ALL CZARS, NO SERFS:

Obama Lags in Filling Some Key Foreign Policy Posts (Thomas Omestad, March 2, 2009, US News)

Colleagues from the diplomat's foreign ministry are eager to meet their new counterparts, but they have to be advised, in many cases, that President Obama's replacements are not yet in office, said the official. They are being told not to make a trip to Washington in the near term if they are intent on meeting their future interlocutors.

In many cases, career Foreign Service officers who took positions during the second Bush administration are serving as caretakers in various bureaus and offices at the State Department. Said the official, "The Europeans are a bit baffled and puzzled by the way you organize your administration."

On the other hand, who cares what the Europeans think of our president.

Posted by Orrin Judd at March 2, 2009 3:45 PM