WASHINGTON - Of all the ways to describe Nevada Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley, diplomatic is not the first to come to mind.
Brassy, bold, brainy, charming - these seem to better fit the congresswoman whose personal style embodies the bright glitter of Las Vegas. But Berkley has crafted a career for herself as a freelance diplomat, playing modest roles on the world stage wherever issues arise and she thinks she could step a polka-dot pump in the door and make a difference.
Last week she hosted two dozen lawmakers in Las Vegas for the 63rd Transatlantic Legislators Dialogue, a roundtable of U.S. and European lawmakers to share their thoughts on leading global issues: Iraq, Iran, climate change and anti-Semitism.
She was then on the House floor speaking out about Cyprus, calling on Greek and Turkish Cypriots to carry out a 2006 accord that calls for the unification of the disputed island. She also called for the removal of Turkish troops.
This year she has spoken on and off the Hill in support of democracy in Taiwan (she is co-leader of the House Taiwan Caucus), against arms sales to Saudi Arabia (to protect Israel from an aggressive neighbor) and on the need for China to face consequences if it continues to invest in the government of war-torn Darfur.
Nearly one-fourth of her speeches in the fewer than 20 times she has taken to the floor this session have been about countries far away.
The miles between the Strip and these global hot spots seem vast, and the cost of devoting so much attention to them could arguably be too high when there are so many pressing needs closer to home.
Can one congresswoman from Nevada really persuade a foreign government to change its ways? Is this really where the residents of Las Vegas want Berkley to be spending her efforts?
Berkley dismisses the question as narrow in a world that is becoming more interconnected each day. Her urban Las Vegas district is home not only to Hispanics and blacks, but growing numbers of Greeks, Jews and Asians whose families know the international issues about which she speaks. Las Vegas is international in culture and business.
When a former constituent got in trouble with the Kazakhstan authorities this year, Berkley was able to use her long-standing relationship with the government to ensure fair treatment.
When the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem was having problems with the Israeli government, she was able to practice a little shuttle diplomacy between the two during a trip to the region.
Berkley, who served four terms on the International Relations Committee , cannot help but see the way Las Vegas fits into the world.
Besides, she says, that's what 12-hour days are for.
"I have a tremendous amount of stamina and industry," she said last week. "My constituents know what I'm doing in Washington. I don't think there's anybody at home who thinks I've given short shrift to health care, education, transportation issues.
"To me, the foreign policy work is a component of what I do on behalf of my constituents. Issues that affect the global community directly impact the people I represent."
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