Indiscretions Qualify McGurk for Diplomacy

Photo source: FreeBeacon.com

Brett McGurk, the former Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Iraq and Afghanistan, National Security Council and Obama’s pick to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, is facing more fire from Republicans.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland has said,

“All of the necessary things were done before his nomination, and we urge the Senate to confirm him.”

However, today ABC News 7 reports,

“Six GOP members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee sent a letter to President Barack Obama on Wednesday calling on him to withdraw Brett McGurk’s nomination.”

The letter, which was signed by these six of nine Republican members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), Sen. James Risch (R-ID), Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), Sen. Mike Lee (R- UT), and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) states some of their concerns as this, 

“We believe the nominee lacks the leadership and management experience necessary to head America’s largest embassy, in one of the world’s most volatile regions,”

These statements come on the heels of previous concerns voiced by other GOP’ers like; Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL), Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), and Sen. James Risch (R-ID).

According to White House press secretary Jay Carney, Obama continues to support McGurk at the same time there is speculation whether it was the Obama administration itself that leaked the e-mails to begin with.

The question I am not really hearing asked is how can this man be qualified for the position of the Ambassador to Iraq?

Bonnie Goldstein writes in the Washington Post,

“Even if the existence of such intimate communication doesn’t exactly acquit him on discretion, their content demonstrates the kind of people skills well suited to an ambassador.”

She goes on to white wash the evidence and its implications saying these issues, are “clearly not related to his qualifications” and should not cost him the nomination.

Are you serious?

Let me pose a few questions here,

1. How can things like loyalty, trust, honesty, and integrity not be related to his qualifications?
2. Was he “joking” when he alluded to passing secrets to a journalist?
3. Who has the alleged sex video of McGurk on the Republican Palace roof top in Iraq?
4. Who pays this man’s salary?

Our tax dollars should not pay salaries of men (or women) that use their money and positions for unethical and otherwise questionable actions. In addition, how is one to not only believe, but to trust that a man with these “qualifications”  only makes bad decisions in his personal life?

Related articles

• McGurk’s bombing book launched (belfasttelegraph.co.uk)
• McGurk accused to face commital (theage.com.au)
• Alleged email scandal derails another Obama nominee (politico.com)