While announcing his nomination as the new Secretary of State, President Obama was fulsome in his praise of the current chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator John Kerry. He called him the ‘perfect choice’. He rose to global fame while contesting the 2004 presidential elections, and though he lost them he did not lose spirit. He continued playing an active role in his country’s politics.
For Pakistan the news is somewhat comforting for he is generally considered to be sympathetic towards us; he has a better grasp of our problems that have led us to the present mess, compared for instance to other likely contenders. He has the will to think on his own regardless of how things are presented to him; consider the fact that he is the co-author of the Kerry-Lugar bill as well which was done at a time when the opinion in the US was for suspension of aid. As relations between Islamabad and Washington are improving, albeit gradually, his presence as the man calling the tune will hopefully provide the much needed fillip. Though he has been a solider who fought the Vietnam war but mostly it was the diplomat in him who guided him onwards. His job is to deal with a war which is far from easy; it will be test of his character as a statesman. If approved by the Senate, President Obama’s words that he and Senator Kerry would have to use American power wisely puts further responsibility on his shoulders.