The US Secretary of State's visit to the ME compelled an interruption in this week's edition of the ongoing series of articles about the territory of shared power between the military and Islamists in Egypt since the eruption of the July Revolution in 1952 and before. Kerry's visit to the Middle East was extraordinary: it was his first visit to the region in his capacity as the skipper of his country's foreign diplomacy. But most importantly, Kerry's physical features differ from John Kerry, Condoleeza Rice, Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright, his predecessors, in that he has extraordinary height when juxtaposed to his ME hosts – without exception. But, perhaps, his ME hosts are just short. Kerry's stature attracted my attention more than the substance of his talks in the ME. Escorted by his hosts, whether in Cairo, Tel Aviv, Ankara, etc., the new US Secretary of State reminded me of Gulliver in the land of tiny people. Kerry's physique made his short hosts appear as schoolchildren, and he the master. Surely, such an imposing figure is a most desirable characteristic, which one would hope for in someone who represents the world's sole superpower that manages the destiny and the future of Arab and Muslim states in the region. In Cairo in particular, from his lofty vantage point, Kerry could see the ruling Islamists and their opposition rolled out beneath him; no one escaped his searching and telling stare. However, if I am not wrong, the shortest person among Kerry's escorts in Cairo was none other than Mrs Ann Patterson (the US Ambassador to Egypt). I would welcome anyone, who would correct me in this respect. Standing next to her boss in press conferences or during their walk toward a conference hall, the top of Patterson's head hardly reaches Kerry's groin. Walking next to her boss, Patterson had to crank her neck upward painfully and piteously to catch up with his gaze and words. Gentlemanly appreciating his escorts' embarrassment, Kerry had to synchronise his giant stride with his hosts' short steps, otherwise they would find it too exhausting to tail him. With the images of Kerry's predecessors, such as Hillary Clinton and Condoleeza Rice in mind, I wonder whether there is any kind of link between the physical features of the US Secretary of State and the new direction of Washington's foreign diplomacy – in areas like the ME. In other words, are height considerations and other physical features a part of the criteria for selecting a US Secretary of State as they relate to political or economic objectives for a specific period? Consider Russia for a moment and its firm stance on foreign policy under President Vladimir Putin. The grimness and firmness of its Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov should substantiate that the foreign ministers of superpowers are useful for their countries' foreign policies. Back to the US example, it was Kerry's predecessor Mrs Hillary Clinton, who used to visit Cairo regularly to discuss with army generals two years ago, the time frame of Egypt's transitional period after the January Revolution. Mrs. Clinton's gleam and charm must have helped her much to ease the army generals' built-in grimness and toughness. Also being a very prepossessing sort of a diplomat, Clinton had an easy, smooth and constructive talk with Egypt's Islamists. They did their best to convince Mrs. Clinton to relinquish worries that Islamists were entertaining aggressive ideas in the presence of a woman. Clinton would confirm to her President that Islamists in Egypt were more admirable and cordial than the Liberals. Clinton's predecessor was Condoleeza Rice. Unlike Clinton, during her several visits to Cairo, Rice had never been caught smiling. She did not have to, she was sent to Cairo to firmly warn Egypt's ex-president Hosni Mubarak that his presidency had expired, and that he had become too cumbersome for Washington. Rice was best qualified to convey Bush's warnings to Mubarak, refusing his retorts, explanations or protests. Physical qualifications apparently qualified the ex-US Secretary of State Madeline Albright for her task in Cairo. Albright was appointed and assumed her office in 1997, the year in which the Washington-Cairo relationship was basking in a honeymoon. Albright was popular among Egyptian locals and officials for her leg-crossing posture and revealing mini-skirt, more than her message to the Egyptian officials. Former editors in chief of state-run newspapers and magazines in Egypt would be in a real dilemma as they desperately searched for a photo, in which Albright did not cross her legs to make her mini-skirt provocatively shorter in the presence of the Egyptian head of state. At that time, Albright did not have to ‘reveal' new messages or dictates to Mubarak and his cronies; they would seize the presence of Albright to savour every bit of the territory of US generosity, and logistic, economic and financial aid.
