The Foreign Service Journal, September 2005

DAS-TARDLY DEEDS I THE SPOKESMAN SPEAKS FOR HIMSELF I ON THE EDGE

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CONTENTS September 2005 Volume 82, No. 9

F OCUS ON D IPLOMATIC S ECURITY SECURITY CLEARANCE SUSPENSION: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS / 58 22 / EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION State Department investigators are not required to By Steven Alan Honley advise you of your right to have an AFSA representative and attorney present during questioning. 23 / A THANKLESS JOB: By J. Michael Hannon THE DIPLOMATIC SECURITY BUREAU Already the second-largest bureau in the State LEFT IN LIMBO / 62 Department, DS continues to grow. How well is it Two AFSA members offer first-person accounts keeping up with its responsibilities? of their problems with DS. By David T. Jones WORKING TOGETHER FOR SECURE BORDERS, 33 / STATE’S GLOBAL SECURITY AND OPEN DOORS / 71 LAW ENFORCEMENT TEAM The Bureaus of Diplomatic Security and Consular DS is bringing courage and creativity to the mission of Affairs are cooperating to combat passport and providing a secure environment for the conduct of visa fraud around the world. American diplomacy. By Anthony Renzulli By Richard J. Griffin

38 / DS GETS ITS MAN F EATURE Collaborating with U.S. and foreign law enforcement THE SPOKESMAN LEAVES THE PODIUM / 74 agencies is an important, if underpublicized, FSO Richard Boucher was the voice for six Secretaries component of the Diplomatic Security Bureau’s work. of State over the past 13 years. Here, for a change, By Kevin Whitelaw he speaks for himself. By George Gedda 44 / EMBASSY DESIGN: SECURITY VS. OPENNESS Is architecture important for diplomacy? An architectural historian discusses the C OLUMNS D EPARTMENTS need to balance safety and accessibility. By Jane C. Loeffler PRESIDENT’S VIEWS / 5 LETTERS / 7 The Rhetoric and the Reality CYBERNOTES / 16 52 / CYBER SECURITY AT STATE: By J. Anthony Holmes MARKETPLACE / 18 THE STAKES GET HIGHER BOOKS / 79 SPEAKING OUT / 19 Over the past five years State has greatly expanded IN MEMORY / 82 The Truth About Language its IT networks. Just how secure are the data filling INDEX TO ADVERTISERS / 90 Instruction at FSI up its new computers? AFSA NEWS / By Marie T. Huhtala By Joe Johnson CENTER INSERT REFLECTIONS / 92 By Jessica Hayden

THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), 2101 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is published monthly with a combined July/August issue by the American Foreign Service Association, a private, non-profit Editor Editorial Board organization. Material appearing herein represents the opinions of the writers and does not necessarily represent STEVEN ALAN HONLEY Senior Editor HOLLIS SUMMERS, the views of the Journal, the Editorial Board or AFSA. Writer queries and submissions are invited, preferably by SUSAN B. MAITRA CHAIRMAN e-mail. Journal subscription: AFSA Members - $13 included in annual dues; others - $40. For foreign surface mail, Associate Editor add $18 per year; foreign airmail, $36 per year. Periodical postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mail- SHAWN DORMAN KENT C. BROKENSHIRE ing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Foreign Service Journal, 2101 E Street N.W., Washington, D.C. Ad & Circulation Manager STEPHEN W. B UCK 20037-2990. Indexed by Public Affairs Information Service (PAIS). The Journal is not responsible for unsolicited ED MILTENBERGER PATI CHAPLIN manuscripts, photos or illustrations. Advertising inquiries are invited. The appearance of advertisements herein Business Manager CAROL A. GIACOMO MIKKELA V. THOMPSON does not imply the endorsement of the services or goods offered. FAX: (202) 338-8244 or (202) 338-6820. WILLIAM W. J ORDAN Art Director E-MAIL: [email protected]. WEB: www.afsa.org. TELEPHONE: (202) 338-4045. © American Foreign Service CARYN SUKO SMITH LAURIE KASSMAN Association, 2005. Printed in the U.S.A. Send address changes to AFSA Membership, 2101 E Street N.W., KAY WEBB MAYFIELD Editorial Intern Washington, D.C. 20037-2990. Printed on 50-percent recycled paper, of which 10 percent is post-consumer waste. BROOKE DEAL VIRGINIA F. SMITH Advertising Intern CHRISTOPHER L. TEAL MASHA SHMUKLER TED WILKINSON Cover illustration by Sean Kelly

SEPTEMBER 2005/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 3

PRESIDENT’S VIEWS The Rhetoric and the Reality . . .

BY J. ANTHONY HOLMES

I want to begin and leadership into a service long options, but how to implement them; my AFSA tenure marked by policy brilliance and man- honest assessments after implementa- by paying tribute agerial incompetence. Management’s tion begins and what the blowback is. to John Limbert, refusal thus far to address the grave If the DASes are resented, if they don’t Louise Crane and concerns raised by AFSA over these listen, if their role is to insulate the prin- the rest of the past appointments is shortsighted and cipal from the system that supports board for the ex- seemingly oblivious to the damaging him, their isolation can be disastrous. cellent job they impact of this controversy on profes- The impact of this appointment did. They were lucky to serve AFSA sionalism, morale and esprit de corps. abuse on the integrity of the FS per- mainly during a rare period of abun- The department, quite simply, cannot sonnel system will be perverse, a classic dant resources and management deter- have a “Foreign Service for the 21st example of the appearance of conflict mination to nurture the Foreign Century” that permits appointment of interest being as damaging as actual Service and care for its people. They practices of the 1830s. conflict. Will anyone imagine that these made the most of these favorable cir- I don’t know who these mid-level DASes’ performances will be honestly cumstances. DASes are; I haven’t heard their evaluated, that any person who precipi- I am delighted at the prospect of names. What I’m reacting to is princi- tated such a controversy could admit in working on issues vitally important to ple – based on 26 years of experience. an EER that while those he chose are our members and our nation with a Being a DAS is not about “extraordi- great at policy, they are lousy managers group of dedicated and motivated nary” policy brilliance. It is about or never earned the confidence and board members and professional staff proven leadership and management of respect of their subordinates? What in an organization that has exceeded people and a policy process. It requires will be the impact on the integrity of the the expectations of virtually all its mem- extraordinary skills, but not the ones very promotion system management bers during my 26 years in it. I only used to justify these appointments. has criticized as not promoting these wish that present conditions were so Policy expertise is abundant and every individuals quickly enough to qualify favorable as those the outgoing board Secretary has created “special adviser” for these positions? The bottom line is enjoyed. However, disturbing events or Schedule C slots to get it. However, that these appointments undermine have already begun to confront us. putting unproven officers in top “line” the institutional basis of the Foreign Let me be clear and direct. The positions, in charge of multiple bureau Service and weaken the case I intend to appointment of three mid-level FSOs offices and hundreds of employees, press over the next 24 months: that the as deputy assistant secretaries in EUR, risks both eventual systemic failure and FS is a national security institution and based on their personal loyalty to the compromising the very policy efforts must be provided for as such. assistant secretary while serving at the that are its primary rationale. Secretary Rice is being feted for giv- NSC, is a whole lot more than a tem- Nor are such appointments justified ing diplomacy “new muscle.” She has pest in a teapot. It strikes at the heart by the personal loyalty to the boss that stated that she values and respects the of our meritocracy and jeopardizes 20 motivates them. Those working in Foreign Service, will follow her prede- years of shared State Department/ senior national security positions, and cessor in reinforcing it, and realizes she AFSA efforts to infuse management that’s what these are, must have a high- needs it to accomplish her goals. Her er loyalty, characterized by the willing- initial words were reassuring. As she J. Anthony Holmes is the president of ness and ability to bring tough, unwant- reaches the half-year mark of her the American Foreign Service Associa- ed messages to the boss. Not only tenure, her troops are now looking for tion. analysis of the pros and cons of policy actions to match that rhetoric. I

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LETTERS

Scaling, Not Testing at FSI testing at FSI. Testing implies the response from the department, which I was horrified by the attack on the arbitrary selection of a very few items said that 306 dissent-channel cables FSI Foreign Language Program in from some vast population of gram- had been received from November the July-August 2005 issue of our matical and lexigraphical possibilities. 1971, when the program began, Foreign Service Journal. On the other hand, scaling, which is through May 26, 2005. The response First, to show that this is no knee- what FSI uses, employs rubrics to noted that some of the topics covered jerk reaction by some uninformed describe what may be expected at the include the war in Southeast Asia, sympathizer, I must modestly present five basic levels of performance rang- conflict in the Balkans, Iraq and the my credentials. Aside from a quarter- ing from complete beginner to edu- U.S. role in international organiza- century-long Foreign Service career, I cated native-speaker. The scaling is tions. have a doctorate in language testing, administered by at least two well- While one can probably guess the master’s degrees in linguistics and trained and experienced persons. topics of some of the dissent cables French, and several foreign degrees. What could be fairer? in certain years based on the U.S. I have done language-teacher training Merton L. Bland government policies, actions or inac- on three continents and am founder FSO, retired tions that occurred in a specific year, I of a language school. In addition, I Arlington, Va., and would suspect that some of the sub- am a product of FSI and my wife Wuhan, China ject matter and the year in which it retired after a long and honorable was raised might be surprising. Like career teaching in the language school Dissent Channel Research most who have submitted dissent there. When I was still in the Foreign cables, I thought it would be fascinat- In the profession, FSI is held up Service, I used the dissent channel in ing to determine if any of them actu- as a model, on a level of excellence March 2003 to register my opposition ally affected future policy. shared with the Department of to going to war in Iraq without a I know that my opposition to the Defense Language Institute and United Nations Security Council res- war in Iraq has not changed the Middlebury College’s Graduate olution. I have since wondered how administration’s policy. I understand School of Languages. Why? These many dissent channel cables the State that the department has an obliga- programs avoid vocabulary building Department has received from its tion to protect the confidentiality of through counterproductive transla- employees from the beginning of the the author and the dissent channel. tion and the internalization of gram- dissent channel program to today. However, I would be pleased to hear mar through rote memorization. Staff of the Office of Policy from anyone who wrote a dissent Instead, they focus on a communica- Planning, the recipient of dissent- cable and is willing to disclose the tive approach, using the language, channel cables and the office that pro- subject matter, or even the entire not teaching it. They use total vides responses to the cables, told me cable and an analysis of whether the immersion (at least in the classroom) I had to file a Freedom of Infor- author felt the dissent changed or with all native-speaker instructors. mation request to get the number of influenced policy. Should anyone Research supports the conclusion dissent-channel cables by year. In the wish to share details of her or his dis- that these three are the best of the FOIA request, I asked not only for the sent cable, please contact me at: dis- best. number of cables, but also for a gen- [email protected]. The Journal erred in suggesting eral description of the subject matter Ann Wright that there is too much pressure in the of the cables. FSO, retired area of testing: indeed, there is no Five months later, I received a Honolulu, Hawaii

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Lighten the Fiction Since retiring, my appreciation and enjoyment of the FSJ have increased commensurately with my leisure time. In your June “Focus on FS Fiction,” I was delighted to find that Brian Aggeler wields his pen as wickedly when writing prose as when drawing cartoons. However, for the rest of the contributions I have only one word — depressing. Here’s hop- ing for a more balanced selection next summer. Ron Woody FSO, retired Manassas, Va.

Honor the Poets among Us One of summertime’s sweet plea- sures is engaging with the Journal’s fiction issue. But I make the modest proposal that next year’s edition be extended and enriched to include a poetry corner (in addition to the poems the magazine publishes from time to time). The Journal might columbia plaza note in its reminders leading up to the apartments fiction issue this possibility of a poet- Capital Living With Comfort and Convenience ry florescence. Grand Opening: 24 Hour Poetry, like prose, enlarges life. Fitness Center As Thomas Carlyle correctly noted,

The Market at Columbia Plaza “A vein of poetry exists in the hearts” of us all, and our Foreign Service colleagues are no exception. Many have ventured into its expressive and evocative language and would, I am certain, welcome the opportunity to Utilities Included share their work as part of the sum- Complimentary Voice Mail Beautiful and Spacious: Courtyard Style Plaza mer fiction issue. Efficiencies, 1 bedroom and Polished Hardwood Floors Insight, inspiration and humor 2 bedrooms available for Private Balconies come to us, when they come, in very Huge Walk-in Closets immediate occupancy different forms. Poetry is one of them, so let’s give it a try. 24 Hour Front Desk 2400 Virginia Ave., N.W Jerome L. Hoganson Garage Parking Avaliable Washington, D.C., 20037 Controlled Access Tel: (202) 293-2000 FSO, retired Potomac River Views E-mail: [email protected] Arlington, Va. Minutes to Fine Dining Newly Renovated Kitchens Office Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8:00 AM-5:30 PM Sat 10:00 AM-4:00 PM An Achievable Foreign Policy I appreciated the June article by Directly across the street from Main State, minutes to Kennedy Center and Georgetown Gordon Adams, “Fear vs. Hope:

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America and Global Security.” It deserves to be read by our president, Secretary of State and all representatives and senators. Perhaps it could help bring about needed changes in the way Americans think about the Whether you are with world, and could even reverse thoughts the Local, State or by others about America. We’ve got to Federal Government promote world peace, not hatred. agency or the military, Carl R. Fritz Crimson offers superior USAID FSO, retired solutions to fit your Chapel Hill, N.C. budget and per diem. Crimson Government A Positive Look at Housing Solutions Depleted Uranium Include: The article, “Depleted Uranium Assignment Changes Munitions: A New WMD,” in the Evacuations May Journal, is fraught with misin- Intern Programs formation and demonstrates a sig- International Visitors nificant lack of understanding of Project teams existing scientific data. The author’s Relocations fears of massive amounts of Short / Long Details aerosolized depleted uranium are TDY not supported by fact. We all inter- Training nalize natural uranium every day. It’s in the air we breathe, the food Crimson offers an we eat and the water we drink. exceptional value in Natural uranium becomes depleted temporary housing for uranium when the most radioactive government personnel. isotopes are removed. Our furnished Depleted uranium saves American apartments and single- lives, because it defeats the enemy at family homes are a long range with efficiency and pro- spacious and more vides superior shielding against con- luxurious alternative to ventional anti-armor munitions. As a the cramped quarters weapon, it penetrates armored vehi- of a hotel room. cles not easily damaged by high explosive rounds. Depleted uranium munitions are anti-armor munitions. 202.986.0433 They are not weapons of mass 888.233.7759 destruction and should not be com- [email protected] pared to weapons that are used to kill www.crimsonworldwide.com large numbers of people. The depleted uranium round is Fully furnished apartments and single family homes, with large simply a very heavy metal dart. When spacious rooms, full sized kitchens, and housewares. Separate living, it strikes an armored target, it self- dining and sleeping areas. Hotel style amenities, including swimming sharpens and cuts a hole. The deplet- pools, hot tubs, fitness centers, optional maid service and more. ed uranium ‘shavings’ ignite and may Rates within the TDY per diem. cause munitions inside to explode. This is the only time an aerosol is gen-

SEPTEMBER 2005/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 9

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erated. Rounds that miss the target are typically buried several feet below the surface where they slowly erode over the years. Depleted uranium is 40 percent less radioactive than natural uranium and buried rounds add little to the existing levels of natural uranium in the soil — there are four tons in just the top foot of soil per square mile. The U.S. Army recently published an extensive study detailing the aerosol levels inside a depleted uranium-armored Abrams tank penetrated by large caliber depleted uranium munitions, which is a highest-aerosol scenario. This peer-reviewed report, currently under review by the National Academy of Sciences, clearly states that only a small fraction of the total round aerosolized, and that only a small fraction of the aerosolized particles could reach the deep lung. This dose is not enough to cause health-effects concerns. The Department of Veterans Affairs has been monitoring the health of some 70 of the 104 survivors of depleted uranium friendly-fire incidents in the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Without doubt, these service members had the highest potential exposure of any service members. All of them had inhalational exposure to depleted uranium, and about one- third retained depleted uranium shrapnel. To date, none of these individuals have developed kidney abnormalities, leukemia, bone or lung cancer, or any other uranium-related health problems. Also, none of the children born to these veterans have shown any physical abnormalities. The primary concern about exposure to genotoxic substances is cancer. Despite many decades of research looking for a possible link between uranium exposure and cancer, the CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry states in its Toxicological Profile for

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Uranium — Update (1999) that “No human cancer of any type has ever been seen as a result of exposure to natural or depleted uranium.” It is discouraging that someone with the author’s background did not do a better job of researching the peer-reviewed scientific data before making his unsubstantiated claims. Michael E. Kilpatrick, M.D. Deputy Director Deployment Health Support Directorate Department of Defense

Squandered Promise George Gedda’s article, “Hugo Chavez: A New Castro?” (FSJ, May) sent shock waves down my spine, because I remember the Venezuela of half-a-century ago, when I served there. The oil boom had just put widespread prosperity within the reach of all in Simon Bolivar’s home country. It was a time of great promise. Friendly Venezuelan governments were predicting a better life for everyone. International oil companies, then nationalization, would produce a trickle-down economy that would lift all boats. Now, decades later, life for most Venezuelans is not better, but worse. The equivalent of 15 Marshall Plans of oil revenues has apparently gone into the pockets of those who already had too much, at the expense of those who had too little. World Bank fig- ures reveal that almost half of Venezuela’s population live on less than $2 per day. Corruption, human rights violations, exclusionary politics and electoral fraud have produced a nation in distress. Should anyone be surprised then that the underserved Venezuelan electorate turned to Hugo Chavez, a black Indian national who promised clean government and immediate

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help for the poor, as their president? What really surprised me was that Fidel Castro’s Cuba — Venezuela’s impoverished Caribbean neighbor — was able to send 10,000 health experts, teachers and sports trainers for immediate remedial assistance to resource-rich Venezuela, a former U.S. ally. And that Chavez is buying military equipment from distant sup- pliers like China and Russia, sending U.S. policy-makers into extravagant rants. Hopefully, President Chavez will consult Clio, the muse of history, who will redirect him to the road toward hemispheric cooperation. And hopefully, our own leaders will heed the probity of the good neighbor, ever ready to extend the hand of friend- ship to Venezuela, whose proud people value their historic ties to the United States. Stephen N. Sestanovich Ambassador, retired Moraga, Calif.

Shared Ideas Bear Fruit It’s now been almost a quarter of a century since I retired: the Foreign Service has changed a great deal since my time. During my 37-year career I successfully negotiated two leaves of absence to pursue outside interests — something previously unheard of. Prior to this, officers who wanted “time out” were required to resign, and few were ever recommissioned. My first leave was to complete a Ph.D. at Harvard. The second was to respond to a cry for help from a friend who was dean of a university school of business to organize and staff an independent economics department to qualify his school for accreditation by the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business. Following both experi- ences, the director general invited me to his office to discuss my experi-

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ence and offer any suggestions I had to improve the Service. One of my suggestions was to make available a list of upcoming assignments so officers could bid on posts of interest rather than depending entirely on the whims of the assignments board. The bidding process was adopted within a year or two. I also like to think my experience contributed to the Service’s eventual Diplomats-in- Residence program at various univer- sities and secondments to the offices of governors and mayors and members of Congress. Following retirement, I found occasion to discuss Foreign Service promotion practices with two friends, one of whom was a U.S. Navy rear admiral and the other a senior U.S. Army colonel. Out of these discussions came a paper I titled “Is the Foreign Service Really a Career?”, a copy of which I sent to the director general. The paper was also published in the Foreign Service Journal. It suggested that FSOs be required to requalify themselves in their specialties and language(s) every few years, accumulating points for passing an exam in visa or citizenship law for consular officers, current economic theory for economic officers, a “Who’s Who” and “What’s What” exam with respect to world affairs — then choosing a window of opportunity to present themselves before the appropriate promotion panel, more or less as military officers do. I thought this would minimize the effect of the previous assignment or the vagaries of the occasional less- than-fully-enthusiastic efficiency report on the promotions process. I got a nice letter from the DG thanking me for my ideas, but like so many other initiatives nothing more was heard. I was delighted to read in the June Foreign Service Journal that the Service has developed a Career

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Development Program that seems to it would have seemed highly improb- I would not recommend the book have adopted many of the suggestions able, given his flamboyant personality, for serious reading by anyone, but contained in my paper. I am writing loquacity and general unpredictabili- someone with time to spare could to encourage other FSOs, active and ty. have fun trying to corroborate some retired, not to be discouraged if their Kolb described a Copeland “white of the stories to make sure the whole own “long papers” (to refer to George paper” on the need for a Marshall thing is not a send-up. Kennan’s memorandum to Ambass- Plan for the Middle East. That was Richard B. Parker ador Averill Harriman) take some hardly a new idea, but even if it had Ambassador, retired time to gestate. Sometimes it takes been new it is hard to imagine any Washington, D.C. awhile for an idea to reach a listening administration taking such a paper by ear. But never give up on a good idea. Miles seriously. That would not pre- Commit to Cultural Centers David Timmins vent him from writing one and claim- It was heartening to read of David FSO, retired ing it had been influential. Timmins’ apparent optimism about Salt Lake City, Utah Copeland had left the CIA’s the potential for American cultural employ by 1961 when I first met him centers in the Middle East (Letters, Going Over the in Beirut, but described himself as a May). From 1951 to 1960 and from Overworld Review loyal alumnus and gave the impres- 1969 to 1970, I had cultural center There is something fishy about the sion that he enjoyed privileged access experience in Korea and Japan. Since Larry Kolb book, Overworld: the Life to the movers and shakers in Wash- 9/11, I have wondered whether differ- and Times of a Reluctant Spy, ington and elsewhere. He enter- ent social and cultural conditions reviewed in your May issue by tained us for many hours with his sto- would make the Middle East a less William Marjenhoff. At the latter’s ries, but like most skilled raconteurs appropriate environment than North- recommendation I have read the he embroidered, so one had to be east Asia for cultural centers. book. Some of it may actually be true, careful about accepting what he said Cultural centers should blend with but it is hard to know exactly what. It at face value. He also had a habit of their local (foreign) societies to a con- is full of insignificant detail, such as retelling the same stories every time siderable extent. They should, and what clothes people were wearing and you met him. I know no American do, serve local (foreign) as well as what they had for lunch, but is vague official who took him seriously, but American purposes. Sudden center on essential details such as dates, what some businessmen did and sub- closings can be very harmful, and agency Kolb’s father was with and the scribed to his newsletter and consult- such closings should be avoided. nature of his arrangements with the ing services. He was knowledgeable I hope that an ambitious effort will personalities discussed: Muhammad and had contacts in the Middle East be made to create cultural centers in Ali and Adnan Kashoggi, among oth- that could have been useful to them. the Middle East, and that there will ers. I would like to know whether Kolb seems to claim (the relation- be determination to stick to it as long they have ever heard of Kolb. ship is never spelled out) to have as it takes. The description of the late Miles worked as understudy to Copeland in Should it not be a permanent com- Copeland, whom I knew fairly well, London, where the latter had gone mitment? rings true, although I would like to after leaving Beirut and where he Robert G. Flershem think that his account of Copeland’s continued to act as a consultant and to USIA FSO, retired planned use of forged documents to publish a newsletter. Kolb claims, Kanazawa City, Japan I libel someone is not true. Kolb hints with considerable circumstantial that he himself was caught participat- detail, that Copeland gave him lessons ing in such a scheme directed against in espionage tradecraft, but for what Send your letters to: the Indian prime minister, but the purpose is not clear. [email protected]. reader is left wondering what, if any- I doubt that any of these lessons thing, actually happened. would be useful to FSOs unless they Note that all letters Copeland never claimed in my were seeking to be declared persona are subject to editing hearing to be a “co-founder” of the non grata. Kolb seems to have been for style, format CIA (and I missed that phrase in the an apt pupil, but as usual where Miles book, wherever it was). I would not was concerned, one wonders what the and length. have believed him if he had, because real story was.

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CYBERNOTES

Former FSO Decries U.S. Loss of demand that CRS make its research documents began in 1991. To date, Lead in Internet Development reports available to the public contin- however, CRS is still balking. In this The U.S. led the world in Internet ues. But those hard-to-find policy the U.S. trails behind the United innovation throughout the 1990s, briefings for Congress are slowly Kingdom, Australia and Canada — all writes former FSO Thomas Bleha in emerging onto the World Wide Web of which display their parliamentary the May-June issue of Foreign Affairs, anyway, thanks to the Center for research reports online. but no longer. Democracy and Technology, a tech- Though OpenCRS has the largest In the first three years of the Bush nology-policy organization based in collection of CRS reports, it is not administration, the U.S. dropped Washington, D.C. complete. For a comprehensive list of from fourth to 13th place in global CDT has compiled the most exten- links to other sites that provide CRS rankings of broadband Internet usage. sive online database of CRS reports reports, consult Stephen Young’s arti- Today, Bleha says, most U.S. homes available, where anyone with an cle on the Law Library Resource can access only “basic” broadband, Internet connection can search thou- Xchange at http://www.llrx.com/ among the slowest, most expensive sands of the documents (http://www. features/crsreports.html. and least reliable in the developed opencrs.com). Because OpenCRS is — Brooke Deal, Editorial Intern world, and the U.S. has fallen even not sponsored by the government, further behind in mobile-phone- CDT also depends on users to request Sudan: Peace Hangs in the based Internet access. documents from their Congressmen Balance “The lag is arguably the result of and submit them to the site. Although As we go to press, the fragile the Bush administration’s failure to the Web site has been a huge success, North-South peace agreement in make a priority of developing these CDT estimates that it has collected Sudan that is looked to as a crucial step networks,” states Bleha. “In fact, the only half of the reports the agency has toward ending the genocidal fighting in United States is the only industrial- produced in the past five years. the region of Darfur, faces yet another ized state without an explicit national The Congressional Research Ser- test. Southern rebel leader John policy for promoting broadband.” vice, an arm of Congress, provides Garang’s death in a helicopter crash When the U.S. dropped the baton, nonpartisan reports that members of Aug. 1, less than a month after his Bleha says, Japan picked it up. Now, Congress use to get up to speed on swearing-in as vice president in a new Japan and its neighbors will be the U.S. public policy. The reports national unity government, could first to reap the benefits of the broad- include background research and pol- undermine the prospects for an end to band era in terms of economic icy analyses, legislation passed and more than two decades of civil war. growth, increased productivity, tech- pending, and reference sources to Tensions were already high in nological innovation and an improved clearly define an issue. Khartoum on July 21, when Secretary quality of life. CRS, which is funded with nearly of State Rice landed for a round of talks Bleha’s article, “Down to the $100 million in tax dollars, churns out with government leaders and the offi- Wire,” is available online at http:// about 1,000 new reports annually. cials and press accompanying her were www.foreignaffairs.org/20050501f Until now the reports have been avail- subjected to mistreatment by Sudan- aessay84311/thomas-bleha/down- able only to members of Congress. To ese security guards. Rice offered an to-the-wire.htm. get one, one had to purchase it from a improvement of ties and possible eas- private vendor or request it from one’s ing of U.S. sanctions on humanitarian Expanding Open Access for representative or senator and then grounds if Khartoum acts to end the CRS Reports wait for it to arrive in the mail. bloodshed in Darfur, in particular by The decade-long fight between the Led by Senators John McCain, R- disarming the pro-government Congressional Research Service and Ariz., and Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the Janjaweed militia operating there. She legislators and others over the latter’s campaign for public access to CRS also demanded and received an apolo-

16 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/SEPTEMBER 2005

CYBERNOTES

number of troops to 12,300 after o win the war against terrorism, the United States must assign U.S. September — a number that Deputy economic and diplomatic capabilities the same strategic priority that Secretary Zoellick deems sufficient — Twe assign to military capabilities. There are no shortcuts to victory. are in the works. But, as Robert I. We must commit ourselves to the painstaking work of foreign policy day Rotberg points out in an interview with by day and year by year. We must commit ourselves to a sustained the Foreign Policy Association, the A.U.’s mandate is to observe, not to program of repairing and building alliances, expanding trade, pursuing intervene (http://www.fpa.org/top resolutions to regional conflicts, fostering and supporting democracy and ics_info2414/topics_info_show.htm development worldwide, and controlling weapons of mass destruction. ?doc_id=288572). Meanwhile, in the past 29 months — Sen. Richard G. Lugar, R-Ind., from his remarks on receiving the of fighting in Darfur up to 300,000 Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy Award from AFSA, people have died and more than two http://lugar.senate.gov/pressapp/record.cfm?id=239076, June 17, 2005. million have been rendered homeless. The International Criminal Court opened an investigation on June 1 gy for the manhandling before moving possible. But, says Zoellick, it is the (http://www.icc-cpi.int/library on to visit Darfur. internal responsibility of Sudan to con- cases/LMO_UNSC_On_DARFUR- A month before Rice’s trip, in a June trol the crisis (http://wwwc.house. EN.pdf). But the Sudanese govern- 22 House Committee on Inter- gov/international_relations/109/ ment has resisted the court’s efforts national Relations hearing, “Sudan: zoe062205.pdf). and refuses to hand over suspects, say- Consolidating Peace While Confront- The A.U. deployed its second ing that they will prosecute the perpe- ing Genocide,” Deputy Secretary of installment of troops on July 1, intend- trators in their own domestic court. State Robert Zoellick confirmed that ing to increase the protection of civil- Whether the Bush administration’s the U.S. continues to classify the crisis ians and main roads and to establish a effort to bring Khartoum around on in Darfur as genocide and continues to safe environment for the return of Darfur without undermining a united be interested in helping to promote refugees (http://humanrightswatch. Sudan’s participation in the war on ter- peace in Sudan. He insisted that the org/english/docs/2005/07/01/dar rorism will succeed remains to be seen. African Union plays the most vital role, fur11261.htm). It aims to increase Some analysts note that the strongest and pressed it to get a sufficient num- the number of troops to 7,700 by the pressure tool the U.S. has, namely a ber of troops into the area as soon as end of September. Plans to boost the blockade of the flow of oil out of Port Sudan, is still under wraps. But as the U.S. administration 50 Years Ago... attempts to increase pressure on Sudan However ill-designed the security system … men will with a deft application of carrots and find satisfaction in the appreciation of their colleagues for sticks, there is some indication that work that goes unnoted or unappreciated at home; there will be time the American public would like to see when men will be privileged to stand by each other in danger and a more forceful intervention. In a adversity and thus to taste one of the richest forms of human May 2005 poll, the International experience. Crisis Group found public backing for the United States to play a leadership — George Kennan, from “The Future of Our Professional Diplomacy,” role in ending this catastrophe FSJ, September 1955. (http://www.crisisgroup.org/ home/index.cfm?id=3486&l=1).

