of the best men I have ever known.  He saw Raymyon to his resting place.  He was there in California, he went to Texas and held my hand – keeping me grounded.  He was as gentle as gentle could be.  But he reminded me of a truth that until this year, I had long put out of mind.  He told me that someday, I would fall in love.  That a good man would come along. 

He was right. Another friend, a former (as if, I know) US Marine told me to have faith.  “The One” is out there.  He believed too, he is a battle-tested, highly decorated for combat Marine… and he believed that real love was out there.  Because he had it in his life – married to his high school sweetheart for many, many years… he reinforced a truth I had always known.  Love is a miracle worth waiting for.   After more than a decade as a Gold Star Wife, I fastened the small pin to velvet last September, slipped it in it’s case – and put it away for my daughter.  Someday, she will also have the flag in its beautiful case.  And the collection of letters from Generals and Admirals and elected officials offering insight into a man she lost when she was still a toddler. 

More importantly, each man and woman wearing our nation’s uniform should know that as Americans, we stand with them.  We believe in their competence, dedication, and judgment. 

Fairy tales are not tangible.  Happily Ever After is just the beginning of a life together.  It is the shared values – that inner compass set to the same True North which gives our lives richness.  The men and women who serve in our nation’s uniform, in the uniforms of our Allies, and who serve in a civilian capacity, or are those courageous covert operators in the field… and the most forgotten, the intelligence community men and women who serve silently – protecting us from untold dangers – these are the heroes of America’s story.  We are so fortunate to live in a nation – where brothers and sisters in Arms ensure that when the last full measure of devotion has been given, it is repaid with Grace, Humility, and Respect. In perpetuity.

As a girl who is on the verge of being the Blue Star Wife again – I can only say that every day is Veteran’s Day in our home.  Every day is Memorial Day.  And Flag Day and Independence Day.  Our nation – however stricken by the current financial crisis – is the greatest country.  Miracles happen here.  Every day is worthy of Thanksgiving.

Every. Single. Day.  Our nation runs on Faith, Love, Hard Work and the US Constitution.  (not necessarily in that order.)  I am so humbled by the great gifts in my life.  To have served myself, to be the wife of a man who served honorably, to be the daughter and granddaughter of men who loved this nation and served in her uniform — that is the true honor.  

Love is the greatest gift of all.  Discovering that “The One” really exists – that a brief encounter may indeed alter the course of our lives, well – it really is a miracle.  Reminding ourselves of the moments when lightning struck, how our skin felt, how our heart raced – and we walk away… then regret it. Sometimes… or once upon a time in America – love walks back through the door.  And happily ever after is just the beginning of a life enriched by wisdom, patience, faith, unbridled passion and shared values. 

Heroes are not “Prince Charming” who rides in at the last moment to save us.  Real heroes are men who give the last full measure of devotion - not only by giving their life in battle.  But men who give a lifetime of love, fidelity, respect, and service to all the people in their lives.   Real heroes are husbands, fathers, brothers, friends – that do the right thing.  Not because they should but because, for them, there is no other way. 

—Media Lizzy

Thanks to Dave over at the AOL Political Machine. And to the folks at MyDD who posted this video. Folks on the Left, be they Obama or Clinton supporters, should know that like so many elections – the 2008 presidential sweepstakes will be about national security. Our country is still at war.

As long as the brave men and women of the US Armed Forces are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan – our nation will remain on a war footing.

And for those of us who choose to face the harsh reality of the world we live in, rather than play ostrich with our national security… this video will serve as a clarion call to the Voting Booth.

—Media Lizzy

 I have a little post-script that bothers me… Pastor Wright refers to “Shanklin” instead of “Shanksville” – maybe he doesn’t remember, maybe he “misspoke” – but rest assured, the families of folks on United 93 know – along with millions of their fellow Americans.

After Admiral William “Fox” Fallon’s Esquire magazine interview appeared online today, entitled “The Man Between War and Peace” – led to his very abrupt resignation.  Not only did Fallon have differences with President Bush and Vice President Cheney – he also was rumoured to be at odds with General David Petraeus.  SecDef Gates is taking questions during a Pentagon presser.

