ARTICLE: "Diplomats Will Be Shifted to Hot Spots: Rice Also Plans to Elevate USAID Chief," by Glenn Kessler and Bradley Graham, Washington Post, 19 January 2006, p. A1.

Hundreds of diplomats shifted from Europe and DC to the Middle East, Asia, and Gap locations galore, as Rice goes for her own brand of "transformation," picking up that word just as the term falls out of favor (OBE) in the Pentagon. You want different leaders, you make them climb different ladders, which now seem to run through the Gap more and more for foreign service officials.

"The greatest threats now emerge more within states than between them," she says.

Hmmm, a familiar line.

"The fundamental character of regimes now matters more than the international distribution of power."

Now THAT is a bold and original statement! One that separates Rice from the neocon structuralist view of the world.

"As part of the change in priorities, Rice announced that diplomats will not be promoted into the senior ranks unless they accept assignments in dangerous posts"--read, the GAP!

So the State Department, which has as many diplomats in smaller core states like Germany as it does in huge New Core states like India, is shifting jobs.

Rice also elevates the new USAID boss to the equivalent of deputy secretary of state, which is a number 2 rank--another bold step.

The talk of "rock star" is cool, but pointless. The photo ops and oohing and aaahing by the press abroad is cute, but pointless.

These changes have a point, and Rice is to be congratulated on that.