SEPTEMBER 2005/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 17

C YBERNOTES u Site of the Month: www.skype.com Internet telephony has potentially revolutionary implications for the telecom- munications industry. But for Foreign Service families, as we noted in the May issue of the FSJ, it has a very special and practical value: it allows them to make free phone calls “home” to family members and other loved ones, and talk as long as they want, from any place in the world! Skype is arguably the most popular, user-friendly and reliable of the several hundred Voice over Internet Protocol, or VOIP, services operating today, and its computer-to-computer service is completely free. Just download the software, register and plug in your headset or phone — and you’re ready to talk with another Skype user. Besides excellent voice quality, Skype communication is fully secure, with end-to-end encryption, and does not require you to configure your firewall, router or any other networking gadget. What’s more, the software operates flaw- lessly between and among all platforms. It is also free of the legal issues involved in sharing music or videos online. Skype has a number of unusual features. For instance, its database of users is searchable by age, language and nationality. Looking for someone to help you practice your language skills? The user status of “Skype Me” designates an individual who welcomes unsolicited calls. Launched in 2003 by Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, the creators of the peer-to-peer file-sharing service Kazaa, Skype claims more than 2.8 million users in the U.S. and some 30 million worldwide today. Though its basic service is completely free, Skype makes money because a small fraction of its users buy additional services, such as the capability to call from Skype to the telephone network or vice versa. The charges for these services tend to be quite low compared to standard telephone rates.

An overwhelming majority — 84 per- Sudan. cent — regardless of party affiliation The crisis in Darfur will certainly or religious denomination, believe remain on the international agenda in that the U.S. should not tolerate an the coming months, and can be fol- extremist government committing lowed online. The Save Darfur Coali- such crimes against humanity, and tion (www.savedarfur.org) offers should use its military assets, short of background information on the situa- putting U.S. troops on the ground, to tion as well as comprehensive news stop them. links on current developments (under The poll also explored possible Latest News). The U.N.’s Sudan solutions: among the 1,000 Americans Information Gateway provides situa- surveyed, 81 percent prefer that the tion updates and humanitarian U.S. impose harsher sanctions on the reports (http://www.unsudanig. Sudanese leaders who support the org). Look for further progress in the militias; 80 percent desire a no-fly talks between Sudan and the ICC at zone over Darfur to deter aerial http://www.icc-cpi.int/. Human attacks on civilians; and 76 percent Rights Watch (http://hrw.org) offers urge NATO support for an expanded updated news and information, African peacekeeping force. Even including A.U. troop deployments, as the war on terror rages in Iraq, 38 moves by the Sudan government and percent of the respondents support other developments. deploying U.S. ground troops in — Brooke Deal, Editorial Intern I

18 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/SEPTEMBER 2005

SPEAKING OUT The Truth About Language Instruction at FSI

BY MARIE T. HUHTALA

ll of us at the Foreign Service not the norm. Institute were delighted to see We see no persuasive We were taken aback by the sug- Athe FSJ devote an entire issue reason to retreat from gestion that the Russian program is to FSI and training (“A Class Act: the the “gold standard” of still mired in Soviet-era materials, Foreign Service Institute and FS insisting on rote memorization and Training,” July-August 2005). In this instruction by native devoid of interactive dialogues. In dangerous and demanding period of speakers, which has fact that program too has undergone international diplomacy, it is more long set FSI apart. rapid and thorough change since the vital than ever to ensure that our peo- fall of the Soviet Union that began ple receive the best possible training w nearly 20 years ago. Here FSI has to prepare them for the challenges been a national leader in preparing ahead. We deeply appreciate the original materials suited to real- time and effort that went into this world demands. Today’s students issue, and hope it will receive wide 9/11, has been uneven at times. FSI use basic texts prepared in-house, readership throughout the Foreign now has more students enrolled in enriched by frequent field trips, Service. Arabic training than any other lan- excursions, interviews, discussions That said, it was disappointing to guage except Spanish. Enrollments and games. There is even a volun- read some of the more pointed criti- have tripled since 2001, with roughly tary in-country immersion program cisms directed at FSI’s language train- 340 students in FY 2004, and around that gets great reviews. ing programs — not because we can- 230 students for the first half of 2005 Some were concerned that many not take criticism, but because the (including early morning classes, an of our language instructors are con- writers served up a mixture of venera- online reading maintenance course, tractors. This is not intended to ble canards and personal piques along the basic course at FSI and the fol- enable quick weeding-out, as specu- with constructive dissent. Let me low-on advanced training at the field lated, but comes both from a staffing address the most troubling of these. school in Tunis). shortage and the DRI- and national The keynote article, “FSI Settles FSI now has around 40 teachers of security-related expansions and oscil- into Arlington Hall,” reported some Arabic, many of them new instructors lations in enrollments. Assignments results from a recent survey of AFSA who have been carefully selected and can change at the last minute, spousal members. Like self-selected inter- given continuous training in advanced and outside agency signups take place viewees the world over, the people teaching methods. They use a basic at their own rate, and the need for who chose to respond were primarily textbook from Georgetown Univer- languages ebbs and flows over time. unsatisfied customers. And it’s not sity, supplemented by FSI-produced Under these conditions, contracting surprising that so many responses modules on consular, political, eco- instructors as needed is a prudent and focused on language training; of all nomic and public diplomacy work. reasonable approach that allows us to the courses FSI offers, these loom the Language training supervisors sit in ramp up quickly for new require- largest, as they go on for months and on classes regularly for quality con- ments. And finally, we see no persua- have a direct impact on students’ trol, ensuring that instructors do not sive reason to retreat from the “gold tenure, job performance and salary slip unnecessarily into English or standard” of instruction by native levels. convey unacceptable messages to speakers, which has long set FSI apart The sharpest barbs were aimed at the students. Thus, though the and, when supported by outstanding the Arabic program. We acknowl- unfortunate incidents reported in teaching methods, offers an incompa- edge that this program, which has the survey may have taken place at rably rapid and authentic learning undergone tremendous growth since some point, they are most definitely experience.

SEPTEMBER 2005/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 19

S PEAKING O UT u

Testing: How to Get It Right? achievement tests, which measure It is true that in a testing situation “The Case for Outside Examin- students’ mastery of material that has some individuals perform better than ers,” in the same issue, tackles the been taught, our proficiency test mea- others, and the same person may issue that is probably most painful for sures the ability to use a language to function quite well in one test and not students. The writer echoes long- accomplish real-world tasks and trans- so well in another. Because they are heard complaints that FSI is not rig- actions. based on the sample elicited in a orous in maintaining objectivity, valid- FSI has a highly-structured, lengthy given test, test scores reflect these dif- ity and reliability in its testing system training program for both “testers” ferences. And, in fact, they must do and suggests that the perceived ran- (the native speakers of the language so, since injecting other factors, like domness in assigning proficiency who interact with the examinee) and classroom performance, into the final scores could be solved by bringing in “examiners” (experienced language score would add what we all would outside examiners. This is neither professionals who direct and adminis- regard as a random and unwelcome practicable nor necessary. ter the tests). Testing teams aim to element of subjectivity. First, an assurance. FSI gets no obtain as broad a language sample as In all but the smallest language “brownie points” from HR or any- possible in the necessarily limited sections, FSI’s students are not tested where else for holding down the amount of time. They also seek out by anyone who was their teacher dur- scores or boosting them up. We have examinees’ upper limit of proficiency ing their last eight weeks. This pre- nothing to gain from any deviation to ensure a fair rating. This is one vents “rehearsed speech” or “chem- from fair and objective testing. Each instance where “no pain, no gain” istry” (positive or negative) between year our School of Language Studies works to examinees’ advantage, the examinee and the testing team administers some 4,000 tests in over because often they can produce sur- that could potentially affect the test 90 languages. Unlike academic prisingly good results when pressed. results. The score is based entirely on

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20 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/SEPTEMBER 2005

S PEAKING O UT u performance during the test, which country, to strengthen his skills in a studies curriculum. AFSA’s survey is a makes sense because some 50 percent real-life environment of working and welcome contribution to this continu- of those tested are not graduating FSI living abroad. The new Career ing effort. We hope this discussion will students, but new A-100 members, Development Program, the Language help reinforce the importance of life- people who have been serving abroad Continuum, and Secretary Rice’s call long learning, throughout the Foreign or personnel from other agencies. for transformational diplomacy all Service career, to enable us to carry out When, occasionally, examinees place intense emphasis on foreign lan- the department’s mission as effectively express dissatisfaction with their test guage in an individual’s career. FSI’s as possible. I score or with the administration of the tests play a central role, and we are test, a rigorous test review process is pledged to uphold the highest stan- Marie T. Huhtala is a career Foreign implemented. Last year, 1.48 percent dards of fairness, reliability and accu- Service officer currently serving as of 4,250 tests were reviewed; 94 per- racy. It is hard to see how any outside senior adviser to the director of the cent of those reviewed were evaluated organization could meet these stan- Foreign Service Institute. A former at the same level as the initial scores dards or perform in such an outstand- ambassador to Malaysia, she is a vet- while 6 percent were upgraded. ing, consistent manner. eran of FSI’s Thai and Chinese lan- Rarely, with valid justification, tests FSI places high value on customer guage programs. Christina Hoffman, may be re-administered. satisfaction, and we seek feedback reg- Testing is only one measure of a ularly. The many thousands of students manager of continuing training and student’s success. Effective use of we serve give us generally positive and testing within the School of Language language at post depends on the indi- constructive readouts. We periodically Services at the Foreign Service vidual’s willingness to immerse him- conduct major reviews of all our pro- Institute, also contributed to this arti- self in the language and culture of the grams, like the one ongoing for our area cle. Home Suite Home

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SEPTEMBER 2005/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 21

F OCUS ON D IPLOMATIC S ECURITY

DIPLOMATIC SECURITY: EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION

BY STEVEN ALAN HONLEY

ew parts of the State Department Those tragedies galvanized State Department efforts to have more wide-ranging or crucial make our diplomatic facilities around the world more responsibilities than the Bureau of secure, a process that is still under way. But in “New Diplomatic Security, which is Embassy Designs Clash with Public Diplomacy Agenda” charged with providing a safe and (p. 44), expert Jane Loeffler argues that the current archi- secure environment for the conduct tectural approach reflects our fears more than our hopes, of U.S. foreign policy. and is undercutting our ability to reach out to overseas The bureau’s many and varied contacts in the process. tasks have never been easy, but the work has only gotten In the 21st century, the concept of diplomatic security Ftougher in the post-9/11 era. Four years after those applies as much to the Internet as to brick and mortar. attacks, it seems timely to take an in-depth look at how DS Retired FSO Joe Johnson assesses our efforts to protect has expanded and adapted to take on the new challenges. our electronic systems in “Cyber Security at State: The Retired senior FSO David Jones, a frequent Journal Stakes Get Higher” (p. 52). contributor, leads off our coverage with an overview of the On an individual level, the issuance and adjudication of bureau’s history and current organizational structure (“A security clearances probably represents the main way DS Thankless Job: The Bureau of Diplomatic Security,” interacts with most Foreign Service employees. Attorney p. 23). DS does its best to avoid being overly intrusive, Michael O’Hannon reminds us that all FS personnel are yet sufficiently vigilant, as it safeguards people and facili- entitled to have an AFSA representative and attorney pre- ties. But as the article’s title suggests, it is unclear whether sent during questioning (“Security Clearances: Know it has found that elusive balance. Your Rights,” p. 58). And two Foreign Service members Ambassador Richard J. Griffin assumed his duties as (one of them a DS agent himself) offer their own experi- Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security and Director ences with the process as cautionary tales in “Left in of the Office of Foreign Missions in June. In “State’s Limbo” (p. 62), which we accompany with contributions Global Security and Law Enforcement Team” (p. 33), he from Donald Reid, director of DS’s Security provides an overview of the bureau’s successes and goals. Infrastructure Program, and AFSA General Counsel A significant part of the bureau’s work is inherently not Sharon Papp. well-publicized: collaborating with federal law enforce- Finally, Anthony Renzulli, the Fraud Prevention ment agencies and host country counterparts to appre- Officer in Mumbai, explains how the Bureaus of hend American fugitives overseas. U.S. News & World Diplomatic Security and Consular Affairs are “Working Report reporter Kevin Whitelaw gives us a detailed look at Together for Secure Borders, Open Doors” (p. 71). some of DS’s notable successes in Belize and Cuba (“DS No single survey can truly do justice to a bureau as Gets Its Man,” p. 38). complex as Diplomatic Security, much less to the overall Three years before the 9/11 attacks, al-Qaida opera- subject of security. But we hope that this focus section tives bombed our embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. will promote a greater understanding of what DS does and stimulate discussion of how it can do its job even bet- Steven Alan Honley is the editor of the Foreign Service ter. We therefore invite your thoughts, commentaries and Journal. An FSO from 1985 to 1997, he served in analysis on that score (please send them to Mexico City, Wellington and Washington, D.C. [email protected]). I

22 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/SEPTEMBER 2005

F OCUS ON D IPLOMATIC S ECURITY

A THANKLESS JOB: THE BUREAU OF DIPLOMATIC SECURITY Sean Kelly

ALREADY THE SECOND-LARGEST BUREAU IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT, DS CONTINUES TO GROW. HOW WELL IS IT KEEPING UP WITH ITS RESPONSIBILITIES?

BY DAVID T. JONES

ven in the post-9/11 era, it is still difficult for many Foreign Service personnel to take at face value assurances by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security that “We’re here to help you.” Whether it’s the Regional SecurityE Officer overseas, or the folks who issue our IDs and guard our buildings back in Washington, the very presence of internal security at State and the other foreign affairs agencies is a constant reminder that we are all potential weak links. This is true even though, unlike the CIA, FBI and most branches of the U.S. military, no Foreign Service officer (Irvin Scarbeck, 1960) has ever been convicted of passing secrets, and only one in recent memory —

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Felix Bloch in 1989 — has been There can be little though the peace talks were publicly charged with doing so. approaching their climax. He did Still, it is fair to ask whether doubt that the Foreign eventually get his clearance back. the Foreign Service takes security But the word was out: handling seriously enough. Consider three Service has become classified material was no longer a humiliating lapses that came in casual matter. quick succession during the late significantly more Meanwhile, the August 1998 1990s. In the first incident, a man bombings of Embassies Nairobi recalled only as wearing a brown security-conscious over and Dar es Salaam, and the 9/11 tweed jacket strolled into attacks three years later, rein- Secretary of State Madeleine the past few years. forced fears that the basic physi- Albright’s outer office, picked up cal security of the Department of her pouch of highly classified State and its overseas missions daily briefing material, walked out — and was never around the world was at stake. (The 1983 truck bomb seen or identified again. Not long afterward, a laptop attack on Embassy Beirut had briefly energized similar computer that reportedly contained an enormous concerns, but was eventually dismissed as a fluke range of highly classified arms control information dis- prompted by local circumstances rather than some- appeared from an INR office, never to be recovered. thing requiring a systemic, global restructuring of Finally, the Russian Embassy reportedly bugged a 7th- State’s institutional culture.) But it would take the hor- floor State conference room using a sophisticated lis- ror of 9/11 to produce fundamental change. tening device that apparently required insider access to install — yet the mole was never officially uncovered. Diplomatic Security to the Fore In a State Department town hall meeting on May 3, While organizational charts do not automatically 2000, Sec. Albright made clear her displeasure at such confer bureaucratic power and personnel numbers do episodes and declared that anyone who was not “pro- not define policy, the Bureau of Diplomatic Security has fessional about security” was a “failure.” (Curiously, become increasingly prominent over the past genera- however, in her 2003 memoir, Madame Secretary, tion. In 1970 it was buried as a subelement within SCA Albright makes no mention of those incidents.) More (the Bureau of Security and Consular Affairs). In early stringent rules soon followed, including a requirement 1985, there was a deputy assistant secretary (one of six) for annual security briefings for all State personnel and for security in the Bureau of Administration, renamed a beefing-up of security training at FSI for all overseas- later that year as the Bureau of Administration and bound officers, extensive restrictions (later slightly Security. By early 1987, Diplomatic Security was an relaxed) on access to State by retired department per- independent bureau with three deputy assistant secre- sonnel, and the inclusion of security awareness as a cri- taries overseeing 11 offices addressing, inter alia, the terion in every employee evaluation report. full range of internal security, physical protection, over- Just months later, Martin Indyk, the high-profile seas operations, anti-terrorism and policy coordination. U.S. ambassador in Tel Aviv, was revealed to have han- Organization charts immediately following 9/11 dled classified information on an unclassified laptop. showed a bureau that still had three DASes, but had Indyk, a former NEA assistant secretary and NSC offi- expanded to 15 offices within the department and an cial, was a key figure in the Middle East peace process, array of eight regional offices (including a presence in but at the height of the talks, his security clearance was cities such as Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and New suspended and he spent an extended period in limbo. York, as well as Washington, D.C.). The current reali- While permitted to return to post, he had no official ties have resulted in a new structure: three DASes, ability to act in his normal diplomatic capacity, even three assistant directors (domestic operations, international programs and training), an executive director David Jones, a retired Senior Foreign Service officer, is and a senior coordinator for security infrastructure. a frequent contributor to the Journal. They manage 17 offices with a bewildering array of

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responsibilities, including 480 While personnel numbers State, the U.S. ambassador to the special agents assigned to diplo- U.N. (and the United Nations sec- matic missions in 157 countries. do not define policy, retary-general when he travels out- Charged with providing a safe and side New York in the U.S.) and vis- secure environment for the con- the Bureau of Diplomatic iting foreign dignitaries. Overseas, duct of U.S. foreign policy, DS is in addition to safeguarding U.S. the most widely represented U.S. Security has become officials, they protect Afghan Presi- law enforcement entity in the dent Hamid Karzai, members of world. increasingly prominent the Iraqi Governing Council, the Recent congressional testimo- president of Haiti and other digni- ny noted the extensive range of over the past generation. taries as required. post-9/11 activity (and successes) DS is also responsible for including protecting U.S. athletes ensuring the safety and security of at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games (and coordinating foreign missions in the U.S. and their personnel. And security for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin); through its Office of Foreign Missions, the bureau defending the U.S. consulate in Jeddah in December manages reciprocity and immunity issues for foreign 2004, which prevented terrorists from penetrating the diplomats and provides services in matters of motor consulate building despite casualties among the pro- vehicles, tax, customs, property, travel and other issues. tecting force; creating and implementing the security DS also investigates passport and visa fraud (5,000 framework permitting Embassy Baghdad to open; and violations annually); delivers more than 10 tons of reducing the average time for completing security material each day around the world via diplomatic pouch; clearances from 195 to 95 days. and works with other U.S. agencies (from the obvious DS has been led since June 22, 2005, by Richard ones, such as the FBI, U.S. Secret Service and Griffin, who followed a 26-year career in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, to others, like the Secret Service (ending as its deputy director) with eight National Security Council, U.S. Marshals Service, local years as the Inspector General for the Department of U.S. law enforcement officials and foreign national Veterans Affairs. His assignment continues the pattern police). DS trains foreign civilian law enforcement offi- of selecting outside specialists for the position, such as cers through its Antiterrorism Assistance Program, which Francis Taylor, an Air Force one-star general who in FY 2004 presented 209 courses and trained 4,900 for- served from November 2002 until March 2005 eign police and security officers from 67 countries. ATA- (although he also served as State’s coordinator for trained units in Indonesia and Pakistan have scored counterterrorism from 2001 to 2002), and David major successes against terrorists in recent years. Carpenter, a 26-year veteran of the Secret Service, who The bureau also administers the Rewards for Justice served as DS assistant secretary from August 1998 until program established by the Congress in 1984. Under the June 2002. program the Secretary of State may offer rewards up to The bureau currently is staffed at a combined total of $5 million — a cap lifted by the Patriot Act of 2001 — for 34,000 U.S. personnel and foreign hires, making it one of information that can prevent or resolve the aftermath of the largest in the State Department, second only to a terrorist attack on U.S. persons or property (see Consular Affairs. That total includes 514 Regional http://www.rewardsforjustice.net/). And DS also cooper- Security Officers, 89 couriers, 114 Security Engineering ates with the U.S. private sector on security and coun- Officers, 69 Security Technical Specialists, 68 U.S. Navy terterrorism issues through the Overseas Security Seabees, 28,000 local national guards and surveillance Advisory Council, co-chaired by the director of detection personnel, and 139 Marine Security Guard Diplomatic Security and a representative of the private detachments (to secure U.S. overseas diplomatic facilities sector. The council provides security advice and facili- and personnel). tates the exchange of information among members of In addition to the responsibilities noted above, more than 100 country councils worldwide (see Diplomatic Security agents protect the Secretary of http://www.ds-osac.org/).

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Where the Rubber Until comparatively Separate from DS but closely Hits the Road related, the Bureau of Overseas Physical Security. Until com- recently, the Foreign Buildings Operations (formerly the paratively recently, the Foreign Office of Foreign Building Opera- Service dealt with terrorism and Service dealt with tions) was renamed when upgrad- other security threats on the “retail” ed to bureau status in early 2001. level, focusing on murders and terrorism and other Once noted for its selection of archi- assassinations of individual diplo- tects who created aesthetic master- matic officials by groups such as the security threats on the piece embassies, it now focuses on November 17th Greek terrorist security. OBO is led by former group. Tactics for countering such “retail” level. Army Major General Charles terrorists were likewise individual: Williams, who has pushed OBO varied daily routines, carefully into more sophisticated manage- selected housing and day-to-day ment and performance evaluation personal alertness. Modern terrorism, however, requires techniques. The long starvation diet endured by a collective response in addition to individual vigilance. embassies and consulates has been reversed; by late The results have been the most visible manifestation of 2003, OBO was managing $4 billion in projects, but security: concrete flowerpot barriers; closed streets; ubiq- longer-term projections of costs run to $17 billion to uitous police patrols; and embassies constructed or replace and fortify existing facilities. A variety of mech- remodeled/upgraded with safety as a first concern. anisms are being used to focus on the most vulnerable

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facilities first and, through standard- A heavily guarded not just safer for U.S. diplomats, ized designs, complete them expedi- but also safer for the surrounding tiously. Nevertheless, a recent embassy or consulate is neighborhood and its residents. Government Accountability Office In this regard, DS regional report suggested that “most office not just safer for U.S. security officers have reviewed all facilities still do not meet State’s U.S. installations overseas, imple- security standards.” diplomats, but also for the mented countless physical up- It is the rare diplomat who grades, arranged for augmented would object to such physical surrounding neighborhood guard forces with enhanced train- security efforts. Even those con- ing, and provided instruction for cerned about living in “blockhous- and its residents. embassy personnel in avoiding es” or developing a “garrison men- and countering security risks. tality” that prevents diplomats While the bureau’s public affairs from doing their jobs have realized that unprotected office declined to provide even “ballpark” numbers for embassies in central cities are asking for trouble. Our DS staffing in Iraq or Afghanistan, citing security rea- host countries are not going to thank us for maintaining sons, there are at least 30 officers in Embassy Baghdad, insecure structures; after all, the overwhelming pro- all at even greater risk than the rest of the staff. There portion of casualties in the 1998 embassy bombings have already been casualties among them: agent were Kenyan and Tanzanian citizens. A heavily guard- Edward Seitz was killed in October 2004. If Foreign ed, physically well-protected embassy or consulate is Service personnel are all on the firing line, DS is oper-

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ating as “point” on every security Some FSOs see themselves ered sufficient admonition. You mission overseas. had to work hard at careless inat- Guarding the State Depart- as being disproportionately tention before security infrac- ment. Over a generation, Main tions became a personnel issue. State and its multiple annexes penalized for isolated Now the warnings from DS have moved from walk in/go any- are Draconian. A relatively small where to a substantially tighter infractions whose number of security violations level of protection and exclusion. within a limited period of time With coded “smart” picture IDs seriousness is not always (three within a rolling three-year and punch-in codes, State now period) will result in a proposal has reached the level of security readily apparent. for a written reprimand from the present at the CIA 20 years ago. Office of Employee Relations in Entry for officers from other the Bureau of Human Resources. agencies is time-consuming; IDs must be visible at all If an employee commits additional infractions or a full- times; X-ray screening is required for all packages car- fledged security violation, the penalty becomes pro- ried by visitors, even official ones; employees are issued gressively harsher and the likelihood of disciplinary protective masks. Within Main State and its action rises. Although not a career-killer per se for Washington annexes, virtually every office door is con- tenured officers, such punishment does affect promo- trolled. FSO retirees can no longer drop in to their old tion potential. In particular, raters are required to offices solely on the strength of their retiree ID. A comment on a pattern of security incidents in an major effort has been made to seal off the basement employee’s annual evaluation, and the “D” ambassado- and first floor at Main State from the rest of the build- rial and DCM selection committees are made aware of ing, limiting activity in these areas to “unclassified” the number of security incidents an employee has work. incurred. The result is, despite efforts to make the system Here is the gist of the disciplinary process. HR/ER user-friendly, tedious. But most of us have accepted it receives a memo from DS saying an employee has as an occupational requirement, mindful of the very three infractions within three years. HR/ER then pro- real prospect of terrorist attacks on Washington. (This poses a written reprimand, which will stay in the per- past May, an errant Cessna raised fears of a possible son’s official performance file until reviewed by one aerial biological attack, prompting a panicked evacua- tenure or one promotion board. The employee has the tion of much of Capitol Hill.) right to a written and oral reply to the allegations. One of the three deputy assistant secretaries in the director DS Cracks Down: Overdue or Overkill? general’s office then decides the case. If the person Where DS and other State employees interact less wants to grieve that decision, he or she files a grievance well, however, is under the provisions for security vio- with HR/G and has the right to appeal to the Foreign lations and background investigations. Some FSOs see Service Grievance Board. During this period, if the themselves as being disproportionately penalized for person has asked for prescriptive relief, the letter does isolated infractions whose seriousness is not always not go in the file. At the end of the process, if the dis- readily apparent. These include “pink slips” issued by cipline letter is sustained by the FSGB, the original Marines under DS supervision for an overlooked clas- board that evaluated the employee for promotion is sified document found among unclassified records; a called back to review the employee’s file with the letter hard drive left in a turned-off computer behind locked in it and decide whether to promote him or her. At that doors; or an open safe in a locked/guarded building. A point, the employee has the right to put his or her own generation ago, such slips were an embarrassment to letter in alongside the discipline letter. the conscientious officer, but a written explanation, If someone accumulates more than three infractions accompanied by a few words of counseling from a or a violation, he or she may be proposed for a suspen- supervisor or the regional security officer, were consid- sion. A letter containing a one-to-five-day suspension

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stays in the individual’s official The correlation between Jonathan Pollard or Robert performance file for two years (or Hansen, or the other more-or- until reviewed by two boards); a security violations and less-forgotten spies who have letter of a six-or-more-day sus- betrayed U.S. intelligence from pension stays in the file until the failure to be promoted has trusted positions. The case of employee is tenured or promoted Felix Bloch remains in an anom- — significantly increasing the become quite evident. alous category: it was intimated odds that he or she will be even- that the former Embassy Vienna tually be selected out. DCM consorted with Soviet The “point system” runs essentially as follows: agents, but charges were never formally laid. Still, • 10 points for each security violation received with- State has a real incentive not just to prevent “bad in the past 10 years; apples” from entering the barrel in the first place, but • 5 points for each security violation received to check the quality of the ones already in the larder to between the past 10 to 20 years; ensure that none have gone rotten. • 5 points for each security infraction received with- Two generations ago, the U.S. diplomatic gene pool in the past five years; was shallow; “old boys” from Harvard, Princeton, Yale • 2 points for each security infraction received in the and other Ivy League schools or equivalents were a past five to 10 years. limited, virtually self-vetting group of mostly WASP The Foreign Affairs Manual differentiates a “viola- males. But still, they generated Alger Hiss. A generation” from an “infraction” roughly as follows: tion ago, a married woman could not be a Foreign A security infraction, in the judgment of DS, does Service officer; an individual had to be naturalized for not result in actual or possible compromise of the infor- 10 years before being eligible for the diplomatic ser- mation. For example, at the end of the workday, an vice; known homosexuals could not hold security clear- employee leaves a security container unlocked and ances; foreign-born spouses were viewed as potential unattended, containing classified information, in an security problems; assignment to the country of a for- area which has been authorized for the storage of clas- eign-born spouse was unlikely; access to the highest- sified information. level intelligence was implicitly limited to the native- In contrast, a security violation is a security incident born and/or those without more than the slightest con- that, in DS judgment, results in actual or possible com- nection to hostile foreign countries. promise of the information. For example, if a classified The United States never had the equivalent of document is transmitted over an unclassified facsimile Canadian Prime Minister Elliot Trudeau’s precedent- machine, the incident would be adjudicated as a viola- setting declaration that the state has no place in the tion, as there is a real possibility for electronic inter- bedrooms of its citizens. Indeed, it was not until May ception and transcription of the classified document. 28, 1998, that President Bill Clinton issued Executive Security Clearances. We can all hope that the new, Order 13087 prohibiting discrimination against civilian more stringent penalties for security violations will elic- federal workers on the basis of sexual orientation. This it greater attention to security within State and was supplemented on June 23, 2000, by Executive embassies by “scared straight” employees. But it has Order 13160, which prohibited discrimination based greatly exacerbated the confrontational attitude on sexual orientation in federally conducted education between DS officers doing their jobs and their col- and training programs. And as of June 6, 2003, when leagues. Only those not planning on a full Foreign the Supreme Court overturned all state sodomy laws as Service career will now accept a security violation unconstitutional, these laws were still in effect as blithely. Accepting a security violation — even the felonies in both Maryland and Virginia. Today, Virginia most obvious one — is now fought tooth and nail; it is also remains one of seven states with a law prohibiting far easier to fight off the first or second than to try des- cohabitation of unmarried couples. Thus, while perately to avoid the third. enforcement of such laws clearly declined over the No one wants to discover at State an Aldrich Ames, years, DS could justify concern over activity that tech-

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nically remained illegal — and Promotion panels for those practice of temporarily remov- hence potentially subject to ing names from promotion lists, blackmail by foreign agents. at the FS-2 level and above pending security retraining, of Promotion Panels. The cor- those em- relation between security viola- now have access to ployees who had 30 or more secu- tions and failure to be promoted rity incident points. Further- has become quite evident. employees’ security records more, an officer’s name is only Promotion panels for those at the removed from the list if there is a FS-2 level and above now have for the past five years. pending investigation or discipli- access to employees’ security nary action. However, perhaps records for the past five years. more damaging to morale is the Although employees receive written notice of their anticipation among FS personnel that promotion pan- right to submit explanations for such violations, they els will use the presence of a “rap” sheet (regardless of may not do so with alacrity, despite AFSA’s efforts to how harmless or explicable the specific infractions remind members of those avenues. Additionally, if an cited) as a quick sorting mechanism for mid-ranking a FSO has had three security violations within three candidate. years, a prospective promotion can be delayed or even After intensive discussion with State management, denied pending the outcome of disciplinary and griev- AFSA believes that its efforts mitigated initially harsh- ance proceedings. er proposals. But promotions are always fewer than the At AFSA’s insistence, the department ceased its number qualified, and the new security rules and the

