Missing in action

I mentioned the new Diplomads blog the other day, and today they posted something that is clear evidence of the need for their blog. It turns out that a number of retired State Department employees published a letter on August 17, 2004 strongly supporting President Bush's policies, including his vision of encouraging democractic governments in the middle east.

We believe that President Bush has demonstrated that he is a capable, effective, and determined leader. He and his talented foreign policy team have fashioned the right approach for the difficult and dangerous challenges in the Middle East and other troublesome regions. In breaking with many of the failed policies of the past, the Administration has given us a fresh and more accurate appreciation for our role in the world as well as new, realistic, and creative policy prescriptions to achieve security in a world made more unpredictable by radical terrorists.

This information would have been crucial for the American people to hear, don't you think? The constant drumbeat from "un-named sources" has been that "the professionals" at State deeply disagreed with the course of action of the administration. Knowing that a number of retirees from State strongly support the President's policies could have influenced the opinions of voters.

You didn't hear about the letter? That's precisely the point.