Quote Originally Posted by Tom Odom View Post
Then again I have to say that my latter concerns apply equally to the political apparatus that gets installed in the Pentagon with every change in the White House so I am not at all sure we can just point to State for a lack of consistent policy.

Tom
Tom,

I don't hang the whole thing on State by any stretch of the imagination. My point was more than we might be better served to look to State for something approaching a consistent view of foreign policy/direction than we might other areas in government. It's good that they seem to be changing for the better, and like you I have little faith in the political appointees that riddle the system. But a solid State might be able to influence those appointees and keep the system on something approaching a stable track.

One of the flaws, IMO, in our system is the constant shuffling that takes place in high levels any time there is anything approaching an election. Not sure if there's an easy solution for that (and if there is, it's certainly another thread).