The plastic Reset button snafu has perhaps gotten far too much press than it deserves, and admittedly I’ve played my part in promoting the story. If anything Americans can add peregruzka and perezagruzka to their Russian lexicon of tovarishch, borscht, vodka, glasnost, perestroika, da, and nyet. But amid all the cracks at Clinton for the goof, few have asked who is responsible for the mistake. And since American discourse is so obsessed with “accountability,” one would imagine that the culprit would have stood up by now and engaged in a bit of samokritika. Don’t hold your breath. The only words coming out of the State Department is the frank admission that they screwed up, which I guess is refreshing since the last Administration was so reluctant to admit mistakes. Nevertheless, the question of who dunnit? is intriguing foreign policy nerd gossip even if wholly unimportant in a world-historical sense. So who is to blame, or as the Russians say, “Kto vinovat?” Here’s what the Cable uncovered:
U.S. government officials were hesitant to point fingers, at least publicly. A State Department spokesman told The Cable he had no idea and had not heard anyone else ask the question, hinting perhaps that it was a story hardly worthy of pursuit.
Other State Department sources insisted that Foggy Bottom’s area specialists and premier Russian speakers — among them Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William J. Burns, who was in Moscow last month, Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried, and his deputy Ian Kelly, were not the culprits.
Pressed, State Department sources suggested it might have been a communications staffer in the secretary’s office. “But [Clinton] was amused and not annoyed,” one source stressed.
One former senior official said he questioned whether the gag gift, even had it been properly translated, was appropriate. “It’s a pretty important relationship. This risked having it become an attention grabber. They might have been more serious about it.”
But others said to lighten up.
“Not sure where the translation came from, but the fact is we screwed up in not catching it before meeting,” said one senior U.S. government official. “I guess that’s one of perils of gag gifts. Anyway — we made a mistake, no excuses.”
So it wasn’t the State Department careerists and Clinton wasn’t (publicly) annoyed. Still that poor anonymous staffer must be shitting bricks. I guess we’ll only know the gravity of the mistake if there’s a sudden job opening in Clinton’s staff. I can see the ad now:
Wanted: Reliable and well organized person interested in international affairs. Must like travel and hobnobbing with potentates. College degree needed. No experience necessary. Russian language skills a must.
What if this had happened to Condi. That would have been much more personally embarrassing. Come to think of it, Condi could fit the profile in your wanted ad.
I suppose if Mrs. Rice were a political hag that broke on international scene by riding the coat-tails of a philandering spouse, spoke only one language and started running around distributing cheap plastic stress-relief toys, then something like that may have happened to her too.
Considering neither of the above applies to Mrs. Rice personae, the possibility of such an occurrence becomes infinitesimally remote.
Prezados gentlemen, my compliments for this Blog, with admiration,
Efigênia Coutinho
BRAZIL
Off topic. For an excellent segment on the importance and potential impact of the great Ayn Rand (and her creation John Galt) on today’s crisis, watch the following six minute video:
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/221335/march-11-2009/the-word—rand-illusion
Thanks for the link Kolya. Colbert is always funny. Here’s another that had me laughing and feeling very sad and worried in turns.
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2009/04/iceland200904
Love to hear what Ivanov thinks of this take. Michael Lewis is one of my favorite writers, whether the topic is finance or baseball.
A funny skit from colbert, but it seems he never read the novel, otherwise I doubt he (or anyone else, wink wink Kolya) would put himeslf up for a redicule of ignorance: those that go on strike did not \”form their own countries\” and moochers were not the poor. They were the business people getting stuff from the government.
I read the readers’ comments on my Vanity Fair Michael Lewis article on Iceland. Icelanders find it full of inaccuracies–mostly details thrown in for VF-type entertainment value. But, some say the angle he took did lead to some underlying truths. This could fit better in the other thread on the Uzbeks; but, the interesting question he asks is ‘what happens when a people ‘educates’ themselves to the point that they feel they are above doing, or simply not fit to do, the work at hand in their nation?’ Maybe educates is not the right word, maybe it is ‘specializes’?
Kolya,
I’ve watched the whole boring Colbert skit just for you, ‘bratan’.
