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McCain Poised to Set U.S. Foreign Policy
by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700
Copyright
December 4, 2014
All Rights Reserved.
Criticizing another pick of President Barack Obama, Sen.
John McCain (R-Ariz.), set to take over the Senate Armed Services Committee Jan.
1, 2015, ripped 47-year-old Hollywood producer Colleen Bradley Bell for the next
ambassador to Hungary. McCain called Hungary’s 51-year-old Prime Minster
Viktor Orban a “neo-fascist dictator,” prompting Hungary to summons Charge
d’Affaires Andre Goodfriend for consultation. McCain’s comments mirror the
frustrations of other Obama critics concerned more about political paybacks than
competent appointments. While it looks like Bell will become the next
ambassador to Hungary, McCain wanted to make the point that she was “totally
unqualified.” McCain expressed growing concerns that many of Obama’s
appointments and Cabinet-level positions reflect more political expediency over
finding the best-and-the-brightest to serve for the good of the country.
McCain’s critiques have
political overtones but stress problems with repaying political donors with
political appointments. “I’m not against political appointees . . .I
understand how the game is played but . . . (Hungary) . . . is on the verge of
ceding its sovereignty to a neo-fascist dictator, getting in bed with Vladimir
Putin, and we’re going to send the producer of the Bold and the Beautiful as
ambassador,” said McCain, concerned over Orban’s crackdown on Hugary’s
foreign-funded NGOs and ethnic minorities, including the Roma population.
When Orban’s government raided Norway-funded NGO Okotars for allegedly funneling
money to anti-government groups, McCain believes Hungary turned away from
democratic governance. “”By ordering the police raid it is clear that
Hungarian authorities are continuing their harassment of civil society
organizations,” said Vidar |Helgessen, Norway’s Minister of European Affairs.
Calling Bell “totally
unqualified,” McCain signaled he has no intent of accepting Obama’s appointments
lying down. Growing concerns about Hungary leaning toward more natural gas
and petroleum deals with Putin prompted Orban to reject criticism from the U.S.
and EU. “Our jobs is to determine our own interests and own position,”
said |Orban, rejecting Western critiques of his petro-deals with Moscow.
Orban frustrates the U.S. and EU by cutting deals on energy that benefits
Hungary. “I am convinced that putting the question if whose side we should
take is a Communist kind of question. The question we should pose is what
the Hungarian interest is and not whose side we should take,” said Orban,
signaling he intends to cut whatever deals benefits Hungary. McCain sees
Bell as having too little experience or clout to steer Hungary in the right
direction. While professing to lead toward the EU, Orban shows his mercenary
side.
Putin’s global
outreach on natural gas and petroleum deals has eclipsed U.S. rhetoric to a
variety of European, Asian and South Asian countries. While the U.S. is
one of the world’s biggest natural gas producers, it hasn’t solved supply
problems. Russia has toiled to produce and deliver the gas and petroleum
needed by Europe. With pipelines already built, Moscow is ahead of the
game to dominate natural gas and petroleum markets in Europe and Asia.
“The Hungarian geopolitical interest . . is to strive to prevent a new
Cold War over our heads,” said Orban, signaling he intends to patronize Russia
where it benefits Hungary. McCain and other U.S. can insult Orban but it
pushes him to make more deals with the Kremlin. “The Hungarian government
rejects . . . rejects the words of Sen. John McCain regarding the Hungarian
Prime Minister and the relationship of |Hungary and Russia,” said State Foreign
Ministry Secretary Levente Magvar.
While State Department
officials disown any connection to |McCain’s comments, it signals more lame duck
status for the Obama administration. McCain’s harsh words toward Orban are sent
before he takes over the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee after Jan. 1.
McCain promises to call into question Obama’s passive foreign policy toward
Putin, giving Russian free reign to intimidate former Soviet republics and
continue interfering in Southeastern Ukraine. Given Hungary’s complicated
balancing act between East-and-West, it’s going to be difficult for a neophyte
like Bell to advocate U.S. interests. Putting someone so inexperienced in
the job speaks volumes of how seriously the White House takes it job of
advancing U.S. interests. With Orban’s leanings toward Moscow and his
crackdown on U.S. or EU-funded NGOs, it’s going to be difficult for Bell to take
a firm stand with Hungary’s current political leanings.
Calling Hungary’s |Prime
Minister a “neo-fascist dictator,” McCain signals that he’s getting ready to
take a wider role in U.S. foreign policy. With the White House becoming
increasingly irrelevant as the 2016 presidential elections get closer, every
Obama appointment takes on political implications. Republicans will make a
strong case that Obama and Democrats have badly mismanaged U.S. foreign policy.
Citing Bell as an example will only come back to haunt Democrats as they make
their case to hold on to the presidency in 2016. McCain promises to
push for a stronger U.S. military presence in Ukraine and Eastern Europe to
combat Putin’s growing influence. No one wants a military confrontation
with Russia in Ukiraine or Eastern Europe. But after Jan. 1, Obama’s
passive foreign policy will get challenged by McCain and other conservatives on
Capitol \Hill. More weak political appointments make Democrats look bad.
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