Developing…

Wednesday, March 5 @ 3PM Eastern / Noon Pacific
We Have a Winner! McCain Secures Republican Nomination
Media Lizzy discusses how Texas delivered the Republican Nomination for John S. McCain. Today, McCain will visit the White House, and receive the endorsement of President George W. Bush.  Hillary Clinton won Texas, Ohio, & Rhode Island.  Obama’s mojo is diminished – and now, it’s seven weeks to Pennsylvania.

Friday, March 7 @ 3PM Eastern / Noon Pacific
Iraq in Focus: An Interview with Pete Hegseth of Vets for Freedom
Media Lizzy welcomes Pete Hegseth, Iraq War Veteran and Vets for Freedom’s Executive Director. He was a witness to the Golden Mosque bombing and aftermath – and recently returned to Samarra. It is time to put Iraq in focus: political progress, the success of the surge, and what it’s really like on the ground – and how Iraq War Veterans are making a difference.

Join me!

—Media Lizzy

President Obama. Let that phrase fall from your lips. How does it sound? Probable? At this stage in the campaign, prior to Ohio and Texas, it’s plausible at the very least. As head of the First World’s only superpower, he will face a series of challenges in the foreign policy arena. Regardless of experience, age or character, he will have a very busy in-tray come January ’09. We know where he will start.

Iraq is a searing wound on the American body politic. The key question for Americans is has the overthrow of Saddam made the Homeland a safer place and the answer is no. Apologetic Neo-Cons now lament their naivety, cruelly exposed by the activities of Blackwater and Halliburton. Liberals are appalled at the mess they have to clear up. A President McCain may stay the course but the conventional wisdom holds that the war is unsustainable domestically and internationally. Former Nobel Prize winner Joseph Stiglitz has recently highlighted the enormous financial deadweight of the war – tragically, it’s a war gift that keeps on giving. A President Obama would have no attractive options. A withdrawal date within a year of coming to Office might seem too long – why wait? Any set date could act as deadline for increased Al-Qaeda. Fighting till the Endgame is impossible – when would he declare a righteous victory? The UN does not want to get involved in peace keeping in such a dangerous territory. This will be one of the defining decisions of an Obama first-term.

Which brings us to the War on Terror. Guantanamo is an international embarrassment. It must close. But how and when? Does he go for a swift closure coupling it with increased funding and focus on domestic security? Will he try to de-escalate the levels of fear many ordinary Americans are living with by emphasising the nature of risk in everyday life? Can Obama the word poet change the mood and the reality of the contempory climate of fear? Al-Qaeda are still a huge threat to American security – would Obama make good his statement to bomb Pakistan if, and the Pakistani Army is, they’re found to be encouraging or harbouring terrorists? Obama may adopt a line from the Gordon Brown administration in Britain by dropping the term ‘War on Terror’ and instead focus on defeating terrorism with a mixture of soft and hard power.

How will a President Obama treat with the new Russian President, Putin’s anointed successor, Dmitry Medvedev? Russia, like a punchy old prize-fighter, has been throwing her weight around much to the chagrin and alarm of NATO and the EU in recent years. President Obama should seek to stress human rights and democracy and if he does he will probably be accused of lecturing Russia. Well, so what? The Russian Government’s treatment of journalists and freedom of speech has been frightening – in America, or the West you might be ignored as a commentator, but you won’t end up dead. Obama will be tested by Russian rhetoric and actions – his Secretary of State will have to consider being more critical of Russian foreign policy.

China will be another dilemma for Obama. Clearly, international trade has done little or nothing since the Tiananmen Square Massacre to democratise the country. The Communist Party is still endemically corrupt and China is unwilling to recognise that its own future self-interest lies in democracy and the rule of law. Does a President Obama seek to maintain the Clinton/Bush trade not tirade line? How would the US react to Chinese aggression against Taiwan? Will the US increase pressure on China to de-value its currency? Obama should approach China as one would approach a large, moody drunk – with considerable caution.