Apparently he was feigning hilarity while trashing a work of mediocre fiction written, as he himself said repeatedly, “more than 50 years ago”. I can’t wait for his spoofing of Karl Marx next.
One funny thing I noticed when Colbert was making fun of Rand’s hairdo, his own hair looked pretty weird too.
Sorry, guys, the following comment seems to be unrelated, but you should enjoy it just as well. The movie “The Obama Deception”:
http://thepresidentofrussia.blogspot.com/2009/03/obama-deception-truth-strikes-back.html
This is really heavy. Enjoy.
Cyrill, you got me there. All I know about “Atlas Shrugged” is the pro and con stuff that is written about it. It could well be that Colbert, like myself, has never read “Atlas Shrugged.” The point of the skit was not to give an accurate account of the book, but to satirize the fact that Rand is becoming fashionable among some TV commentators. And, of course, Stephen Colbert’s ridiculous persona was the perfect vehicle for such satire: a conservative American blowhard with a an overinflated ego, and the too neat of a haircut and dress style of a narcissistic corporate executive or politician.
It’s great that in the US television and other mass media feels free to poke fun at it’s own cultural icons and politicians, including those who are in power. For the conservative readers of this blog: don’t worry, soon enough there will be plenty of hilarious skits poking fun at Obama, just as it happened with past presidents–Bush, Clinton, Reagan, Carter….
Tess, I have not read the GQ piece on Iceland. There is also one longish piece in a recent New Yorker than I have not read either. For what is worth, last December Megan McCardle (a libertarian leaning economist) created a nice graphic to illustrate the Iceland meltdowdn. Being a few months old it may be outdated and it certainly is an oversimplification, but I wonder if it pretty much corresponds to what you have read it about it. You can find it here:
http://www.theatlantic.com/images/issues/200812/map-iceland.gif
Politely? Vanity story.
Frankly? Stupid story.
Misha should might be good at entertaining his vanity readers but as the source of information – he sucks.
I’m saying this after reading to the middle of second page. But I doubt he’ll make sense in the remaining article.
Just few of his BSs
It might be a hedge fund but what is the USA then?
As to IMF – it’s called International MotherFuckers here.
This is not funny anymore…
Since when Icelanders are responsible for the private “assets” of the private banks? I understand that virtually nobody in the west read K. Marx but I hoped they read their own books about “market economy”… But looks like they read only each other. Like Misha Lewis was reading Colbert and vise versa.
ha-ha-ha…I guess he meant the Icelandic Socks Market
This is true – it’s a problem to buy a good socks these days….
Have you ever heard about “stock market” of some provincial town with 300,000 population?
They DID. Together with UK. But it’s long and boring stories. Where did you think Icelandic “banks” were borrowing money and playing with them? In Greenland?
Sorry for the F-words but why the fuck I should bail someone out?
What’s wrong with that? Lansbanki and Kaupthing doing their business as usual. Same buildings, same logos. Only Glitnir changed logos to original – Islandsbanki.
After that I’ve started to think that Misha is idiot. Icelandair flights are most easy and comfortable flights in all terms – including passengers (unless cabin is full of stupid American tourists and journalists)
They do. He entered through so called “ALL OTHERS” entrance. For those who comes outside Shengen zone. And if his flight came from certain countries he might have been “welcomed” by dogs
Sniffing drugs. Otherwise very kind dogs – as any dogs in Iceland.
I would say “It’s named after movie “101 Reykjavik”, you idiot!” I wish I had such opportunity.
101 is a postal code of the old central part of the city. “The richest” is a town (and real estate agent) legend only. There are much more expensive places all over. I live in 101 – simple poor immigrant “uzbek”…
If he had even the smallest brain just to ask “why?” he would have learned that in off-season ALL hotels in Iceland are empty. Some – in the country simple closed. Tourists here like birds – come in big numbers in summer time. Then every space is turned into “hotel”. Restaurants are also different from US. Many opens after 6 (PM of course) only. And they make their money on Fridays and Saturdays plus around special dates when all companies pay for “corporate events”…
Where the f*&^ did he got such horror stories? I suspect it was some drunk Icleanders joking on him.