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penalties for violations are Even before the 9/11 process. Studies have suggested viewed as another obstacle by that individuals do not enter gov- many FSOs. attacks, the word was out: ernment with the career objec- Nevertheless, there has been tive of becoming traitors; a vari- a bitter dispute between some handling classified ety of post-entry career failures AFSA members and the Gover- and personal factors turn them ning Board over its decision to material was no longer toward spying. Consequently, accept the State Department’s update background investiga- position on internal security a casual matter. tions are more frequent; five without first referring the issue years now is the standard inter- to the AFSA membership in val between updates, rather than greater detail. In 2004, there was an effort to hold a a vague indefinite “when they get around to it.” The referendum to call the board to account on this point, questioning on every aspect of a candidate’s or an but the proposal did not generate sufficient support to employee’s life is unprecedented in detail. Those who meet the requirements set forth in the association’s have not recently encountered the new background bylaws for being formally presented. investigation will quickly appreciate that this is not the Central Casting. Likewise, there is continuing con- investigation of 10 or 20 years ago, with a relatively per- cern over naturalized citizens. While the overwhelming functory set of forms and no personal exchange with an majority of naturalized citizens are loyal Americans (after investigator. For those married to the same spouse for all, they chose the United States rather than being citi- 20 years, with their mortgage paid off and their drug of zens at birth), one study of espionage against the U.S. choice a medicinal evening glass of wine, the long between 1947 and 2001 found that 17 percent of these series of questions concerning finances, mental health, spies were naturalized citizens. (For comparison, just 3.8 sexual behavior, substance use, and criminal conduct percent of the general population is naturalized, accord- may seem bizarre rather than threatening. But for ing to the 2000 census.) Indeed, the CIA has had a con- those who might consider the quote, “When I was tinuing problem recruiting ethnic minorities of “hyphen- young and immature … I was young and immature” ated-American” background as significant numbers fail to more descriptive than amusing, the security back- pass the security clearance process. A former CIA officer ground investigation is a new challenge. To be sure, has written that two-thirds of all applicants presented for one doesn’t have to answer an investigator’s questions; clearance fail — primarily by not being able to pass poly- but neither is the department required to provide or graph tests. Nevertheless, the old rules and shibboleths renew a security clearance — it is a privilege, not a have been swept away. right. The Foreign Service of 2005 is “central casting:” The questions asked of those provided as points of that is, it more broadly reflects the ethnic-social-gen- contact/recommendations are also often (although not der-racial composition of the United States than ever in consistently) extended and detailed. At a minimum, the past. The current composition of the American you are generally no longer simply asked whether you Foreign Service illustrates the success of U.S. society recommend “X” for “a position of trust.” Yet, unless an — from Secretaries of State Condoleezza Rice and investigator obtains specific evidence that what has Colin Powell to your average “line” visa officer in been presented is incorrect or deliberately incomplete, Forgottenstan. This otherwise healthy development, it is difficult to deny a clearance. however, places unparalleled demands on security In search of greater security certainty, the department clearances in circumstances where what was once may ultimately circle back to the question of employing regarded as “deviance” in regard to sexual mores, mar- “lie detectors.” The polygraph has been an issue of con- riage and pre-employment drug use is now accepted as siderable drama for State. On Dec. 19, 1985, then- diversity and personal preference. Secretary of State George P. Shultz announced during a The consequence has been an increasingly demand- press conference that, if asked, he would take a lie detec- ing and doubtlessly more intrusive security clearance tor test “once”— and then resign. He continued: “The

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minute in this government that I The use of lie detectors money in security training. am told that I’m not trusted is Still, a widespread perception the day I leave.” Earlier in the at the CIA and in various lingers that the decision to press conference, Sec. Shultz increase personnel and physical had expressed “grave reserva- sections of the FBI and other security and, particularly, the tions” over polygraph testing, inclusion of security records in commenting that “It’s hardly a agencies has (at least the performance files presented scientific instrument. It tends to to promotion panels, were polit- identify quite a few people who potentially) opened the ically-driven moves that did not are innocent as guilty, and it actually reflect any major gaps in misses at least some fraction of gate for their use at the State’s security practices. people who are guilty of lying.” One major challenge comes For the ensuing 20 years, none State Department. in making the security infrac- of his successors has moved tion system more survivable for away from the Shultz ultimatum; substantive officers who all but however, State’s stance on poly- drown in the daily flood of clas- graph use is an internal policy position rather than a fed- sified information. Just as those who drive 100,000 eral regulation. miles per year are more likely to have accidents than While the technical shortcomings of “lie detectors” those who drive 1,000, senior officials often will have are widely recognized by professionals (Aldrich Ames infractions that those who deal almost exclusively with and other spies repeatedly passed polygraph exams), unclassified material will not. The same reality applies their use at the CIA and in various sections of the FBI to officers working 14-hour days under difficult condi- and other agencies has (at least potentially) opened the tions overseas, as opposed to 9-5ers at Main State. A gate for their use at the State Department. Indeed, one-size-fits-all set of security regulations may be “just” under specific circumstances (e.g., a liaison assignment but not “fair.” at CIA), an FSO must pass the same polygraph exam In short, no matter how stringent and well-funded a given to a CIA employee. For all of its shortcomings, system is in place, there will always be security infrac- the polygraph would be a powerful tool in the “scared tions, some of which (luckily for the offenders!) will straight” security arsenal — notwithstanding the philo- never be discovered. Indeed, the number of violations sophical objections and its technical weaknesses. can just as reasonably be attributed to stepped-up Eventually, the technical problems of the polygraph enforcement as to laxity. If the objective really is to may be overcome as new experiments using a function- eliminate all security infractions, however minor, that al magnetic resonance imaging machine demonstrate cannot be done on the cheap. The department may that distinctly different portions of the brain “light up” need to devote more funds to constructing “vaulted” during a true statement than during a lie. areas where classified material can be secured generally rather than individually. Likewise, technology now Changing the Culture permits “secure” computer terminals: expanding this There can be little doubt that the Foreign Service service would allow an officer to work from home has become significantly more security-conscious over rather than face the unenviable choice of spending the past few years. One reason for this increased another hour at the office or illegally taking classified awareness is the reality that the 9/11 attacks were a material home to finish. seminal event for the wave of new entrants hired under However these balancing acts are ultimately cali- the Diplomatic Readiness Initiative. But the personnel brated, we need to reach the point where security reg- of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security deserve most of ulations are regarded as “red lights” — where, even in the credit for this welcome development, achieved in the dead of night, a motorist will sit patiently waiting large part by encouraging their colleagues to be part of for the green — rather than as highway speed limits the solution and by investing substantial time and which are mainly observed in the breach. I

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STATE’S GLOBAL SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TEAM

DS IS BRINGING COURAGE AND CREATIVITY TO THE MISSION OF PROVIDING A SECURE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE CONDUCT OF AMERICAN DIPLOMACY.

BY RICHARD J. GRIFFIN

oday our diplomatic person- and security threats, and we fight high-tech espionage nel and facilities face greater threats than ever before in attempts against the State Department and U.S. our nation’sT history. In this dangerous climate, the work embassies. of the U.S. Department of State and our entire family of Without a doubt, our work can be very dangerous. foreign affairs agencies has never been more important. Indeed, our commitment to providing safety and securi- At the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, it is our highest ty for U.S. diplomacy comes at a high cost. Since the responsibility to ensure that American diplomats can beginning of 2004, 22 DS employees and contractors carry out our country’s foreign policy safely and securely, have lost their lives while working to achieve the mission even in the most dangerous places in the world. of the U.S. Department of State. Yet bureau employees DS is the security and law enforcement arm of the and contractors continue to step right into the middle of Department of State, protecting our nation’s diplomatic crisis situations, risking their lives to save others. In just facilities, people and information. Our global force of the past few months, DS agents fought their way into the 34,000 agents, engineers, couriers, security specialists, middle of angry mobs in Sierra Leone and Togo to rescue civil servants and other professionals work in U.S. embassy staff members under attack. Three other Washington, D.C.; in 23 other offices throughout the agents recently received heroism awards for rescuing United States; and at more than 265 locations worldwide. Haitian civilians who were being attacked by armed We safeguard employees from attacks by terrorists, pro- mobs during the uprising in that country last year. tect them during times of extreme civil disorder, track Though I was sworn in as assistant secretary of the down criminals who obtain U.S. passports and visas ille- Bureau of Diplomatic Security only a few months ago, on gally, and protect the Secretary of State, our U.N. ambas- June 22, 2005, it is abundantly clear to me that the men sador and foreign dignitaries who visit the United States. and women of the bureau — Foreign Service, Civil We provide protection in some of the world’s most polit- Service, Foreign Service Nationals and contractors alike ically volatile places, including Iraq, Afghanistan and — form an impressive team. They are an important part Haiti. We continually analyze intelligence on terrorist of our foreign policy apparatus.

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Security Threats Since the beginning of up architectural barriers outside For the foreseeable future, the our buildings and outfit doors and security of U.S. diplomatic opera- 2004, 22 DS employees and windows to withstand blasts and tions in Iraq will continue to be prevent forced entry. Experts con- one of our biggest concerns. The contractors have lost their stantly monitor and analyze intelli- Regional Security Office in Bagh- gence on terrorist activities and dad is fully engaged in protecting lives while working to security threats around the world. U.S. diplomatic personnel, secur- These security measures fortify ing State Department facilities, achieve the mission of the our official facilities, which histori- and directing overall security for cally were the focus of the vast State Department operations U.S. Department of State. majority of catastrophic attacks and throughout the country. threats. In recent years, however, Central to our worldwide strat- al-Qaida and other terror groups egy are programs to strengthen security measures at our increasingly are turning to “soft” targets when other more embassies, consulates and other facilities. DS works hardened assets prove too difficult to attack. Even before hand-in-hand with the State Department’s Bureau of the global al-Qaida threat materialized, we began imple- Overseas Buildings Operations in a long-term capital menting programs overseas to protect and educate our construction security program to replace our most vul- Foreign Service and Civil Service officers, their families nerable facilities worldwide. To take just one example, and private American citizens on this terrorist threat. DS agents are already on the ground to ensure that the These programs are not managed solely by DS but cut new embassy being constructed in Beijing remains across many State Department elements. They continue secure. Around the globe, 19 capital construction pro- to be refined. jects have been completed since 2000, with 36 more pro- Specifically, over the past seven years, DS has delivered jects now under way. OBO plans to award 14 capital con- more than 1,500 armored vehicles to posts overseas to struction contracts in Fiscal Year 2005, and 12 more the safely transport our people serving under heightened following year. The department plans to replace 131 of threat conditions. We have implemented a comprehensive its most vulnerable embassies and consulates between chemical/biological/radiological protection program. We 2007 and 2018. DS has also worked closely with OBO to provide local guards, roving patrols and reaction teams at enhance physical and technical security at embassies and our residences according to threat ratings, and have consulates; every post has had security enhancements. upgraded security at more than 13,000 overseas resi- Since the 1998 East Africa bombings through Fiscal Year dences. 2005, OBO’s Worldwide Security Upgrade and In conjunction with other bureaus in the department, Compound Security Upgrade programs have received DS also funded grants to increase security at schools $816 million in funding. attended by children of embassy employees. As of July Sophisticated security equipment adds another layer 2005, $39.5 million was obligated in a four-phase pro- of protection. Security engineers, assisted by security gram for overseas schools security enhancements — technicians and U.S. Navy Seabees, research, design and including shatter-resistant window film, public address install state-of-the-art electrical and mechanical systems systems, emergency radios as well as perimeter walls, that detect explosives and keep intruders away. They set fences, bollards, window grilles and closed circuit televi- sion systems. Security improvements have been funded Richard J. Griffin is assistant secretary for the Bureau for schools that receive educational grants from the of Diplomatic Security and director of the Office of department, as well as for non-department-assisted Foreign Missions, with the rank of ambassador. Prior schools attended by U.S. government employee depen- to assuming that position in June 2005, Griffin was dents and other U.S. citizen children. inspector general at the Department of Veterans These are just some of the many important security Affairs. He previously served in the U.S. Secret Service measures that have been implemented. Still, there is for 26 years, retiring in 1997 as its deputy director. much more to do, so DS will continue its concerted push

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to enhance security to protect our personnel and their a specialized DS course, mandatory for anyone headed to families outside U.S. embassies abroad. Iraq who will work under the authority of the U.S. ambas- For such efforts to succeed, however, it is vital for all sador, teaches students to detect hostile surveillance, pro- employees of the State Department and the other foreign vide emergency medical care and identify bombs. The affairs agencies to adhere rigorously to the security proce- instruction also familiarizes students with basic firearms dures implemented by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security techniques and provides training in chemical and biologi- and the Regional Security Officers at overseas posts. cal weapons countermeasures. DS offers a similar course While we understand that personnel can sometimes feel for those deploying to other critical-threat locations. hampered by the security procedures, especially those imposed at high-threat posts, it is essential that the proce- A Global Force dures be followed diligently. These measures are based At home and abroad, the Bureau of Diplomatic on careful analysis of the latest threat information and are Security administers many other wide-ranging, sophisti- designed to save lives. As stated in a recent Accountability cated security and law enforcement programs and opera- Review Board recommendation following the death of an tions. American diplomat in Baghdad last year, it is imperative To counter threats from hostile intelligence organiza- that everyone follows security regulations and ensures tions, our engineers conduct sophisticated technical that colleagues follow them as well. inspections to determine if anyone is spying on us with It is also vital that our personnel, especially those serv- high-tech espionage equipment, and scour our buildings ing in high-threat areas, are well trained. Toward that end, for hidden surveillance devices.

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To help secure U.S. borders from terrorists, drug traf- One of the bureau’s largest responsibilities is to provide fickers and members of organized crime, DS conducts high-level security for State Department officials and for investigations into visa and passport fraud and other foreign dignitaries who visit the United States. For major crimes. We also investigate threats against State multilateral events, this protective function swells Department personnel and facilities, and U.S. govern- immensely. Hundreds of DS agents are deployed to pro- ment employees abroad. In 2004, we helped return 113 tect the dignitaries, and the entire bureau pours vast fugitives to the United States to face justice, made more amounts of time and resources into securing the events. than 550 arrests for passport fraud, and made more than We did this for the Organization of American States 120 arrests for visa fraud. To further protect the integrity General Assembly in Florida in June, and we do the same of U.S. passports and visas, we have assigned 25 addition- every fall for the United Nations General Assembly in al criminal investigators overseas. DS is looking to con- New York. tinue expanding this successful program in coordination Most Foreign Service personnel are familiar with our with the Bureau of Consular Affairs. Diplomatic Courier Service, which ensures the secure The Bureau of Diplomatic Security also conducts secu- movement of classified U.S. government material across rity clearance investigations. During the past year, DS international boundaries. Although these materials for- conducted more than 18,000 background investigations merly were mostly papers and files, now the material on State Department employees and job applicants. The includes data processing equipment and construction bureau also cut the average processing time for security materials. The Courier Service has improved its opera- clearances from 195 to 97 days. In comparison, most tions by virtually ceasing use of military transportation for security clearances obtained elsewhere in the federal gov- normal pouch cargo services; instead, it is following best ernment take an average of 300 days. practices learned from top-notch American delivery The DS security and law enforcement team plays a key firms. role in the fight against international terrorism through Through our Office of Foreign Missions, we con- several important programs: tinue to improve the treatment of U.S. overseas person- • Our Antiterrorism Assistance Program teaches nel by the application of reciprocal treatment for foreign foreign police and security officers to fight terrorism in missions in the United States. We also work to protect their own countries, and provides them with the necessary the U.S. public from abuse of privileges and immunities, equipment to do so. As these countries stop terrorism in and better serve the large foreign mission community in their homelands, they also diminish its spread beyond the United States. In 2004, DS escorted more than 1,600 their borders, and add to the safety of diplomats and senior foreign officials through 30 domestic airports. Americans traveling abroad. OFM also secured construction tax-relief agreements • Our Rewards for Justice Program, which offers from October 2004 through July 2005 that will yield $102 reward money for information about terrorists, is one of million in foreign tax savings. the most valuable assets the U.S. government has in the As with any global security operation, DS must ensure fight against international terrorism. In 2004 alone, more that its assets, people and systems are integrated. Several than $7 million in rewards were approved. The program new DS technology initiatives are underway to help man- was instrumental in leading U.S. military forces in Iraq to age this complex operation. A revolutionary system to the location of Uday and Qusay Hussein, the former dic- enable the Washington-based DS Command Center to tator’s sons, in 2003. remotely monitor security systems at U.S. Foreign Service • The bureau is also dedicated to helping American posts is beginning full deployment, which is expected to businesses abroad combat threats from international take five years to complete. Our engineers have already criminals and terrorists through the Overseas Security installed these systems at 23 sites in 17 posts. Another ini- Advisory Council. Administered by DS, OSAC facili- tiative to make consolidated case management systems tates the exchange of security information with the U.S. available to agents worldwide is expected to be operational private sector abroad. by late 2005, while yet another initiative to facilitate global • DS has 20 special agents assigned to FBI Joint personnel management by tracking special agent availabil- Terrorism Task Forces nationwide. ity is already being used on a trial basis.

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Challenges is responsible for protecting the State Department’s As we move into the future, there is no doubt that our worldwide network of systems and information. Yet principal challenge will be confronting the increasing malicious cyber activity — including attempts to gath- worldwide terrorist and counterintelligence threats. er intelligence and launch attacks — is on the rise We also face very real security challenges in a number around the world. The department daily defends of regions around the world where the State against hundreds of thousands of probes and scans Department and other foreign affairs agencies operate launched against its sensitive networks. Thanks to our amidst groups extremely hostile to the United States. network defense programs, however, we are able to The recently enacted Intelligence Reform and detect, block, defend against and investigate most of Terrorism Prevention Act directs the Bureau of these malicious activities. In addition, DS employs a Diplomatic Security to expand significantly its role and robust suite of programs and tools that provide timely responsibilities. The law, enacted in December 2004, and accurate intelligence reports, threat analyses and gives DS the lead for developing a national strategy to policy recommendations. combat visa and passport fraud. Among other initia- The Department of State’s mission is critical, and tives, we will establish a criminal analysis branch that the threats we face are real and growing. The Bureau will enable us to recognize and counter trends in visa of Diplomatic Security will confront these threats with and passport fraud. This new unit should be fully oper- courage, creativity and a solemn commitment to pro- ational by the end of 2005. vide a secure environment for the conduct of American Another immediate challenge is cyber security. DS diplomacy. I

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DS GETS ITS MAN

COLLABORATING WITH U.S. AND FOREIGN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IS AN IMPORTANT, IF UNDERPUBLICIZED, COMPONENT OF THE DIPLOMATIC SECURITY BUREAU’S WORK.

BY KEVIN WHITELAW

n one tour of duty in Belize, Thad been extremely press-shy, but officials granted rare Osterhout has hunted down a cop-killer, suspected access to its operations and staff in Belize. Here, work- crack cocaineI dealers, a man who allegedly raped a ing with a government that has become increasingly mentally retarded woman and several pedophiles. He enthusiastic about cooperating, Osterhout has helped even helped return a boy kidnapped by his father. And return some 57 fugitives to the United States. The U.S. that was the fun part of his job. Osterhout, a career Marshals Service traditionally has the lead role in hunt- agent in the State Department’s Diplomatic Security ing fugitives, but with field offices in only three foreign Bureau, just wrapped up three-and-a-half years as the countries, it leans heavily on DS — and its agents in Regional Security Officer at the U.S. embassy in 159 countries. For Osterhout, this sometimes means Belize. simply helping other U.S. law enforcement agencies While his primary responsibility was the security of navigate the complex array of paperwork needed for the embassy and its staff, Osterhout spent about half deportations or extraditions. But the Belize govern- his time chasing after a motley assortment of wanted ment has granted Osterhout a surprising amount of criminals who fled to the tiny Central American nation leeway to conduct actual investigations. Authorized to to evade U.S. justice. For years, with its poorly-paid carry a concealed weapon 24 hours a day, he regularly police forces, rampant corruption and spotty extradi- runs his own inquiries, often calling in the police only tion treaties, the entire region has been seen as a haven for the actual arrest. for fugitives. But at least in some countries, things are starting to change. In all, DS helped return 104 fugi- Dangerous, Dicey at Times tives from 40 countries last year, up from about 80 the The work can be quite dangerous at times. On April year before. This year looks even better. In Costa Rica 29, 2003, Osterhout received a call from the Marshals alone, for example, agents brought back 11 fugitives in Service, which was pursuing a violent criminal, the first six months of 2005. Michael Webster, wanted for drug trafficking and sex- The Bureau of Diplomatic Security has traditionally ual abuse of three children (and later charged with

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murder). His wanted poster The U.S. Marshals Service the ride and got lucky this time. noted that as a gang member, he Just as the police were pulling up sported a Grim Reaper tattoo traditionally has the lead role to the one-room shack in two and went by the nickname “Big unmarked trucks, Webster hap- Man.” Webster, a Belizean who in hunting fugitives, but with pened to walk outside with one of grew up in the United States and his friends. He was so caught off- was now on the U.S. Marshals’ field offices in only three guard that he surrendered with- Top 15 Wanted List, had recent- out incident, while his friend ly returned to his home country. foreign countries, it leans jumped into the swamp clutching Osterhout dispatched his secret a small bag of marijuana. Police investigative weapon, a former heavily on DS. had to fish him out. Belizean policeman now work- Osterhout recalls that life on ing as a Foreign Service Nation- the run was not kind to Webster. al at the embassy. Keith Hamilton promptly began A big man once weighing in at 235 pounds, he had lost chasing Webster all around the country. “He was hop- lots of weight. With no screens on his house and huge scotching from location to location,” says Hamilton. gaps in the wooden walls, Webster was covered with Osterhout later learned that Webster’s father had mosquito bites. driven him to Belize all the way from Chicago after a Since Webster was a Belizean citizen, Osterhout had warrant was issued for his release. But he was difficult to work through the lengthy extradition process. to track. In the month of May 2003 alone, Webster Webster fought it every step of the way. It took more moved three different times. For a while, he was even than five months, but the order was finally approved sleeping outside, amid tall reeds. At one point, and a pair of U.S. marshals came down to escort Osterhout and Hamilton tracked Webster to a particu- Webster to Illinois, where he remains in jail today. larly rough neighborhood in gritty Belize City. The pair tried to scout out the rundown apartment complex On-the-Job Training where he was apparently staying, but quickly had to The 34-year-old one-time ski patroller from upstate turn back when things turned dicey. “The streets New York spent his first three years in DS (starting in cleared out,” recalls Osterhout. “It was obvious we had 1997) based in New York City, where he served on pro- been had.” By late June 2003, Hamilton had traced tective details for dignitaries ranging from the late Webster to a rickety home on stilts right next to a Yasser Arafat to the Dalai Lama. He next went to Peru swamp in Ladyville, a suburb of Belize City. But they for two years as the assistant RSO. needed to be sure. “If you jump prematurely and get A quick survey of the four photos that hung above the police charging in, then the person really goes into Osterhout’s desk in Belize reveals the variety of a typical DS hiding,” says Osterhout. “We’re always trying to pre- career. The first shows the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, for serve the element of surprise.” which he had to help arrange a Peruvian naval escort as it Hamilton cased the neighborhood and staked out the sailed around South America shortly after the 9/11 attacks. house. It looked like Webster was there to stay. “He was “I joked that I slept through the day of RSO school when known in the area for his violent tendencies,” says they taught us how to protect a nuclear aircraft carrier,” he Hamilton. So Osterhout worked with the Belize police to says. The second depicts Osterhout with a group of DS set up a raid. First, he briefed them on the dangers of agents on temporary duty in Yemen protecting the U.S. going after Webster. “We warned them that he might ambassador. He was in full tactical gear for the third pic- fight,” says Osterhout. For a police force that has few, if ture, escorting a congressional delegation through Shining any, bulletproof vests, this was particularly risky. But on Path country in Peru. And the fourth shows him guarding June 30, 2003, Osterhout and Hamilton went along for former Secretary of State Colin Powell in Peru on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. “If you don’t like what you’re Kevin Whitelaw covers national security and foreign doing,” says Osterhout, “in two years, you can go halfway affairs for U.S. News and World Report. around the world and do something else.”

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Unlikely Allies fter an Ecuadorian named Angel It could have gone either way, but after a Mariscal was arrested in Miami in It fell to the RSO series of diplomatic meetings, Cuba decided ASeptember 2002, police searching his to cooperate. “It goes up to the top,” says house found almost 500 hours of videotape Durkin. Cuban leader Fidel Castro “has to sign depicting children having sex. For U.S. postal to try to persuade off on it.” After several months of negotia- investigators trying to crack a mail-order tions and investigation, the Cubans were able child pornography ring, this was a huge Cuba to assist in the to supply copious detail on Mariscal’s move- breakthrough. But when they sat down to ments in Cuba, from immigration to hotel examine the tapes, they became concerned. records. “They had every phone call over The footage had apparently all been filmed in sensitive inquiry. seven years,” he says. “They keep everything Cuba. down there.” Establishing the exact times that With no U.S. diplomatic presence in Cuba, Mariscal was in Cuba was key to placing him authorities feared that it could complicate the prosecution. After at the scene, because many of the videos had dates electronically all, the Cuban government, which harbors dozens of American embedded in them. Authorities also helped identify the victims and fugitives, rarely cooperates with U.S. law enforcement. Indeed, some of Mariscal’s associates. Durkin even did some sleuthing on U.S. diplomats there are routinely harassed by Cuban security ser- his own, photographing the landmarks from the sites and some of vices. And the State Department publicly accuses Havana of tol- the rooms where the sex scenes were filmed. erating widespread child prostitution and trafficking in children. Then came the most sensitive part: the Justice Department It fell to Patrick Durkin, the Regional Security Officer (and the wanted Durkin to interview some of the victims so that he could only Diplomatic Security agent) in the U.S. Interests Section in testify at Mariscal’s sentencing. The Cuban government agreed, Havana, to try to persuade Cuba to assist in the sensitive inquiry. but set several conditions, permitting only gentle questions and “It was lose-lose for them,” he says. “If they didn’t cooperate, it requiring the girls’ fathers to be present for the sessions at a Cuban would confirm that they make no effort to combat the problem. If protocol office. He ended up interviewing two girls and one little they did, they could expose themselves to a problem they don’t boy. Durkin was limited to seven questions for each child, includ- acknowledge — sexual tourism.” ing their names, ages and whether or not they remember meeting When Durkin first viewed stills from the tapes, he immediately Mariscal. “The kids were tentative and scared,” says Durkin. “I recognized several Cuban landmarks; one was a high-rise on his told them they didn’t do anything bad.” One 14-year old girl, who morning commute. The most heartbreaking clips showed very first appeared in Mariscal’s tapes when she was 9, told him that her young, naked Cuban girls with forlorn expressions. In all, some aunt introduced her to Mariscal. “She is probably scarred for life,” 120 girls and boys were shown exposing themselves or having sex Durkin says. One father broke down and started weeping during with Mariscal and two other adults. It turned out later that some the session. of the girls were under 12 years old — the youngest was 7. The Even worse, medical tests had revealed that Mariscal was HIV- tapes had been made over the course of several years — and positive. It was Durkin’s job to inform the Cuban government, some of the same girls showed up over and over. Mariscal had which later claimed that the girls all tested negative. “Let’s hope been charging as much as $1,000 per tape. that’s accurate,” he says. But to make an airtight case, Durkin needed evidence that At his trial, Mariscal was found guilty. On Sept. 24, 2004, he placed Mariscal in Cuba — and, more importantly, positively iden- was sentenced to 100 years in jail. At the sentencing, Judge Cecilia tified at least some of the children as real people and verified their Altonaga said his crimes were so reprehensible “that it gravitates ages. Authorities also hoped that the Cuban police would arrest at or near the bottom rung of human behavior.” Mariscal’s local accomplices. — Kevin Whitelaw

Belize definitely falls into the “something else” cate- gunmen. The other side is what the predominantly gory. The small U.S. mission to this former British colony American tourists see, where snorkelers and windsurfers is housed in a quaint, wooden building near the dot the clear blue waters around sun-kissed islands. Caribbean coast. In effect, it ends up straddling what are While some fugitives appreciate the chaos of the capital, almost two separate nations inside this tiny country of most are drawn by the sun. “The fugitives come for the 280,000 people. The poor and violent Belize City is same reasons as the tourists,” says Gerald Westby, plagued by gun crimes, the latest trend being “pedal-by” Belize’s police commissioner. “It’s English-speaking and shootings, gangland-style assassinations by bicycle-riding close to Mexico.”

