The list of State Department failures over the last 80 years is lengthy. The most spectacular early failure was State's deposing of the Shah of Iran, which brought us the Mullahs in all their Shi'ite glory.
VietNam was another bright idea, except for the families of the 58,000 dead Americans who did NOT 'prevent China from taking over SE Asia.'
Then there was Iraq, Bosnia, .............and the glory that is Nuland and Vindman.....Ukraine!!
But the State Department fail under Bush the Dumber that is arguably the most costly in dollars and possibly in US lives?
...The “Merida Initiative,” launched in 2007-08, aimed to help Mexico rebuild weak institutions like its police and courts, and to assist Mexican security forces in fighting drug cartels. However, this long-running initiative failed to secure either country: Mexico continues to suffer from failing institutions and appalling levels of violence, while narcotics and illegal migrants stream into the United States through the unsecured border. ...
Yah hey, that worked real well!!
...With Merida, there was too little skepticism about what country-wide government engagement could actually achieve. U.S. officials, armed with multi-year funding and a “can-do” attitude, tend not to forecast mission failure but a path to success—the same syndrome that kept us engaged for 20 years nation-building in Afghanistan. Merida once again teaches Washington the bitter lesson that rebuilding institutions is not a task for foreign nations. Successful reform, when it happens, is led and owned by national authorities....
The key part of the above? ".....armed with multi-year funding....." Follow the money. Bureaucrats and their dependents (Boston Consulting, McKinsey, Raytheon, et. al.) can come up with all sorts of "plans" to Make Earth Perfect--so long as the money flows. You want 'free'? Call a church.
And who figured out how it really works?
...President Trump’s instinct to focus on our southern frontier was more fruitful for the security of both countries than a dozen years of Merida cooperation. If the U.S. makes the border a national priority, the border will become a national priority for Mexico. Trump demonstrated that a White House committed to border issues could in fact push skeptical Mexican leaders to focus on a region they tend to ignore.
It was just a start, but Trump’s success in convincing even AMLO—despite the Mexican president’s deep suspicion of the U.S.—to accede to the Migration Protection Protocols (or “Remain in Mexico” policy) shows what can be done if Washington pursues attainable goals....
This raises the question: how much State Department does the US really need?
We already know the answer about the corrupt and incompetent FBI. What about a corrupt and incompetent State?
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