re: "Things that matter'

Blake Hounshell at PASSPORT ("A blog by the editors of FOREIGN POLICY") doesn't think much of this choice.

Money quote(s):

"The U.S. State Department's point man for Pakistan—perhaps the world's most dangerous place—has virtually no previous experience in South Asia."

"Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher, whose prior positions were assistant secretary for public affairs and department spokesman.

This is not a knock on Boucher, mind you. I'm sure he's a dedicated and capable public servant with a sterling reputation inside the department. He does speak French and Chinese, and was consul in Hong Kong and Cyprus."

&

"U.S. policy on Pakistan is probably being (screwed up) set at a level well above his pay grade. I'm just mystified as to why the higher-ups thought he was the best person in the entirety of the U.S. foreign-policy apparatus for this critical job." (Note: the phrase "screwed up" which appears in the last passage does not appear in parenthesis in the original text, where it appears in text which has been struck-out.)