America holds huge influence over Israel and the Democrats can be relied on to continue largely unqualified support for Israeli diplomatic and military behaviour in the region. Obama will probably continue US policy of isolating Hamas and dealing with Fatah – he must also know that long term American interests demand that some form of equitable settlement be reached between Palestinians and Israelis. His political courage will be tested when it comes to condemning illegal Israeli activity; he would automatically be lining himself up to be accused of being soft on terrorism.

Will we see the beginning of détente in with Cuba? Or will the Miami exiles’ views hold sway and will an Obama administration tighten the economic noose around the island? Again, Americans need to ask themselves if Cuba is a threat to their domestic security. Realistically, the answer has to be no. Raul Castro may carry the family bogey name – but there’s a chance for Obama to announce an initiative in the early days of his Presidency to thaw relations between the two nations. With Miami having the electoral importance it has, Cuba could be a significant issue in November ’08.

Finally, and sadly for the continent in terms of international priorities, there’s Africa. Will Obama have an emotional and moral commitment to seek better governance on the continent? Will he seek to address trade reform and encourage a new generation of democratic leaders? Or will the US, like the EU, continue developmental aid and seek incremental reforms on the continent? Obama will decide if Africa should be treated strategically or whether it will remain left at the bottom of the in-tray for the next President of the United States.

Obama knows the limits of American influence in the world. He also knows the potential America has to act as a catalyst for change. He will come up against ‘unknowns’, as any American President will. But it’s by how he tackles the ‘knowns’ that Obama will be judged most keenly. He has the chance to change the world. And if he takes it, he will be remembered as great.

UPDATE: Just checked out the Obama campaign site – Obama has attracted more than One Million Donors. An historic first for any presidential campaign. Like, wow.

Further demonstrating my point that Gen X & Gen Y are transforming politics, regardless of the conventional wisdom or establishment constraints… former Black Eyed Peas man, will.i.am has posted a follow up to the “Yes We Can” video from last month. “We are the ones” is star-studded – with Jessica Alba, Ryan Phillipe, Macy Gray, Kerry Washington and others. (& the title is strikingly similar to We are the World… but hey, that’s just a Gen X girl who remembers when…)

The chorus features the drowd chanting “o-bama” – catchy tune. Well timed for some earned media play just before the Texas / Ohio primaries next Tuesday. Making the world a better place – safe environment, cleaner environment – stuff everyone believes in.

The video is pure Gen X / Gen Y. Multi-lingual. Multi-racial. Pro-unity. Creative. And the big red R in the initial frames of the video is interesting too. What do you think?

With a new President, change is inevitable. It’s the path to achieving change that requires debate.

—Media Lizzy

Breaking news: A 42 count indictment was unsealed against former Republican Congressman & Delegate to the United Nations. Mark Deli Siljander, a Reagan appointee – was indicted as a part of a terrorist fundraising ring that supported the Taliban, al Qa’ida and made threats against US & Coalition forces in Afghanistan.

From the Associated Press: Ex-Lawmaker Charged in Terror Conspiracy

Developing…

—Media Lizzy

If you know a combat veteran, then you may have had a fortunate encounter. A private moment when they open up and the stories begin to flow. Soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines are possessed of almost super-human traits. They work harder, laugh louder, love more intensely, think more profoundly than the average person waiting in line at Starbucks for their venti chai latte.

Combat veterans have seen things most will never see. No movie marathon of Full Metal Jacket, Platoon, and Deer Hunter or even Jarhead – will ever convey the harsh realities our Armed Forces see while deployed to a War Zone.

They are the superheroes with superhuman responsibilities. The weight of our nation’s bedrock – the US Constitution – is their charge to defend. Most will meet the challenge. Some folks were never meant for such greatness, and they fail.

