Brookings – Politico Live Web Chat: The Gaza Strip

Transcript

Fred Barbash-Moderator:
Hi everyone, and welcome to today’s Brookings – Politico web chat. I’m Fred Barbash, senior editor at Politico, and I will be your moderator today. We have Tamara Cofman Wittes with us this afternoon. She is an expert on Middle East Affairs, and is ready to answer your questions. Let’s get started.

12:27 [Comment From Albert (Boston)]
Thank you for taking my question. President Obama has put together a very impressive team with an obvious focus on diplomacy. However, with all the star power and egos (Clinton, Mitchell, Holbrooke, Biden, Ross, Rice, etc.), I worry about too many cooks in the kitchen and the Administration speaking with one voice, especially in the Muslim World

12:30 Tamara Cofman Wittes:
Thanks, Fred, for inviting me and to Albert and all of you for your questions.

There are a lot of high-powered people joining the Obama foreign policy team – and so far, they seem to be coordinating very carefully with one another to send a single, clear message of engagement and energy behind US diplomacy, especially in the more troubled parts of the world. The Mitchell appointment is a good example – he's reporting to Secretary Clinton, but it's very clear he speaks with the authority of the president behind him. If they keep on like they've done these first few weeks, I think they will work very effectively together indeed.

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