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Last Friday’s WASHINGTON IN BRIEF had this interesting note:

Powell Defends Work Style, Eschews ‘Living’ in a Plane
Secretary of State Colin Powell said “living in an airplane” is not the only way to be in touch with other governments.
“I think I am on the road a bit,” Powell said at a news conference in response to suggestions U.S. diplomacy would be more effective if he went abroad more.
“Just for the record,” Powell said, “I took 16 trips last year, to 41 countries, and I also receive a large number of visitors here.”
Ultimately, Powell said, he had to judge where his time should be spent. “I’m principal foreign policy adviser to the president, and so I have to spend a goodly part of my time with the president,” he said.

I for one applaud Powell. The Secretary of State should be more that simply the chief diplomat, constantly flying all over tarnation putting out fires. It is too Bush’s credit that he picked someone of the stature of Powell and that he doesn’t insist that he live on a plane in the vain hopes of negotiating world peace. The SOS should be a valued policy advisor and manager of the President’s strategy. There are plenty of people who can fly around the world negotiating. Powell should only be used in the highest matters of diplomacy (his presentation at the UN was a good example).

Madelaine Albright was the worst. Constantly shuttling all over the place yet coming back with nothing. She had not stature of her own and therefore commanded no respect. It was painful to watch her, and a host of other cabinet members, defend Clinton’s lies only to have them thrown in their faces later.

I am not confident that Powell is up to the task of controling and reforming the State Department but at least he has his own mind. He should see John Foster Dulles and Dean Acheson as role models not Madelaine Albright.