In recording of U.S diplomat, talk on Ukraine

[questionmark]

The top U.S. diplomat for Europe apologized Thursday for comments about the European Union that were — to put it lightly — undiplomatic.

“F--- the E.U.,” Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland said in a private telephone call that was intercepted and leaked online.

In the call, Nuland, a former U.S. ambassador to NATO and State Department spokeswoman, was dismissively referring to slow-moving European efforts to address political paralysis and a looming fiscal crisis in Ukraine. But it was the blunt nature of her remarks, rather than U.S. diplomatic calculations, that seemed exceptional.

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And thus: what goes around comes around.... not only the NSA can eavesdrop on phone conversations....

[keithisco]

The "Usual Suspects" are all at it.

What I take from this "leak" is that the USA STILL han't come to terms with what it can and cannot achieve in the World. Their representative might well say "**** the EU" but in reality the USA has absolutely nothing to put on the table to reach a resolution, and things do NOT happen ovenight. The whole problem is way outside their sphere of influence...IMO

[questionmark]

The "Usual Suspects" are all at it.

What I take from this "leak" is that the USA STILL han't come to terms with what it can and cannot achieve in the World. Their representative might well say "**** the EU" but in reality the USA has absolutely nothing to put on the table to reach a resolution, and things do NOT happen ovenight. The whole problem is way outside their sphere of influence...IMO

What I take out of that leak is that it is about damn time to take the diplomacy of the US of A out of the hands of amateurs.

[Bama13]

What I take out of that leak is that it is about damn time to take the diplomacy of the US of A out of the hands of amateurs.

Not sure why you think she is an amateur. Her bio, from wiki:

Nuland has had a long career in the Foreign Service and has worked for both Democratic and Republican administrations. During the Bill Clinton administration, Nuland was chief of staff to Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott before moving on to serve as deputy director for former Soviet Union affairs. During the George W. Bush administration, she served as the principal deputy foreign policy adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney and then as U.S. ambassador to NATO. During the Barack Obama administration, she was special envoy for Conventional Armed Forces in Europe before assuming the position of State Department spokesperson in summer 2011, which she held until February 2013.

Hardly seems like an amateur. She has served in the last 3 administrations, so around 15+ years experience. Maybe my definition of amateur is different than yours.

[questionmark]

Not sure why you think she is an amateur. Her bio, from wiki:

Nuland has had a long career in the Foreign Service and has worked for both Democratic and Republican administrations. During the Bill Clinton administration, Nuland was chief of staff to Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott before moving on to serve as deputy director for former Soviet Union affairs. During the George W. Bush administration, she served as the principal deputy foreign policy adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney and then as U.S. ambassador to NATO. During the Barack Obama administration, she was special envoy for Conventional Armed Forces in Europe before assuming the position of State Department spokesperson in summer 2011, which she held until February 2013.

Hardly seems like an amateur. She has served in the last 3 administrations, so around 15+ years experience. Maybe my definition of amateur is different than yours.

Somebody that uses that language in a diplomatic mission (regardless if overheard or not) is an amateur. Words cause wars in diplomacy, and people who like to use strong words (like me) don't have any business being near it.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

Yeah, that'll help US/European relations

Looks like the Berlin Firewall is going to go ahead then "is your server in America? Blocked. Is your domain name registered in America? Blocked. Are you now or have you ever been part of the NSA? Blocked".

[+and-then]

Somebody that uses that language in a diplomatic mission (regardless if overheard or not) is an amateur. Words cause wars in diplomacy, and people who like to use strong words (like me) don't have any business being near it.

Agreed...and even if she were seasoned and used such terms it could point to the ethic and culture of the entire administration - she does have a boss...sort of...

[Mantis914]

Not sure why you think she is an amateur. Her bio, from wiki:

Nuland has had a long career in the Foreign Service and has worked for both Democratic and Republican administrations. During the Bill Clinton administration, Nuland was chief of staff to Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott before moving on to serve as deputy director for former Soviet Union affairs. During the George W. Bush administration, she served as the principal deputy foreign policy adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney and then as U.S. ambassador to NATO. During the Barack Obama administration, she was special envoy for Conventional Armed Forces in Europe before assuming the position of State Department spokesperson in summer 2011, which she held until February 2013.

Hardly seems like an amateur. She has served in the last 3 administrations, so around 15+ years experience. Maybe my definition of amateur is different than yours.

Just because someone is around a long time doesn't necessarily mean that they are qualified. I worked with this one lady who had been in my line of work for 20+ years and all I ever saw her doing was trimming her nails during work time and constantly getting written up.

What is going on with all these diplomats and ambassadors, India, Norway, Germany, I know there are more...

[Kaa-Tzik]

While we know that behind the false smiles and, usually, polite diplomatic language, these people, and that is all in general, are just like us, we have collectively, I think, over the years come to think that anybody involved in diplomacy is perhaps on a slightly higher level than us. I think the sense of that will be understood. So when we see behind the mask, then we are dissapointed. What she has said is not any surprise to me, nor most I would think, it's just a refreshing change to see the moral corruption, deceit and lies behind the false smiles laid bare. It's a little bit of realpolitik