By Guest Contributor Ret. Ambassador Peter Sebastian
The following letter to the editor appeared as a commentary in The New Mexican on September 7, 2008. Ambassador Sebastian has given WhirledView permission to republish the letter as submitted. WhirledView has recently learned that more than 300 former career diplomats have now signed the declaration in support of Senator Obama’s candidacy for president. The number of signers continues to rise.
As a Santa Fe resident and subscriber to THE NEW MEXICAN conversant with its editorial positions, I believe you agree that the next Administration will have, as one of its most urgent tasks, the reestablishment of Washington's international credibility.
This task has emerged as a major theme in the presidential campaign as a result of what many Americans, myself included, believe to have been the abandonment by the current Administration of the principles of bipartisanship at home and close coordination with allies abroad. These are principles which I was proud to serve during a professional lifetime in the US Foreign Service, and in which I continue to believe.
I have, therefore, joined with more than 250 former career diplomats with long experience in the conduct of US foreign relations under both Republican and Democratic Administrations, in a call to fellow American voters, regardless of political affiliation, to join in supporting Senator Obama. We believe that he has the vision and the will to restore the respect and leadership we once enjoyed, will work to restore bipartisanship at home and embrace foreign policies which better serve the interests of the country.
I enclose a copy of a declaration scheduled to be released on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 in Washington, DC. together with a list of its signers. Given the number of signers, it probably exceeds the space normally available to "Letters." I none-the-less hope that THE NEW MEXICAN will see fit to publicize it in whatever form it deems appropriate.
I thank you for your consideration of the foregoing and remain,
Sincerely,
Peter Sebastian
American Ambassador, ret.
BEGIN DECLARATION:
"EXPERIENCE SPEAKS OUT: FORMER US DIPLOMATS FOR OBAMA
We are a diverse group of over 200 former Foreign Service officers. Each of us has had extensive experience in implementing the international affairs and national security policies of both Republican and Democratic administrations. We have first hand knowledge of the grave multiple challenges of the Cold War, a period of peril but one in which the United States wore with honor the mantle of leadership. In cooperation with other democracies, and dialog with countries that were not, our nation found solutions to problems which seemed intractable. Senator Obama can place our national again in that position of trust, credibility and respect.
With him, we call for a return to the successful reliance on bipartisan cooperation at home and close coordination on the use of active diplomacy with our friends and allies abroad, to face the challenges posed by those who are neither. We have watched with profound regret the frequent, costly failures of the current Administration to apply these fundamental principles.
We, the undersigned, are firmly convinced that new American leadership is critical at this juncture in world history We urge Americans, regardless of party affiliation, to select as our next president Senator Barack Obama, a leader with courage, intelligence, energy, a fresh perspective and a focus on the future. We believe, based on our long foreign policy experience, that he has the qualities needed to restore American leadership, credibility and respect in the world, the persona to make bipartisanship a possibility once again, and the judgment and vision to set our nation on the path to a better future.
signed: Peter Sebastian, jointly with over 200 former colleagues.
Note: See also Vicki Gray's "Jim, Barack, You . . . and Me, Sunday, September 21, 2008.