You can learn strange things, poring over transcripts of remarks made by U.S. officials traveling abroad (we do this so you don’t have to). And so it was when I pulled up a transcript of remarks made by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last weekend in Mumbai, India. These were the remarks in which, to the Obama administration’s growing list of apologies for the United States, Clinton added a U.S. apology to India for the climate of the planet:
“Our point is very simple: That we acknowledge, now with President Obama, that we have made mistakes — the United States — and we along with other developed countries, have contributed most significantly to the problems that we face with climate change.” (The main thing Clinton got for her pains was a demand from India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the West fork over almost $200 billion per year to the developing world to offset costs of cutting emissions).
Come again, Madame Secretary? You don’t have to love carbon to understand that there are tradeoffs in this world. While America’s free enterprise system has been emitting all that now-reviled carbon dioxide, it has also served as the world’s liveliest source of inventions for improving quality of life around the globe. The verdict of real science (as opposed to United Nations “consensus”) is still out on what causes climate change, or whether carbon dioxide has anything much to do with it. But in coping with a global climate that has been changing since before our ancestors crawled out of the primal soup, the best hope of mankind for adapting to the weather is not a global web of UN-driven caps and regulations, but precisely the kind of creativity and flexibility that has been the hallmark of the American system. It’s a terrible idea to constrain that, and it’s dangerously absurd to apologize for it. More on this in my column this week for Forbes.com , “Stop the Apologizing.”
In further remarks, Clinton responded to a press question about her meeting earlier in the day with a number of influential Indian business executives, include the head of Reliance Petroleum, which has served in the past as a major supplier to Iran of gasoline — a product for which Iran does not have enough refining capacity to meet its own domestic demands. Clinton was asked if she had discussed with these Indian executives the possibility of using gas exports as a lever against Iran. (Interest in such leverage has been simmering on Capitol Hill, and in response to this, Reliance recently halted gas exports to Iran. But the Obama administration, rather than talking up this example, or leaning on other suppliers to stop as well, keeps skirting the issue, while trying to extend that hand to Tehran).
Clinton’s answer: A big shrug. She did not discuss it, and this is something “we will look at later.”
That’s one mixed up set of priorities. What America really ought to be sorry about is a foreign policy that apologizes for the weather, while ignoring a last, best hope for peacefully stopping the Iranian march toward nuclear crisis in the Middle East.
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27 Comments
1. Professor Guvinoff:We are coming to a point where puppet shows designed to amuse toddlers make more sense than the official speeches of our diplomats.
Quantum physics for toddlers: “Climate change” is what happens to “Global warming” when it accidentally collides with the “spirit of bipartisanship”. Or is “plausible deniability” trumping everything previously known to civilization?
Jul 23, 2009 - 9:49 am 2. Pajamas Media » Apologizing for the Weather, Ignoring Iran:[...] Read the rest of the story here. [...]
Jul 25, 2009 - 12:42 am 3. arhooley:Does anyone have a theory about Hillary’s seeming stupidity as SecState? Is she trying to prove to herself that she can do it without Bill’s help? Has Bill forsworn her? Is she playing dead like Glenn Close in the bathtub only to leap up and primary Obama in 2012? Is she confident that she can spin the whole thing as a sober, competent performance when she goes to cash in? As much as I always despised her, I never imagined she would expose herself like this.
Jul 25, 2009 - 2:17 am 4. Adina Kutnicki,Israel:IF I were a cynical sort I might be forced to come to this conclusion -that the Obama administration is none too concerned about a nuclear Iran, in fact, might even be warm to the prospect.
Think about it. This is the most hostile US adminstration to Israel since forever. The elder Bush came close, Jimmy tried his hand, but none match the assembly of haters in Obama’s administration.
In this regard, despite Washington’s ties to the Saudis, as well as the other Gulf States, it might very well be playing a two edged game. For the price of keeping Israel in its (miniaturized) place, and showing the Saudis that they are not the only game in town, a nuclear Iran with scads of oil can very well work to US advantage.
