Whatever Happened to Discretion?

Here's one episode that we would be all better off NOT knowing anything about:

Secret Service Catch Mexican Official Nabbing White House BlackBerries
Thursday, April 24, 2008

Whether he was up to no good or simply desperate to play BrickBreaker, a Mexican press attaché was caught on camera by Secret Service pocketing several White House BlackBerries during a recent meeting in New Orleans, FOX News has learned.

Sources with knowledge of the incident said the official, Rafael Quintero Curiel, served as the lead press advance person for the Mexican Delegation and was responsible for handling logistics and guiding the Mexican media around at the conference. He took six or seven of the handheld devices from a table outside a special room in the hotel where the Mexican delegation was meeting with President Bush earlier this week.

Everyone entering the room was required to leave his or her cell phone, BlackBerry and other such devices on the table, a common practice when high-level meetings are held. American officials discovered their missing belongings when they were leaving the session.

It didn't take long before Secret Service officials reviewed videotape taken by a surveillance camera and found footage showing Quintero Curiel absconding with the BlackBerries.

Sources said Quintero Curiel made it all the way to the airport before Secret Service officers caught up with him. He initially denied taking the devices, but after agents showed him the DVD, Quintero Curiel said it was purely accidental, gave them back, claimed diplomatic immunity and left New Orleans with the Mexican delegation.

This is an example of how "sources" like to leak stories that the public doesn't need to know anything about. This incident would have been best handled government to government, via the Ambassador or perhaps another diplomatic channel.

The government of Mexico is not at fault if someone who works for them does something stupid in this country, nor is our government responsible if one of our own does something equally as stupid in Mexico. Discretion means, you quietly handle the incident with as little noise as possible. Embarrassing Mexico might be a titilating story for your dumb buddy at Fox News, but it's bad diplomacy, and can lead to an escalation of meaningless little tit-for-tat episodes. Do you really think there isn't a story similar to that that Mexico could trot out?

Someone in the White House just wants to fuck things up as much as possible before they leave office.

FOX News' James Rosen and Mike Emanuel contributed to this report.

No, more like "these two idiots had someone inside the White House give them a story, complete with cute reference to 'brickbreaking.'"

I agree with Dr. Cole

It is time to close the United States embassy in Iraq.

The reasons are so very myriad there is a certain "where do I even start?" element to it all...

Maybe with the State Department's utter failures of leadership thus far? With rampaging mercenaries under contract to the State Department who murder civilians at will and receive grants of immunity routinely from a State Department that lacks the authority to grant it?

How about with the fact that the embassy complex that was supposed to be finished in June is still not ready to be occupied, and has been plagued by corruption, shoddy workmanship, scandal and allegations of fraud and criminal misconduct?

How about the fact that the State Department is having so much difficulty filling postings to Iraq that officers are being recalled from other stations and posted to Iraq against their will.

This is unconscionable.

Our diplomats with the State Department are the face of America abroad, and they represent some of our most dedicated public servants. The career officers serve faithfully through all administrations, apolitically. They represent America abroad, not the president in office.

They are the ones who understand the cultures and languages and customs of other countries. They do the real work of diplomacy for little money and less recognition. They deserve better than to be forced to make a Hobson's Choice - between posting to a war zone, or chucking their careers. There is no curtain number three, Monty.

Not only is this tactic on behalf of the administration grossly unfair to the foreign service officers, it is damaging to the overall health of the diplomatic corps in the long run.

If career foreign service officers start leaving in droves, it will take the better part of two decades to repair the damage that such an exodus will cause.

Contact your Senators and Representatives immediately and tell them you oppose the forced posting of Foreign Service officers to Iraq.

I'll give Dr. Cole the last word (read the whole thing):

The Democrats have been facing the dilemma that they are blocked from doing much about Iraq. This is something they can do. Cut off funding for the embassy and force most of the diplomats home. This is the way to start ending the war.

Now.