Could Sarah Palin's Looks Affect Foreign Policy?

Last week, Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, met with several international dignitaries. In an attempt to improve her lacking foreign policy qualifications (or at least make a media attempt at swaying the public's view of her qualifications through well-staged photo ops), Palin met with notable public figures on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, including leaders from Iraq, Ukraine, Colombia, and Afghanistan. But none of the heads of state aroused as much attention as Pakistani president, Asif Ali Zardari.

While grasping hands in the customary fashion and smiling plastic smiles at the flashing cameras, Zardari told Palin, "You are more gorgeous than you are on [television]." And after a meek "thank you' from Palin, Zardari turns to the others in the room to confess, "Now I know why the whole of America is crazy about you." But the shameless flirting doesn't stop there, after an aide urges them to shake hands again for the benefit of the cameras, Zardari teases, "If he's insisting, I might hug."

Zardari has received criticism in his homeland of Pakistan for the exchange. Zardari is the recent widower of Benezir Bhutto, the first female prime minister of a Muslim nation and an international symbol of feminism.

Sarah Palin may have shattered the glass ceiling of politics, the invisible barrier of gender prejudices that keeps women from attaining the status and position their experience and training merit, but her ascent may have less to do with experience than it does with feminine charm. She has not risen to the level of Republican nominee for vice-president based on her qualifications. She has basically no experience in foreign policy; in fact, she only recently obtained a passport. Even her oft-touted executive experience is questionable as she served as a mayor of a very small town, Wasilla, Alaska, with an estimated population of about 6,700, and she's only served as governor of Alaska since December of 2006 - less than two years.

In light of Palin's exchange with President Zardari, it's obvious that experience isn't everything. The episode suggests that the VP nominee's attractive physical appearance could have it's own perks when it comes to diplomatic relations with foreign nations. Palin wouldn't be the first woman in history to wrap men around her well-manicured fingers. She is quite an attractive woman, even winning the title of Miss Wasilla back in 1984. Even some die-hard registered Democrats say they wouldn't mind looking at her for the next four years.

I say play to your strengths. If knowledge and experience in foreign affairs isn't in her résumé, is there really anything wrong with using her charm and beauty to sway things in the country's favor? Perhaps not, but I'm not sure that's exactly the way professional feminists wanted that glass ceiling shattered.

Glen Reynolds, Pakistani President Tells Sarah Palin "You're Gorgeous", Gateway Pundit

Omar Waraich, How Sarah Palin Rallied Pakistan's Feminists, Time