When pipes starts heating up – they expanding and … produce some funny (but bothering) noise. Most likely migrant workers didn’t install heating pipes properly
Around Xmas it sounds like in the war zone. F*&^ fireworks. Icelandrs are really crazy about them. Like kids. But this year kreppa made it much less quiet.
etc.
PS. Not sure that I can read the rest…
hahahahaha..
Lewis described it exactly but failed to apply this to himself? Oh, I’ve got it! He is JOURNALISTS not tourist! Of course… It’s just me stupid. Tourist and journalist – how I dare comparing them!!!
The first lines of page 6 – that’s the best I could do….
Now people who read Lewis will think they know everything about Iceland.
Thanks, tess. Now I understand better why people say such stupid things about Iceland…
From web site of Islansbanki aka Glitnir
“The new CEO
Birna Einarsdóttir first joined Glitnir (then Idnadarbankinn) in 1987. After six years with Royal Bank of Scotland she rejoined Islandsbanki (another Glitnir predecessor) in the fall of 2004 then as the Managing Director of Sales and Marketing. She was appointed to the role of Executive Vice President of Commercial Banking in June of 2007. Einarsdottir’s work experience further includes work as the Marketing Manager for the Icelandic Broadcasting Company (Channel 2) and Íslensk getspá. Einarsdottir holds a B.Sc. in Business Administration from the University of Iceland and an MBA from the University of Edinburgh.”
And there is one very – I would say extremely – important aspect of Icelandic life and business. Every “high executive” of Iceland has a wife! And relatives (both his own and his wife’s too). So many things of the country politics and business are decided during friendly country parties… anyway Iceland is a small big village.
Tess, for a more balanced assessment of the Vanity Fair article read what the following blogger from Iceland wrote:
http://icelandweatherreport.com/2009/03/about-that-vanity-fair-article.html
The author is critical of Michael Lewis, but without Ivanov’s typical contempt and derision. She also acknowledges that Lewis made several good points. Her conclusion:
“bottom line: very well written article, numerous insights, some illumination, too bad about the fiction.”
And then there is from Dadi Rafnsson, another blogger from Iceland:
http://economicdisaster.wordpress.com/2009/03/04/failed-media-in-a-failed-state/
a quote from it: “The Vanity Fair article has really struck a nerve in Iceland. Mostly because it is very accurate but also because Icelandic media is unable to perform at the same level of investigative reporting.”
I have to confess that I have not read either the Vanity Fair or the New Yorker articles on Iceland, but the general consensus seems to be that the more sober New Yorker piece by Ian Parker does a better job at explaining the whole thing. (Although it’s probably less fun of a read.)
Kolya. WT… are you talking about?
If I call the person an idiot just because he IS idiot – it’s truth and it’s fact not derision. I got the chance to live and do business in CCCP, then in Russia (through all these “transitions”), in USA, in Iceland and with China. My name was in US newspapers and TV before Yeltsin. And usually I KNOW what I’m saying.
But if the person is not willing or capable of checking such simple fact as why his hotel is empty – why the heck I should listen to him about the rest? I saw and heard tons of such bullshit. And I posted my comments only because tess was interested (I hope). Not because I want to ridicule Lewis.
PS. I doubt the article struck a nerve. I’ve heard about it here for the first and only time. And I knew about Weather report but don’t check it on regular basis.
And Kolya, you skipped few words from your first quote
“It’s where fiction starts to intertwine with fact that the whole story loses its credibility“
Note.
This blog is not about Iceland!
So see you at http://www.icenews.is/ if you wish to continue.
PS. I admit I don’t like reporters.
I don’t much know about Michael Lewis and I don’t know whether he’s right or wrong about Iceland (I have not been to Iceland and have not read the article.) But I certainly know that he’s not an idiot. That’s quite obvious. Most people are not idiots, even if some of them hold idiotic (e.g., disbelief in evolution) or repugnant (e.g., holding Stalin in high regard) views.
Sorry for my poor English. I agree that “idiot” is a simplification of the Lewis and his article.
And you don’t have to believe me that his article about Iceland is complete BS.
