The World Is Moving On
Mexico inaugurates its new president, Vicente Fox, later this week. Mr. Fox promises change.
Haiti held elections this past weekend. Former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide appears to be the winner.
Canada's prime minister, Jean Chretien, has been re-elected to a third term.
Peru's embattled president, Alberto Fujimori, resigned while on a trip to Japan and has so far refused to return to Lima.
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has returned from a quick trip to Vienna where she held consultations with European leaders, though she wasn't able to meet with Yugoslavia's new president, Vojislav Kostunica.
Prime Minister Ehud Barak has called for new elections in Israel, even as Israelis and Palestinians continue to kill each other — and, perhaps, slay any chance for peace between them anytime soon.
Yes, there is much political news occurring in world capitals for those interested.
Here in Washington no one seems to care about any of this, or much of anything else either. Just tell us who won Florida, who really won Florida and, then, perhaps, we can all start moving back to more worldly concerns.
Diplomats are watching the tug-of-war over the Bush-Gore vote count like everyone else.
As long as the matter is in the courts, the cables from Embassy Row back to the world's foreign ministries are filled with speculation and conjecture, explanations of how the electoral college and not the popular vote is the important thing and maybe a few honest confessions that most diplomats posted here on temporary assignments are just as confused as the locals.
Generally, a good diplomat doesn't want to admit to the foreign minister that he hasn't a clue as to what these Americans are up to, but in this case an honest appraisal might be forgiven.
Maybe it's a good time to take a vacation. What's Florida like this time of year?
By CHARLES WOLFSON
Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved. Haiti held elections this past weekend. Former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide appears to be the winner.
Canada's prime minister, Jean Chretien, has been re-elected to a third term.
Peru's embattled president, Alberto Fujimori, resigned while on a trip to Japan and has so far refused to return to Lima.
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has returned from a quick trip to Vienna where she held consultations with European leaders, though she wasn't able to meet with Yugoslavia's new president, Vojislav Kostunica.
Prime Minister Ehud Barak has called for new elections in Israel, even as Israelis and Palestinians continue to kill each other — and, perhaps, slay any chance for peace between them anytime soon.
Yes, there is much political news occurring in world capitals for those interested.
Here in Washington no one seems to care about any of this, or much of anything else either. Just tell us who won Florida, who really won Florida and, then, perhaps, we can all start moving back to more worldly concerns.
Diplomats are watching the tug-of-war over the Bush-Gore vote count like everyone else.
As long as the matter is in the courts, the cables from Embassy Row back to the world's foreign ministries are filled with speculation and conjecture, explanations of how the electoral college and not the popular vote is the important thing and maybe a few honest confessions that most diplomats posted here on temporary assignments are just as confused as the locals.
Generally, a good diplomat doesn't want to admit to the foreign minister that he hasn't a clue as to what these Americans are up to, but in this case an honest appraisal might be forgiven.
Maybe it's a good time to take a vacation. What's Florida like this time of year?
By CHARLES WOLFSON