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When he was first assigned Four photos hung above starry night, Hamilton donned there in February 2002, Oster- his Army camouflage and hout had little experience chas- Osterhout’s desk in Belize strapped on his Sig 9 mm pistol ing fugitives. So teaming up to trek into the jungle. As he with the cash-strapped police reveal the variety of a approached the cabin, he could gave both parties on-the-job tell that it had been recently training. Several policemen typical DS career. occupied. “It was a stick recall having to borrow one of house, bound with wire, and a Osterhout’s vehicles to make an makeshift door,” he recalls. arrest, or even to escort fugitives to the airport. But several days of torrential rain had produced These days, the cooperation is at a whole new level. swarms of mosquitoes that had apparently driven Davis “The Belize police have made a name for themselves away. Finally, in mid-September, Hamilton got a tip with the assistance they’ve given us,” says Osterhout, that paid off. Police arrested Davis, covered in mos- noting they have even detailed a police sergeant to quito bites, at a friend’s house and he was deported two work at the embassy. For the local government, there days later. “Keith is like a pit bull,” says Osterhout, not- is also plain self-interest. “These criminals, we do not ing that Hamilton was named Civilian of the Year for wish to have them here,” says Commissioner Westby. 2003 by the Federal Law Enforcement Officers “The political will is there.” Osterhout has also been Association. “I give him these cases and he just doesn’t careful to reward them by arranging U.S. help with let go until he gets these people.” equipment and training. “They give us incentives,” says Belize police inspector Alford Grinage. “They Nabbing a Butcher gave us a nice camera to help us take our ‘rogues’ Perhaps the most infamous case that Osterhout and gallery’ pictures.” And this past August, U.S. marshals Hamilton worked involved a Cuban nicknamed the went to Belize in August to conduct specialized train- “Butcher of South Beach.” The TV show “America’s ing. “Belize is very close to being one of the most coop- Most Wanted” even did a 1999 segment on Reinaldo erative Latin American nations,” says James Schield, Silvestre, who allegedly posed as a Miami plastic sur- chief of international investigations at the U.S. geon. Never licensed to practice medicine, Silvestre Marshals Service. “And I expect it will get even better.” left behind him a trail of botched breast augmentations Osterhout’s first case began in April 2002, when he and scarred women, according to police. In one par- pursued Christopher Davis, a convicted murderer who ticularly grisly operation, Silvestre allegedly gave breast violated his parole and fled to Belize. That was also implants to a Mexican bodybuilder who wanted pec- when Osterhout realized just how valuable a sleuth toral implants. Even worse, the bodybuilder remem- Keith Hamilton was. A veteran Belize cop, Hamilton bers waking up in the middle of the surgery, apparent- served with a Belize police tactical unit before found- ly not having been given enough anesthetic. After ing his own security firm in New York and becoming a practicing for at least 16 months in Florida, Silvestre U.S. citizen. He’s been a full-time investigator with the disappeared in May 1999. U.S. embassy since 1999. After the U.S. marshals After a rerun of the episode in 2003, Osterhout got passed on the Davis tip, Hamilton spent months trying a call from the Miami police, who had been tipped off to chase Davis down as he hopped around the country, that Silvestre was practicing medicine in Belize. starting in a Belize City mosque and later moving deep- Within two months, Silvestre had been located, teacher and deeper into the jungle. Hamilton got close sev- ing at a local Belize medical college. But since Silvestre eral times, tracking him at one point to a local restau- was not a U.S. citizen, he could not be deported to rant. The police raided the place, ostensibly looking Miami. Instead, he would have to go through the for drugs, but Davis slipped out the back. lengthy extradition process. Indeed, it took more than Hamilton kept looking. One of his tipsters suggest- a year for the extradition paperwork to be assembled in ed that Davis was holed up in a cabin deep in the jun- the United States and formally sent to Belize. In the gle on 500 acres owned by the mosque. So late one meantime, Hamilton kept loose tabs on Silvestre, hop-

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ing he would stay put. “Our concern early on was that deport them both. A few weeks later, Crel showed up he was practicing medicine,” says Osterhout. “But we at the embassy looking for his brother’s passport, saying can’t do anything until the extradition request arrives.” Victor was in Mexico. Consular officials showed him Sometimes, he adds, “The hard work is getting them his brother’s passport, but said Victor would have to out of here.” pick it up himself. Victor showed up the next day, and Finally, on Oct. 7, 2004, Grinage, the Belize police- was promptly arrested by the Belize police. It took man, staked out Silvestre’s house all night long. When another few weeks to track down Crel, who had moved Silvestre walked out to the main street in his white deep into the jungle on a government surveying pro- medical coat to wait for his ride to work, police moved ject. Both are currently awaiting trial in the United in and arrested him. “He was all red and trembling,” States. says Grinage.” Searching his home, they found evidence of a clinic downstairs, where he had apparently “Semper Gumby” been seeing patients. At first, Silvestre pledged to fight Informally, DS agents joke that their motto should the extradition. But after a short spell at Belize’s be “Semper Gumby,” combining the U.S. Marines’ slo- squalid prison in Hattieville, he dropped his appeal and gan with the name of the flexible green cartoon char- was sent home to Miami. “They go to Hattieville and acter. “There is no way to anticipate everything and decide it’s not for them,” says David Chi, a Belize have rules and regulations for it all,” says Osterhout. police sergeant detailed to the embassy. “That’s how He remembers a local coming into the embassy one we get rid of a lot of them.” Silvestre’s trial was sched- day with a tip about stolen American luxury cars. The uled to begin in late August. “walk-in” described how a business contact was pur- Sometimes, the fugitives make it easy. Police in the chasing a brand-new Cadillac Escalade from the popular tourist town of San Pedro, on Ambergris Caye, United States, but only paying half the sticker price. “I noticed Charles Mendenhall, who was wanted for had never worked stolen vehicles before,” Osterhout attempted murder back in Florida, after he got into a says. “It’s not a normal DS thing.” But armed with the dispute with a bar owner over his bill. Another vehicle identification number and the car’s color, he American fugitive got arrested for allegedly burgling a discovered that the car had been “cloned.” In other bar. Paul Linney had been released and disappeared, words, thieves had altered the VIN number of a stolen however, before Osterhout learned he was wanted back car to match a legitimate one, masking the theft. The in Texas for parole violations. It took several more car was then whisked through Belize customs, thanks weeks, but Osterhout located one of Linney’s former apparently to the buyer’s political connections. girlfriends. She promptly agreed to call him with the In the next months, another Escalade and two story that she wanted to get back together with him. Hummer-2s came in with suspiciously low sale prices. He suggested a reunion at a local restaurant, where Eventually, with the help of U.S. customs experts, police were waiting to arrest him again. Osterhout was able to convince the Belizeans to Victor Bradley, wanted in Oklahoma on charges of impound them and return some of the cars. In all, he raping a mentally retarded woman, practically fell into has helped return some $800,000 worth of stolen luxu- Osterhout’s lap. He showed up at the U.S. embassy to ry cars to the United States. “We’re getting these vehi- apply for a new passport. A suspicious consular officer cles back, which is not the case in most Central pointed him out to Osterhout, who discovered he was a American countries,” says Osterhout, noting that there fugitive. (About the same time, Osterhout learned that are suspicions that some of the stolen cars are tied to Victor’s brother, Crel, was also a fugitive in Belize, terrorist financing. wanted for parole violations on a child molestation con- One day, Osterhout even got a tip about a parasail viction.) boat stolen from Florida. As it turned out, two men Osterhout set up a small sting operation. had sailed the boat to Cuba, where they ran out of gas Instructing the consular official to have Victor return in and were picked up by police there. After somehow three weeks to pick up his new passport, Osterhout getting released, they sailed to Mexico and then south, worked quickly to obtain the necessary warrants to until they hit Belize. By the time Osterhout found

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them, they had lost their shirts The Bureau of Diplomatic child-care business was set to and shoes. “They were actually open. happy to see me,” he says. Security has traditionally Still, not all fugitives get Probably the most gratifying caught. Belize’s most famous cases to resolve for both Oster- been extremely press-shy. fugitive is probably Joseph Ross, hout and the Belizeans are the who once ran an aviation firm in pedophiles. “These guys are Oklahoma. Ross was indicted horrible,” says Westby. One for tax fraud in 1986 and even- convicted child molester, named Frederick Schaefer, tually found his way to Belize. After procuring Belizean was arrested in Belize in 2003 on immigration charges. citizenship, he now runs a luxury jungle resort there. But by the time Osterhout learned of his criminal past, When Osterhout left Belize (to return to a job with DS a local religious group had bailed him out. A year later, headquarters back in Washington, D.C.), he had more police began hearing new rumors about Schaefer than a dozen open cases, ranging from wanted murderers allegedly hanging around with children and planning to to child pornographers to an investment fraudster. But start a day-care business. No U.S. authorities were what sticks in his mind are the words of one fugitive he pursuing any warrants for Schaefer, so Osterhout asked caught after a two-year chase. The man told him, “You a DS colleague in Washington to find someone to take guys have no idea how many other fugitives are here.” on the case. Officials in California agreed to do so, and Osterhout doesn’t disagree: “We’ve always had the suspi- Schaefer was ordered expelled on the same day his cion that there are more out there.” I

THE REMINGTON

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EMBASSY DESIGN: SECURITY VS. OPENNESS

IS ARCHITECTURE IMPORTANT FOR DIPLOMACY? AN ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN DISCUSSES THE NEED TO BALANCE SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY.

BY JANE C. LOEFFLER, PH.D.

he fearful stance assumed by they could not penetrate America’s brand new 26-acre isolated, walled compounds that represent the United hilltop consular compound in Istanbul (designed by States abroadT is cause for concern. At a time when Zimmer Gunsul Frasca in 1999 and completed in 2003), administration officials including Vice President Dick terrorists blew up the more accessible British consulate Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld are and a neighboring bank instead. In the aftermath of that touting the urgent need for better public diplomacy, the incident, which claimed dozens of lives, including that of State Department is building embassies that do not the British consul general, State Department officials felt reflect that agenda. In fact, the inaccessibility of these vindicated in their decision to abandon the former U.S. buildings, coupled with the new standardized design, consulate located near the British facility and move to the may be harming efforts to portray America as an open new hilltop compound. Yet according to British press society. reports, there was no immediate call in the U.K. to aban- This is regrettable, but not hard to explain. First, don existing facilities. As The Times reported, “British while no one argues with the need for increased security, diplomats would be loath to retreat behind the high walls few dare to question the no-risk security imperative that and suburban locations of their American counterparts.” is responsible for the faceless architecture and the com- Touring the wreckage in Istanbul, British Foreign petitive craving, evident even among government agen- Secretary Jack Straw declared: “Everybody is now a tar- cies here in Washington, for bollards and barriers that get.” mark one facility as more strategically important than When viewed from that perspective, providing securi- another. Intentionally or not, the process of securing cer- ty is not a piece-by-piece process, but more of a sequen- tain buildings has the effect of making others more vul- tial challenge. Once our offices are fortified, businesses nerable, both here and abroad. The interconnectedness and banks become targets, then hotels, or homes, or of individual security decisions is something that has not churches, or even schools. And if by circling our wagons been adequately assessed. we imperil our allies, then we are only relocating risk, and Late in 2003, for example, having determined that that is really no long-term solution to the threats we face.

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The second reason why the There were numerous tional system of government. State Department has been Congress eagerly funded the pro- pushed into the corner it is now in inviting buildings whose gram to counter the Soviet infor- is because the administration has mation program (described by us assumed a unilateral stance and mission was to “sell” as “propaganda”) and to provide Congress has identified speed and visible alternatives to the tradi- cost as its top priorities. So State democracy and to make tionally designed Soviet facilities finds itself evaluating new embassy known as “Houses of Culture.” projects for their efficiency, not for America available and By all accounts the postwar U.S. what they may say about us as a German program succeeded in its country. attractive to skeptics and goals. It was but a part of a larger program that built chanceries in A Friendly and Forward- former enemies. key capitals and consulates in Looking Presence many other important cities It was not long ago that the around the world and created a U.S. foreign building program was celebrated as an apt high-profile U.S. presence recognized at the time as expression of American democracy. This was especial- friendly and forward-looking. In fact, architects who ly evident, for example, at the end of World War II in designed those buildings were specifically instructed Germany, where the United States embarked on a by the State Department’s Office of Foreign Buildings large-scale postwar building program that featured Operations to devise designs that showed mutual information centers, libraries and an array of consulates respect and created goodwill for the United States. across the country to maximize outreach to the German Indian Prime Minister Nehru was one who compli- public. Instead of a single imposing structure designed mented the new embassy in New Delhi (designed by to proclaim U.S. dominance, there were numerous Edward Durell Stone and completed in 1959) for those inviting buildings whose mission was to “sell” democra- very achievements at a time when his praise had diplo- cy and to make America available and attractive to matic significance. skeptics and former enemies. The architecture was The heyday of the building program coincided with modern, to emphasize a break with the past and the height of the Cold War, when the United States want- embody the transparency embedded in our constitu- ed to amplify its foreign presence to check Soviet expan- sion. The department’s Office of Foreign Buildings Jane C. Loeffler, Ph.D., is an architectural historian who Operations built dozens of new embassies with spaces has written extensively on issues related to the security and and programs that reflected the idealistic mood of that design of U.S. embassies. Her book, The Architecture of era. Prominent and soon-to-be-prominent architects Diplomacy: Building America’s Embassies (1998) is a his- won prized commissions from FBO and created signa- tory of the U.S. foreign building program. For the book ture structures that won them professional acclaim. and her contributions to international affairs, the U.S. Although FBO managed a portfolio of remarkable land- Department of State awarded her its Distinguished Public mark buildings of great historical significance, it was easy Service Award in 1998. to overlook the architecture from here because the sites Loeffler is a consultant to the Office of the Historian at were so distant and unfamiliar, there was so little public the State Department and a visiting associate professor at awareness of the mission of the Foreign Service and so the University of Maryland, College Park. A contributing little understanding of diplomatic practice. author to Building Diplomacy (2004) and Embassy Resi- Funding for the program was unpredictable after dences in Washington, D.C. (2003), she writes articles postwar debts and counterpart funds that originally on public buildings and public policy. She also serves financed it disappeared. When Congress was asked in on the Architect of the Capitol’s expert advisory panel the early 1960s to pick up the whole tab for the program, reviewing the new proposed master plan for the U.S. members began to bicker over mundane matters and Capitol complex. ignored pressing needs. Projects were suspended or

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scrapped, funding levels fell and Since the 1980s and 1990s, met Inman standards. domestic political ambitions The Crowe accountability became co-mingled with long- when terrorist attacks on reports stressed that safety had to term foreign needs to the detri- outweigh considerations of con- ment of the overall program. U.S. facilities proliferated, venience, history or symbolism. Congressman Wayne Hays, D- In a 1999 interview, Admiral Ohio, for one, had no confidence America’s foreign presence William J. Crowe, former chair- in the future of post-colonial man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Africa, and he translated his own has been undergoing a and also former U.S. ambassador doubts into funding stops that in London, described how he partially explain why Africa profound makeover. supervised an emergency drill in received so little attention during which more than 700 embassy the many years in which he held employees evacuated the London sway over State Department chancery and assembled quickly authorizations. He also held up the Dublin chancery in the middle of Grosvenor Square, only to realize “how project (designed by John Johansen in 1957 but not com- stupid that was.” No building can be totally secure, he pleted until 1964), ostensibly over objections to the noted, certainly no building in the middle of London; drum-like design that he compared to a “flying saucer.” but he urged the State Department to enact stringent Intended as a modern version of a Celtic tower, it fea- new security rules and military-style drills to better pro- tured large expanses of floor-to-ceiling glass (and a dry tect its personnel. moat). When President Kennedy personally intervened, Why didn’t the State Department implement more of Hays quickly withdrew his objections and the project the Inman recommendations during those 14 years? moved ahead — but five years behind schedule. First, and foremost, because Beirut faded quickly from memory and Congress reneged on promised funds, even Toward A Profound Makeover cutting State Department appropriations. In addition, As U.S. involvement in Vietnam escalated, security even at the highest levels of the department, officials became a greater concern at posts abroad, and designs were ambivalent about applying universal standards to had to meet revised specifications — eliminating, for buildings everywhere, and reluctant to abandon land- example, popular features including stilts, glass walls and mark buildings and center-city locations. These officials the sunscreens that had sometimes permitted intruders recognized the added value that good design can bring to to scale building facades. The embassy in Nairobi (built diplomacy. in 1971) was one of the plain, unobtrusive and supposed- Adding to the impact of the two critical accountabil- ly less vulnerable products of that era. ity reports, the Overseas Presence Advisory Panel — Since the 1980s and 1990s, when terrorist attacks on established by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright as U.S. facilities proliferated, America’s foreign presence part of the effort to re-examine the role of U.S. mis- has been undergoing a profound makeover. The agenda sions abroad in the aftermath of the Africa embassy for that makeover was initially outlined in the Inman bombings — issued a scathing overview of conditions Report (1985), compiled in the aftermath of suicide at U.S. posts in 1999. OPAP panelists called for a bombings of U.S. facilities in Beirut. That report called reduced U.S. presence and questioned the State for a seven-year plan to replace 126 posts (out of 262) Department’s capacity to handle the enormous task of with walled compounds, and it proposed stringent new upgrading or replacing its embassies and managing its security standards, minimums for setbacks, maximums vast real estate holdings. Instead of calling on Congress for windows and other rules that constrained architectur- to commit funds to needed programs, it recommended al choice. The Crowe Report (1999) reiterated the large- abolishing the FBO and urged the president to create ly unheeded Inman recommendations 14 years later, a federally chartered government corporation to after even more devastating terrorist attacks on U.S. replace it. The State Department was not interested in embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, neither of which that sort of makeover, however.

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The New OBO: The Standard Embassy work under such time pressure A Radical Shift that contractors are often pouring Desperate to rebuild confi- Design prototype comes in foundations while architects are dence in its operations, and stung still completing working drawings. by criticism from many directions, three sizes (S, M, L), HOK Architects and J.A. Jones Secretary of State Colin Powell Construction are producing SEDs named a former military man, all consisting of two parallel in Tashkent and Tbilisi, for exam- retired Major General Charles ple. And INTEGRUS Architec- Williams, to head FBO in 2001. building blocks separated ture and Caddell Construction Powell also approved a change in have SEDs in production in Con- the name of the office to Overseas by an atrium. akry, Bamako and Freetown — all Buildings Operations and elevat- varying in size, but based on the ed its status within the depart- “medium” model. For these pro- ment, effectively abolishing the former office. It was a jects, costs are fixed once a bid is accepted. The timetable signal to Congress that an entirely new agenda and a is pre-set. If expenses rise during the construction phase, new way of doing business had been adopted. it is up to builders to find ways to reduce total costs. As part of his reorganization of the office, Williams This puts the squeeze on the architects, who can see adopted a business model, turned to design-build pro- their input compromised or eliminated in the process. It duction, and created an Industry Advisory Panel that also means that features designed to improve the work- mostly represents the corporate side of the construction place environment are often eliminated. According to industry. In doing so, he marginalized the existing Jerry Winkler, designer for INTEGRUS, architects can Architectural Advisory Board, created in 1954 to provide still add distinction to such projects through site plan- outside expert advice — in an era when modern archi- ning, landscape treatment, choice of cladding materials, tecture, not terrorism, was provoking concern. Also, with and façade organization, including window spacing and 89 percent of all primary facilities failing to meet the 100- size, but, he notes, “The people who are paying the bills foot setback requirement, only two of the 25 replacement are driving the process.” Winkler’s point is significant projects funded after the 1998 bombings completed, a because it suggests rightfully that the client for embassy total of 160 replacement facilities to build, and an esti- construction is not OBO, not even the State Department, mated budget requirement of $16 billion, Williams but members of Congress who authorize and appropriate turned to the URS Corporation for a standard embassy the money, and by extension those of us who elect them. design. Based on the recent RTKL Associates’ scheme What Congress likes about Williams and his new pro- for Kampala, the SED prototype comes in three sizes gram others find troubling. Some sort of standardization (small, medium and large), all consisting of two parallel makes sense in a program devoted to a single building building blocks separated by an atrium. With a core type, and it makes sense, too, to hire contractors with preapproved for security, new projects have a 24-month experience, but what many object to is the notion of “a timetable, start to finish. (You can see photos and draw- cookie-cutter embassy” that is symbolized by a logo and ings of these projects at http://www.state.gov/obo/.) sells sameness much like Marriott or McDonald’s. If, as This is a radical shift from the earlier production one aide to the House International Relations Commit- process in which individual architects submitted original tee puts it, Congress’ only concern is “to keep embassies designs for each locale, FBO reviewed them, granted from being blown up,” it is unlikely that anyone will prod approvals, sent jobs out to bid, hired contractors and built OBO to make “design excellence” a higher priority. them. Every job was custom-tailored. World events and other factors combined to produce a process in which Why Is Design Important? projects took from two to more than 10 years to com- Why does design excellence matter? It matters plete. because as the study of architectural history shows, our Now architects and engineers join large international buildings say a lot about us, and in the arena of interna- general contractors as part of design-build teams, and tional affairs, what we say about ourselves does matter. As

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the Report of the Advisory Group on Public Diplomacy democracy and its commitment to individuality. for the Arab and Muslim World (2003) notes, “public “Architecture is inescapably a political art, and it diplomacy helped win the Cold War, and it has the poten- reports faithfully for ages to come what the political tial to help win the war on terror.” The advisory group, values of a particular age were,” he declared at a sym- chaired by former U.S. ambassador and Assistant posium sponsored by the State Department and the Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Edward P. General Services Administration in 1999. “Surely ours Djerejian, strongly recommends “a new balance between must be openness and fearlessness in the face of those security and engagement, one that prevents U.S. who hide in the darkness,” Moynihan said. “Precau- embassies and other facilities from appearing to be ‘cru- tion, yes. Sequester, no.” Risk was something Moyni- sader castles,’ distant from the local population.” On the han was willing to take on behalf of the ideals that he same theme, in Call for Action on Public Diplomacy believed in. (2005), the nonpartisan Public Diplomacy Council out- Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer also lined a broad program of exchange programs, language spoke at that symposium. He was invited to speak training programs and cultural and media programs as because, as Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals in essential to the “security and well-being” of the United Boston, Breyer headed the effort to bring judges, archi- States. Even the Defense Department has recognized tects, engineers, planners, politicians and members of the urgency of the situation with its recent announcement the general public together as a team to insure best of a $300-million information program. results for Boston’s new award-winning federal court- It certainly is not easy to operate effective cultural pro- house (Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, 1998). From that grams out of embassies that look like citadels. As effort, Breyer learned first-hand the importance (and Ambassador Djerejian points out in his report, given the difficulty) of striking a sensible balance between secu- current inaccessibility of embassies and consulates, it will rity and openness. only be possible to reach out to the public through newly established libraries, cultural “corners,” American Balancing Security and Openness Studies centers. He proposes the Palazzo Corpi, former- In a recent interview, Justice Breyer elaborated on ly the U.S. consulate in Istanbul and a building whose those earlier remarks. “People in any government agency future has been the subject of intense debate within the who are in positions of authority,” he said, “have to under- department in recent years, as a prototype for such a cen- stand that the issue of security and the issue of openness ter. Sharing that historic building with the Turkish peo- are both important and they sometimes argue in opposite ple, he says, and allowing it to be used as a meeting place directions.” It is simply too tempting, he continued, for would be a good first step in building better U.S.-Muslim officials to turn matters over to security experts. Those relations. experts will always err on the side of security, he noted, It was not long ago that we were dismantling the because that is their job. It is those in authority who need libraries in U.S. embassies and declaring them unneces- to “understand the importance of openness, to under- sary in the age of the Internet. But while unimaginable stand that it makes an enormous difference both symbol- amounts of information are now available to those who ically and practically if a public building is welcoming to can access the Web, and the State Department can rely the public or if it shuts itself off in a fortress.” For that rea- on its Web site to handle many questions and even con- son, he emphasized, officials have to become informed duct business that once required personal attention, it is enough to make intelligent decisions that require balance. still hard to imagine a world in which place has no mean- They should argue in favor of security “only if they are ing. So it seems that it is time to step back and take a long convinced that the need for security is great enough to look at the importance of “being there.” warrant a departure from openness.” If they err, he said, If he were here today, Daniel Patrick Moynihan they should be prepared to err on the side of openness. would second that suggestion. Even before he served According to Breyer, decision-makers in a democracy as U.S. ambassador to India in the early 1970s, Senator need perspective and they need courage. “You have to be Moynihan, D-N.Y., was a staunch advocate of openness brave enough to turn them [the security experts] down,” and quality architecture as symbols of America’s he said, “and if we are not brave enough to say ‘no’ when

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it really doesn’t make much sense, “Architecture is inescapably values at stake” and take those val- then what we’ll end up with is ues into account in making deci- buildings that look like our a political art, and it reports sions about security and design. embassy in Chile, which is my Some architects equate openness example of something that is just faithfully for ages to come with literal transparency, and horrible.” That structure, design- argue that dramatically modern ed in 1987 to meet the Inman what the political values of glass and steel architecture is the standards, features nearly win- only proper metaphor for democ- dowless brick walls, and is sur- a particular age were.” racy, but Breyer points out that rounded by a nine-foot wall (and a openness need not rely on glass. moat). “It looks like a fortress,” — Senator Daniel Patrick The Supreme Court is open, he Justice Breyer says. “People in Moynihan, 1999 notes, with its public plaza, its Santiago laugh at it.” accessible hallways and its open Money won’t solve the security courtroom — a place Americans problems either, Breyer cautions. can and should visit to learn about The issues are larger than that and involve a different sort the legal system. Like other major public buildings, he of cost/benefit analysis. “There’s no magic formula,” he says, the Supreme Court must remain open despite the says, but when you have a public building, particularly a challenges that may pose. building that serves a diplomatic purpose, it is crucial for When Sen. Moynihan addressed these issues in decision-makers to recognize “that there are competing 1999, he called for an ongoing “conversation” on how

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to balance security and openness at home and abroad. doned landmarks such as the London embassy, which If that conversation has occurred at all, it has excluded lacks the specified 100-foot setback. Fortunately, that many who can provide useful input. Nor has it yet has not occurred. Unfortunately, however, the milita- addressed the big questions, such as how the makeover rization of the embassy perimeter is sadly compromis- of the U.S. presence supports or undermines a long- ing historic Grosvenor Square, the working home of term goal to expand public diplomacy — a key weapon America’s diplomats in London since the late-18th in a war of ideas. At a time when too many are willing century. This, too, is cause for concern. to cede decision-making to outside experts, when It was once possible to dismiss embassy architecture architects and landscape architects, who know how to as too far away to care about, but the world is smaller now design security that is less intrusive and possibly more — no place is far away with CNN — and history has effective, are being excluded from the planning shown that what happens to our foreign buildings also process, it is increasingly important, as Justice Breyer points to what happens to public buildings here at home. says, to prevent the security mandate from turning our It is time to widen the openness/security conversation. public buildings into bastions. Propaganda is a one-way conversation, but public diplomacy, American-style, has to be a two-way conversation. Cause for Concern If good architecture has the power to lift spirits and The obvious comparison between new U.S. embassy symbolize ideals, then it is time to recognize architecture compounds and high-security prisons is cause for con- once again as a tool of public diplomacy and make the cern. If the State Department had implemented the most of it. As any politician can tell you, “being there” Inman recommendations fully, it would have also aban- and “looking good” will always matter. I

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CYBER SECURITY AT STATE: THE STAKES GET HIGHER

OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS STATE HAS GREATLY EXPANDED ITS IT NETWORKS. JUST HOW SECURE ARE THE DATA FILLING UP ITS NEW COMPUTERS?

BY JOE JOHNSON

yber security is another ing passports and foreigners seeking or holding visas form of preparedness, and one that now underlies all has ballooned since the 9/11 attacks. other typesC of protection. Like defending embassies or How secure is all this data that is filling up State’s people, diplomatic cyber security begins with identify- new computers? ing the real threat. The Department of State insures its computers and A Constant and Active Battle communications against everything imaginable. It Integrity, availability and confidentiality are the key anticipates physical attack or natural disasters by main- values of cyber security. It is not only about preserving taining dual network centers in different locations. proprietary or secret information, but also about keep- Contingency plans pre-position computers and phones ing the system up and running to make the information for core offices to relocate and continue if Foggy available on demand. Bottom itself is threatened. But the more common Every employee who logs into a State Department threats from day to day are hackers and malicious pro- computer enters a network linking up to thousands of grams. And State’s information networks become a fat- other machines, all connected through secure chan- ter target every year. nels. Over the past five years, the department has The department spends an estimated $1 billion per greatly expanded both its OpenNet and Classified year on information technology, having deployed net- Networks; each year, more than 43,000 employees works and applications to unify its employees spread access OpenNet, and thousands also log into ClassNet, over more than 250 locations around the world. The now found at nearly all embassies abroad. At Secretary information residing on its networks includes not only Colin Powell’s direction, the department allowed national secrets, but also Social Security numbers, bank access to the Internet on its unclassified system, offer- routing numbers and sensitive health and law enforce- ing expanded information resources and capabilities to ment information on its employees. The personal all employees. information in the State network on Americans carry- However, along with the obvious benefits, the

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Internet also opens the door to Cyber security is not only tion of hacking and released increasing threats to the system information about how employ- itself — to the confidentiality of about preserving proprietary ees can help counteract such employee files and other records threats. The joint awareness kept on the system, to the or secret information, but team cited 644 security problems integrity of the data, and to the encountered during the first 157 availability of the network. also about keeping the system days of 2005. Mary Stone Holland, director Actions by computer users can of computer security for the up and running to make open the networks to vulnerabili- Diplomatic Security Bureau, ties that result in damage, usually sums it up: “The department the information available on inadvertently. Security staff found has to worry about the enter- a total of 265 infractions from prise [and] the network, and demand. January through May, break- that requires certain controls.” ing them down into five types: Holland directs some 135 1) allowing unauthorized software staffers who manage incoming threats, some working on department computers; 2) connecting unauthorized around the clock. A Computer Incident Response Team hardware, such as a laptop, to the network; 3) configuring responds to intrusions, while a Cyber Threat Analysis a computer in a different fashion from department guide- Cell conducts liaison with other federal agencies. lines; 4) connecting directly to a machine that lies outside Diplomatic Security experts participate in the depart- the network, bypassing firewalls (guard computers) and ment’s 24/7 Network Management Center located in other network protections; and 5) visiting pornographic Beltsville, Md. Policy experts, technicians who test new Web sites. applications in a lab environment, and 14 regional com- The introduction of unauthorized software was the puter security officers also fall under Diplomatic most common problem, encountered 180 times. Security. Her staff also includes the Computer Downloading games from the Internet, or software for Awareness Team, which provides a variety of training video conferencing or chats, can create problems and promotional activities to make employees aware of beyond the individual computer. It opens other net- the need for precaution on government computers. work users to vulnerabilities. In 2003, a contract Holland declined to provide a cost figure for the effort. employee connected a laptop to OpenNet to check e- While Diplomatic Security takes the lead in cyber- mail. The infected laptop introduced a worm into the security operations, the Information Resource Manage- system, eventually infecting computers in the ment Bureau, as overall steward of the computing and European and Eurasian Affairs Bureau and forcing that communications infrastructure, holds responsibility for entire bureau to be taken offline. State dismissed the assessing and managing risk. Chief Information employee from its contract staff for that action. Officer Jay Anania states: “The kinds of things you see Diplomatic Security is now developing a program in the newspapers are not theoretical threats. They are that will penalize employee electronic infractions, just happening on our network every day.” State’s network as it leaves “pink slips” where agents find classified firewall rejects an average of over 150,000 viruses and paper documents in the open overnight. over 400,000 spam messages per week. DS and Information Resource Management Bureau Security Increasingly Driven staff together declared June “Cyber Security Awareness by E-Government Month.” They sponsored activities such as a demonstra- The president’s “Management Agenda,” announced in the summer of 2001, stresses the use of information Joe Johnson recently retired from the Foreign Service technology — termed E-Government — and cyber after heading the State Department’s Office of security is a major focus of attention. The E- eDiplomacy. He now works for the Computer Sciences Government approach standardizes and consolidates Corporation as a part-time consultant. IT systems and programs behind common “best prac-

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tices.” The Office of Management and Budget holds up an interesting dynamic” with colleagues in Diplomatic agencies to account for their technology programs’ Security, who take the operational lead. information assurance by forcing them to certify and For the initial round of certification and accredita- accredit major systems one by one. The Federal tion, Norris commanded a team of 155 — many Information Security Management Act requires all detailed from Diplomatic Security — to review all agencies to re-evaluate and test information security State Department computer systems. The OMB-man- policies, procedures and practices at least once a year. dated exercise took place from May 2003 to September Last year, State met a rigorous OMB deadline for 2004, and cost about half of the $62 million that OMB certification and accreditation of its major IT programs. had estimated. A smaller staff of about 80 supports the State’s cyber security effort continues at a reduced ongoing activity. level, updating system inspections and accrediting new Standards climb every year. Among Norris’ new programs. challenges are the tasks of compiling a single inventory At State, oversight of all cyber-security activities of State’s IT assets and improving contingency plans including certification and accreditation falls to the Chief through testing. Information Security Officer, who works from the Is all this documentation excessive? “It can be con- Information Resource Management Bureau. Jane strued as a paperwork exercise,” Norris concedes, Norris, who holds that post, reports to the chief informa- adding that some agencies may meet OMB require- tion officer on how to manage risk. “We set performance ments while whitewashing vulnerabilities. She asserts measures, and then go back and evaluate and report find- that the Office of the Inspector General issued an inde- ings,” she explains. She says that her oversight role “sets pendent assessment of State systems that lent extra

