Hillary, wrong choice for Secretary of State

President-elect Obama according to news reports will soon announce his nomination of Senator Hillary Clinton as the next US Secretary of State. Obama’s choice of Clinton for this position is not viewed by Wordtodawise as a very wise choice.

Under no circumstance should Hillary Clinton be the next Secretary of State. She is frankly not the right candidate to fill this very important position at this critical moment of our time. Other candidates such as Senator Chuck Hagel and Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico to name a few come to mind as being better qualified to fill this position.

Hillary Clinton simply lacks the experience and the temperament to handle the important position of Secretary of State. The common believe is that she is going to rely significantly on Bill Clinton and former Secretary Albright to help her navigate the complex world of international politics. Not only is this development disappointing, it is dangerous and will further dampen the enthusiasm of Americans and people around the world who have invested so much hope in the coming Obama administration.

After losing the Democratic nomination, the curtain was closed for Clinton or so Wordtodawise thought. The political demise of Clinton appeared imminent then but today it seems the thought was premature. Now that Obama has lifted Hillary from political coma, Wordtodawise is apprehensive and hopes the curtain doesn’t close on America. It would be a preferred option for Hillary to stay in the senate and continue to do great things for the people of New York.

Wordtodawise firmly believes that Hillary Clinton is not going to serve the best interest of America by being Secretary of State. It is quite clear that Hillary’s foreign policy will be significantly affected by pro Israeli and military industrial complex lobbying groups whose influence will render Hillary ineffective in making the tough decisions. Obama may prescribe the mission but there’s no guarantee that Hillary plus Bill will tow the line.

Middle Eastern politics covering the sphere of Iraq, Iran, Israel and Palestine are the most critical aspects of foreign policy challenges the new administration will face. The successful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will define the overall foreign policy achievement of the Obama administration. Any outcomes short of expectations in this area will be viewed as inconsequential and not acceptable by an anxious public.

Solving the Israeli -Palestinian issue will lay the ground work for negotiating with Iran into becoming a willing partner for restoring and maintaining stability in the Middle East and to a larger extent Afghanistan and the Taliban. A compliant Iran will not present a threat to the existence of Israel and the fearful Arab states like the Saudis and others.

Accomplishing the mission of diplomacy in the Middle East requires a statesman (gender inclusive) with extraordinary political and diplomatic skills armed with a singular incorruptible will to engage friends and foes for the common purpose of negotiating a lasting peace.

Judging from Hillary's presidential campaign management incompetence and her previous health care debacle, she is not the person for the SOS job. She simply will not deliver the desired results. It will be great if she proves otherwise.

It's understandable for Obama to reward Hillary for her campaign efforts given the fact that she flaunted 18 million votes as a ransom. The future of America is much too important for this kind of risky political gamble. The decision to nominate Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State is regrettable and will not go down as Obama’s most brilliant move.

Obama should reverse his nomination of Hillary as Secretary of State for the sake of political prudence and national interest. Wordtodawise believes Hillary Clinton will make a great Supreme Court Justice instead and Obama should extend the offer when the time comes. President-elect Obama, please stop and think before you act on this matter or forever regret the decision to make Hillary Clinton Secretary of State.