U.S. Envoy at Home With a Gun and a Plane

By Al Kamen
Friday, March 3, 2006

P amela P. Willeford , the third shooter in Vice President Cheney 's recent hunting excursion, apparently has yet to publicly remark on the incident or why she was in Texas at all that day, since she is posted as our ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

As it turns out, her husband, George "Boots" Willeford III , who was also at the Armstrong ranch that day, is a practicing physician in Austin. One associate of the couple noted she "commutes" to the embassy in Bern, which is about a 12-hour trip -- a long and arduous commute, especially going commercial.

So how much time does she actually spend in Switzerland?

"Ambassador Willeford is a full-time ambassador and fully engaged in all aspects of U.S. diplomacy with Switzerland and Liechtenstein," embassy public affairs officer Daniel Wendell said in an e-mail. "In the 2 1/2 years she has been ambassador," he said, though she officially took over only 27 months ago, "Ambassador Willeford has been away from post for family and personal travel for a total of 21 weeks."

In addition, ambassadors normally would come back once or twice a year for about a week for consultations.

Now that is a great gig. About five months' vacation in a little over two years, and it's "full-time?" And Willeford, 55, is viewed as one of the more dedicated and hardworking of the noncareer chiefs of mission in Europe.

No wonder high rollers contribute millions for these ambassadorships.

Golfers Know When Play Gets Rough

Tuesday was candidates' night at Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio, with representatives of the various state and local campaigns in the area showing up at the event, hosted by the campus college Democrats and Republicans.

The most hotly watched Ohio race is GOP Rep. Robert W. Ney 's reelection bid against challenger Chillicothe Mayor Joseph P. Sulzer . Ney has been in a bit of political hot water of late for, among other things, taking a golfing trip to Scotland financed by former GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff , who has pleaded guilty to political corruption charges.

And there, amid the campaign literature on Ney's table, were plastic packets with a half-dozen golf tees in them saying "Bob Ney for Congress."

A great idea, just in case anyone had forgotten about that little trip.

Is U.S. Eating Jumblatt's Bitter Words?

The enemy of my enemy, as the saying goes, is a truly wonderful chap -- even if he had also been my enemy.

Back in 2003, after insurgent rockets missed then-Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul D. Wolfowitz in Baghdad, Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt famously said: "We hope that next time the rockets will be more accurate and effective in getting rid of this virus and his like, who wreak corruption in Arab lands."

In early 2004, he noted: "We are all happy when U.S. soldiers are killed [in Iraq] week in and week out. The killing of U.S. soldiers in Iraq is legitimate and obligatory." He said he felt "great joy" at the 2002 space shuttle disaster because an Israeli astronaut died in it.

He has also said that the real axis of evil is one of "oil and Jews," and called President Bush a "mad emperor."

"The oil axis is present in most of the U.S. administration, beginning with its president, vice president, and top advisers, including [Condoleezza] Rice . . . . while the axis of Jews is present with Paul Wolfowitz ," he continued.

Jumblatt had been denied a visa a couple years ago on the grounds that he endorsed terrorism.

But he's coming to town next week to meet his pals. Such as? Well, Rice -- who visited him at his home in Lebanon last week -- national security adviser Stephen J. Hadley and, yes, World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz.

On the Hill, Jumblatt, who's a member of the Lebanese parliament, is visiting with Sens. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.) and John E. Sununu (R-N.H.) and others.

How did this happen? Simple. Jumblatt became anti-Syrian and even joined the mighty Coalition of the Willing in 2005.

"It's strange for me to say it," he told Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, "but this process of change" to democracy "has started because of the American invasion of Iraq. I was cynical about Iraq. But when I saw the Iraqi people voting, 8 million of them, it was the start of a new Arab world. The Syrian people, the Egyptian people, all say that something is changing. The Berlin Wall has fallen. We can see it."

Jumblatt. A guy you can count on.

Kocktails at the Kellemses'

Meanwhile, don't forget tonight is the not-to-be-missed "cocktails and hors d'oeuvres" fundraiser for D.C. Council chairman and mayoral candidate Linda W. Cropp at the home of Wolfowitz adviser Kevin Kellems.

"My apologies for the late notice," Kellems, a former Cheney aide, said of the Wednesday invite. "Last week's attempt to send prior to an overseas trip failed due to a wonder of technology. Nonetheless, Margret [his wife, who's the one on the host committee] would be delighted if you would attend and support the cause, and I will enjoy seeing you and showing you our new home."

There's valet parking, essential in his Adams Morgan neighborhood. Washington Nationals stadium supporters apparently welcome.