Our national press corps weave more than news and opinion, they bear much of the burden of telling America’s story, to her people and to the world. Sometimes, they fail too. And it should never be perceived as a crack in that bedrock – instead, a counterweight. They function like a level… giving us clarity. Informing our opinions, partisan points of view, and providing much needed ballast to policy makers.

Case in point, The New Republic. Earlier today, Editor Franklin Foer penned a piece – Fog of War – that details his magazine’s struggle with reporting from the frontlines, “Bagdhad Diarist” Scott Thomas Beauchamp, and weathering attacks from the Left and Right. It is a concise accounting and reveals only one human frailty – their misplaced faith in a soldier who never should have been. Excerpts are below.

—Media Lizzy

The New Republic: Fog of War

In retrospect, we never should have put Beauchamp in this situation. He was a young soldier in a war zone, an untried writer without journalistic training. We published his accounts of sensitive events while granting him the shield of anonymity–which, in the wrong hands, can become license to exaggerate, if not fabricate.

When I last spoke with Beauchamp in early November, he continued to stand by his stories. Unfortunately, the standards of this magazine require more than that. And, in light of the evidence available to us, after months of intensive re-reporting, we cannot be confident that the events in his pieces occurred in exactly the manner that he described them. Without that essential confidence, we cannot stand by these stories.

Related:

Baghdad Diarists by Scott Thomas Beauchamp:

“War Bonds” (published January 29, 2007)

“Dead of Night” (published June 4, 2007)

“Shock Troops” (published July 13, 2007)

TNR Online updates regarding Scott Thomas Beauchamp:

A Statement from Scott Thomas Beauchamp (published July 26, 2007)

A Statement on Scott Thomas Beauchamp (published August 2, 2007)

A Scott Beauchamp Update (published August 10, 2007)

A Scott Beauchamp Update (published October 26, 2007)

The State of Affairs
Written by Media LizzyPublished October 20, 2007

Criticisms of the Bush Administration’s performance in the aftermath of the Iraq invasion center on the lack of planning, political progress, and understanding of the cultural breakdown that occurred under the Hussein regime. Attacks on Vice President Dick Cheney and former Secretary of Defense Don Rumsfeld declare them “evil” tools of the military industrial complex and the energy industry. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell went from American Hero to persona non grata for one speech at the United Nations.

President Bush certainly receives his share of criticism, but seldom does anyone pull back and look at the basic facts of where we are, and how we got here.

I am not here to defend the honor of Cheney, Rumsfeld, or Powell. Or even the President. But it is worth remembering – Democrats and Republicans voted for the authorization to go to war. Both parties had members reviewing intelligence – and concluded that the Hussein regime in Iraq was pursuing a more aggressive weapons program. Let us not forget, American troops were on the ground in Iraq after the Persian Gulf war. They enforced the no-fly zone. Which took boots on the ground. Ask any air combat controller that served on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia about the “no-fly zone.” Politicians from virtually every political camp supported this war, this administration, and hailed the “Shock and Awe” operation when war commenced.

The breathtaking success of American and Coalition forces in the early days of the Iraq War steadied most critics inside the beltway. They relied on their good friend, the only high-profile cultured academic in the Bush inner circle to keep things on the straight and narrow. They relied on then-National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice. They drove positive press stories for years. She’s brilliant, a concert pianist, has a PhD, is pragmatic, has a list of political benefactors a mile long. They fed us a million reasons why she was qualified. Her “close” ties to the Bush family. And then there was the “expert on Russia” card. Her critics were silenced. Because she was seen as a voice of reason, with access to the president – just in case.

President George W. Bush was leading a nation, still reeling from the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, into war with Iraq. And the American public supported him. He was confident. His reasoning seemed solid. The retaliation against the Taliban in Afghanistan was going well. Most importantly, his Cabinet and War Council was filled with experienced leaders. Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Colin Powell were widely respected, and in Powell’s case – revered by just about everyone.

