U.S. policy in Latin America under
President Obama has been mostly defined by a decline in U.S. influence and a
languorous response to anti-democratic actions by a passel of populist regimes.
Now we know the reason why: It's those obstructionist Senate Republicans.
That's the clear implication of an
article last week in the Wall
Street Journal, "U.S. Sway Clipped in Latin America," in which
Senate Republicans are left largely holding the shears.
According to the Journal,
"Republican lawmakers have been blocking many of the Obama administration's
Latin American nominations for three years," and that, "The Republican strategy
has left many in the U.S. government perplexed about how to engage the vast
territory."
Both assertions are patent nonsense.
While it is true that the nominations
of a new Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs and one
ambassadorship are being held up and that another ambassador was blocked from
returning to post after a recess appointment (a third nominee was redirected to
Panama after both a Democrat and Republican objected to his initial
posting to Nicaragua), that is hardly indicative of a three-year campaign.
In fact, prior to these current holds,
the only Obama nominee held up by Senate Republicans has been career official
Tom Shannon, who is now Ambassador to Brazil. (Senate
Democrats blocked not one, but two of George W. Bush's nominees for Assistant
Secretary for the Western Hemisphere.)
Secondly, the notion that Senate
Republicans are hindering a more robust U.S. policy in the hemisphere mixes up
cause and effect. One senior official told the Journal, "Obviously,
embassies continue to work on important issues without an ambassador. But not
having an ambassador muffles our voice. There are things that need to be spoken
about. The bully pulpit just isn't as effective without an ambassador."
But it is precisely because the
administration has failed to use ambassadorial bully pulpits in the face
of the ongoing assault on democratic institutions in the region that has partly
fueled Senate Republicans' current frustrations.
A particularly risible assertion is
that a lack of an ambassador in Ecuador -- the last one was unceremoniously
expelled by President Rafael Correa -- is hurting U.S. interests, because "Some
point to progress being that was being made in bringing Ecuador's left-wing
President Rafael Correa toward more moderate governing, particularly toward the
business community, despite efforts by Mssrs. Ortega and Chávez to sway him
further to their side."
Progress? In Ecuador?
The only progress being made in Ecuador is in President Correa's systematic
dismantling of separation of powers and rule of law and his unremitting war
against the media, which the Washington
Post recently called, "the most comprehensive and ruthless
assault on free media underway in the Western Hemisphere."
Rather than being criticized, Senate
Republicans -- primarily Senator Marco
Rubio (R-FL) -- should be applauded for trying to pressure the administration
into injecting some purpose and energy into its hemispheric policy. Rather than attempting to placate angry leftists in Venezuela, Ecuador,
Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Argentina, the administration needs to be more vocal in
its support for democrats throughout the region who feel abandoned by the
lackluster response from Washington.
The administration has had three years
to develop and implement a regional policy that serves U.S. interests and those
of our responsible neighbors. Rather than being obstructionist, all
Senate Republicans are trying to do is help bring that about.
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