Oh Argentina!

Which is it? Does Secretary of State Hillary Clinton or do the career Foreign Service Officers at State have a droll sense of humor? I suspect the latter, and bully for them.

State's new effort to highlight national holidays leaves a lot of room for mischief. If this isn't satire or irony, then it is just plain foolish. Besides having questions over Argentina's commitment to democracy, there is that sensitive issue the Secretary has with her own husband and his affairs.

On July 9, 2009, Secretary Clinton congratulated Argentina on its Independence Day:

On behalf of the United States, I would like to extend my warm congratulations to the people of Argentina as they celebrate their 193rd Independence Day. Argentina and the United States have a long history of close cooperation. Our shared commitment to the values of democracy and human rights serve as a common ground in advancing the bilateral relationship between our two nations.

One wonders why the gnomes at State could not just stop at congratulating The Bahamas and Canada for their national days in July. Isn't one national day a month enough? Oh, but it is Argentina...and there is a bilateral relationship to advance.