Bush’s advisers were seen as credible. The word gravitas was virtually synonymous with Cheney after the 2000 election. Cheney traded a lucrative career in the private sector to become Bush’s running mate. Today, that story leads to discussions of Halliburton and Darth Vader. But in the early days of this adminstration, Cheney’s unconventional career choices were an asset. He was trusted because he made it clear that he was not after the presidency. His consistent support of Executive power was a a strong counter-balance to the United States Congress, known for it’s endless “hearings” and less for it’s ability to complete appropriations. Bush’s reputation for fighting the legislature was well known after two terms as Governor of Texas. Cheney was to be the enforcer, not a warmonger.

Cheney traded a simple life in Wyoming for public service in Washington, DC. He was the youngest White House Chief of Staff in American history when he filled the spot vacated by Don Rumsfeld who was tapped by President Ford as Secretary of Defense. With the first “televised war” in Vietnam winding down, Rumsfeld and Cheney led the Ford administration’s efforts to wrap up our entanglement in Southeast Asia.

In the 30+ years since the horrific end of Vietnam, Cheney has consistenly beaten partisan opposition and thrived. He successfully ran for Congress and immediately hit the express lane. His meteoric rise through Republican ranks in the US House of Representatives made it appear Cheney was a virtual lock to become the next Republican Speaker of the US House. With the GOP losing ground in the wake of the Iran Contra scandal, Cheney left the House and accepted President-elect George Herbert Walker Bush’s offer to become Secretary of Defense. As Secretary of Defense, Cheney oversaw Operation Just Cause in Panama where an American, Kurt Muse, was rescued from the Modelo Prison where he was being held by the reviled Noriega regime. Cheney was seen as a pragmatic, capable, and principled leader. He worked well with his former colleagues on Capitol Hill.

Midway through the four years of Bush 41, a new threat came: Saddam Hussein sent troops across the border into Kuwait – murder, rape, destruction, and terror reigned in the streets. The world coalesced around the US position. Get Hussein out of Kuwait. The United Nations was on board. (Something we could scarcely imagine today.) Cheney turned to his Chairman of the Joint Chiefs to begin preparation for war and develop a plan for more enforcable containment. The President was provided with options and Operation Desert Storm was quick, effective, sanitized and a lethal blow to Saddam Hussein’s efforts in Kuwait. The no fly zone went into effect, and everyone slept well at night until 2003. (During the Clinton Administration there was a dustup, but the old containment policy was brought out, then Secretary of State Albright made a visit with UN Secretary general Kofi Annan and magically, no more dust.)

Another key player, whose integrity has since been questioned repeatedly by Republicans and Democrats alike, was Colin Powell. A lifetime of service was reduced to ashes because of one speech to the United Nations before the invasion.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell was a career soldier. A product of the Army motto, Be All You Can Be. His moderate stance on military issues once upon a time was heralded by the anti-war movement. His beliefs are a product of his time-in-service. For 35 years, Colin Powell wore the US Army uniform. He served as National Security Adviser to President Ronald Reagan. He was a senior adviser to then-Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger during the bombing raid in Libya and invasion of Grenada. General Colin Powell undertands the truth of military life. He understands the sacrifices made by their families in a real way. He has seen death. War and peace are the burden he carried as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

With General Colin Powell as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Cheney and the Department of Defense launched one of the most successful military operations in history. There was a narrow purpose, an overwhelming force, an exit strategy, and men with gravitas at the wheel. Surrounded by men like General Norman Schwarzkopf and Brent Scowcroft, the 41st President of the United States emerged from the Persian Gulf War with a 91% approval rating. Just over a year later, he lost his bid for reelection to a little-known Governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton.

Where George H. W. Bush lost his fire to serve, I do not claim to know. But it was not due to Cheney’s incompetence as a war planner. It was not because General Colin Powell lacked combat experience, since he was decorated several times for his service in Vietnam long before he became a legendary figure in American history.

Cheney, Rumsfeld and Powell each brought an entourage of experienced political and military advisers that knew their way around the political intrigues of Capitol Hill. And the press corps. President George Walker Bush had a team that knew about war.

