“In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” — George Orwell

Remember when VP Biden made the "gaffe" of telling the truth about Turkey and Saudi Arabia aiding terrorists?
It's the unwritten rule of diplomacy to never speak the truth.

Well, Sweden has a regular "gaffe machine". I'd like to introduce you to Margot Wallstrom, a Feminist Foreign Minister who has a bad habit of speaking the truth all the time.

Since taking her post in October last year, the veteran Social Democratic politician has recognised the Palestinian state, denounced Saudi Arabia’s “medieval” floggings and adopted a “feminist foreign policy” that includes calling for a halt to sexual violence against women in war.

She actually went into detail about what made Saudi Arabia's treatment of women medieval, including preventing women from travelling, conducting business, and child marriages, which she likened to rape.
Her words have had significant consequences, as the truth often does.

she was barred from giving a speech to the Arab League, the Saudis recalled their ambassador and the Swedish government cancelled a Saudi security agreement, risking $1bn of arms sales, and creating a backlash from Swedish industrialists arguing for free trade.

Despite the backlash, Wallstrom unflinchingly refused to back down.

“I have almost never in my political career experienced such enormous support from around the world,” she said. “The instinct was: if we don’t defend democracy and human rights, what are we?” She added: “You gain respect by saying ‘This is our view’ … It has definitely given us, and given me, a name for standing up even when it was very difficult.

Wallstrom has also spoken strongly about global warming and sustainable development.

However, her latest "gaffe" might be one truth too far.

Israel has said Sweden’s foreign minister is not welcome in the country after she called for an investigation into the deaths of Palestinians involved in a four-month spate of deadly attacks on Israeli troops and civilians....
Wallström said last month that she condemned the stabbing attacks by Palestinians against Israelis, but asserted that the Israeli response was “disproportionate”.
“The response cannot be … so that there are extrajudicial executions, or that it becomes disproportionate so the numbers of dead on the other side is greater than the original death toll by several factors,” she said.

Criticizing Saudi Arabia is one thing, but criticizing Israel is a whole 'nuther thing.

"It is vital that there is a thorough, credible investigation into these deaths in order to clarify and bring about possible accountability."
- Wallstrom

For instance, when Sweden made amends with Saudi Arabia, the Gatestone Institute had the headline of Sweden Surrenders to Saudi Arabia for not backing up Wallstrom. but the day after the Israeli comments the headline is Sweden's Walking Diplomatic Disaster.

Without truth being spoken, no problems will ever be solved. Unfortunately, the global status quo depends on illusions being maintained and injustices being ignored.
I don't see how Margot Wallstrom will be able to keep her job much longer, and we will all be worse off because of it.