(AmericanProsperity.com) – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken asked the Senate in a July 17 letter sent to every senator to “swiftly” confirm over 60 nominees for crucial foreign policy roles. Blinken warned that leaving these roles unfilled was going to damage the United States’ national security interests and global standing.
The Secretary of State wrote that vacant posts always have a “negative impact” on the country’s national security, including its ability to “reassure” partners and allies. He pointed out this is always a problem as geopolitical “adversaries” tend to take advantage of this type of issue. Blinken also noted that America needs to be “leading and engaging” worldwide with its democratic values.
Right now, 62 nominees are waiting for confirmation in the upper chamber. Different reports said that 38 of these are for ambassadorial positions across different continents. Blinken explained in his letter that, of those 38, “several” have been waiting for nearly two years.
According to a CBS report, different Republican senators are currently blocking each of these nominees for reasons that aren’t related to their qualifications. The media outlet reported that the leader of this group of GOP senators is Rand Paul of Kentucky.
During a press conference at the State Department, Blinken told reporters that the United States won’t have ambassadors to numerous nations by the end of this summer. These include Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt; as the current ambassadors for these countries just completed their period.
He explained this crisis is happening because a “handful” of GOP senators were keeping “our best players on the sideline.” Blinken then criticized Senator Paul, as he said he placed a “blanked hold” on each of these nominees, pointing out that most of them are career officers.
Finally, Blinken told reporters that Paul is leading the block against these nominees for leverage on “unrelated issues.” He even said that the Kentucky senator was an “irresponsible” politician whose actions were harming the United States’ national security.
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