Why Are We Ruled by These Morons? (Under Secretary of State Bob Joseph Edition)
Steve Clemons is upset because Under Secretary of State Bob Joseph is unsuited to be a diplomat:
The Washington Note: Bob Joseph broadened the traditional French application of "surrender monkeys" and added another 82 million people to it by casting Germans in the same lot. While it might work for satire on a Simpsons episode, a diplomat like Bob Joseph shouldn't be caught dead making a statement along those lines, particularly not in public, not even in United Airlines first class. If he feels so relaxed sharing such undiplomatic chatter in public, one can only wonder what his criteria are when something truly sensitive, or classified, is running through his mind. Secretary Rice, respectfully, your Under Secretary needs some "sensitivity training."
Well, yes, that is alarming. I am more alarmed by the fact that Bob Joseph has a brain that compares unfavorably to the brains of snails. The Germans "surrender monkeys"? In World War II, governed by the logistically incompetent Nazi regime, the German armed forces took on powers that outnumbered them 7-1 in manpower and 9-1 in industrial capacity--and almost won. That's not what "surrender monkeys" do. Not at all.
Minimal acquaintance with military history should be a prerequisite for employment in the Department of State.
Impeach George W. Bush. Impeach Richard Cheney. Fire Condi Rice. Dismiss Bob Joseph. Do it now.