Hillary Clinton has ignited Democratic audiences on the presidential campaign trail with the promise to send envoys to foreign capitals before she takes office to herald the end of the Bush administration’s foreign policy, should she be elected next year.

“I won’t even wait until I’m inaugurated,” the New York senator told an Iowa crowd of about 500 on a recent Sunday campaign stop in New Hampton. “The day after I’m elected, I’m going to be asking distinguished Americans of both political parties to travel around the world on my behalf with a very simple message to the governments and the people alike: The era of cowboy diplomacy is over.” (CNN)
_____________________________________________________________

I agree with Rudy Giuliani and find Senator Clinton’s comments to be incredibly irresponsible. This may make a good sound bite, but she is definitely jumping the proverbial gun:

1) Senator Clinton has not yet won the Presidency or even the party nomination.
2) The President-Elect does not have the power or authority to do this, nor to take any place in foreign policy until sworn in.
3) This will set a precedent for later President-Elect’s to take more initiative then they ought.
4) This will undermine the present administration and its ability to finish important tasks that may take place towards the end of its term.
5) This could persuade countries to stop current negotiations and wait for the next administration – further delaying progress.

I dislike the Bush Administration’s foreign policy as much as anyone, but Senator Clinton’s comments are truly breathtaking and depending on the circumstances could truly undermine national security. Such a crusade (for instance) could make Iran further emboldened because President Ahmadinejad will think the President has lost his ability to control the country and make decisions. This could have a disastrous effect and at LEAST possibly prevent negotiations for a full year, which only escalates the conflict. Also, such a policy as she is uttering sounds like the ones that convince Americans to think Democrats are weak on national security.

Senator Clinton should detract her comment and promise not to take place in foreign policy until her inauguration as outlined in the Constitution. I too cannot wait for a new administration, but President Bush is still the President (and he WAS voted in btw) and thus he must serve his full term and have the authority to conduct foreign policy without the interruption of overly ambitious politicians who do not think through the consequence of their own actions…