Why is Madagascar Treated Differently by US State Department?

I recently joined Twitter, and almost immediately got into a potentially interesting discussion with the US Embassy in Madagascar. The new Charge d'Affaires was set to arrive, so the USEmbassy tweeted:

@USMadagascar USEmbassy-Madagascar

The new Chargé d´Affaires of the American Embassy arrives soon - what do you think he should know about #Madagascar?

28 Aug via web

To which I replied:

@ChrisPlanicka Chris Planicka

@USMadagascar Why there is still no US Ambassador to Madagascar. Actually, we all would like to know why...

28 Aug via web

Which led to this:

@USMadagascar USEmbassy-Madagascar

@ChrisPlanicka In order to have an ambassador, we would need to have a recognized government to which we could present their credentials

33 minutes ago via web

Caught up? Now, I should first point out that the American Embassy staff that I met in Madagascar were fantastic and put on some of the best programs in the country. My issue is not with the embassy itself but with the US State Department's stance on Madagascar.

To respond to the USEmbassy's tweet: Of course I know the literal reason there is no current US Ambassador in Madagascar. An unrecognized government's country cannot have an official US Ambassador. But, why are we (the United States) continuing to play out foreign policy idealism in Madagascar while fully utilizing realpolitik in pretty much every other country? The Malagasy people continue to suffer, due in large part to lack of full USAID funding, a partially-functioning US Embassy (with no Ambassador nor related funding programs, like the Self-Help Fund or the Democracy and Human Rights Fund), the removal of the Millennium Challenge Account (of which Madagascar was the first country to qualify for), and most importantly the suspension of AGOA. Many have begun calling for an end to pointless sanctions which are not achieving the political aim of bringing the Rajoelina government to the negotiating table (for an example, see the link in this post under #3).

Now, I am no fan of how Andry Rajoelina came to power, nor am I a supporter of any of his government's actions since taking that power. But, like it or not, he has been in power for two-and-a-half years now. The United States recently recognized the National Transitional Council in Libya as the legitimate government over a month before it took the capital. In fact, the bloody civil war is still continuing. In Somalia, the United States recognizes the Transitional Federal Government, despite their almost complete powerlessness in governing that country. In a closer comparison, US Ambassador Bisa Williams presented her credentials to an interim government months before post-coup elections were held in Niger.

It seems like everywhere else, the United States is utilizing a realpolitik foreign policy. They focus on practical implications in dealing with governments that are in power, no matter the means or extent of this power. But in Madagascar, the US State Department clings to an idealistic belief that all governments it recognizes must come to office via the ballot box. It is time to treat Madagascar as practically as the United States treats everyone else... the Malagasy people deserve it.