A Hapless U.S. Follows from the Front

A Hapless U.S. Follows from the Front

Perhaps the most significant aspect of the Gaza cease-fire this week was Egypt taking the lead role in mediating that agreement that ended the fighting, while the United States softly shuffled to the side. Unlike Libya, when the U.S. said it was “leading from behind,” in this case, with Secretary of State Hilary Clinton’s last-minute entry into the picture, the U.S. was more like “following from the front.” Washington remains influential in the Middle East but is no longer the maestro leading the diplomatic orchestra; instead it must now coordinate its policies more practically with other players in the region, especially Egypt and Turkey. Clinton had much to be thankful for on Thanksgiving Thursday, when she could get out of the Middle East after spending a few days in the region more or less looking hapless. She showed what it means to be a lame duck – in her own capacity and reflecting America’s foreign policy in the region.

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