Stranger alliances have come to fruition, and I would not put it past this crew to cut an oil deal with the Iranians for a ‘price’ the Obama brigade is willing to pay.
I’m just saying…..
Jul 25, 2009 - 2:44 am 5. Peg C.:I am no fan of Hillary, quite the contrary. But carrying water for President Stupidly (as Tom Maguire calls him) will make even a supposedly intelligent person sound stupid.
Jul 25, 2009 - 3:42 am 6. fear obama:It is good to apologize.
I am sorry that I voted against Hillary Clinton in the primary’s because I knew John McCain would beat Bambie.
I am sorry that California wildfires are making poor polar bears have to swim.
And I am sorry that Barry Obama only has two 2 birth announcements in Hawaii newspapers-
http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/obamabirth.php
and I only have one 1.
And anyone else that mentions his fake birth certificate needs to have their sorry A$$ laughed at because it makes us conservatives look like idiots.
…..thank you for this humble opportunity to apologize.
Jul 25, 2009 - 4:20 am 7. "progressive"watch:What about American food and disaster aid and charity giving to other nations and peoples in huge amounts,more than any other country ever has by a long shot? American representatives who continually apologize for America like Obama and the O-adminstration,now including O-Hillary,are unable to function rationally because their mental capacities are afflicted by a 60s Marxist antiAmerican derangement syndrome.
Jul 25, 2009 - 5:25 am 8. Meryl:This is also what happens to foreign policy when the need “to be liked” by everyone trumps everything previously known to civilization (Prof Guvinoff’s phrase).
We no longer have a foreign policy. We only have a giant playground where we spend all of our energy apologizing to and hiding from the bullies.
Jul 25, 2009 - 5:43 am 9. AThinkingPerson:The questions must be asked: With the recent flurry of apologies to foreign nations by Obama and now Clinton, are we better off than before? Are we the darling of the foreign community again? Is global warming now just a distant memory?
Remember the good ole days when President Bush would always put Americans and their interests first no matter what? I do too.
Jul 25, 2009 - 6:50 am 10. Steve DeMarcus:Apologizing for the weather is on the verge of insanity. This “climate change” is going too far as I believe it is a farce to begin with. With all the recent low records all around the United States just shows that the weather or climate will do just what it does with nothing people do to prevent it from happening anyway. We need to concentrate on fixing the economy and building new nuclear power plants and also drilling for oil in our own country.
Jul 25, 2009 - 7:25 am 11. zhombre:When you have an Empty Suit as President, a Motormouth as VP, Wicked Witch of the West as Speaker, why be surprised when the Secretary of State is a Shrug?
Jul 25, 2009 - 7:35 am 12. savage24:Well, one thing you can say, the democrats along with the RINOs are working their damnest to destroy this country. Whether it be Obama, Clinton or the congress they have to be stopped.
Jul 25, 2009 - 8:19 am 13. sallie:so how do you suggest we keep politicians like Clinton in check?
Jul 25, 2009 - 9:03 am 14. David W. Lincoln:Well, as long as plausible deniability is impossible by giving credence to, “The Stoning of Soraya M.”, for instance, by the crowd currently in control of the levers of power in Washington; what else can you expect.
Jul 25, 2009 - 9:29 am 15. arhooley:13. sallie: so how do you suggest we keep politicians like Clinton in check?
I’ve heard they respond to ridicule.
I also noticed during the Dem primary that Hillary can’t beat a charismatic newcomer. I’m guessing a charismatic newcomer who was female, sincere, and fundamentally right to boot would be the final nail in Hillary’s career.
Jul 25, 2009 - 10:01 am 16. Steve DeMarcus:I am sorry my country voted for the current congress and president we now have…At first I thought it was a bad dream but it is not it is a recurring nightmare that is getting worse each day. Can I be put into a coma until it is over?
