John Kerry's Black Eye

Jerusalem and Ramallah on Saturday, Baghdad on Sunday and Kabul on Monday — John Kerry’s blitz mission, following up on Barack Obama’s goodwill tour, defines his most important scopes of duty as U.S. secretary of state. His predecessor, Hillary Clinton, did not see much success fighting various crises, despite her tireless travels and glamour factor. By the end of four years and a million frequent flier miles, she was burned out.

This time, Kerry promised the disillusioned Palestinians and peaceful Israelis, along with head negotiator Tzipi Livni, that he would devise a plan for peace within two months. He scolded Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for giving overflight permission to Iranian aircraft, allowing them to supply weapons to the Assad regime in Syria. In Kabul, Kerry urged President Karzai to take on negotiations with the Taliban.

Former presidential candidate John Kerry is characterized by a tenacity possibly exceeding that of the former first lady. When the 69-year-old suffered a black eye two years ago at an amateur ice hockey match, he did not attempt to cover it up with makeup. The man knows how to take a beating, including political beatings that aim below the belt, as he proved during his 2004 campaign. As head diplomat faced with a mammoth task, he will need this endurance. He already wrestled with Assad and Karzai as Obama’s special envoy, and he earned their respect.