Conventional wisdom dictates that we accept the following items as irrefutable truths. First, Dick Cheney, Don Rumsfeld, and Colin Powell were all willing to set aside their reputations, credibility and work ethic to serve some burning desire of Bush’s to go to war. Second, all three men were completely incompetent. Third, Cheney and Rumsfeld wanted oil from Iraq. Fourth, no one else had any responsibility for national security manners. And finally, no one had more influence over President George Walker Bush than Dick Cheney.

It is inconceivable that men of their individual and combined stature did not bring their A-game to work. If you are not angry yet, bear with me. You will be. Let us jump to the present day for a moment. Powell is gone. Rumsfeld is gone. Cheney is virtually invisible, unless you happened to catch the puff piece on Fox News last weekend. The issues that plague every administration are rearing their ugly, Cold and Hot War, heads at the same time.

And yet, even with the major changes in staff at the White House – things are not better. Karen Hughes is in exile as an appointee in the State Department with extremely limited access to the man she saved from stinging criticism in the closing days of the 2000 campaign. Ari Fleischer, the only real message man ever to serve W well as president, has been gone for eons. Dan Bartlett is gone. Karl Rove’s supossed “Machiavellian” influence disappeared when he left the West Wing. Tony Snow is gone. Scooter Libby left under a cloud of manufactured suspicion, taking Cheney’s reputation with him.

Fast forward, Autumn 2007. Here we are. What is the State of Affairs? Is the US foreign policy better now than it was a year ago? How does it look in Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Russia, Israel, Europe? Strangely enough, the landscape is remarkably similar. No big changes. We are, however, being treated to a really interesting show.

Our Secretary of State, is the star of a new book by The Washington Post’s Glenn Kessler, The Confidante. Filled with tales of her close relationship with the President of the Unted States, Kessler captures one indisputable – but until now – unspeakable truth. “But her options and opportunities as Secretary of State are limited by one deeply ironic fact: She was one of the weakest national security advisers in US history.”

Even a cursory search of the news in the last few weeks, reveals how Condi Rice’s obsession with painting herself as The Confidante and close friend and running buddy and cultured academic with the ability to send personal notes to the President of the United States, has overshadowed the real task at hand, her diplomatic portfolio.

In Iraq, everyone agrees the solution is diplomatic not military. Current Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and General David Petraeus are making as much military progress as can be made. Gates is shadowing Rice all over the globe. Hopefully, he will find a way to force her to do her job. Not only is it an unpopular civil war, the Abu Gharaib and Blackwater scandals are wearing thin, at home and abroad.

The Middle East has been a powderkeg for centuries. Condi Rice may think she can fix it with a hastily convened conference in Annapolis, Maryland. Just because Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert looks deep in her eyes and says he can deliver, does not mean he can. The Philadelphia Inquirer asks the real question: Rice’s Mideast gamble: Is it too much, too late?

Complicating the Middle East peace process is Condi Rice’s repeated assertions that the Palestinian “struggle” for statehood is markedly similar to the civil rights movement in the US. While I support statehood, I do not think she has enough gravitas to play ball with the big boys. Because Condi Rice thinks Mahmoud Abbas and Martin Luther King, Jr. both wanted peace, does not make it so. The Israel Insider carried an opinion piece appropriately titled, Has Condi come down with a case of Jerusalem Syndrome?

And because talk of Jerusalem invokes the idea of religion, Rice apparently feels entitled to an audience with Pope Benedict XVI, during the precise period when he receives No One because he is at Castel Gandolfo. The Vatican released a statement noting the refusal of an Audience was not a snub. I never saw it as a snub, I am simply embarrassed the the Secretary of State has not a single staff member who is aware of Vatican protocol. She professes her deep faith, is America’s chief diplomat, and somehow, even with a PhD – she was not intellectually curious enough to clarify Vatican protocol?

It’s like invading a country without having a plan. Or stitching together a deal where Jordanian passports are handed out to 70,000 Palestinians without having the Israeli Prime Minister take the pulse of the Knesset. It does not make sense.

