Audience Participation Required
Following a strange series of events (and we can only presume a lot of alcohol on the part of the Senate), in late January 2009 you're confirmed as the new Secretary of State. Within your first month in office, you are expected to launch of on a trip of about a week. What matters is not only what message you deliver on behalf of the new president, but what message is sent by the regions and countries you visit. Do you try to cover territory? Do you focus on a few locals? Are you focused on "issues" (visiting humanitarian crisies or centers of capital), regions, great powers, alliances (restoring NATO, former Warsaw Pact), religious, or something else? Seriously: Where do you go on your first trip?
- Clinton, Feb. 15-22: Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, China
- Rice, Feb. 3-10, 2005: Britain, Germany, Poland, Turkey, Israel, Italy, France, Belgium, Luxembourg
- Colin L. Powell, Feb. 23-27, 2001: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Belgium
- Albright, Feb. 16-24, 1997: Italy, Germany, France, Belgium, Britain, Russia, South Korea, Japan, China
- Warren Christopher, Feb. 18-26, 1993: Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Cyprus, Lebanon, Israel, Switzerland, Belgium
- James A. Baker III, Feb. 11-17, 1989: Iceland, Britain, West Germany, Denmark, Norway, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, France
- Alexander M. Haig Jr., April 4-12, 1981: Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Spain, Britain, France, West Germany
- Cyrus R. Vance, Feb. 15-21, 1977: Israel, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria.
(list via Al Kamen)
