uncle arnie wrote:

David Wilkins was interviewed on CBC/RCI show "As it Happens". He doesn't
know anything about the country he has been appointed ambassador to.
Nothing. He deflected all questions about Canada, apparently b/c his
qualification for the job is that he is about as informed as the appointer.
He knows no geography, no idea of the national anthem, let alone being
smart enough to turn down an interview until he gets briefed. Those with
low expectations for an appointee could not have imagined such an idiot in
their wildest dreams.

Oh, and it is important to you if you're an American. Wilkins doesn't know
why. Do you?

Ambassadors for the US are political appointees, meaning for the most
part people that the President owes a favor to (or their families or
companies). They are NOT career diplomats with extensive knowledge of
their host countries. Canada may have higher standards. But most US
ambassadors don't know the language of their host countries, much less
any of the country's vital stats. Wilkins got an easy
assignment-Canadian English is pretty close to American English, except
Canadians use British spelling. It may be fun for the Canadians to put
Wilkins on the hot seat and laugh at him for being an idiot, but he is
the rule rather than the exception. Ambassadors for the US are Pretty
Faces, meant to look good and take all the credit for the grunt work of
lower level staffers, the people who know everything about the country
and advise the guy at the top. This is also common within the US-the
politicians are bloviators who posture while the lower level guys keep
the country running but get none of the credit. Hell, America even had a
president with early stage Alzheimer's serve for eight years, and he was
incredibly popular and remains so even after his death. Reagan faced
down the Soviet Union and got the economy going again after a decade of
stagnation, yet he couldn't remember the names of his cabinet
secretaries. As for the seat's current occupant, he has been affected by
heavy alcohol and cocaine use, has suffered a number of mini strokes,
and wears a defibulator (sp?) in case his heart quits without warning,
yet the country still functions. Would you rather have a dictatorship on
your border where a fatal heart attack means all out civil war?


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