And Lewis’ “knowledge” about the country he visited for few days is a good example of “expert opinions” of others about Russia, BTW
PS. I believe in evolution and I’m holding Stalin in high regard. And as such I don’t see humans as the best and final stage of Intelligence development (in fact humans are primitive form of I.) And as such I see Stalin as most important politician of the 20s century (he defeated Hitler and created the state that kept the world from WWIII. And you don’t have to like him for that but…).
I did say “WWIT” – What Would Ivanov Think – so I guess I deserved every bit of his feedback. I could tell after reading the Icelander comments at other sites, that ire was high. Thanks, Kolya, for the graphic. That told the story with less attempt at humor, irony and speculation.
Ivanov…I think the story of Iceland’s fate in this global financial crisis interests people not because others (americans, for example) feel superior (though that’s exactly what Lewis said with his comment: “at least we didn’t do that”). It’s closer to why geneticists are interested in Iceland: There are vastly fewer variables in the story, making it easier to study. If only we can understand Iceland, we can better understand why our own economy is teetering on the brink.
M. Lewis is an interesting writer. I think he tries to be like a Tom Wolfe (Bonfire of the Vanities) who tries to be like Mark Twain; that is, not exactly a journalist/reporter that gets the facts straight, but a story teller who captures the zeitgest of the times. His Wall Street book “Liar’s Poker” is a classic from the early 90′s. “New New Thing” was a ‘when world’s collide’ piece about when High Tech met High Finance in Silicon Valley, personified in the story of one Serial CEO Jim Clark. Money Ball was Big Money and Major League Baseball. IF there is a common theme it’s that it’s not the wise decision makers that make the big bucks, it’s the risk taking crazies, and that our capitalist world reflects their madness. I can see that he worked to make the Iceland story fit the pattern; but, it sure seemed a natural fit.
Tess, this was very well said:
“There are vastly fewer variables in the story, making it easier to study. If only we can understand Iceland, we can better understand why our own economy is teetering on the brink.”
I remembered who Michael Lewis is after what you just wrote about him. I think your characterization of him is spot on. A few months ago I read (forgot where) an interesting piece about Wall Street in which Lewis sort of revisits some of the “Liar’s Poker” stuff.
(The Michael Lewis issue reminds me that although it may be unfair to those who are not in the know, in order not to throw the baby out with the bathwater it’s indeed helpful to be informed about what a writer is about. Regardless, I admit I’m guilty of sometimes doing just that: of throwing a writer’s baby with the bathwater. For example, because of Zizek’s provocative statements about Stalinism I have so much repugnance for him that I cannot read him.)
Sorry for off-top, Sean.
there is nothing special in Icelandic economy. It’s exact copy of any other “western” economy. the only difference was the size of the country that couldn’t “bailed-out” its bankers. But let’s see if other are able to do that as the fun has just started.
PS. Icelandic bank didn’t brake a single line in the laws and regulations that exist in EU. And it’s stupid to compare their “assets” to GDP. Like ants can lift weight several times heavier their own. But can they move (aka steal) the spoon from the table? So Iceland is just the ant of world economy. Could you give some sugar please?
Here I go again with another comment on the silly “reset” controversy! I have a good reason for it: I just read Michele Berdy’s latest column in the Moscow Times. In her usual lighthearted and humorous style, she dedicated her column to this topic. As some of you remember, she used to comment in this blog as MAB. Well, MAB worked as a high level interpreter and translator, so she is certainly qualified to write on the subject.
A short excerpt and then the link for those who want to read the whole thing:
“… American bloggers went into an orgy of self-flagellation: We’re stupid, have no Russian translators and don’t know that Russia has a different alphabet. Russian bloggers were divided. Some thought that the Americans were stupid — natch — and many proposed different words, but a few thought that перегрузка was an acceptable translation of “reset.” Russian conspiracy nuts were out in full force. They said it was a secret code. After перегрузка (overloading) of nuclear Armageddon — symbolized by the red button — there would be перезагрузка (reloading) of life. The button was an invitation for Russians to join Americans in the post-nuclear afterlife.”
http://www.moscowtimes.ru/article/1016/42/375528.htm