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credibility to her certification. “The kinds of things you see ance, is one of the leading IT sec- Last February, Rep. Tom Davis, tor managers in the department. R-Va., issued an annual report card in the newspapers are not He follows standards set by DS on federal agencies’ cyber-security and IRM. Johnson says that his practices, raising the State Depart- theoretical threats. They greatest challenge is not protecting ment’s mark from an F to a D+. his bureau’s internal systems, Davis remarked that the agency are happening on our where highly classified national nearly garnered a C rating. Norris security information resides, but said the score does not reflect network every day.” securing transactions on the Web. recent progress, and she expects a He faced that challenge when he higher rating next year. — Chief Information Officer was named director of the Iraq In the future, cyber security Jay Anania Transition Management Staff, may see increasing consolidation which replaced the Coalition at the federal level. In the spring Provisional Authority with a U.S. of 2005, OMB kicked off the Information Technology embassy to Baghdad one year ago. Security Line of Business task force. This task force is The major players, State and Defense, each had an working to identify problems and propose solutions to elaborate plan for the transition, covering every aspect strengthen the ability of all agencies to foresee and from construction to medical services to staffing require- manage information security risks, and to implement ments. State’s plan was 100 pages; Defense’s weighed in improved, consistent and measurable information at 600. Both documents were Sensitive but Unclassified. security processes and controls across government. In To harmonize the plans and to coordinate the transi- addition, the task force seeks opportunities for savings tion operations, Johnson enabled the main players from or cost-avoidance through reduced duplication and State and Defense to communicate electronically economies of scale. through collaboration software purchased from Groove Networks. Using Groove, the department set up a pro- Extra-Agency Communications Pose tected virtual work space that project personnel could Extra Security Challenge access over the Internet to send each other e-mail and “We’re part of a big network,” Secretary Rice noted documents, and to mark up each other’s drafts. Because when asked about cyber security at an employee Town technical problems prevented the National Security Hall meeting June 3. “And the irony is that the more Council and USAID from participating, they received open the architecture, the more you are susceptible to the important documents in hard copy. the kinds of problems that you are talking about,” she But Groove is no cyber-security silver bullet. To be added. used generally, the program would have to be installed From the country teams in embassies to a huge com- individually on each network computer, and the usage fee munity of domestic government workers involved in for- is high. eign affairs, State conducts business with other agencies daily and around the clock. As a member of the intelli- Trade-offs Between Security and Usability gence community, the department is involved in the Many businesses and government agencies allow national effort to share information more effectively in employees access to their corporate data from outside the the global war on terrorism. Employees who work with office with a password, but State does not. Because other agencies know that efficient and safe connectivity is State’s unclassified network carries material labeled SBU, often lacking. Government-controlled lines link some containing, for example, personal financial and medical agencies, but not in a comprehensive fashion. As a result, information, current regulations require multiple layers a lot of message traffic travels over public communication of security — requirements that exceed those of most lines, including the Internet. institutions and that have defeated attempts to provide Glen Johnson, who directs the Office of Verification remote access to large numbers of employees. Operations in the Bureau of Verification and Compli- A questioner at Secretary Rice’s June Town Hall

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meeting complained about this. “Many of us travel con- will be eligible for ONE. Bureaus will pay a fee to IRM stantly on government business, negotiating all over the for the service. world, and we’re forced to establish Yahoo and Hotmail In addition, CIO Anania says that use of BlackBerry accounts to perform our business from overseas.” devices, which can receive and send e-mail in wireless In fact, when State’s eDiplomacy Office, which advo- fashion, will be allowed more generally on OpenNet. cates the technology needs of the workforce, asked That follows a year of testing with a few groups of employees in 2003 what they wanted from IT services, Washington personnel. BlackBerries, commonly used their No. 1 request was to access unclassified informa- in corporate settings and other government agencies, tion from home or on the road. comply with federal cyber-security standards but are That capability would also support more telecom- too costly to operate for widespread deployment. muting. Rep. Frank R. Wolf, R-Va., inserted a provision in the 2006 appropriations bill to penalize agencies that Foot-Dragging fail to make telecommuting more widely available. Last Improvements like ONE and allowing BlackBerries April, the Government Accountability Office told the are coming somewhat late to the State Department, and House Government Reform Committee that telecom- they will not provide remote e-mail access to all employ- muting should be seen as “an important and viable ees. Jerry Gallucci, who directed the Office of option” to help ensure continuity of agency operations. eDiplomacy until June 30, said that foot-dragging on the Telecommuters need to enter the unclassified network part of cyber-security personnel prevented the depart- from computers outside the network, and Wolf’s pressure ment from making progress toward easier remote access. forced State to rethink its stringent rules for access. For example, over the past seven months, department Two of the basic ways to protect a network from offices reviewed the regulation that prohibits sending unauthorized intruders are to encrypt the data — wrap- SBU information over the Internet. Gallucci said work- ping it in code — and to require every person attempting-level IRM cyber-security experts acted to sidetrack ing to access the data to verify his or her authenticity. any revision rather than find a way to meet what he Glen Johnson explains three basic means to verify judges to be a requirement. “They’re not in that business access: 1) what you know (a password); 2) what you yet,” he says. have (a token); and, 3) what you are (biometric means According to Gallucci, the assertion of “security con- like fingerprints or iris scans). Passwords can be stolen cerns” has often been used to provide cover for career easily, whether by observing someone while they log on technical and information security personnel who are or by installing a “key logging” program that records unfamiliar and uncomfortable with the newer tech- what they type in. nologies already in widespread use in the private sector The department chose to enable remote access for and elsewhere in government. “They fear what they telecommuters by giving them a token as a second don’t understand,” says Gallucci, and so they block means to prove their identity: a small random-number efforts to achieve essential capabilities such as remote generator that would give the employee a new, unique access to unclassified e-mail. access code at each remote log-on. A less expensive and However, it is also true that the more liberal private- simpler option, providing access to e-mail with an extra sector cyber-security practices have permitted highly pub- password, was not favored for a variety of reasons licized leaks of customers’ personal data over the past sev- including internal regulations governing the transmis- eral months. In June, CardSystems Solutions, a third- sion of SBU information. party processor in Tucson, Ariz., that handles payments on The pilot program, dubbed ONE (for OpenNet behalf of several credit card companies, announced that Everywhere), has completed tests by about 100 employ- hackers stole information for as many as 40 million cards. ees, and will offer remote access to most functions of the That security breach was the largest in a series of incidents unclassified network to somewhat more than a thousand in which online confidential information was exposed. participants by the end of September. In addition to Are State Department employees’ personnel files teleworkers, State personnel on detail to other agencies safer than their credit-card records? Yes, according to and others with special needs, like frequent travelers, Norris, partly because of measures such as State’s insis-

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tence on requiring a token in addi- Diplomatic Security is humming along. tion to passwords. “Defense in The Y2K phenomenon was the depth” includes those physical con- now developing a program disaster that did not occur, thanks trols as well as management and perhaps to elaborate planning and procedural controls like good back- that will penalize precautions by legions of computer ground checks for employees. experts. But on May 4, 2000, the “I employee electronic Love You” computer virus infected The Stakes Grow Higher 60 million computers, causing an The debate over access versus infractions. estimated $13 billion in economic security will continue. And new damage and losses. Viruses and problems will no doubt emerge, worms became routine on the surely including some that we cannot anticipate. Internet as hackers penetrated both commercial and gov- In the late 1990s, governments and private companies ernment systems. spent millions to mitigate problems arising from comput- New challenges for cyber security emerge constantly er programs developed without calendar settings for 2000. as mobile computing, wireless connectivity and new Experts anticipated the obsolete code could produce fail- devices from cell phones to smart appliances go on the ures throughout the nation’s infrastructure in airports, Web. No one seems to be talking about any single Next dams and public services. The nation held its breath as Big Threat — at least not in the news media. But at the clock passed 12 a.m. on Dec. 31, 1999. And then the the State Department, as elsewhere, the stakes grow control centers slowly relaxed as the core systems kept larger every year. I

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SECURITY CLEARANCES: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

YOU ARE ENTITLED TO HAVE AN AFSA REPRESENTATIVE AND ATTORNEY PRESENT DURING QUESTIONING.

BY J. MICHAEL HANNON

n a quiet Friday morning, that cooperation will clear the matter up quickly. The you receive a telephone call from your supervisor agents are then supposed to present you with one of instructingO you to report to the small embassy confer- two written “warnings”: either a Garrity Warning or a ence room downstairs. Your post doesn’t get many vis- Kalkines Warning, both named after court cases. The itors, so you’re surprised to find two serious-looking Garrity Warning is intended to preserve the govern- people in business attire already in the room when you ment’s ability to use your answers against you in any arrive. Placing their credentials on the table, they criminal proceeding. You are told that the interview is explain that they’re special agents with the State completely voluntary, and if you choose not to answer Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security who have you cannot be disciplined for that refusal. This does come all the way from Washington, D.C., to talk with not necessarily mean that there is an interest in prose- you. cuting you. At first they are rather vague about the purpose of The Kalkines Warning is given when the govern- their visit, saying they just want to ask you a few things. ment has chosen to forgo any criminal prosecution The questions are indirect, even friendly, at first, but it against you ahead of time. In that case, you will be soon becomes clear that the interview has been script- compelled to answer questions at the risk of losing your ed ahead of time — and you are the only participant job, but your answers may not be used against you in who does not know what is going on. When you press any criminal prosecution. This does not mean, howev- the agents, they eventually tell you that the department er, that there will not be a criminal prosecution. The has received “derogatory information” that raises use of that warning simply means that the government doubts as to your suitability for a security clearance. is not planning a criminal prosecution at that moment. But they refuse to describe the specific allegations, Whichever warning the agents give you, be aware much less their source. that they may attempt to minimize its seriousness to You protest that the charges are absurd, but they induce you to volunteer information. press you to answer their questions anyway, suggesting If you are already confused at this point, you are not

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alone. In fact, many State State is permitted to Once DS refers a case for crim- Department investigators appar- inal prosecution, the department ently share your confusion, par- continue suspension of an takes the position that the matter ticularly those in the Inspector is out of its hands, leaving you to General’s Office. In our legal individual’s clearance await the exercise of discretion by practice representing Foreign the prosecutor’s office and/or a Service personnel in such situa- “until the relevant issues grand jury. And the only time tions, we have found that agents restriction imposed on these bod- sometimes give either no warn- have been fully resolved.” ies is the statute of limitations for ing or the wrong warnings. the particular crimes you are being (Complicating matters further, indicted for. But for purposes of there are a multiplicity of warning forms floating this article, let’s assume they do not refer your case. around among different government agencies.) But even if the agents follow the proper procedures in all Minimal Due Process Only respects, there is one key piece of information they are Upon arrival in Washington, you surrender your not required to volunteer: the fact that you have the badge and diplomatic passport and are given a new right to have an AFSA representative and/or attorney badge. You can get around the building, but you can- present during the questioning. not access classified information or escort guests, and Even if the agents do choose to advise you of that you must leave the premises by 7 p.m. Ideally, you are right in this particular scenario, they may also note that reassigned to a temporary position in which you can it will take time and effort to arrange that, delaying a earn your pay doing something that does not require a resolution of your case. security clearance. But that does not always happen, so You want to believe the agents; after all, you have you might spend weeks or months sitting at home with nothing to hide, and you are sure the “derogatory infor- nothing to do, receiving your salary and wondering mation” is silly on its face. So you go ahead and answer what will happen next. their questions, watching as they take copious notes The answer to that may surprise you. about what you tell them. Under State Department regulations and estab- If you’re lucky, the agents thank you, file a report lished law, the Bureau of Diplomatic Security has the indicating that there is no truth to the allegations, and sole authority to determine whether your security that’s the end of the matter. But it may also happen clearance should be suspended on the basis of “all facts that they tell you your clearance has already been sus- available upon receipt of the initial derogatory infor- pended pending a full investigation, and you are being mation.” The standard to be applied is to determine recalled to the department. The agents will then give whether it is “in the interests of national security” to you a written notice of suspension, but typically that is continue your security status or to suspend it. as cryptic as the verbal information they had provided. The regulations further provide that DS investiga- The Bureau of Diplomatic Security is also authorized tions must be “reported in a timely manner” and issues to refer your case to the Department of Justice or to a requiring temporary suspension of clearance must be United States Attorney’s Office for consideration of crim- resolved “as quickly as possible (normally within 90 inal prosecution. The criminal jurisdiction of United days).” The department is, however, permitted to con- States courts reaches overseas, as the United States may tinue suspension of an individual’s clearance “until the prosecute in this country any conduct which has an effect relevant issues have been fully resolved.” on commerce between the United States and any foreign If that seems open-ended, it is. Today, given the country, a standard which is broadly construed. security issues facing the department, the resources available to pursue these investigations are sorely J. Michael Hannon is with the law firm of THOMPSON taxed. Our law firm has Foreign Service clients who O’DONNELL, LLP. The firm has represented Foreign have been drawing their salaries while on suspension Service employees and their families for over 50 years. for well over 180 days. And AFSA has clients who have

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had their clearances suspended Once DS moves to revoke a security clearance, the employee for more than two years. must be provided with a written In the absence of a criminal security clearance, the explanation of the grounds for the referral or a decision by the pros- revocation. However, that docu- ecutor’s office not to accept the employee is only entitled to ment need only be as detailed as case, DS completes the investi- national security interests permit. gation in its own time. If it “minimal due process,” State Department regulations also determines an employee’s con- require that the letter advise the tinued security clearance is “not which includes notice and affected employee of any recourse clearly consistent with the inter- available and the procedure for est of the national security,” DS an opportunity to respond. requesting access to his or her prepares and submits a recom- investigative file. mendation for revocation or suspension of clearance eligibility to the Director of the The Appeals Process Diplomatic Security Bureau for approval. The employee is provided a reasonable opportunity At this point, the employee is allowed to ask for doc- (normally 30 days) to reply in writing and to appeal to uments in order to prepare a rebuttal to the proposal to a three-person management-level panel known as the revoke the security clearance. He or she is also Security Appeal Panel for review of the security deter- informed of the right to representation, and provided mination. The Under Secretary for Management with the entire investigatory file “as permitted by chairs the panel; the other two members are the national security and other applicable law.” Director General of the Foreign Service and the More likely than not, these documents will not Assistant Secretary for Administration. Personal include the identity of the source of the “derogatory appearance is permitted before the panel, but direct information.” It is also unlikely that the witnesses and cross-examination of witnesses is not permitted. relied upon by DS will even be identified in the inves- The appeal panel renders the final departmental deci- tigative file. There are no rules of evidence that pertain sion concerning the employee’s security clearance with to a DS investigation or restrain its conclusions. a recommendation to reinstate or revoke clearance, The government has the initial burden of proving — which ultimately determines the individual’s employa- “based on substantial evidence” (as opposed to the famil- bility by State. iar “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard) — that it is not If the panel upholds the bureau’s decision to revoke in the national interest to continue the employee’s secu- the security clearance, the employee will likely be pro- rity clearance. This is often a minimal standard, because posed for separation for cause, because the department’s there need only be a “rational basis” for State position is that all Foreign Service employees must main- Department action, due to the level of trust required for tain a security clearance as a condition of employment. access to classified information. Once the government The employee is entitled to a hearing before the Foreign meets its burden, it is then the responsibility of the Service Grievance Board, but the board may not review employee to refute or rebut the government’s case. the merits of the underlying security revocation. The The limited nature of this process is deemed by the board’s review is limited to whether the procedural courts to satisfy due process concerns because a security requirements for revocation of a clearance have been clearance is not a species of property that the met and whether separation of the employee serves the Constitution protects with full-blown trial procedures. In “efficiency” of the Service. other words, because an employee does not “own” a Federal courts do not have the subject matter juris- security clearance, it can be revoked without a trial. The diction to review an agency’s national security clearance employee is only entitled to “minimal due process,” decision. This restriction is rarely overcome. Employees which includes notice and an opportunity to respond. have attempted to sue the State Department, arguing Pursuant to Executive Order 12968 (issued Aug. 4, that the security clearance revocation was retaliatory. 1995), once the head of DS approves the revocation of a Even then, however, courts are often reluctant to inter-

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vene, out of concern that such a Given the tremendous amount ee, it is vital for all employees to review is an impermissible intru- know their rights and to call upon sion by the judicial branch into of discretion given to DS and their advocates early in the the authority of the executive process to interact with investiga- branch. the Security Appeal Panel, it tors and clearance adjudicators. On occasion, a court might Employees are guaranteed the find that the interest being pur- is vital for all employees to right to have an AFSA attorney sued by the employee — for and/or private attorney represent example, a discrimination claim call upon their advocates them during a DS investigation — is sufficiently important to and throughout the security permit a trial with appropriate early in the process. revocation process. (If the limitations on the disclosure of employee remains overseas dur- classified information. But even ing the initial phase of the inves- in these circumstances, the court might choose not to tigation, as in the hypothetical situation described at the review the basis for the security clearance revocation. beginning of this article, AFSA attorneys will gladly arrange to participate in meetings with the agents via Know Your Rights speaker phone.) Given the tremendous amount of discretion given to Again, note that DS is not required to inform DS and the Security Appeal Panel, and the extremely lim- employees of those rights: they must request such rep- ited due process and appeal rights afforded to the employ- resentation. I

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LEFT IN LIMBO TWO FIRST-PERSON ACCOUNTS OF PROBLEMS WITH DS

Editor’s Note: The Foreign Service Journal does not normally publish unsigned articles, but we are making an exception in this instance. The two authors — one a DS special agent, the other a communications officer — have had their security clearances suspended for more than two years now, with no end in sight. Both individuals are members and clients of AFSA. Both authors have made it clear that they are not asking that the articles appear anonymously because they wish to hide their identities from DS. In fact, they each give enough information about their cases that the bureau will have no difficulty in identifying them. (One has been quoted on the record in the Washington Post and on National Public Radio.) Rather, these two Foreign Service specialists are seeking to protect reputations and careers within the department, while still informing their colleagues of these troubling issues. In addition, Donald R. Reid, director of DS’s Security Infrastructure Program, and AFSA General Counsel Sharon Papp have each contributed commentaries on the security clearance revocation process. — Steven Alan Honley Editor

CASE 1: DS’s regulations) was not sexual, or otherwise improp- MISTREATED BY MY OWN er, and that I was never directed to cease all contact with this foreign national, as DS is now claiming. ORGANIZATION The DS investigative record to date reveals that the bureau found no evidence that my relationship was sexu- May 24, 2005, Washington Times article titled al or improper. Nor does it cite any alerting counterin- “Don’t Fault the Messenger” alleges that cer- telligence indicators regarding the FSN. Furthermore, Atain U.S. government departments and agen- while it has been DS’s practice to give written “cease and cies are using security clearances as weapons of retalia- desist” orders to other employees and contractors, direct- tion without any fear of oversight. Based on my own ing them to cease all communications with certain for- unfortunate experience over the last two years, I must eign nationals, I was never given such an order, a claim ask whether the Bureau of Diplomatic Security falls that DS does not contest. into that category. Speaking as someone who has been When presented with the DS report of investigation, a DS special agent for 18 years, I find my bureau’s con- the Department’s Office of Employee Relations found duct and tactics to be reprehensible. no grounds to discipline me for disobeying a DS direc- My last overseas posting was a “critical threat” coun- tive, violating contact reporting requirements, or any- try where allegations were made that I had an improp- thing else. In fact, the record further shows that I er relationship with a Foreign Service National properly followed 12 FAM 261 guidelines and separate employee, a citizen of the host country, and subse- post security-notice guidelines regarding contact- quently disobeyed explicit DS instructions to cease all reporting requirements. I know for a fact that DS has contact with the foreign national. I have maintained issued written “cease and desist” orders to other State that my relationship (which I reported as required by Department generalists and specialists, including DS

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agents, and to contractors, Investigators basis of a suspect DS Report of instructing them not to have fur- Investigation that was factually ther contact with a particular for- have engaged in incorrect. It never even bothered eign national. Yet I never received to call me in for a face-to-face con- such an order (either written or inappropriate behavior sultation; nor was my private doc- verbal). DS has never asked me tor ever contacted. My AFSA to sign such an order or provided and an improper line legal representative successfully an explanation for why they have pushed DS to request another not done so. of questioning. E.O. 10450 determination from MED in order to obtain input Searching for Dirt from my private doctor. This Meanwhile, in the ongoing time, the determination was posi- inquiry being conducted on me, DS employees have tive and was communicated to DS. But doubts remain engaged in inappropriate behavior and an improper line in my mind. I ask the question, is DS still considering of questioning directed against the Foreign Service my medical condition as derogatory information to use National in question. Topics included lewd and perverse in proposing revocation of my clearance? sexual references about her and me. Recently, the FSN was badgered so much in interviews, and coerced to Conflicts of Interest make verbal and written statements under duress, that DS’s proposed revocation of my clearance also relies she responded by filing a formal sexual harassment com- in part on the statements of two colleagues at my last plaint with department EEO officials. DS’s techniques post who were assigned to the same office that took do not appear to be geared toward ascertaining the truth part in investigating me. In fact, one of the sources sat or discovering alerting CI concerns in protecting U.S. in on many of the interview sessions and participated in national security, but are instead focused on obtaining asking me questions. I believe that this first source sexual innuendo and gossip or employing any method or cannot be objective in rendering an opinion about my tactic to ensure my security clearance is revoked. What understanding of security clearance responsibilities. purpose does this serve? This first source, meanwhile, was directly supervising I am also troubled how both DS and the depart- the second source, who also provided a negative rec- ment’s Office of Medical Services handled DS’s referral ommendation. I believe that the second source could of me to MED in connection with my security clear- not serve as an objective source, either, due to the fact ance. Throughout the course of this investigation, I that the first source was her rating officer. have been totally honest, open and forthright in dis- Nevertheless, I was curtailed from post, my security closing medical treatment I had been undergoing at my clearance has been suspended, and I have been reas- last post and have continued to date while back in signed to non-sensitive duties for two years now while Washington. In fact, I was able to do my job at post awaiting resolution of the DS investigation. I have even while undergoing treatment and performed at an shared my plight with AFSA and my congressional rep- outstanding level, as documented by my supervisors. resentative and requested them to intervene with DS No limitations were ever placed on me and I per- on my behalf. Over the last two years, I have sent e- formed my full duties, including providing protective mails and letters to DS senior management seeking security for the U.S. ambassador. My current private prompt resolution of my case and providing my version doctor, who has treated me since I have been back in of events. They never answered me, nor even acknowl- Washington, notes that I am fine and fit for law edged my queries. enforcement duties including overseas. For a 18-year DS veteran like myself, who has So one can imagine how astonished I was when I served at several hardship posts and received outstand- discovered that MED made an initial E.O. 10450 ing evaluations and various department awards, this is determination that undermined my efforts to regain the greatest hurt: that my own organization treats me in my security clearance. MED acted solely on the such a manner.

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AFSA’s Role in the Security Revocation Process By Sharon Papp

his edition of the Journal contains a number of articles, This article contains the personal stories of two Foreign some favorable, others critical, about the Bureau of Service employees whose careers hit a national security road TDiplomatic Security. AFSA strives to support all our mem- block. Both have had their security clearances suspended for bers while maintaining a collaborative, positive working rela- more than two years while DS investigates the allegations tionship with the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. AFSA’s four against them and adjudicates their eligibility for a security clear- full-time lawyers represent numerous Foreign Service employ- ance. Without a clearance, these employees have been unable ees, including DS agents, in DS, Inspector General, and FBI to obtain meaningful assignments, are not competitive for pro- investigations, disciplinary actions, and security clearance promotion, and have endured prolonged anxiety while they wait for ceedings. We have worked collaboratively with the DS on draft- DS to determine their future with the State Department. If their ing guidance to its security clearance background investigators clearances are revoked, and the Security Appeal Panel (the one and Foreign Affairs Manual language on assignment criteria to and only appeal process available in security clearance revoca- critical-threat posts, as well as guidance to the field on DS pro- tions) upholds the revocations, these employees will be termi- cedures for background investigations, the impact of mental nated because of the department’s position that all Foreign health counseling on an employee’s security clearance, and the Service employees must have a Top Secret clearance in order to effect of dual nationality on a security clearance, to name just a be worldwide available. As neither employee is eligible for an few issues. immediate annuity, both will be forced to leave the Service, after Last year, we met with DS officials to discuss needed clarifi- 18 and 16 years, respectively, without a pension. And the State cations to the foreign contact reporting requirements. Since a Department will lose the valuable investment it has made in number of employees recently had their clearances suspended these employees. or proposed for revocation based on their alleged violation of the Fortunately, the vast majority of Foreign Service personnel contact reporting requirements, we urged DS to update the have never had their clearance suspended and their only contact applicable FAM provisions and make the names of the critical with the Office of Personnel Security and Suitability is the five- threat posts more readily available. We are pleased that DS year security clearance update process. For most employees, recently posted the names of the critical-threat posts on its clas- this process runs smoothly. However, AFSA is currently assist- sified Web site. However, we are still waiting for the FAM ing more than 20 Foreign Service employees from all cones and updates. specialties whose clearances have been suspended, proposed While AFSA and DS have worked cooperatively over the for revocation or revoked by DS. In addition, a number of other years, recently there have been a number of occasions where Foreign Service employees are being represented by outside AFSA has strongly disagreed with some of the actions DS has counsel. As with the two individuals who tell their stories here, taken in individual security clearance cases. In representing our some of these employees have been in limbo for over two years. members, it is to be expected that we will not always see eye to Clearances can be suspended or revoked for a variety of rea- eye with DS. AFSA’s role is to ensure that our members receive sons. A large number of the employees AFSA is assisting have the fullest measure of due process; that cases are handled in a had their clearances suspended or revoked because of their fair and timely manner; that investigations and decision to unreported (and in some cases reported) foreign contacts. One revoke clearances are supported by reliable evidence; that miti- employee recently had his clearance suspended more than two gating information is considered; and that decisions to revoke a years after marrying a foreign national despite the fact that he clearance are consistent and limited to those issues that truly filled out the required intent-to-marry forms and waited more affect national security. DS’s role is to ensure that allegations of than the requisite amount of time. Several other employees’ misconduct or criminal behavior are thoroughly investigated; clearances were suspended or revoked based on DS’s concern that reports of investigation are referred to the appropriate regarding the manner in which they carried out their consular offices for action; and, if an issue arises that could affect an duties (the clearance was revoked even though the employees employee’s eligibility for a security clearance, that all doubt is were not found to have engaged in visa fraud or other criminal resolved in favor of national security. behavior). Still other employees lost their clearances based on MED’s finding that they had abused or might abuse alcohol. Sharon Papp is general counsel for the American Foreign Several employees lost their clearances based on poor judg- Service Association. ment (misuse of a government vehicle or computer). And

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AFSA’s role is to ensure several employees’ clearances were rity clearance has a profound effect on the revoked based on their alleged falsifica- department as well as the employee, tion of information on their SF-86 (the our members receive because it automatically triggers the cur- security clearance application form). tailment of the employee’s assignment. Of After DS revokes a security clearance, the fullest measure of more than 20 cases AFSA is handling, the employee has the right to appeal to the approximately 15 employees were cur- Security Appeal Panel. Over the past few due process. tailed from an overseas assignment at great years, AFSA has represented eight cost to the department. AFSA urges DS to employees before the panel. In two cases, devote whatever additional resources are the panel overturned DS’s decision to deny or revoke a clear- necessary to resolve these cases more quickly. ance. Both cases involved foreign influence. In two other cases, DS must also do better in terms of supporting its decisions the panel ultimately reinstated the clearance after the passage of with evidence or placing the employee’s behavior in the proper one year with demonstrated “good behavior.” Both cases context. In several cases, it relied on unsubstantiated rumors involved off-duty misconduct. In the fifth case, the panel stated and allegations about individuals to revoke their clearance, in the it would consider reinstatement after two years of good behav- absence of actual evidence establishing that the individuals did ior, but the employee resigned. This case involved pre-employ- what they were accused of or were rumored to have done. In ment drug use that was not reported on the SF-86 form. In two addition, the bureau has sometimes ignored mitigating evidence cases, the panel upheld DS’s decision to revoke and the employ- that was readily available. AFSA often seeks evidence or docu- ees are going through separation-for-cause proceedings. One ments from DS that we believe will exonerate the employee or case involved alleged alcohol/drug abuse; another involved vio- place his or her alleged transgression in the proper context. lation of the department’s rules on Internet usage. The eighth However, our requests for such evidence are routinely denied on case is pending before the panel, following its request that the the grounds that DS relies only on the information in its files and Bureaus of Consular Affairs and Diplomatic Security provide the that our requests are similar to “discovery” requests, which the employee with relevant documents. bureau alleges are not proper in the security clearance process. Employees who are terminated as a result of the loss of their In our view, before revoking an employee’s clearance, DS should clearances may request a hearing before the Foreign Service ensure that it has objective evidence establishing the allegations Grievance Board. However, the Grievance Board’s review is lim- against the employee as well as any mitigating evidence that will ited to whether the proper procedures were followed in revoking put the employee’s transgression in the proper context. the clearance and whether the employee’s termination firing pro- In several cases, DS revoked an employee’s clearance for motes the efficiency of the Foreign Service. AFSA is currently transgressions that AFSA believes should be handled as a per- representing, along with outside counsel, one employee who formance or disciplinary matter (such as misuse of a govern- has requested a hearing before the Grievance Board. ment vehicle, violation of the department’s regulations on Based on our involvement in these cases, AFSA believes the Internet usage, or violation of consular procedures that did investigatory and security clearance adjudication processes are not involve criminal behavior). Revoking some employee’s in need of improvement. Decisions must be rendered in a more clearances for these types of transgressions, while taking no timely fashion. In most cases, the investigatory processes action against other employees for similar actions, is unfair move along at a relatively good pace. However, when an outside and can lead to allegations of abuse of the security clearance entity (e.g., the FBI or a U.S. attorney’s office) is involved, there process. are often interminable delays in the completion of the investiga- Because DS has almost unfettered discretion when it comes tion. DS has advised AFSA that it has little leverage in these sit- to granting or revoking a security clearance (with the Security uations to move outside entities forward. Appeal Panel serving as its only “check and balance”), and While DS has made tremendous strides in shortening the because the consequences of losing a clearance are so dire, we processing time for granting initial security clearances, employ- want to work with DS to ensure that the system produces time- ees whose clearances have been suspended or proposed for ly, well-supported, fair decisions. We hope that this issue of the revocation routinely must wait from 18 months to over two Foreign Service Journal will further the bureau’s ongoing efforts years for a decision from DS. The decision to suspend a secu- toward that goal.