But hey, why not anger the Kremlin too. Rice’s meetings with Vladmir Putin can be summed up with a read of the Reuters wire: Russia’s Putin warns Washington over missile shield.

A diplomatic portfolio requires more than just an academic understanding of hypotheticals. It requires real world experience. Real lives are at stake. But for some reason, she won this round of 1600 Pennsylvania “Survivor.” Maybe her close relationship with the President has something to do with it. Maybe she is the ONE person who understands all of his policies, and his desires for this country. Maybe everyone in Bush’s circle was evil and misguided and she is the only voice of reason left.

Hypotheticals have a way of informing our national press corps to ask the right questions. For instance: Is it ever appropriate for a female staffer to publicly assert a close, personal relationship with her boss? Is it ever appropriate for a female staffer to publicly assert a close, personal friendship with her boss – who is married? Does the single, childless, female staffer publicly declaring her close relationship with the married boss create a hostile or uncomfortable working environment?

Maybe Condi Rice is just smarter than Cheney, Rummy & Powell. Maybe.

— Media Lizzy

UPDATE: Below is a comment clarifying my position on Secretary Rice. Just ask yourself -does it make any sense that Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Powell would just blow off a lifetime of experience (each) to choreograph the current State of Affairs?

Secretary Rice has encouraged such questions about her relationship with the President, rather than delivering tangible results. Her portfolio is the one most compromised, the most criticized, and the least successful of the entire Bush 43 administration.

On Middle Eastern issues alone, the Secretary has failed. A complete lack of focus is the hallmark of her tenure. She has done very little to encourage cultural understanding between the average American and our Islamic counterparts. As for her involvement in the North Korean efforts, the deal she has negotiated is virtually identical to the Clinton era deal. It is containment-du-jour, neither remarkable nor tangible. And like Madeline Albright before her – she has been fooled by the very astute negotiators.

As for Gates – I beg to differ. Rice’s relationship with Gates – yes, they have a pre-existing, staff-to-staff level relationship. However, it was Gates’ experience as a part of the Persian Gulf war / Bush 41 team that led to his appointment on the Iraq Study Group – and eventual nomination as SecDef to Bush 43. Gates was National Security Council staff and developed a close working relationship with Cheney and James Baker.

And while she also knew General Petraeus, he is qualified – and was chosen – not because of Secretary Rice but because he knew the senior players. Powell. Cheney. I spoke with one of Petraeus’ colleagues from West Point this week – and it is Petraeus’ very specialized career path that brought him to the War Council’s attention, not Condi Rice who is not revered by most career officers or non-comms.

Furthermore – Gates & Petraeus are running the Department of Defense’s efforts. She deserves ZERO credit for the miracles performed on a daily basis my our soldiers, sailors, airmen & Marines.

In Iraq, it is the diplomatic portfolio that is failing. The embassy in Bagdhad is plagued by construction delays and overspending, and a lack of native Arabic speakers. Her fiscal management of State resources is an abomination. Prime Minister Maliki is seldom held to account for his inability or unwillingness to push for political progress.

Also, Secretary Rice should have lobbied Congress far more forcefully over the Armenian Genocide resolution. Instead, she toured the Middle East and ignored the 60,000 troops massing on the Turkish border with Iraq/Kurdistan. How is it possible that the sitting Secretary of State would be absent from discussions of such diplomatic sensitivity – her portfolio – when the US House is poised to cast a vote that may jeopardize American forces in Iraq?

One-third of the fuel and supplies for our troops in Iraq pass through the border with Turkey. If Secretary Rice is that tone-deaf, please allow her Deputy John Negroponte a more public role.

My principal point is that because of her willingness to be quoted, on the record, as being deeply concerned that she would not see the President eight times a day if she left the White House campus (as his Nat’l Sec. Adviser) for Foggy Bottom. To be taken seriously, as an equal of Cheney, Rumsfeld, Powell or Gates – Secretary Rice must not allow even a hint of impropriety.

She has demonstrated a willful disregard for propriety, and it is shameful.