Smart Diplomacy: Head of Japan Desk at State Dept. Fired

Chalk this up as one more demonstration of the competence and smart diplomacy we were told Obama was going to bring to the table. Funny how we’re so quick to offend democratic, capitalist allies, while going out of our way to not offend select thugs, dictators, and regimes that are far from America’s best friends.

U.S. replaces diplomat after comments irk Japan

Japanese media had quoted Kevin Maher, director of the office of Japan affairs at the State Department, as telling U.S. college students that residents of the southern island of Okinawa — host to about half the U.S. military in Japan — were masters of “manipulation” and “extortion”.