Is the US diplomatic corps, the State Department, and the current Administration laboring under a Sally Field Complex?

Fo  my younger readers you may not recall or understand the reference to  Sally Field. Sally, 1st captured the hearts of television watchers as  the perky "Gidget" enamored with teen heartthrob "Moondoggie" played by  Stephen Mines. The TV series which aired in 1965 was a take-off of the  Sandra Dee and James Darrin "Gidget" movies.

Later Field won new fans as the unflappable Sister Bertrille in "The Flying Nun".

But it is her movie work most remember.

She  won the Oscar for both "Norma Rae" and "Places in the Heart". Although  many may recognize her as Bandit's love interest in the "Smokey and the  Bandit" franchise.

It  was during her 2nd Oscar win acceptance speech to which I am alluding  when I speak about the Sally Field Complex. In accepting her award,  Field said, "I haven't had an orthodox career, and I've wanted more than  anything to have your respect. The first time I didn't feel it, but  this time I feel it, and I can't deny the fact that you like me, right  now, you like me!" The last lines have been truncated into the cultural  lexicon as "You like me, you really, really like me."

This is the attitude that is pervasive in the Sally Field Complex. This feeling, this need to be loved, to be liked.

We  have been watching it play out over the last year or so even on the  campaign trail. The talking heads and the media seem to be putting a  high priority on the "likability" factor. Qualifications, ability,  know-how, experience all seem to take a backseat to the question of  whether this candidate or that candidate is one which you "want to have a  beer with".

So is it any wonder that a similar pervasiveness of wanting to be liked has infected our diplomatic corps?

It  was brought out rather poignantly by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton  Tuesday when she asked how 4 members of our foreign relations team  could have been killed by terrorist thugs in Benghazi, Libya. Clinton  noted that this was a nation we worked to free from the oppression of  Mohammar Qhadafi. She was even more pointed on the fact it happened in  Benghazi, a city that Ambassador Chris Stevens, who lost his life,  took  a particular interest in helping to liberate last year.

It  almost seemed to me as I watched and listened to the Secretary that she  seemed to almost be saying to the Libyans, "I thought you liked us. I  thought you really, really liked us."

Then  of course there is the separate, but just as disenheartening situatioon  in Egypt. During the Arab Spring, Americans were at the forefront of  support for the people of Egypt in their bid to rid themselves of  strongman Hosni Mubarak. Yet now for the 2nd day our embassy in Egypt  has been assailed.

The  statement released prior to the violence in Libya and the murders there  by members of the US Embassy in Egypt seemed to be appealing to the  protesters and apologizing for some not-yet-known American taking  advantage of his 1st Amendment free speech rights to criticize and say  nasty things about the Prophet Mohammed in what was an obscure YouTube  video. It again seemed as if the statement was a twist on the why don't  you "like us, really, really like us" mindset.

When  will Americans learn that the world is not going to like us or love  us...even if people across the globe see us as a city on a hill shining  the light of freedom and justice?

When  will Americans learn that the strategy of "winning the hearts and  minds" of a people which we have been in conflict, war, are not going to  suddenly turn into Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm?

We  have seen how well the campaign to win the "hearts and minds" of the  Afghani people is working. There have been more deaths of US service  members in the last 3 1/2 years than the entire 8 years before.

Is our government, our politicians, our people trapped and infected with a Sally Field Complex?

From the Cornfield, perhaps it's time for a "come to Jesus" meeting.

Translation:  perhaps its time we accept and own up to the truth. No matter what we  do, how we behave or how much money we throw around, there is no  guarantee, no promise and little hope that billions across the globe  will ever "like us, really, really like us."