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CASE 2: KAFKA’S LEGACY moments to discuss them while still at post. CI “discovered” I had been posted to three newly- have been a federal employee for 29 years, 16 of independent states, “all within the sphere of influence of them as a State Department communications officer. the former Soviet Union, from 1993 to present.” No mat- IDuring my career, I have never received a single ter how implausible the concept, CI had evidently security infraction or violation — a perfect security deduced that my present and former assignments alone record. So why am I writing? Because ever since constituted a threat to the security of the United States February 2003, my Top Secret security clearance has government. In a manner that would have made Senator been suspended and I have been without an assignment McCarthy proud, I had been, unbeknownst to me, or duties. branded “a communist sympathizer.” The events that led to a suspension of my clearance CI also cited my travel to a “critical HUMINT threat began in December 2002 with a tip that one of my post’s country” as a violation of regulations concerning travel two Foreign Service National systems administrators and contact reporting. In vain I have pointed out that the “might have been providing information to a hostile intel- RSO did not provide me with a security briefing or advi- ligence service.” Despite critical understaffing of the sory at any time during my four-plus years at post, con- communications unit, a chronic situation that persisted trary to requirements in the Foreign Affairs Manual and during my entire tour, I gave myself over entirely to the Director of Central Intelligence Directives. In fact, none investigation. After several weeks of fruitless effort, it of my colleagues were briefed during that period. As a became apparent that the underlying premise for the result many post staffers, including the RSO himself, had investigation was flawed, but both FSNs were fired any- unwittingly traveled to critical-threat posts and countries, way — “just in case,” as the Regional Security Officer put usually on weekend shopping trips, without having pro- it. vided the required notification. At that point, the focus turned toward me, presumably In preparation for my January 2003 trip to the same to justify the efforts expended to date and to extend the country my colleagues (including the RSO) had visited “just in case” doctrine one step farther to me as the post before without incident, I compared notes with the RSO communications officer. Following a brief, unannounced several weeks before I departed concerning my plans, visit by a DS/ISI/CI (Office of Investigations and travel dates and the hotel where I would be staying. I Counterintelligence) team, I was abruptly curtailed from found out years later (once I was allowed access to my post on Feb. 3, 2003, without a single consultation or security file) that CI also knew of my planned travel at debriefing. In a candid moment, the RSO revealed to me least two full days before my departure. Yet despite an that the team leader from CI had labeled me a “liar” at a active dialogue between the CI and the RSO during this public function and had then busied himself attempting time frame, none of the security officers involved pre- to prove it, going so far as to photograph dozens of light- vented my travel, raised alarms or advised me of any ning rods around the embassy that he proclaimed to be security risks or advance reporting requirements. “illegal radio antennas” that I had installed. Yet the only advice the RSO could give me regarding CI’s tactics was Reporting Contacts — Too Little Information, that I “should sue them.” Too Late … In support of a subsequent proposal to revoke my secu- Guilty of Assignment rity clearance, DS also cited my alleged violation of report- I was finally allowed to review a memorandum from ing provisions concerning my relationship with two foreign CI and DS’s Office of Professional Responsibility almost nationals. DS stated my conduct could render me vulner- two years after my curtailment from post. Hastily draft- able to exploitation by foreign governments, particularly ed after the CI team’s departure, it provided the sole jus- since I was legally still married at the time. Simple tification for my curtailment and the suspension of my research determined that there was no requirement to file security clearance, largely by citing unsubstantiated a contact report on one of the foreign nationals and I point- charges and bizarre allegations that might otherwise have ed out to DS that I had, in fact, filed a report concerning been readily dismissed — had I been provided with a few the second one, immediately after I met her in person. (I

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had corresponded with her for DS’s techniques do not RSO. Instead, DS relied on several months on the Internet uncorroborated anecdotal “evi- prior to meeting her.) DS has to appear to be geared toward dence” from a single source. This date refrained from clarifying or disregard for mitigating evidence even defining just what a “contact” ascertaining the truth, opened up a universe of unlimited is. I had assumed that it meant a speculation that DS heartily em- face-to-face encounter, but it is but are instead focused on braced and exploited. Innocent, now suggested (even though no mundane actions (such as having a person has officially stated this) ensuring my security cup of coffee with a female foreign that any communication with any national with whom I had a pla- person at any time constitutes a clearance is revoked. tonic relationship) were interpret- “contact” for reporting purposes. ed in the most wildly salacious and In any case, without being provid- licentious manner possible. ed briefings or information covering this crucial topic, I Furthermore, information I had provided freely to the could only act based on personal experience that tended to RSO on a contact report form (DS-1887) became “evi- fall short of high DS expectations. dence” that was obtained through a “debriefing.” Yet In concluding that my contact with two foreign nation- more than two years later, DS continues to claim that I als made me vulnerable to coercion, DS ignored signifi- failed to submit such a report — even though CI acknowl- cant issues concerning my impending divorce, which were edged receipt of it in January 2003 and quoted freely from well-known to post administration and staff, including the it in the subsequent Report of Investigation.

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The Department of State’s Security Clearance Revocation Process (12 FAM 230) By Donald R. Reid

he rules governing access to classified information are equal- When, in the department’s view, the employee’s security clearly applicable across the U.S. government. Whenever an ance should be revoked, he or she is provided a written explanation Tagency is compelled to first suspend an employee’s access, of the basis for that conclusion and afforded an opportunity to and perhaps later revoke that access, the seriousness of the appeal. Consistent with any releasability restrictions (Privacy Act, process demands that agency’s utmost attention. While the etc.), when asked, the department will provide the employee copies process can be time-consuming, arduous and sobering, it is one of relevant documents and, of course, he or she may retain coun- based on law and administrative regulation. For those reasons, and sel. Based upon the employee’s written appeal, the director/princi- because the vital interests of our national security are at stake, the pal deputy assistant secretary of DS may decide to restore the clear- Department of State, through its Bureau of Diplomatic Security, ance or continue forward with a revocation action. When the latter strives to make the process fair and timely. As the department is occurs, the employee is notified and informed of his or her right to prohibited from commenting publicly on individual cases, readers appeal, in writing and in person, to a panel consisting of the under may find a review of the process helpful. secretary for management, the director general and the assistant To begin with, the standard for access to classified information secretary for administration. The decision of the panel is final. has remained the same for more than 50 years – it must be “clear- Similar to the time period following a clearance suspension, ly consistent with the national security interests of the United there are several variables that determine the timeline before a final States” always resolving any doubt “in favor of national security” decision is rendered by the panel. Each major step in the process (E.O. 12968). These access decisions are based on specific adju- is followed by a 30-day period for response from the employee. dicative guidelines that describe both areas of security concern and Requests by the employee for reasonable extensions to complete related aggravating and mitigating circumstances that must be a reply are usually granted. If the information forming the basis for weighed. These core source documents and many other related a revocation decision is classified, attorneys who are not cleared authorities can be found on the Diplomatic Security Web site at: must receive security clearances before they can see the underly- http://clearances.ds.state.gov/. ing documents. New evidence presented by an appellant, or by When a set of facts calls into question an employee’s continu- other sources, must be verified, often through additional investi- ing eligibility for a security clearance, his or her security clearance gation. might be suspended. Reasons for suspending a clearance are Throughout the process, the senior adjudicators and the depart- individual to each case, but are based on a security concern or ment’s legal staff review the cases. New facts uncovered either in concerns in the government-wide adjudicative guidelines cited the employee’s rebuttal or through follow-up investigation are con- above. Decisions to suspend a security clearance are made by the stantly reviewed to determine if a suspension can be lifted, if such director or principal deputy assistant secretary of Diplomatic a decision is in the interests of national security. Security, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State. The suspen- The department’s Personnel Security and Suitability function sion allows the department to conduct a more complete investiga- has undergone tremendous efficiency and effectiveness changes tion with a more comprehensive set of facts to determine if the over the last few years. In delivering security clearances, it is clearance should be restored or revoked. At this point, an employ- client-centered and timely. The suspension and revocation pro- ee is provided written notification of the decision to suspend and cess is effective. The process allows for a thorough examination may be assigned to non-sensitive duties. of all the information gathered by the department and by the There are several variables that can determine the length of employee and his or her legal representatives. A review by the OIG time a suspension remains in effect. For instance, if the suspen- in the fall of 2004 corroborated the “thoroughness, responsive- sion decision was based on preliminary facts from a DS criminal ness and balance” of the department’s revocation function. The investigation, a Federal Bureau of Investigation counterintelligence appeals panel consists of the most senior officers in the depart- investigation, or an Inspector General inquiry, those matters must ment, who carefully weigh the facts in light of the interests of the be resolved and U.S. Attorney prosecutorial decisions rendered employee, the department and the overriding context of the inter- before the department can use the information for an administra- est of national security. While the process can be time-consuming tive action. in some cases, and the department is committed to improving its efficiency, any changes to the process must take into account fair- Donald R. Reid is the director of the Security Infrastructure ness to the employee, the best interests of the department and, Program within the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. ultimately, the national security interests of the United States.

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Ssshh! … Rule Change During my 29 years of “Report any relationship in Progress (not only continuing relation- At the halfway mark of my government service, I have never ships) with a national of a com- assignment, on June 28, 2001, a munist-governed/allied coun- department notice, “Additional received a security infraction. try; such relationships should Requirements for Reporting be reported at the first oppor- Contacts with Certain Foreign Yet my clearance has been tunity (see also 11 FAM Nationals,” was finally released 236.3)” to: — six months after the refer- suspended since February 2003. “Any relationship (not only enced changes were imple- continuing relationships) with a mented in 12 FAM 262.1(b). national of a criteria country- These changes added a new contact reporting require- governed/allied country: such relationships should be ment for nationals from a country with a critical threat reported at the first opportunity.” (Italics added.) (counterintelligence) post — a direct contrast to previous On Sept. 28, 2004, I alerted DS to this obvious manip- 12 FAM 262 assurances that there were “no restrictions ulation of the Foreign Affairs Manual, a baneful effort to on relationships.” Absent any briefings or awareness cam- bolster the case against me by citing non-existent regula- paigns it would be impossible for any employee to keep tions. Yet the bureau has not retracted or even explained up with this bureaucratic “shell game.” this unlawful statement, which remains part of the official Later, while assisting AFSA with research on the sub- record to this day. ject, I discovered that no instructions had been issued to posts concerning contact and travel reporting policy for DS’s Failure to Consider the almost a full decade. The lag between published changes “Whole Person Concept” and implementation was highlighted in a May 10, 2005, The case against me is permeated with prejudicial and Government Accountability Office report: pejorative wording. In direct contradiction of the stan- “In December 2003, State revised its Foreign Affairs dard “whole person concept,” which requires adjudicators Manual to mandate and improve implementation of per- to evaluate all “available, reliable information about the sonal security practices. In May 2004, State notified posts person, past and present,” the resulting Summary and worldwide on use of a Personal Security Self-Assessment Analysis was based entirely on a single three-page docu- Checklist to improve security outside the embassy. ment, the Report of Investigation covering a single month However, none of the posts we visited were even aware of of my life. That document omits any mention of my con- these and other key policy changes. … In explaining why tributions to the federal government over a 29-year posts were not aware of the new personal security regula- career, including 16 years as a State Department commu- tions, DS officials noted that posts were often over- nications officer (during which State has given me numer- whelmed by work and may have simply missed the cables ous awards). Discarded, too, was the content of six and changes in the Foreign Affairs Manual. They also lengthy interviews DS conducted with me that presented noted that changes like this take time to be implemented a wealth of exculpatory information. globally.” The adjudicator called no witnesses, would accept no While this rationalization was being offered to the evidence and would not speak to me even though I was GAO, DS was ruthlessly persecuting me for not being physically no more than 40 yards away at any given time. fully versed in all 12 FAM regulations, chastising me for a In fact, I did not meet the adjudicator, nor was I allowed “callous disregard for security.” to see any documents related to my case until almost two Nor did DS merely withhold information about years after my curtailment from post. changes to regulations. When I was scrutinizing docu- Demonstrating disregard for even the most basic mentation that I received from the Office of Personnel investigative standards, the adjudicator states as “estab- Security and Suitability, a peculiar entry caught my eye. lished fact” that I am married and remain so “to the pre- The adjudicator had slyly changed the wording of 3 FAM sent” even though I have been divorced since 2003, an 629.2–1 from: event duly routinely reported to the State Department’s

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Human Resources Division The adjudicator called no rely solely on negative specula- almost two years ago. tion and innuendo when reli- Rather than seek balanced witnesses, would accept no able information was readily information, it seemed that available and to interject per- the adjudicator went out of his evidence and never spoke to me sonal opinion and rhetoric into way to avoid it — a refutation the Summary and Analysis, a of the 1974 Privacy Act provi- even though I was physically no supposedly neutral document. sion that directs investigators Nor is there any excuse for out- to “collect information to the more than 40 yards away. right falsification of the FAM, greatest extent practicable intended to harm me and directly from the subject indi- severe enough to be consid- vidual.” ered a felony, to be authorized The biased and prejudicial nature of the Summary by two senior DS officials. and Analysis strongly suggests retaliation for a complaint Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, speaking about a that I filed with the Office of the Inspector General on recent Newsweek story based on a single anonymous gov- Dec. 31, 2003. E-mail evidence indicates that the adju- ernment source whose data proved to be false — a situa- dicator in my case and others within his office had access tion parallel to mine — stated that, “It’s appalling that this to the complaint during April 2004, at which time the story got out there… I hope that everybody will step back Summary and Analysis was being drafted. Other than and take a look at how they handled this — everybody.” reprisal, there is no plausible reason for an adjudicator, After nearly three years in bureaucratic limbo, with no pledged to “evaluate the facts fairly and objectively,” to end in sight, I couldn’t agree more. I

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WORKING TOGETHER FOR SECURE BORDERS, OPEN DOORS

THE BUREAUS OF DIPLOMATIC SECURITY AND CONSULAR AFFAIRS ARE COOPERATING TO COMBAT PASSPORT AND VISA FRAUD AROUND THE WORLD.

BY ANTHONY F. RENZULLI

he 9/11 attacks underscored particular assistant RSO positions have special reporting the fact that U.S. border security actually starts at our requirements and specific responsibilities under the diplomaticT missions around the world — specifically at MOU, in addition to the core responsibilities of an RSO. the visa section window. Through its participation in Their primary duties encompass visa and passport fraud the Assistant Regional Security Officer Investigator investigations, fraud prevention training for post and host Program, U.S. Consulate General Mumbai (formerly government authorities, liaison with law enforcement Bombay), located in western India, is a leading exam- and other host government authorities on visa and pass- ple of effective cooperation between the Bureaus of port fraud issues, and intelligence gathering as it relates Diplomatic Security and Consular Affairs. There, as at to U.S. border security. other posts around the world, the A/RSO-I Program is Building on its initial success, the program expanded enhancing our capacity to combat passport and visa to Islamabad and Bogota in 2001, and Santo Domingo fraud, and to deal with suspected wanted persons and and Jakarta in 2004. In addition to those posts, which other potential threats at our windows, thereby raising were added under the MOU, the Fiscal Year 2002 and the overall level of security for both our local and 2003 9/11 budget supplemental enabled DS to create American staff. assistant RSO slots with similar duties at 18 other over- In 1996, DS and CA signed a Memorandum of seas posts, including Mumbai, though they are not for- Understanding to assign investigators to three of the mally part of the framework. highest-fraud posts in the world — Manila, Kingston and Lagos — to improve coordination between the two Taking a Bite out of Crime bureaus and bring to closure cases of possible visa and India is currently the second largest source of legal passport fraud. The MOU recognizes that these agents immigration to the U.S., the leading source of interna- are in a unique position to respond promptly to allega- tional students bound for our schools, and the leading tions of fraud and malfeasance and to coordinate investi- source of skilled workers under the H1B program. In gations with DS headquarters. For that reason, these 2004, Consulate General Mumbai was the second lead-

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ing issuer of C1D transit visas to maritime workers in the has emerged as a major source of fraud for posts world — a statistic that becomes even more critical throughout India. when one considers the much-discussed challenge of Mumbai’s A/RSO-I, and the A/RSO-I in New Delhi, maritime security. In addition, the already substantial Special Agent Matt Wolsey, recently worked together, business and tourist travel from this area is growing 20 and with Hyderabad police, to arrange for the arrest of percent per year. one of India’s leading document vendors — a criminal Fortunately, despite being one of the busiest consular whose abilities were so sophisticated that his application sections in the world, Mumbai could today be fairly iden- packages led to dozens of visa issuances to bogus appli- tified as a “medium-threat” fraud post. But like other cants at all of the India posts before the final identifica- posts in India, alien smugglers and document vendors are tion of this fraud ring by the consular section in Mumbai. increasingly targeting us, and their creativity and duplici- We are expecting more arrests in Hyderabad from that ty seem limitless. investigation. Accordingly, it is essential that we aggressively combat The Hyderabad case is a good example of how the fraud in Mumbai (and the rest of the country, for that A/RSO-I and the consular section work together to pre- matter) to keep it from joining the ranks of notoriously vent and stop fraud. Indeed, hundreds of applicants affil- high-fraud posts, with all the deleterious effects this iated with this document ring were ultimately refused could have on the international travel so important to visas. It was the Mumbai Non-Immigrant Visa Unit’s ini- India’s economic growth — and, indeed, to our own. tial identification of possible fraud that led to an investi- It is against this backdrop that Special Agent Colin gation by the post’s Fraud Prevention Unit. Once a Sullivan, Mumbai’s first A/RSO-I, arrived in 2002. He definitive trend was established, the A/RSO-I entered wasted no time. In addition to working to ensure the the investigation as all four India posts reviewed thou- security of the consulate general and its employees sands of previous visa issuances. (Locally engaged staff (including serving as acting RSO for the summer transfer and eligible family members at all our India posts deserve period), he quickly developed close and effective cooper- a special mention for their hard work and the innovation ation with his consular colleagues as he focused on fraud they brought to developing quick and effective means for prevention. He was able to turn several investigations by reviewing these thousands of files.) The A/RSO-I and the post’s Fraud Prevention Unit into arrests by local the fraud prevention officer briefed line officers on the police. key indicators to be on alert for, and Mumbai police were In the process, he developed an excellent working immediately called in to arrest any applicant presenting relationship with Mumbai police officials. We expect documents that a consular officer and the assistant RSO his successor to expand that success to police forces in could definitively prove were fraudulent and had been other key areas of our consular district, including Goa, acquired through the Hyderabad vendor. Gujarat and Pune. In fact, at a recent event, covered Immediately following these arrests, the number of by the local papers, RSO Special Agent Scott Messick applicants presenting these fake document packages and Colin Sullivan presented an award to beaming offi- dropped off, and the A/RSO-I then effectively worked cers at Mumbai’s Sahar Airport Police Station for “the with counterparts countrywide and through police in success and cooperation [it] and the U.S. consulate Hyderabad to secure the arrest of the document vendor. have shared in combating document fraud in India.” He even secured a copy of the vendor’s hard drive con- Indeed, in the past year, Mumbai police have arrested taining vast amounts of fraudulent data, corporate logos, nearly 20 visa applicants presenting fraudulent docu- letterhead, U.S. visa application forms, tax forms, Indian ments or engaging in other serious misrepresentation passports and more. Special Agent Sullivan’s briefing of at post. the consular section on the contents of this vendor’s com- These arrests have had a significant deterrent effect, puter was an eye-opener and really drove home the seri- not only here but in places like Hyderabad, a city that ousness of the challenge we face together.

Anthony F. Renzulli is the fraud prevention officer at An Invaluable Resource U.S. Consulate General Mumbai. As a law enforcement officer, the A/RSO-I provides a

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wide array of contacts and resources The assistant RSO was Database, giving them access to infor- that enhance the consular section’s mation on all U.S. passport and visa general ability to investigate fraud. In able to turn several applications throughout the world, as addition, the investigator can provide well as to other key databases such as assistance when the consulate encoun- investigations by the SEVIS (which tracks the enrollment ters applicants who might be wanted status of foreign students). And an persons, alien smugglers or other “high post’s Fraud increasing number of new A/RSO interest” persons. investigators are receiving the same Special Agent Sullivan’s tour in Prevention Unit into consular training as new consular offi- Mumbai has recently ended, but the cers, enabling them to arrive at posts contributions he made to the con- arrests by local police. with consular commissions. sulate’s ability to combat fraud will con- With this training, and access both tinue to pay dividends. We are confi- to the independent namecheck system dent that our second A/RSO-I, who arrives this summer, and to our local IV and NIV system, the ability of the will be able to expand the investigative capacity of the pro- A/RSO-I to work with the consular section to combat gram. passport and visa fraud should be further enhanced. The Meanwhile, the Bureaus of Consular Affairs and recent hiring of an FSN assistant to the A/RSO-I should Diplomatic Security have begun to pool their efforts in further expand our abilities to turn fraud investigations other ways, too. CA now grants RSOs (and domestically- into arrests, through improved outreach to Indian law assigned agents) access to the Consular Consolidated enforcement. I

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SEPTEMBER 2005/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 73

THE SPOKESMAN LEAVES THE PODIUM

FSO RICHARD BOUCHER WAS THE VOICE FOR SIX SECRETARIES OF STATE OVER THE PAST 13 YEARS. HERE, FOR A CHANGE, HE SPEAKS FOR HIMSELF.

BY GEORGE GEDDA

ichard Boucher, a career Foreign Korea together with Iran and Iraq in an international “axis Service officer, spent almost half of of evil.” Hardly an example of policy continuity, but the past 13 years as State Department Boucher seemed to take it all in stride. spokesman and assistant secretary of His miscues were rare. In September 2003, he was asked State for public affairs. He was the about a meeting among Belgium, Germany, France and voice for six Secretaries of State; very Luxembourg in Brussels on European defense. “Yeah, the few of his predecessors spoke for chocolate makers,” Boucher deadpanned, drawing laughter more than one. He worked closely with all six at Foggy from the press. He realized immediately that he had RBottom as well as on often-grueling overseas trips. The fact crossed a line. “Sorry . . . I think they’ve been referred to that so many Secretaries of State — four Republicans and that way in the press; I shouldn’t repeat things I see in the two Democrats — relied on him for such a sensitive task is press.” a remarkable tribute to his skill and trustworthiness. It is, During the Clinton administration, when he wasn’t after all, a job in which the tolerance level for missteps is department spokesman, Boucher spent most of his time as understandably low. consul general in Hong Kong; U.S. envoy to the APEC, the Boucher was able to go before the media each day and Pacific Rim economic cooperation group; and as ambas- explain, often without looking at notes, the Secretary’s sador to Cyprus. He joined the State Department in March thoughts in sentences that parsed and that could be under- 1977. China was an early specialty; once full diplomatic stood not only by the press corps’ diplomatic experts but also relations were established, he was assigned to open the con- by ordinary citizens watching on C-SPAN or other news out- sulate in Guangzhou. lets. Yet he always seemed relaxed and seldom had to grope A native of Rockville, Md., about 12 miles north of Foggy for words. Grandstanding was not his style. The press Bottom, Boucher enjoys taking computers apart and putting admired him even though diplomatic sensitivities prevented them back together in his spare time. He and his wife, him from going beyond the often skimpy guidance with Carolyn, met in China. Their daughter Madeleine, 18, is a which he was provided each day. “There are more questions freshman at Columbia University. Son Peter, 14, attends than answers,” Boucher said in a Foreign Service Journal Washington International School. interview on June 3, the day before he passed the Following are excerpts from the June 3 Foreign Service spokesman’s torch to fellow career diplomat Sean Journal interview: McCormack (see sidebar, p. 76). He witnessed some abrupt policy shifts as he migrated FSJ: Which Secretaries of State did you speak for? from one administration to the next. He watched Secretary RB: I started out as deputy spokesman to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright raise a toast to North Korean [James] Baker. I moved up to the spokesman’s job for Chairman Kim Jong-Il in Pyongyang in October 2000. Secretary {Lawrence] Eagleburger and was here for about Barely 15 months later, President Bush lumped North the first six months for Secretary [Warren] Christopher.

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And at the end of the Clinton administration, Secretary getting into things that might make it more difficult to {Madeleine] Albright asked me to come back when Jamie achieve our policy goals? Every day you’ve got to do that Rubin left and I served for nine months. Under Secretary balance. [Colin] Powell, I didn’t think I would stay long but stayed all Questions usually go right to the heart. Journalists are as the way through. And I then stayed on for the first five smart as we are. months or so of Secretary [Condoleezza] Rice. FSJ: Have you ever made a sensitive negotiation more FSJ: What’s the best part of the job? difficult by saying the wrong thing? RB: The best part of the job is the whole world. There RB: I don’t think I’ve ever messed up any negotiation. are very few jobs in Washington where you deal with the But I’ve certainly seen it happen. Once, when I was a senior whole world at the same time. From minute to minute, you watch officer, I remember walking a very highly classified can be trying to explain Russia policy, what we are doing cable with instructions down to a communicator so they against AIDS, how we are promoting democracy in the Arab could send them to our negotiators in Geneva who were world. And you deal with the negotiating with the Soviets on a whole world in all of its aspects missile deal. I walked it down- — economics, politics, diploma- stairs and I came back up. I was cy, arms control, proliferation. “The best part of the job is on the midnight shift. I came And that makes it interesting and back up and the newspapers had exciting. There is nothing quite dealing with the whole world arrived. There was the U.S. like it in government. There are position and the U.S. fallback few jobs where you try to under- at the same time.” position on the front page of the stand intellectually why we’re Washington Post. It was 1986 or doing one thing in Zimbabwe — Richard Boucher 1987. and then something slightly dif- The other thing is that people ferent in Cambodia. get a distorted impression of So it has been an extraordi- U.S. policy. For a long time nary education. And even after there was the belief that we had all this time I’m learning new stuff every day. [And] I’m for- provided arms to the Khmer Rouge. Because we had a pol- getting the stuff every day, too (laughs). But I’m learning icy of not commenting on intelligence, this belief was ram- new stuff every day. pant. It took a major effort inside the bureaucracy to say At one point in my life, I probably knew as much about [publicly], “No, we don’t supply arms to the Khmer Rouge.” Chinese economic reform as anybody. And there is indeed a pleasure that comes from that. But trying to understand FSJ: But didn’t [National Security Adviser Zbigniew] and figure out the big picture is a challenge that speaks not Brzezinski encourage the Chinese to supply the Khmer only to what are American interests but what is our role fun- Rouge because they were the only anti-Soviet force in damentally in the world. Or, in understanding democracy Southeast Asia in the late 1970s and early 1980s? policy as it applies to different places. I think that’s the most RB: That’s a different question. The idea that the United interesting thing going on right now. States supplied them was wrong.

FSJ: What is the most difficult part of the job? FSJ: Has being a spokesman been more difficult since RB: Answering all those questions. There are more 9/11? questions than there are answers. And there are usually RB: Everything we’ve been doing is more difficult since more questions you can’t answer than questions you can 9/11 because what we say is more important. What our answer. So how do you give people an honest indication of diplomats are doing in the field is more dangerous and dif- what policy is, what the Secretary wants, the direction she is ficult because we know how important security and the job going in a way that supports the diplomatic process without are. On the other hand, it’ gives a certain sense to our role in the world, to what we are trying to accomplish. And that A frequent contributor to the Journal, George Gedda cov- applies to the briefing, as well. There is an organizing prin- ers the State Department for The Associated Press. He ciple: to prevent another attack on America. And that has was present for most of the press briefings Richard enormous ramifications for everything we do around the Boucher gave since 1993. world, even the support for democracy. You have to be able

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to explain everything in that context. democracy as well as working togeth- Because that is the only thing that er on security. really matters. “I used to say it’s time to When we were coming back from FSJ: How disruptive has the job Peru that day [Sept. 11, 2001], on the leave this job when been with respect to home life, late airplane, everyone was sort of sitting hours, late phone calls, etc.? around, and about a couple of hours somebody has a coup on RB: I suppose there are a variety into the flight, I walked up to of jobs where you never quite get Secretary Powell’s cabin. He had his Friday night and you away from them. This one is pretty yellow pads written out. And I had my constant. The advantage is you do little piece of paper. And I said, there’s think they did it to ruin everything in the world. The disad- half-a-dozen things we’re going to vantage is you do everything in the have to think about. I went through your weekend.” world. If something happens far away, my half-a-dozen things. He said, somehow you need to know about it “You’ve got to understand; this and need to deal with it. Other people changes everything.” He was right. don’t have the same weekend as we I don’t want to leave the impression do. Some people don’t have the same that preventing another attack on the We’re now confronted with the midnights as we do. It’s pretty disrup- United States is a simple thing. It problems of Uzbekistan. You want to tive. It’s a lot of travel and a lot of involves visa policy, proliferation poli- have your base there. You want to be phone calls. cy and democracy, how we interact able to fight terrorism with the Uzbek The one virtue compared to a lot of with foreign governments, how for- government. So aren’t you compro- other jobs is that you live in the unclas- eign governments treat their citizens, mising on democracy? The fact is the sified world most of the time. And so how much interest we take in differ- two are very closely related: building you do a lot of your work on weekends ent things. stability and healthy societies through by BlackBerry and cell phone. So you may be on the phone, but at least The New Spokesman: Sean McCormack you’re on the phone at your kid’s soc- cer game. ichard Boucher’s replacement as State Department spokesman and as assistant secretary of State for public affairs is Sean McCormack, FSJ: Presumably your next job will Ra fellow Foreign Service officer. be a little less disruptive? Seldom has a spokesman been better prepared for the job than RB: A little more predictable. Not McCormack. He served in that role for the National Security Council dur- necessarily quieter. I used to say it’s ing President Bush’s first term, working closely with then-NSC adviser time to leave this job when somebody Condoleezza Rice. That experience permitted a relatively seamless transi- has a coup on Friday night and you tion to his new State Department role. think they did it to ruin your weekend. McCormack’s official titles while working for Rice were Special Assistant I never quite got to that point of para- to the President, Spokesman for the National Security Council and Deputy noia but you do start to take things a White House Press Secretary for Foreign Policy. little bit personally ... It’s like being a McCormack began his career in the Foreign Service in 1995. The fol- wire service reporter sometimes. lowing year, he was assigned to the U.S. embassy in Ankara as the Farsi- speaking officer in the consular section. FSJ: Is there a particular answer After two years in Ankara, he was posted to the U.S. embassy in Algiers that you’ve given over the past dozen from 1998 to 1999, with responsibility for economic reporting and consular years or so that you regret more than issues. McCormack served in the State Department Operations Center in any other? 1999 before moving to the Executive Secretariat Staff (“The Line”). He was RB: In my own mind, I think I detailed to the National Security Council Staff in 2001. screw something up every day. There McCormack graduated from Colby College in 1986 with a bachelor’s is always something I think I could degree in economics. He received an M.A. in international relations from have done better or didn’t do as well as the University of Maryland, College Park, in 1990. I should have. Sometimes if I got it — George Gedda wrong, I go out to try to fix it right away.

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FSJ: I remember when Ed Muskie People come back from the odd- was Secretary of State 25 years ago. est places and say, “I heard you on He was amazed at how an off-hand “There is always the radio.” But that’s less a reflec- remark would reverberate around the tion of me than it’s a reflection of the world. Do you see in your mind’s eye something I think I could media first of all, how international a banner headline as you think about things are. If you say something stu- what to say and perhaps hold back? have done better or pid in Southeast Asia, it’s going to go RB: I think you have to try to all over the world. … [So] you try to understand what’s it’s going to look didn’t do as well as keep it straight and steady so the like to the people that hear it. Your answer is as clear as possible. first responsibility is for what you say, I should have. Sometimes I will say [in answer to a how you explain things. But you have question], “I don’t know,” or “I don’t to think about what it’s going to look Sometimes if I got it know; I’ll check on it.” And I know like. You have to remember that that in some countries that creates a something that’s a minor story in wrong, I go out to try to headline, “State Department unin- America is a big story in the country formed on X policy.” And then there you’re talking about. Marlin Fitzwater fix it right away.” is a long analysis as to why we don’t [press secretary for President Reagan know about something. In fact there and the first President Bush] once is probably somebody who does said, “I stand at the podium and I see know. I just don’t happen to know all these electrons going out and I myself. can’t catch them.” It is indeed instan- briefing. You see a story about some- And then the next day we’ll come taneous. When you travel, you might thing you didn’t really say much back with an answer and they’ll write see a big story in a newspaper for about. But it creates a story out there. another story saying, “The State something that took 30 seconds in a You’re very conscious of it. Department has finally figured it out.”

