A crash course in foreign policy

Dear President Bush,\nGeorge, we need to talk. This is my last column of the semester, and while I'll be around for a while this summer, I thought we needed to clear a few things up before I start interning. For some odd reason, I don't think the Indianapolis Star will be giving me as much space on the opinion page as the IDS.\nDon't get me wrong. You're not in too much trouble with me, yet. But you've been walking a fine line lately, because you still haven't personally responded to some of my letters. How can I tell you how to run the country if you don't take the olive branch I've been offering you for months now?\nBut honestly, Dubya. You are once again making it difficult for the American public to trust you, even though you're making it easier for "Saturday Night Live" to make fun of you.\nWednesday morning, I woke up to the news on CNN.com that you've publically declared the United States will do "whatever it takes to help Taiwan defend herself" should Taiwan come under attack from China. This is a controversial statement that should be carefully considered. While it's good you're taking a strong stance and clearing up some of the ambiguity regarding the United States' position on the subject, it's sort of bad timing and an indelicate way to make such a bold statement. \nSure, what you said on "Good Morning America" Tuesday was in keeping with U.S. policy under the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979. It is also in keeping with what you said during your campaign. Defending Taiwan from Chinese attack is a diplomatic move many Americans would support. But Jamie Rubin, a former U.S. State Department spokesman, told CNN after the interview that it's not what you said that was wrong; it's how you said it.\n"The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 was the subject of extraordinary care and consultation between the Congress and the president," Rubin told CNN. "For President Bush to simply throw that away and … effectively declare Taiwan a treaty ally without consultation with Congress, without a lengthy speech to explain to the American people the reason for undertaking this solemn and grave commitment and without any real consultation with allies … is deeply troubling."\nIt's especially "deeply troubling," Mr. President, in light of the fact that U.S. relations with China aren't great right now. Remember the whole "Chinese fighter jet/Hainan Island/China interrogating the U.S. spy plane crew" thing? I'm sure China does. And I'm sure the American people do.\nWhile I support that you are giving voice to what has been "fuzzy" U.S. diplomatic policy for decades, perhaps it would have been better to lay low for a while. This is a touchy subject with China, and you decide to make this statement while our "reconnaissance" plane is still in China? It wouldn't have hurt to wait a few weeks while the dust settled, George. And really, did the United States have to approve what CNN.com called a "major arms sales package" to Taiwan on the same day? \nThat doesn't show a lot of diplomatic savvy, George. I am sure many Americans are concerned about the less-than-perfect relationship between the United States and China, as it's not conducive to peace or trade. As Rubin said, you should have carefully explained to the American public what you were doing, not just given a few strongly worded blurbs to "Good Morning America." If your intent is to clear up diplomatic ambiguity and take a stronger stance on a policy on which Republicans and Democrats have been relatively united for years, you could have done a much better job. \nNext time, George, consult Congress, hold a press conference and work on your public speaking skills.\nBut that's another column.