Charlie Rose - James Baker and Warren Christopher / Jamie Dimon Part II (July 8, 2008)

Warren Christopher and James Baker talk to Charlie Rose about their new foreign policy initiative. They wish the Congress to have a larger say in foreign policy, primarily in relation to America's going to war. They also talk about a number of policy problems and urge a policy of dialogue insofar as this is possible, even with America's worst adversaries. This is the second major Baker effort at strongly influencing U.S. government policy in the past few years, the previous one being his report on Iraq. Both of them believe the present U.S. policy of using the U.N. to stop Iran from attaining a nuclear- capability is the best one.
Both of them too summarily reject the idea that the United States is losing its world - power- predominance, and is in somewhat of a decline.
It seems to me the answers they give are not strong enough in most cases to be convincing. For instance on the Iranian question it is clear that U.N. sanctions have not stopped Iran from its work on attaining a nuclear weapon. They too it seems to me greatly underestimate the challenges the U.S. is facing, and the genuine decline in its relative economic position due to the 'energy situation' ' the trade balance problem' and other issues.
The Jamie Dimon of 'Morgan ,Stanley' segment is a continuation of a previous day's talk. Dimon is bright , quick, funny . He has recommendations for the U.S. Government and says it must have Energy, Health Care, Environment policies in a way it does not have them now. Words are wonderful and easy, but it seems to me Dimon is a man of great competence and ability. Perhaps the next President will give him a chance to serve the people of the United States more directly.