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FSJ: Are there any issues that you FSJ: There is a lot of good work see as important that the press simply that is done out of this building. You ignores? “One day the Israelis have the annual reports on human RB: Economics. When the Secre- rights, on U.S. support for human tary of State travels around the world, and the Palestinians or rights, on trafficking in persons, on the he or she spends a good deal of time state of religious freedom around the talking about economics, talking the Jordanians sign a world. Do you think the media should about development assistance, talking be paying more attention to these about economic growth, good gover- treaty and it’s big news. activities? nance, corruption, how [to become] a RB: All the time. Part of it is the Millennium Challenge country, how [Then] there’s another nature of our business and the nature [to] export more textiles to the U.S. of the press business. News is news. When the airplanes hit the World story saying we failed to News is drama. News is different. Trade Center on 9/11, Secretary Our work involves steady pursuit of a Powell was talking to the president of get peace in the Middle lot of things. It may not be different Peru [in Lima] about exports of from one day to another. It may not Peruvian cotton to the United States. East today.” be different from one year to another. Secretary Rice, whenever she’s gone So there are all these reports that we on her trips to Asia, to Latin America, do and once a year create big stories, to Europe, met with African leaders, maybe a couple of other times, maybe everybody’s talking about China and foreign policy. We do try to talk about different pieces of it. But there are China’s export policies. That’s what a the doubling of development assis- dozens and dozens of people who lot of the world’s fussing about. I tance. We try to talk about the impor- work on these every day to try to make think there is a lot less (media) atten- tance of CAFTA [the Central next year’s story better than this year’s tion to economics and how it fits into American Free Trade Agreement]. story, to try to help people who are caught in slavery, who are caught in jail because of human rights violations. I’m sure there are a lot of things that we can do better in terms of [drawing] attention to them. [Take the issue of] Middle East peace. People are working every day on that. Every day or every other day there is a story that we failed to get peace in the Middle East. One day the Israelis and the Palestinians or the Jordanians sign a treaty and it’s big news. [Then] there’s maybe three or four days of follow-up stories — and within three or four days there’s another story saying we failed to get peace in the Middle East today. It’s part of the nature of our business. There are these moments that stick in your mind and I think the Afghan elections, you know some of the pictures from there, the Iraqi elections, again, pictures from there. That will stick in people’s minds. You’ve given them an image they can grab onto. Part of our job is to make sure that people see those images. I

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BOOKS

People in the Middle East have The Past as Prologue Polk’s book provides longer memories than we do. They a strong antidote to do not forget the heritage of Western Understanding Iraq colonialism and imperialism. Consider William R. Polk, HarperCollins the profound and the U.K.’s “Iraq Petroleum Com- Publishers, 2005, $22.95, hardcover, pervasive ignorance pany,” designed to exploit the world’s 221 pages. about Iraq that pre- largest supply of oil in a single territo- ry. Iraq’s share of the oil revenues was REVIEWED BY ROBERT V. KEELEY vailed in Washington $40 million in 1952. In 1972 the Iraqi as we were led into government (instigated by Saddam Anyone dealing with the Iraq this war. Hussein) nationalized the IPC, with quagmire, or who truly wishes to dramatic results. By the following understand this horrendous adven- year, Iraq’s oil revenues were $1 bil- ture, should make the time to read w lion. They reached $8 billion two this new book, which fully lives up to years later. And by 1980 they were its pithy title. I have not seen a better $26 billion. book on the subject. It provides a as part of the Ottoman Empire), This mountain of cash permitted a strong antidote to the profound and British Iraq, revolutionary Iraq (devot- vast program of development and pervasive ignorance about Iraq that ing particular attention to the Saddam modernization, unprecedented in the prevailed in Washington as we were Hussein regime), and “American Iraq” Middle East, that in a very few years led into this war. (1990 to the present). The most inter- transformed Iraq into the most The author could hardly be more esting chapter for me was about the advanced state in the Arab world — a expert. William R. Polk has been British experience, which offers so Saddam legacy that no one now cares studying, teaching, writing about and many parallels with our own. Among to remember. Iraq was briefly, in following Iraq since he first went there other missteps, the British tried to some limited ways, an exemplar for as a graduate student in 1947. During establish security on the cheap by the region, until a combination of fear the Kennedy administration he was hiring local militias, in their case and hubris drove Saddam way off- the Middle East specialist on the State made up of minority ethnic Assyrian course, into a useless war that caused Department’s Policy Planning Coun- Christians. immense damage to both Iraq and cil. A graduate of Harvard and Polk takes us through the history Iran, and in turn to the entire neigh- Oxford, he taught Middle East politics of our own involvement with Iraq: the borhood — and, regrettably, eventu- and history and Arabic language “Baghdad Pact” (aka CENTO), a ally to the United States as well. (which he speaks) and literature at Dulles creation to counter Soviet Polk’s final chapter is a cogent, Harvard and at the University of influence in the region; the short- informed and understandably pes- Chicago during a long academic lived Hashemite “Arab Union” with simistic critique of our current perfor- career, and has published many books Jordan to counter Nasser’s “United mance in Iraq. His policy prescrip- in his field. He was even in Iraq short- Arab Republic” and Arab nationalism tion for the future, briefly stated, is ly before we launched our invasion in in general; and our assistance to that since democracy cannot be 2003. Saddam Hussein during the mutually imposed by military means, we should In five succinct chapters he covers destructive war with Iran, to counter get out sooner rather than later. I the history of Mesopotamia in ancient what we saw as dangerous Islamic believe he would add that we should times, under Islamic rule (before and extremism. also at least learn from our mistakes,

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and avoid such totally misguided new heights in the 1981 U.N. rently could — and don’t — sanction adventures in the future. That is not Declaration on Religious Freedom. gross violators of religious freedom isolationism; it is realism and common Yet despite this steady but quiet suddenly sacrifice pragmatism for sense. progress, literature on the subject has principle? been limited. Drinan tries to fill that Drinan also omits one other princi- Robert V. Keeley, a retired FSO, gap in 13 chapters examining nearly ple of Catholic social thought relevant served as ambassador to Mauritius, every imaginable facet of the topic, to this study: subsidiarity. Subsidiarity Zimbabwe and Greece. He was presi- concluding with a summary chapter maintains that responsibilities that dent of the Middle East Institute in that gives the book its title: “Questions can be handled at a lower or more Washington from 1990 to 1995. of God and Caesar.” localized level should not be entrust- Recently he was elected chairman of Drinan argues that the 1946 ed to higher or more removed bodies. the Council for the National Interest Declaration should be turned into a In light of subsidiarity, is an interna- Foundation. His small independent legally enforceable treaty. But he’s tional covenant advisable at this time? publishing company, the Five and Ten familiar with the problems his posi- “Religious freedom” unfortunately Press, has produced 24 original paper- tion entails. For example, countries remains a term of somewhat ambigu- backs since 1995. like China have a history of trampling ous content. At one extreme is China, “on any culture or religion that could where religious freedom does not pose a threat to the ruling powers.” encompass the right to belong to a He’s also dubious that Muslim coun- religion free of state control. At the Advancing Religious tries could reconcile religious free- other extreme are some quarters of Freedom dom with basing their civil law on the U.S. and western Europe, where sharia. And he expresses dissatisfac- “freedom of religion” is taken as “free- Can God and Caesar Coexist? tion with the jurisprudence of the dom from religion.” Given such Religious Freedom and European Court of Human Rights, equivocation, a convention guarantee- International Law which he believes is overly deferential ing religious freedom would seeming- Robert F. Drinan, S.J., Yale to national laws at the expense of ly have to be so minimal as to ensure University Press, 2004, $30, claims of violations of religious free- protection for the most basic rights of hardcover, 266 pages. dom, especially of minorities. conscience or run the risk of wreaking The greatest obstacle, however, is worldwide mischief, as judges or REVIEWED BY JOHN M. GRONDELSKI that the notion of an international diplomats expansively interpret right to religious freedom remains ambiguous texts. In such a context, The overwhelming reaction to Pope inchoate. Drinan admits that “appro- “one-size-fits-all” worldwide may do John Paul II’s death shows that religion priate standards by which to judge the cause of religious freedom more is alive and well on the global “public restrictions on the free exercise of harm than good. square.” Indeed, since the 1990s, religion are just beginning to be artic- Still, respect for religious freedom is there has been greater worldwide ulated.” Despite this, he believes that an indispensable element to the focus on the human right to freedom the general trajectory in which this progress of democracy. Curiously, for of religion and conscience, especially right is evolving is on course, and that all his references to Catholic thought, in light of persecution of believers in a multilateral treaty would foster that Drinan never really develops John places like China and Darfur. development. Paul II’s insight that religious freedom But religious freedom is not just a This reviewer is less than con- is the first human right and, therefore, discovery of recent years, insists vinced by Drinan’s optimism that a a prerequisite to democracy. A state Father Robert Drinan, a Jesuit priest, treaty (even one backed by some kind acknowledging religious freedom rec- Georgetown law professor and former of international tribunal or U.N. com- ognizes its claims on its citizens are congressman. The notion of a human mittee) would significantly advance limited by other allegiances. Demo- right to religious freedom has been religious freedom. Why would a cracies do not “grant” religious free- evolving over the past half-century, nation that tramples religious freedom; by checking Caesar’s claims, starting with the Universal Declara- dom change, just because the U.N. religious freedom gives birth to tion of Human Rights and reaching says so? Why would nations that cur- democracies.

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With these caveats in mind, Can cide in the eastern Congo where national community. God & Caesar Coexist? deserves Rwandan Tutsis were exterminating Where I part company with readership, if only because of the Hutu refugees with impunity, and the French is in his explanation for the dearth of literature on the question of disagreements between Embassies fact that most of Africa has moved religious freedom in international law Kigali and Kinshasa about what was backward since 1960. He blames the and rights. Drinan has launched a really going on in the forests around colonial powers for alienating African worthwhile conversation. It needs Kisangani. peoples from their original cultures continuation. His description of what went on in and forms of government. Why is it Liberia during the transition in 1997 then that most African governments John M. Grondelski, an FSO since 1998, that brought Charles Taylor to power are now moving back toward the same has served in London and Warsaw. He is almost as gripping as his narrative democratic systems bequeathed to is now a Russia desk officer in the about Zaire. Where he found Wash- them by the Europeans, after experi- European Bureau. ington somewhat passive about Zaire, menting disastrously with one-party he found it hopelessly indifferent to states, Marxist economic systems and the political challenge in Liberia. heavy corruption? Both Republican and Democratic The U.K. left Nigeria with one of Reporting Worthy of administrations refused even to con- the best indigenous civil services in the Name template any moral responsibility for the British Commonwealth. It was the country founded by former not London’s fault that corrupt A Continent for the Taking: The American slaves. Nigerian military generals took power Tragedy and Hope of Africa French is right on the mark in sev- through coups and then proceeded to Howard W. French, Vintage Books, eral of his analytical conclusions. destroy their civil service. 2005, $15, paperback, 280 pages. In Liberia, the U.S. could have French also blames the United brought the crisis to a halt on any States for propping up human rights REVIEWED BY HERMAN J. COHEN number of occasions with a small mil- violators like Mobutu in Zaire and itary intervention. But there was an Samuel Doe in Liberia for Cold War Calling all Foreign Service veter- almost pathological fear in Washing- reasons, and for maintaining correct ans of Congo-Zaire service! ton of having Liberia as a permanent relations with undemocratic govern- For the thousands of our col- burden. French correctly calls atten- ments in Nigeria and Angola because leagues who rotated through Kinshasa tion to the disgraceful difference we needed their crude oil. Well, the between 1960 and 2005, Howard between U.S. policies toward Bosnia last time I looked, strategic necessity French’s play-by-play narrative of the and Liberia. trumps human rights and democracy fall of dictator Mobutu, followed by French is the only journalist I have every time (check out China and the arrival of Laurent Kabila at the read who correctly describes the con- Saudi Arabia today). head of a Rwandan-sponsored inva- flict in Zaire between 1996 and 2003 Let’s face it. The original crop of sion in 1997, is the most exciting and as a proxy war directed by the tiny African leaders chose the worst options accurate ever written. Rwandan government that was deter- for political and economic policy, and French was the New York Times mined to control power and resources their nations suffered dearly. correspondent in West and Central in its giant neighbor. In contrast, most Colonialism had nothing to do with it. Africa from 1993 to 1998. It was a journalists, many academics and the But analytical differences aside, time of great turmoil, and French, clueless State Africa Bureau during French keeps the action moving and who was based in Abidjan, was there Clinton’s second term all naively the descriptions exciting. This book is to cover every crisis. He was quite believed that Zaire was undergoing a a great read for Africanists and gener- willing to dodge bullets and risk being real civil war. alists alike. taken hostage in order to get the story French also provides a touching on the ground. At the same time as description of Mali’s efforts to estab- Herman J. Cohen, a retired FSO, was he was reporting on the military state lish a real democracy, and correctly Assistant Secretary of State for Africa of play, he was doing outstanding deplores the absence of any special during the George H. W. Bush admin- analysis about U.S. policy, the geno- “democracy dividend” from the inter- istration.

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IN MEMORY

Grace Ball, 78, wife of retired band’s first tour in Japan (1967- transferred in 1965 to Tokyo as FSO Albert Ball, died July 5 in 1971) she learned the art of flower- senior visa officer and vice consul. Temecula, Calif., from heart failure. beading, earning plaudits for the In 1968 she was assigned to Mrs. Ball was born Grace Sarra- beautiful and intricate designs she Jerusalem as vice consul. During fian in Beirut, and came to the produced for the next 20 years. Mrs. that tour she became involved in the United States in 1948 to teach the Ball spoke fluent French and difficult search for noted Episcopal Bible and related courses to teen- German, as well as Armenian and theologian James Pike. The Pikes agers. She attended the Pacific some Turkish. had become stranded in the Judean School of Religion in Berkeley, where Besides her husband, she leaves a desert after an automobile break- she received her master’s degree in daughter, Ruth Anne Artz, a grand- down, and Mrs. Pike went on for religious education. While living at daughter, Amanda Artz, and a grand- help when her husband could no International House, she met her son, Andrew Artz, of Highland, longer walk. As a consular officer, husband, and they were married in Calif. Ms. Barnhart worked with Mrs. Pike 1953. She then transferred to the until the bishop’s body was finally University of California at Berkeley, found. where she received another master’s u Mrs. Pike praised Ms. Barnhart’s degree, this one in French literature, Margaret J. Barnhart, 76, a service in a book about the ordeal, and continued studying for her retired Foreign Service officer, died Search: “I don’t ever remember Ph.D. of pneumonia May 13 at Sibley being so grateful for someone’s com- After Mr. Ball completed his Memorial Hospital in Washington, pany. She was the perfect compan- Ph.D. in English, she accompanied D.C. ion for me. When I felt like talking him on his teaching career to the Ms. Barnhart was born in she carried on lengthy conversations University of Wisconsin in Madison, Greensburg, Pa. She attended about whatever interested me … to the University of Puerto Rico at Goucher College, where she was a when I fell silent she simply sat qui- Rio Piedras, and on a research/ member of Delta Gamma sorority, etly and calmly with me.” teaching Fulbright Grant to Paris and graduated with a bachelor’s In 1970, Ms. Barnhart returned and Aix-en-Provence. degree in international relations in to Washington, D.C., as a personnel Mrs. Ball’s travels as a Foreign 1950. That same year Ms. Barnhart officer and then served as editor of Service wife included postings in began her career at the State State magazine. Later positions Leopoldville, Abidjan (where the Department, working with, among included consul general in Bangkok Balls’ daughter, Ruth Anne, was others, Under Secretary of State Loy and Buenos Aires, and consul in born), Osaka, Athens, Brussels and Henderson. She received her com- Rio de Janeiro. Her last posting was Tokyo. While in Athens, Mrs. Ball mission as a Foreign Service officer in the department’s Bureau for served as president of the American in 1961. Refugee Affairs. She retired in Women’s Club. During her hus- After a posting to Paris, she was 1984.

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Ms. Barnhart favored many char- Mr. Cariddi is survived by his wife attack at his home in Willows, Calif. ities during her lifetime, including of 60 years, Andrée Cariddi, of Born in Richmond, Calif., he the Western Pennsylvania Con- Mobile, Ala.; three children, Priscilla attended Piedmont High School and servancy (the home of Fallingwater, of Mobile, Ala., Alan of Paris, France, then received a bachelor’s degree Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece) and Claudia of Tucson, Ariz.; and four from Armstron Business College. In and FONZ, the Friends of the grandchildren, Michelle, Jenifer, 1941 he married his college sweet- National Zoo. She was a member of Melanie-Anne and Alan Jr. heart, Carlyse Lohse, of Willows, Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Calif. Mr. Gates was drafted into the Retired and the Kenwood Golf and 9th Army Air Force Signal Corps in Country Club. u 1942, and served for more than five She is survived by her goddaugh- Thomas A. DeHart, 78, a retired years in Egypt, England, France and ter, Susan Lewis Glass of Leesburg, Foreign Service officer, died Jan. 30 Germany. He ended his military Va.; a cousin, Nadine Smith of in Bend, Ore., due to complications career as a major. Washington, D.C.; and several arising from lung cancer. On June 20, 14 days after D-Day, cousins in Pennsylvania. Mr. DeHart was born in Upland, Mr. Gates landed on Norman- Calif. He served in the Marine Corps dy Beach. Later he enjoyed telling during World War II, participating in about the two weeks he spent living u combat operations at Bougainville at the top of the Eiffel Tower, man- Charles A. Cariddi, 88, a retired and the landing at Okinawa. Follow- ning the U.S. military communica- Foreign Service officer, died in ing the war, he used the G.I. Bill to tion equipment. Mobile, Ala., on June 12, after a attend Whittier College, and later Following the war, Mr. and Mrs. brief illness. undertook graduate studies at The Gates settled in Willows. Mr. Gates Mr. Cariddi, who was born in George Washington University. went into business and became an New York City in 1916, served with In 1952 Mr. DeHart joined the active member of the community. the United States Army in the Foreign Service and was posted to He served on the Willows School Middle East during World War II. Munich and Hong Kong. His next Board and as a deputy sheriff and In 1945 he began a 30-year career in assignment was to the political section volunteer fireman. He was presi- the Foreign Service. His postings in Taipei, where he reported on dent of the local Little League and a included Cairo, Frankfurt, Bonn, Taiwan’s non-existent opposition, an founding member of the Century Paris (two postings), Tehran, Rio de experience that convinced him to spe- Swim Club. He was active in the Janeiro, Recife, Brasilia, Brussels cialize in consular affairs. After serv- Boy Scouts, Masonic Lodge, Elks and New Delhi. Mr. Cariddi retired ing as deputy director of the visa Lodge, Rotary Club and the Willows to Mobile, Ala., in late 1976. office in Washington, Mr. DeHart was Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Cariddi will be remembered posted to Adelaide in 1967, returning In 1962, Mr. Gates joined the by his many friends for his steadfast to Hong Kong the following year. He Foreign Service. Over a 14-year commitment to service of his coun- served as consul general in Santo career, he was posted to Manila, try, his sharp and perceptive wit, Domingo and Tijuana before retiring Sydney, Rome, Lagos and Antwerp. generous and loyal heart, love and to central Oregon in 1976. He retired in late 1976, and deep knowledge of classical music, Mr. DeHart is survived by his wife, returned to Willows. During his and for his considerable talents as an Elaine DeHart of Sunriver, Ore., and retirement years, Mr. Gates contin- accomplished amateur painter and four children: Tom DeHart Jr. of ued to travel the world, either on photographer. Mr. Cariddi was also Grand Prairie, Texas; Lynn DeHart business for himself or for pleasure a gifted linguist, fluent in French, of Kona, Hawaii; Cathy DeHart of with his wife. Friends and family Italian, German, Greek, Arabic, Spokane, Wash.; and Jim DeHart, an recall his joy in telling of his years in Portuguese and Farsi. He also pos- FSO, of Falls Church, Va. the Foreign Service, meeting and sessed a truly encyclopedic knowl- working with such a diverse and edge in matters of art, science and interesting group of individuals and literature, which he shared with his u being able to travel the world while friends and family and continued to Charles Edward Gates, 88, a doing it. During his lifetime he vis- develop throughout his life. retired FSO, died May 30 of a heart ited 147 different countries.

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I N M EMORY u

Mr. Gates is survived by his three American experience in the sons, Carl of Conway, Ark., Marvin Philippines. of Carson City, Nev., and Raymond He is survived by his wife of 31 of Ukiah, Calif. He was preceded in years, Norma C. Gleeck; two sons, death by his wife of 62 years, Alfred Lewis Gleeck and Edward Carlyse. Gleeck; and a daughter, Eva Gleeck. u u Lewis E. Gleeck Jr., 92, a retired John A. (Jack) Linehan, 81, a Foreign Service officer, died July 1 retired FSO and ambassador, died at his home in Bowie, Md., following peacefully at his home on May 19 of a lengthy illness. complications of bladder cancer. Mr. Gleeck was educated at Born in Gloucester, Mass., on July Pomona College, the University of 20, 1924, and educated in local Chicago, Columbia University and schools, he attended one year at the U.S. Army War College. In 1940 Boston University before being draft- he began a 29-year career in the ed into the Army as a medic. Foreign Service, serving in Canada, Ambassador Linehan landed at Utah Finland, Sweden, Austria, Iceland, Beach on June 11, 1944, five days after Norway, Pakistan and Washington, D-Day, and was awarded five battle D.C. Posted to the Philippines in stars upon his discharge. He returned 1962, Mr. Gleeck served there for to Boston University and earned his the next six years, retiring from the bachelor’s degree in political science Foreign Service in 1969 as consul in 1948. Three months later, he mar- general. ried Janice Rowley, a Gloucester Mr. Gleeck remained in the neighbor whom he had known since Philippines for the next 30 years, the age of 7. The two departed for joining USAID to work on land Washington, D.C., where Amb. reform and cooperatives for six years Linehan attended Georgetown School and subsequently serving for several of Foreign Service, receiving a bache- years as a consultant on base-com- lor’s degree in Foreign Service. munity relations to the U.S. Navy at Sworn into the U.S. diplomatic Subic Bay. He then served as editor service in 1952, he went to his first of the American Historical Collec- post — Paris — with his wife and tion’s bulletin and the curator of its five-month-old son in 1953. In library from 1976 through 1998. Paris, as he often said, Amb. Established in 1950, this large and Linehan had the honor for some unique collection on the relationship time of being the lowest-ranking between America and the Philip- diplomat at the American embassy, pines is now housed in the Rizal and the sole proud claimant to the Library at Ateneo de Manila Uni- title of third secretary. versity in Loyola Heights, Quezon Subsequent postings soon moved City. him out of that spot, however. He was During his long and varied vice consul in Quebec City; consul in career, Mr. Gleeck published at least Adelaide; chief of the political section 14 books — among them, President in Monrovia; deputy chief of mission Marcos and the Philippine Political in Accra (while Shirley Temple Black Culture (Cellar Book Shop, 1988) — was the ambassador); and ambassador and scores of articles on the in Freetown. Later, he headed

84 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/SEPTEMBER 2005

I N M EMORY u inspection teams to U.S. embassies Angeles, Calif. She joined the War and consulates in all parts of the Department in 1942 as a stenogra- world. He was also seconded by the pher, and served in Washington, Department of State for four years to New York (with the U.N.’s new pro- serve as executive director of the gram of aid), Italy, Germany, American-Australian Bicentennial England and Brazil. Foundation. In 1951, Ms. Norins joined the Thoughout these peregrinations Department of State as a staff offi- — which also included stints in cer. In an 18-year career there she Washington, D.C., and at the Air War served in Athens, Aden, Bangkok, College in Montgomery, Ala., where Tokyo, Malta, Ottawa and Vientiane, he received a master’s degree in polit- often as the ambassador’s secretary. ical science from Auburn University She was sent on temporary duty to — he was accompanied by his wife help establish diplomatic posts in and children, with the result that they East Africa and handled one of the became a very close-knit and loving first hijackings of a U.S. airliner for family. the State Department in 1961. Ms. First retiring to Bethesda, Md., Norins retired in 1969. Amb. and Mrs. Linehan moved to Following retirement Ms. Norins Sarasota, Fla., in 1995. There he settled in San Francisco, where she became active as a Guardian ad became active in community affairs. Litem (a citizen dispute small-claims She raised housing issues with the mediator), a board member of the Board of Supervisors and played an Sarasota Opera Guild and the important role in securing municipal Foreign Service Retirees Association funds for a new hospital. She also of Florida, as well as a board mem- successfully lobbied the board to ber of DACOR and the DACOR lengthen the time to cross the street Bacon House Foundation. He was at signal-controlled intersections. A also an active member of St. Andrew strong believer in an independent United Church of Christ, serving as and professional Foreign Service, president of the church council for she was active in the Bay area’s for- two years. eign affairs organizations. She also Amb. Linehan leaves behind his led three statewide professional wife of 57 years, Jan; two sons, Mark associations. H. (and his wife Karen LaBonte) of Jeanne Norins leaves many nieces, Yorktown Heights, N.Y., and Andrew nephews and cousins, including A. of Portland, Ore; a daughter, Sarah, Robert Berg of Washington, D.C. also of Portland, Ore.; and one The family requests that her memory beloved granddaughter, Ruth, of be honored with contributions to the Yorktown Heights. The family sug- Senior Living Foundation of the gests that memorial gifts be made to American Foreign Service Association the St. Andrew UCC Endowment or to the DACOR Bacon House Fund. Foundation. I

Send your “In Memory” submission to: u Foreign Service Journal Attn: Susan Maitra Jeanne L. Norins, 87, a retired 2101 E Street NW, Washington DC 20037, Foreign Service staff officer, died May or e-mail it to [email protected], 14 at her home in San Francisco, Calif. or fax it to (202) 338-8244. No photos, please. Ms. Norins was born in Los

SEPTEMBER 2005/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 85

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SEPTEMBER 2005/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 91

REFLECTIONS Imams on the Edge: Dispatch from the Uzbek-Afghan Border

BY JESSICA P. H AYDEN

had been in Uzbekistan for two as counselor, teacher and doctor all separated from the state and that all I days. After a harrowing flight in at the same time. By training imams faiths should have the right to prac- an ancient Soviet Tupelo to Karshi, in modern health care or agricultur- tice what they believe. But for these my mode of transportation went al issues, USAID can have a greater villagers in Uzbekistan, who have from frightening to death-defying. impact. But working with religious lived through the mandatory atheist Riding in an Uzbek-built Nexia, sans leaders serves another, unstated rule of the Soviets followed by the seat belts, I was heading south goal. In this region, where young autocratic and suspicious rule of mod- through the windy, mountainous men and women are constantly ern-day Uzbekistan, these words held roads to the Afghan border. My dri- exposed to the Islamic-extremist special significance. When David ver, catching on to my distress, view of the world, it is USAID’s hope finished, the room erupted in winked at me and tried to be reas- that the more religious leaders applause. suring. Promising a safe ride, he understand about U.S. involvement It is just this kind of reaction that told me to get some sleep. He then in local communities, the less they USAID hopes will bridge the infor- swerved into oncoming traffic to will see America in negative terms. mation gap that currently exists in avoid a man-sized pothole. No, Just outside of Termiz, we met many Muslim communities. While there was no chance that I’d get any with a health support group headed no one expects that sending a few sleep on this trip. by Imam Batir, an enthusiastic, mid- well-intentioned Americans into these Not that I would have wanted to. dle-aged man with expressive eyes communities will solve America’s I was on my way to Termiz, which sat and an easy smile. He was glad to be “image problem,” these outreach on the southern border of the for- sharing his activities with us. My col- efforts may cause some to think twice mer Soviet Union and was the point league David, an American Muslim about who and what America really is. from which the Soviets invaded who speaks fluent Uzbek, was of par- These imams live on the edge of Afghanistan in the 1980s. While I ticular interest to the group. The dis- an infamous border and on the mar- wasn’t here to search caves for al- cussion quickly steered from health gins of society. It is USAID’s hope Qaida, I was in search of young men issues to inquiries about religion. The that by engaging these communities, and women susceptible to Islamic group wanted to know what it was like the pull of extremists will appear less fundamentalism. My job with to be a Muslim in America. For the promising; and calls to fight against USAID was to introduce U.S. assis- next five minutes, David delivered a an “evil America” will ring shallow tance programs to conservative vil- passionate address about his conver- and untrue. It remains to be seen lage leaders, many of them mullahs sion to Islam at the age of 15 and how effective these outreach pro- and imams. how he is proud to be a Muslim and grams will be. Americans often lack In many rural areas, the village proud to be an American. the cultural, linguistic and religious imam is often the most educated and “In America, it is wonderful to be linkages to make inroads with these well-respected figure, often serving a Muslim because we have the free- communities. But that is beginning dom to practice and worship without to change, as evinced by my col- Jessica P. Hayden is a free-lance imposition from the government.” league who, I believe, truly won the writer who worked for USAID in It is a concept with which we in hearts of those villagers on the Central Asia from 2003 to 2005. The the U.S. are familiar. From our ear- Afghan-Uzbek border. stamp is courtesy of the AAFSW liest social studies classes, Americans Still, on the edge, you can fall Bookfair “Stamp Corner.” are taught that the church should be either way. I

92 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/SEPTEMBER 2005

AFSAAmerican Foreign ServiceNEWS Association • September 2005

2005 AFSA AWARDS CEREMONY AFSA Honors Dissent and Performance Inside This Issue: BY SHAWN DORMAN

FSA’s dissent awards are lenged the system from within and have BRIEFS: AGGELER ...... 2 unique in government questioned conventional wisdom, regard- STATE VP: THE REAL FS...... 3 “ service,” then-AFSA less of the personal consequences.” USAID VP: FUTURE PERFECT...... 4 President John Limbert In thanking Director General W. FIGHT FOR AUTHORIZATION BILL.....6 A NEW AFSA SCHOLARSHIP...... 7 remarked at the 2005 AFSA awards cer- Robert Pearson for co-hosting this year’s emony. “They are not about perfor- awards ceremony with AFSA, Limbert Q&A: RETIREE SPOUSE BENEFITS.....8 mance, nor are they about being right on went on to say, “How remarkable it is that FS VOICE: SICK OVERSEAS...... 9 an issue. Rather we present them to the chief management and chief labor Foreign Service colleagues who have chal- officer of the Foreign Service should share a podium to honor DAS JOBS GO TO MID-LEVEL FSOS dissenters.” Director General Pearson, in AFSA Protests his remarks, noted that AFSA and manage- Out-of-Step ment have “done an Assignments enormous amount in the past two years to BY SHAWN DORMAN change the Foreign Sen. Richard Lugar (center) accepting the Lifetime Contributions to Service to meet tomor- fter hearing that three of the covet- American Diplomacy Award, presented by Deputy Secretary Robert row’s challenges.” ed deputy assistant secretary positions Zoellick (right) and AFSA President John Limbert. Continued on page 4 Ain the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs would be awarded to non- senior Foreign Service officers (one FS-2 and two FS-1s), AFSA raised objections with senior department management — in writing and in person — and urged that the appointments not be made. (See the AFSA president’s column, p. 5.) AFSA did not object to the individuals involved, but to the message sent by the appointments. Putting mid-level officers in DAS positions undermines the entire assignment system, according to AFSA. “Career DAS positions are senior positions for good reason,” said then-AFSA AFSA Welcomes New Governing Board President John Limbert, “They are filled by Acting AFSA President Louise Crane passes the AFSA gavel to incoming AFSA State Vice President former chiefs of mission and others with (and Acting President) Steven Kashkett at the AFSA Governing Board transition lunch on July 15. Continued on page 7