Jul 25, 2009 - 2:52 pm 17. Sebastian Shaw:Hillary Clinton can pander just as badly as President Obama, but trying to pander about the weather patterns is just plain madness; she is not the goddess of the storm & stop acting like she can control the weather with her icy stare & her cold, maladroit speech patterns. The lady is no Ororo Munroe. She’s far more of a Killer Frost…
Jul 25, 2009 - 5:59 pm 18. Marc:I am totally disgusted. Obama was transparent as the worst liberal/socialist in congress ever. I did not vote for him. YOU DID!!! Now look what we have. The most liberal/socialist/communist President in American history. I refuse to live under a dictator. Obama thinks he is. If they start the attempt to take our personal firearms we need to respond with force. That is the reason for the 2nd Amendment.
Jul 25, 2009 - 9:31 pm 19. larry:To Mark – You are right on . That’s why they are drying up the ammo in this country . They know it’s impossible to take away the 280,000,000 guns . Go to Wal-Mart and try to buy ammo . I have a friend who is in law inforcement , they have already received info from the FBI , to exspect cival unrest . Get your ammo while you can , ’cause the little sneaks are back dooring you ,” us .”
Jul 26, 2009 - 6:04 pm 20. larry:I have written numerous replies which I think are no worse or better than the one I’m replying to , but mine never get past – ” Your Comment Is awaiting moderation” . So to PJ Media I guess I should just keep my opinion to myself , or look somewhere else to vent .
Jul 26, 2009 - 6:14 pm 21. larry:Signing off from PJ Media .
Jul 26, 2009 - 6:20 pm 22. gracie:I do not like Obama’s politics , HOWEVER, he was very smart to appease both the Clintons…he gave her a title, and then dismissed her to the netherlands…
Hillary is relegated to the back burner, out of Obama’s hair . She takes care of absolutely “nothing”!!!, and the funny part is,
Jul 26, 2009 - 8:04 pm 23. Benson:… she’s happy doing it..
Steve DeMarcus said:
I am sorry my country voted for the current congress and president we now have…At first I thought it was a bad dream but it is not it is a recurring nightmare that is getting worse each day. Can I be put into a coma until it is over?
If they pass Government Death Care you’ll probably get your wish, only they won’t try to bring you around when its over.
Jul 26, 2009 - 9:15 pm 24. Marc Malone:“An army of deer led by a lion is more to be feared than an army of lions led by a deer.” – Unknown (… by me. Sorry.)
Jul 27, 2009 - 12:30 am 25. larry:Signing back on to PJ Media .
Jul 27, 2009 - 10:53 am 26. anonymous scientist:I can’t believe that serious people can still write with a straight face
“” The verdict of real science (as opposed to United Nations “consensus”) is still out on what causes climate change, or whether carbon dioxide has anything much to do with it. “”
Yes, there is some very small community of scientists out of the mainstream who have doubts — and these people are dragged out regularly on TV and in the media to argue that the large majority of scientists are all idiots. There is also a small community of people who don’t believe in evolution, or in quantum mechanics.
There are a lot of very solid scientists who have looked at this issue very hard and almost all of them have come to exactly the same conclusion. One or two outliers — while they should be allowed to have their odd opinions, should not set our policy.
If you really want to understand the issues, free from political interference, just look at the data yourself. If you have even a basic knowledge of physics, it is plenty clear that our increased levels of CO2 is bound to have a major effect on our climate. It is absolutely clear what is going on. You will realize that the level of uncertainty in this matter is about the same as whether tobacco causes cancer.
Aug 29, 2009 - 2:04 am 27. Marc:@26 anonymous scientist: You are obviously a liberal with an agenda that is seriously misguided. Un-educated too. Curious…Your degree is in What???
“Yes, there is some very small community of scientists out of the mainstream who have doubts — and these people are dragged out regularly on TV and in the media to argue that the large majority of scientists are all idiots.”
There are now THOUSANDS of Scientists (real ones) who are debunking the CO2 crap. So we have thousands of folks that you call idiots who can prove CO2 has no or little effect on our climate. If you care to respond I will link you with enough information to keep you busy for a while. You may learn something.
Aug 30, 2009 - 8:11 pm