MANAGEDIf you get a feeling that there seems to have been a rather definte change in manner by which we express our political, social, military attitudes with various foreign powers,try not to be among those who seem to condemn such "management" as being a bad thing for the nation and for world understanding.
Many critics express some strong doubts about a plan which enables President Gorge W. Bush to move about freely in a series of foreign "outposts" this week. They find it difficult to believe that a policy has been devised which makes it possible for George Bush to meet publically and to commiserate with the President of Latvia concerening the post-Hitler occupation of the Baltic States by the Soviets, when one the very next day of his tour, he will be meeting with his coungterpart in Moscow. Russia's Putin will, quite logically – from the Soviet point-of- view, not see the Baltic "occupation" as having been that at all. For the first time, such problems can be discussed openly and perhaps, we can make some real progress toward peaceful settlements based less on political values and more on human being qualities.
Obviously, these steps have been planned or "managed". Certainly the Presidents of these nations did not, with whim-like frivolity decide it might be a good thing if they could try some melding for a change. The fact that our leaders can meet at such a level of mutual understanding is remarkable in its simplicity and it has come about through the management skills of such people as Colin Powell and Condaleezza Rice. Add to that credit the workm of a score of men and women - edicated "others" on the staff at the State Department.Their management skills have been set forth to the benefit of all Mankind.
A.L.M. May 8, 2005 [c312wds]