AFSANEWSBRIEFS

Welcome for New Staff Member FSN Relief Fund Runs Low A warm welcome to Jonathan (Jon) Reed, AFSA’s new — Support Needed accounting assistant. Jon comes to AFSA from C-SPAN and is a AFSA urges all Foreign Service members to graduate of George Mason University. He can be reached by consider donating to the Foreign Service National Emergency Relief Fund, a fund set up phone at extension 526, or by e-mail at [email protected]. by the State Department to respond to crisis or humanitarian requests on behalf of FSN employees. Recent relief disbursements have depleted the fund and it is in urgent need of Life in the Foreign Service replenishment. The most recent emergency I BY BRIAN AGGELER, FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER has been in Zimbabwe, where approximately 70 FSNs have lost homes and property in connection with the government’s devastating “urban cleanup” campaign. The disburse- ment for this emergency will bring the fund to a dangerously low level. Contributions to the fund can be made by check, credit card or through payroll deduction. Send checks to Donna Bordley, RM/CFO, Rm. 7427, 2201 C St. N.W., Washington, DC 20520. Checks should be payable to the U.S. Department of State, designation for the FSN Emergency Relief Fund. Consider all the times an FSN has helped you through a difficult situation at post, and give generously. Additional information about the fund can be found at http://web.rm.state.gov. If you have questions, call Donna Bordley or Ronda Harvey at (202) 647-5031. Briefs • Continued on page 3

AFSA HEADQUARTERS: Staff: Governing Board:

s: (202) 338-4045; Fax: (202) 338-6820 Executive Director Susan Reardon: [email protected] Business Department STATE DEPARTMENT AFSA OFFICE: PRESIDENT: J. Anthony Holmes (202) 647-8160; Fax: (202) 647-0265 Controller Steven Tipton: [email protected] Accounting Assistant Jon Reed: [email protected] STATE VICE PRESIDENT: Steven Kashkett USAID AFSA OFFICE: (202) 712-1941; Fax: (202) 216-3710 Labor Management USAID VICE PRESIDENT: Bill Carter General Counsel Sharon Papp: [email protected] FCS VICE PRESIDENT: Donald Businger FCS AFSA OFFICE: Labor Management Attorney Zlatana Badrich: [email protected] (202) 482-9088; Fax: (202) 482-9087 Labor Management Specialist James Yorke: [email protected] FAS VICE PRESIDENT: Laura Scandurra USAID Senior Labor Management Adviser Douglas Broome: [email protected] RETIREE VICE PRESIDENT: David Reuther AFSA WEB SITE: www.afsa.org USAID Office Manager Asgeir Sigfusson: [email protected] SECRETARY: Tex Harris AFSA E-MAIL: [email protected] Grievance Attorneys Neera Parikh: [email protected] and AFSA NEWS: [email protected] Joe Slotnick: [email protected] TREASURER: Andrew Winter FSJ: [email protected] Office Manager Christine Warren: [email protected] STATE REPRESENTATIVES: Bradford Bell, PRESIDENT: [email protected] Member Services Brian Cook, Hugh Neighbour, Director Janet Hedrick: [email protected] STATE VP: [email protected] Alan Misenheimer, Joyce Namde, RETIREE VP: [email protected] Representative Cory Nishi: [email protected] Web site & Database Associate Meijing Shan: [email protected] James Roseli and Andrew Young USAID VP:[email protected] Administrative Assistant Ana Lopez: [email protected] FCS VP: [email protected] USAID REPRESENTATIVE: Francisco Zamora Outreach Programs FCS REPRESENTATIVE: William Center FAS VP: [email protected] Retiree Liaison Bonnie Brown: [email protected] w to Contact U Contact w to Director of Communications Thomas Switzer: [email protected] FAS REPRESENTATIVE: Mike Conlon AFSA News Congressional Affairs Director Ken Nakamura: [email protected] IBB REPRESENTATIVE: Sheldon Daitch Editor Shawn Dorman: [email protected] Corporate Relations/Executive Assistant Austin Tracy: [email protected] Scholarship Director Lori Dec: [email protected] RETIREE REPRESENTATIVES: Leonard J. Ho (202) 338-4045 x 503; Fax: (202) 338-8244 Professional Issues Coordinator Barbara Berger: [email protected] Baldyga, Roger Dankert, Larry Lesser and On the Web: www.afsa.org/news Retiree Recruitment Coordinator Norma Reyes: [email protected] Gilbert Sheinbaum Elderhostel Coordinator Janice Bay: [email protected]

2 AFSA NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2005

AFSANEWSBRIEFS V.P. VOICE: STATE I BY STEVE KASHKETT Briefs • Continued from page 2

Cheap Shots Diary The Real Foreign Service The July 12 Financial Times carried AFSA's rebuttal to a June 30 op-ed made a depressing discovery when I started telling friends in the newspaper by Danielle Pletka and acquaintances outside the State Department that I titled “U.S. Mixed Messages on an Ihad been elected vice president of AFSA and when I tried Arab Diplomacy,”which unfairly to explain that AFSA is the labor union and professional claimed that a number of FSOs do association for America’s diplomats. I discovered that many people out there, even those who work in other parts of the U.S. government, real- not loyally carry out administration ly don’t think much of the Foreign Service. policies. Despite the dramatic changes that have occurred in the world over the past few The letter, by then-acting AFSA decades — and in the conditions under which we serve overseas — little has changed President Louise Crane, was entitled, in the distorted public image of a diplomat. People still seem to think of diplomats as overpaid snobs who breeze through a cushy, relaxing existence sipping cham- “Diplomatic Corps Not a Source of pagne at black-tie receptions every evening in places like Paris and Rome. Many Disloyalty.” Here’s an excerpt from people out there imagine that we are enjoying the good life and that we have no her letter: “Danielle Pletka has need for a labor union or any kind of special consideration. joined the ranks of those pundits We in the Foreign Service need to do a better job correcting this quaint public image of a diplomat. We need to educate the public, the media and the Congress and critics who, when they don't like on the often harsh realities of life for today’s Foreign Service professional. We need the policy, blame the Foreign Service. to remind people that we spend most of our careers working in difficult places, …. Ms. Pletka, like the critics before scattered in every corner of an increasingly dangerous world. Few realize that we her, assumes that the moment a have more hardship posts, more danger-pay posts and more unaccompanied posts Secretary of State walks into the than ever before. People need to see that we are standing on the front lines of the war on terrorism, dealing with political instability and regional conflicts, working State Department lobby the new to protect U.S. trade and commercial interests, confronting poverty and Secretary is immediately taken HIV/AIDS and safeguarding the rights of American citizens all over the world. hostage by the Foreign Service and We need to get out the message that the Foreign Service is composed of patri- rendered mute and helpless. If so, ots who spend their lives acquiring foreign languages, regional knowledge and foreign affairs expertise that will enable them to serve and protect their country. then it is curious as to why such This lack of understanding or sympathy for the Foreign Service undermines every- illustrious Secretaries of State as thing AFSA is trying to accomplish, from overseas locality pay to fairness in assign- James Baker and George Shultz ments and promotions to a meaningful role for America’s diplomats in the for- never mentioned their impotence at eign policy-making process. In my capacity as State Department VP for AFSA, I plan to devote the next two the hands of the Foreign Service in years to correcting the misperceptions about Foreign Service professionals, to defend- their memoirs and actually speak ing the Service and to fighting for those things that we need in order to do our highly of their association with our jobs well. I plan to speak out loudly when the Foreign Service gets unfair treat- nation’s career diplomatic corps. ment or is unjustly slighted. I plan to listen to my fellow active-duty Foreign Service “The members of the Foreign members at State — the largest constituency by far within AFSA — and to take your concerns and ideas to heart. In September, I will send out a comprehensive, Service of the United States are loyal interactive, Internet-based survey seeking the opinions of the State active-duty mem- government employees serving bership, which I hope to use as a guide for deciding how best to represent you on under often difficult and dangerous key issues. conditions. To accuse them of dis- My door (in the AFSA office, Room 1251 on the first floor at Main State) will always be open, and the e-mails you send to me ([email protected]) will always loyalty and of undermining the poli- be welcome and will always get a reply. cy is both absurd and foolish.” Let’s work together to preserve the proud traditions of the Foreign Service while Briefs • Continued on page 8 adapting our profession to the changed world of the 21st century. Ì

SEPTEMBER 2005 • AFSA NEWS 3

Awards • Continued from page 1 V.P. VOICE: USAID I BY BILL CARTER

Future Perfect

any people, and I am one of them, are fascinated with the idea of time travel. Ever see that movie M“Somewhere in Time” with Christopher Reeve, where he travels back to woo a stage actress from a previous era? I thought I would combine these sci-fi proclivities with AFSA awards ceremony guests in the the career advancement aspirations of USAID AFSA members. So after hours, I Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Reception Room stole into HR’s promotion-panel briefing room and tried to transport myself into at the State Department. the future. After several failed attempts, I succeeded in commuting into the near future of June 2006 and found myself sitting at next year’s promotion-panel debriefs. Several types of AFSA awards were The physics of time travel prevented my pen and notepad from making the trip, so presented at the June 17 ceremony in the memory is my only resource. Nevertheless, for members to know with absolute Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Reception certitude what is valued by next year’s boards should greatly augment their promo- Room of the State Department. Before tion prospects. Here are some of the board member quotes I brought back from an audience of more than 300, AFSA pre- the future: sented three dissent awards, three out- • “Strong work objectives, which emphasize impact and results, were a common standing performance awards, one spe- denominator for employees who earned high ratings. Conversely, we low-ranked cial achievement award and the Lifetime employees with poor, slapdash or inadequate work objectives.” Contributions to American Diplomacy • “Work objectives that were challenging and complex, and afforded the employ- Award. ee the opportunity to display a broad range of skills, merited our highest consideration.” “You Picked the Very Best Person” • “Evaluations with strong narratives that answered the ‘so what’ question were Deputy Secretary of State Robert B. the most competitive. We were most impressed when there was a clear, factual account Zoellick presented the Lifetime Contri- of the role that the employee played in the mission accomplishing its specific devel- butions to American Diplomacy Award opment goals.” to Senator Richard Lugar, Chairman of • “Effusively superlative adjectives and hyperbolic statements unsupported by con- the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, crete examples lacked credibility and rang hollow and meaningless. They turned R-Ind. “You picked the very best per- us off!” son I can imagine for this (award),” • “Raters who effectively used the ‘Role in the Organization’ section to discuss Zoellick commented. He described the employee specifically, as opposed to tedious boilerplate descriptions of the mis- Sen. Lugar as having a strong interest in sion or the strategic objective, were placed much higher in our rank order.” not only foreign policy, but in the peo- • “Rating officers who used the mid-cycle review section to highlight an employ- ple who develop and carry it out. ee’s progress, or to provide significant additional context, enhanced our ability to Lugar received a standing ovation make a better assessment and thus upped the promotion possibilities for the employ- when he rose to accept the award. “It is ee.” exciting to be surrounded by people who • “We valued the opinion of the Appraisal Committee when it used its section believe in the power of diplomacy and to endorse the rater or provide helpful further understanding of the employee’s accom- who are optimistic about what the plishments or shortcomings.” United States can achieve in the world,” • “Employee statements that rambled and were whiny and complaint-ridden were Lugar remarked. “Our country depends self-destructive in our view. Bloated, overly self-aggrandizing comments in a state- on the Foreign Service to temper a world ment were the kiss of death. We particularly disliked statements that disparaged that is often uncertain and dangerous. other offices or employees. It’s unbelievable, but again this year several employees We take for granted that Foreign Service committed ‘suicide’ in the employee statement section.” officers will venture into hostile circum- I searched the briefing room in vain for a discarded Wall Street Journal for the stances to advance U.S. interests, often return trip, or at least some stock quotes to share, but, unfortunately, I melted back with far less protection than corre- to the present without them. However, if you heed the tips above, you could still sponding military units. Many Foreign reap some very healthy profits in your career. Ì Service officers have given their lives in

4 AFSA NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2005

Honoring Outstanding Performance Amb. Harrop presented the Delavan Award for a Foreign Service office management specialist to Nancy Alain for her outstanding performance in Baghdad under extremely difficult conditions. Alisa Hanson was asked to stand to be honored as the runner-up for this award. Jon Clements presented the M. Juanita Guess Award for an outstanding community liaison officer to Catherine C. McSherry and Marilyn D. Tarter of Embassy Bangkok, for their exemplary work mobilizing the community in response to the December 2004 tsunami disaster and aftermath. FSN CLO colleague Kun Jeed of Embassy Bangkok was present and McSherry and Tarter graciously asked her to stand and be recognized as well. Clockwise, from top: AFSA award winners, from left; David Dlouhy, Lisa Vershbow, Catherine Caroline Easterling presented the McSherry, Marilyn Tarter, Nancy Alain, Scott Gallo, James Holt and Claire Coleman; wearing Avis Bohlen Award for a Foreign Service Lisa Vershbow jewelry creations, from left: Kaara Ettesvold, Lisa Vershbow, Janet Hahn and Jenny family member to Lisa Vershbow (the Stein (Amb. Alexander Vershbow in back row); Scott Gallo’s daughter with his certificate. wife of the U.S. ambassador to Russia, Alexander Vershbow) for her tremendous achievements in bringing American con- service to their country. Innumerable oth- accepted the award on Pyatt’s behalf. temporary art and craft to Russia and for ers have made the deep personal sacrifices The great-granddaughter of Averell reaching out to the Russian community of being away from their families, of risk- Harriman, Caroline Easterling, present- through art. The runner-up for this ing their health in difficult posts, and of ed the W. Averell Harriman Award for award, Fatima Goodspeed, was honored forgoing more lucrative financial oppor- dissent by a junior Foreign Service offi- during the ceremony as well. tunities in other fields. Rarely are these cer to James Arlen Holt, for his courage David Dlouhy received a special sacrifices celebrated or even understood in reporting apparent fraud and abuse of achievement award for facilitating major by casual observers.” power committed by a more senior offi- positive changes in the services provid- cer while serving as a general services offi- ed by the Retirement Office, including the Honoring Dissenters cer for Embassy Seoul during his first creation of the Web-based “RNet” sup- The William R. Rivkin Award for dis- Foreign Service tour. port service. The award was presented by sent by a mid-level Foreign Service offi- Ambassador William Harrop, noting John Limbert. cer was presented to Geoff Pyatt for his that specialists have not been recognized The only way AFSA can honor the dis- intellectual courage in pushing for new often enough, presented the Tex Harris senters among us is if we hear about them, opportunities in the U.S.-India relation- Award for dissent by a Foreign Service from you. If you work with or know of ship while serving as political counselor specialist to F. Scott Gallo. Gallo was rec- someone who has had the courage to for Embassy New Delhi. The award was ognized for his brave refusal to move challenge the system from within, please presented by Ambassador William embassy personnel onto a new residen- consider submitting an AFSA dissent Rivkin’s son Robert, who noted that his tial compound that he and many col- award nomination. It is never too early father “was never so happy as when bril- leagues believed was insecure. His dis- to do this. You can find the nomination liant young Foreign Service officers senting view eventually prevailed and the requirements at www.afsa.org/awards/ would challenge him.” Claire Coleman necessary changes were made. index.cfm. Ì

SEPTEMBER 2005 • AFSA NEWS 5

HELP AFSA CONVINCE THE SENATE TO TAKE UP S. 600 such progress on issues such as Washington-level salaries for all Foreign Fighting for Diplomacy & Locality Pay Service employees overseas. Obtaining BY ERICA LALLY AND KEN NAKAMURA locality pay is still our number one job! The House passed the legislation, but if the ew Americans realize that one of the of this bill should be especially important Senate does not consider and pass the critical battles in the War on Terror to the members of the Foreign Service. Foreign Relations Authorization Act, the Fis being fought in the halls of Beyond the provisions for operating personnel provisions will die along with Congress. The Foreign Relations Authori- funds, embassy security programs and the bill. The AFSA team is in regular con- zation Act (S. 600) provides critical support information technology investments, tact with congressional staff and members for the diplomatic efforts that are key to there are also a number of personnel pro- of Congress regarding the authorization our national security. However, unless visions within the House and Senate bills, but we cannot succeed without the something drastic occurs, the Senate is authorization bills that directly benefit help of the members of the Foreign unlikely to consider this important piece Foreign Service employees. The autho- Service. The Foreign Relations Authori- of legislation. rization bill authorizes pay parity between zation Act should be right up there with The Foreign Relations Authorization the many other important Act authorizes: issues the Senate must consid- • Key changes in personnel rules; er. Your senator and Senate • Programs to maintain and protect Majority Leader Bill Frist, R- diplomats serving overseas; Tenn., need to know the • Tools of diplomacy, such as public importance of the Foreign diplomacy, foreign assistance and the Relations Authorization Act to development of reconstruction and the American people and to stabilization activities in regions of the 25,000 active and retired conflict; members of the Foreign • Foreign policy directives and strate- Service. Please write and tell gies from Congress; and them. • Operating funds for diplomatic In the Congressional Rela- agencies. tions portion of the AFSA Web There are some in Washington who site (www.afsa.org/congress. believe that the Foreign Relations bill is cfm), we have included writ- irrelevant. They could not be more wrong. ing points and a sample letter, In our increasingly globalized world, so that active and retired diplomacy is not an international nicety; members, their friends and

it is a national-security necessity. As JOSH their relatives can write to Sen. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stat- Frist asking him to bring the ed in her swearing-in speech, “We must bill to the Senate floor for use American diplomacy to help create a overseas salaries and D.C.-level pay; high- debate and a vote. As a reminder, all gov- balance of power that favors freedom. The er ceilings for hardship and danger ernment employees must clarify that they time for diplomacy is now.” allowances; an increased death gratuity; are writing in their personal capacity, and In order for diplomacy to succeed, the additional living quarters and allowances cannot use government letterhead, equip- U.S. needs sufficient money, manpower, for service at the United States Mission to ment or official time to write. equipment, programs, training and poli- the U.N.; worldwide availability lan- The Foreign Relations Authorization cies for the diplomatic component of the guage; allowance changes so children of Act is critical to U.S. national security. national-security system. The Foreign Foreign Service employees can be educat- Additionally, key personnel provisions Relations Authorization Act is the only ed in the U.S.; part-time, intermediate and such as pay parity make this act even more vehicle that can authorize the resources we temporary (PIT) regulation time require- important to the Foreign Service. AFSA need. As a result, Senate consideration and ments for retirement benefits; and reduc- hopes that with the help and support of passage of this bill is critical to the promotion of the mandatory low-ranking quota the members of the Foreign Service, the tion of U.S. national security interests. from 5 to 2 percent. United States Senate will bring the Though the Foreign Relations AFSA has worked diligently to get these Foreign Relations Authorization Act to the Authorization Act is important for all personnel provisions into the authoriza- Senate floor for consideration and passage Americans, the consideration and passage tion legislation, and had never before made of this important bill. Ì

6 AFSA NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2005

Assignments • Continued from page 1 in part to counter cynicism in the Service and strong management experience.” the impression in Congress that some indi- The AFSA sentiment was shared by many viduals are able to burrow into a succession of the rank-and-file in the department. A of Western European postings or lengthy number of officers, who wanted to remain Washington assignments while others are anonymous due to the sensitivity of the issue, repeatedly assigned to greater hardship duty. confirmed that the so-called “Baby DAS” Secretary Rice noted during her June town assignments had caused an uproar. As one hall meeting with State employees that: FSO put it: “Naming an FS-1 or -2 to a DAS “There are times when because of extraordi- slot is very upsetting to those invested in the nary service or because of extraordinary tal- system. Aside from the symbolism of having ent, people may end up a couple of steps a more junior person in charge, it has practical implications for senior ahead.” One official who met with AFSA on the matter asserted that officers trying to keep moving up — how is it going to work for them “the promotion system is broken,” in justifying going outside the to go to an FS-2 DAS for help in getting jobs?” regular system on the DAS assignments. But if the system is bro- AFSA’s position is that the appointments negate the cumulative ken and people who deserve to be promoted at an accelerated pace nature of the Foreign Service career, as demonstrated by the core are not being promoted fast enough, is management looking at ways precepts, which are created in consultation with AFSA. AFSA asked to fix it? It is indeed the case that one of the new mid-level DASes management what message these appointments send about the “fair has been in the Foreign Service for 17 years. Perhaps we should be share” assignments standards that AFSA fought hard for and that asking why someone who’s been doing a great job in the Foreign State management adopted. Fair share includes a hardship require- Service for 17 years is not a senior officer already. ment for FS-1s to become senior officers. AFSA supported the The DAS appointments did go through, despite the protests. AFSA strengthening of fair share and the rest of the new career develop- will be monitoring future appointments and will speak out as war- ment requirements recently established for crossing the threshold, ranted. Ì

NEW AFSA FINANCIAL AID SCHOLARSHIP AFSANEWSBRIEFS Marc Grossman and Mildred Patterson Briefs • Continued from page 3 AFSA Assists FAS Grievants Scholarship Established AFSA recently assisted FAS Foreign BY LORI DEC, AFSA SCHOLARSHIP ADMINISTRATOR Service officers in grievances regarding Senior Foreign Service pay that resulted in n June, Ambassador Marc Grossman Service in 1976 and served for 29 years. the agency’s agreement to rectify a long- and his wife, Mildred Patterson, with From 1994 to 1997, he served as ambas- standing disparity in calculating the salaries generous support from friends and col- sador to Turkey. Following this appoint- of officers newly promoted into the Senior I Foreign Service. For a number of years, leagues, established a perpetual AFSA ment, he served as assistant secretary of State FAS had been using a calculation process Financial Aid Scholarship. This need- for the Bureau of European Affairs; different than the one enunciated in the based scholarship will serve to celebrate Director General of the Foreign Service and FAM when calculating rates of pay for these their distinguished careers and contribu- Director of Human Resources; and Under new promotees. The FAM uses a 6-percent tions to the Foreign Service. Donations Secretary of State for Political Affairs, the pay increase when computing base pay made at Amb. Grossman’s retirement position he held until he retired in April upon promotion. FAS was applying only a reception at AFSA in May supported the 2005. two-step increase, resulting in a disparity in creation of the new scholarship, which will Mildred Patterson entered the Foreign pay for some similarly-ranked officers with- be given to the child of a Foreign Service Service in 1976, as well. She served in in FAS. employee each year. The first recipient Copenhagen, Brussels, Washington and FAS agreed to settle the grievances in — Jonathan Christensen, a freshman at Ankara. She retired in November 2002 fol- favor of the employees, agreeing to use the Brigham Young University — will receive lowing an assignment as deputy executive 6-percent pay increase when calculating funds for the upcoming academic year. director of the Bureau of Consular Affairs. base pay upon promotion. Moreover, the Because only the interest from the orig- For more information on the AFSA agreement extended to include others in inal donation amount will be bestowed Scholarship Program or to make a contri- the class promoted at the same time. Subsequently, FAS expanded this remedy as the scholarship, it will continue in per- bution to this scholarship, please contact to include those who were affected by the petuity. Lori Dec at [email protected] or toll-free (800) disparity as far back as 1999. Marc Grossman entered the Foreign 704- 2372, ext. 504. Ì Continued on page 9

SEPTEMBER 2005 • AFSA NEWS 7

reduce the amount that can be paid to the spouse married to the annuitant at the time of death. Q: What is the effect of the death of a spouse or former spouse entitled to a survivor annuity? If there is no surviving spouse, the department will restore Q&A A: the retiree’s annuity to its full amount. In the event there is a surviving spouse eligible for a survivor annuity, there is no adjust- ment. Retiree Issues Q: Are former spouses entitled to health coverage? BY BONNIE BROWN, A former spouse’s federal health benefits as a family RETIREE COORDINATOR A: member end on the day of divorce. A former spouse may apply for spouse-equity FEHB health-plan enrollment with- Q: Are former spouses of Foreign Service employees and in 60 days, if he or she was covered as a family member prior to retirees entitled to pension and survivor benefits? the divorce, has a current or future entitlement to an FSRDS or A former spouse, who was married to a Foreign Service FSPS pension or survivor benefit, has not remarried prior to A: employee during at least 10 years of his or her cred- turning 55 and was divorced on or after May 7, 1985. A for- itable federal service (five while a member of the Foreign Service), mer spouse who is not eligible for this enrollment may still be is automatically entitled to both pension and survivor benefits, eligible for temporary continuation of health benefits coverage unless those benefits are waived. A former spouse is entitled to for 36 months. these benefits if he/she was divorced after Feb. 15, 1981, and there Q: What information should a former spouse submit to the is no court order or notarized spousal agreement that provides State Department Retirement Office in support of an appli- otherwise. A former spouse annuity ends if he/she remarries before cation for former spouse benefits? becoming 55 years of age. A former spouse should submit a certified copy of the The pension benefit is a pro-rata share of up to 50 percent of A: court order; a statement that the court order has not been the Foreign Service pension, and the survivor benefit is a pro- modified, superseded or set aside; and the name, date of birth, Social rata share of the regular survivor annuity. This amounts to 55 Security number, address and change in marital status of the employ- percent of the annuity under the old retirement system (FSRDS) ee or retiree and former spouse. Since there are specific time lim- and 50 percent under the new (FSPS). itations for qualifying for certain benefits, it is important to submit Q: How is a pro-rata share calculated? the divorce notification promptly. Similarly, a former spouse should A pro-rata share reflects the percentage of time the for- be aware that there are time restrictions with respect to filing spousal A: mer spouse was married to the employee during his or agreements that affect FSRDS pension and survivor benefits. her years of creditable service. For example, if married during the More detailed information on this subject can be found at entire period, the former spouse is entitled to 50 percent of the pen- www.state.gov/documents/organization/16038.pdf. Ì sion. If married for half of the years of creditable service, the spouse is entitled to 25 percent of the pension. Q: Can a court order or separation agreement alter these entitlements? AFSANEWSBRIEFS The department must comply with the provisions relat- Briefs • Continued from page 7 A: ing to retirement benefits in a valid state court order or court-approved property settlement. The property settlement agree- Visit the BOOKFAIR ment does not have to be a subject of the court order; it can qual- The 45th annual BOOKFAIR, sponsored by the Associates of ify as a spousal agreement if notarized. Court orders and proper- the American Foreign Service Worldwide, opens on Friday, Oct. ty settlements can divide an annuity or a refund of retirement con- 14, at 2 p.m. BOOKFAIR is held in the Exhibit Hall of Main tributions, provide a survivor annuity payable upon the death of State. Employees, their escorted guests, retirees and their an employee or retiree, permit a former spouse to continue cover- spouses are cordially invited. During the week, from Oct. 17 age under the FEHBP program and require an employee or retiree through Oct. 21, BOOKFAIR is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to assign his or her FEGLI coverage to a former spouse or children. BOOKFAIR is open to the general public on two weekends: Q: What is the effect of court-ordered benefits for a former Oct. 15-16 and Oct. 22-23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. On the final spouse on the survivor benefits of a current spouse? day, some items will be half-price. VISA, MasterCard and checks The maximum possible combined total of all current and will be accepted. Please call (202) 223-5796 with questions. A: former spouse survivor annuities is 55 percent of an Your attendance at BOOKFAIR helps support AAFSW pro- FSRDS annuity and 50 percent of an FSPS annuity. As a result, a grams to benefit the Foreign Service community, so please court order awarding a survivor annuity to a former spouse may come on over and shop!

8 AFSA NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2005

FS VOICE: FAMILY MEMBER MATTERS I BY DONNA SCARAMASTRA GORMAN Sick Overseas: Health Care and Neighbors in the Foreign Service

t our last post, Almaty, it got so bad that our Regional sulted about my care. I certainly never would have gotten such Medical Officer, Dr. Ottwell, threatened to rename the personalized care in an emergency room back in Virginia. AMedical Unit in honor of us. My family and I were her It can feel lonely when you’re far from home and sick — who best customers — it seemed every week one of us paid her a visit. doesn’t want their mother at a time like that? But every time we’ve Sometimes, it was something simple: an ear infection, the stom- had a medical crisis, the immediate members of our embassy com- ach flu, a cough. But other times, we had big problems. First, I munity have rallied around us. Not just the doctors and nurs- was medevaced on a teensy plane to Finland, where I underwent es, who’ve been known to make house calls. When I was lying surgery. Another time, my toddler son got his hands on some in the emergency clinic in Almaty, waiting for the medevac plane Tylenol and drank the whole bottle. The medical staff held him to arrive from Moscow, I felt very alone — I’d been in the coun- down and force-fed him syrup of ipecac and charcoal until he try for less than two weeks and knew almost no one. But the vomited all over them. And finally, our tour was cut short when CLO officer arrived with snacks and books and a sympathetic our infant became critically ill and MED determined that we could shoulder to cry on. Our sponsors watched our toddler for the no longer remain at post. day and kept our dog while we were away in Finland. My hus- There’s more. My husband had his appendix removed in band’s bosses never once complained that the new guy was already Moscow. That happened shortly before my other son was attacked leaving the country. And a dear friend of ours, another State by a dog, resulting in giant gashes on his head and a panicked Department RMO, actually met us in Finland to make sure we trip to the RMO. One son developed an eye problem in Yerevan; were okay. the other had reflux in Almaty. Everywhere we’ve been, we’ve found a community that’s ready Some of these problems would have been easier to handle state- and willing to help us out whenever we’re in need. Only now, side. I never want to travel on an air ambulance again, and I know back in Virginia, as I juggle doctor’s appointments and sick kids my husband would prefer to avoid all Russian hospitals. But in without help from the neighbors, do I truly realize what a gift my many cases, we’ve actually been fortunate to be overseas. The RMO Foreign Service neighbors have been. Ì in Moscow began evaluating my son within minutes of the dog Donna Scaramastra Gorman is a free-lance writer in Virginia whose work attack. When he gulped the Tylenol, again, they were helping us has been published in the Washington Post and the Seattle Times. She within the hour. When I was medevaced to Finland, it seemed has accompanied her RSO husband and two children to Moscow, half the doctors and nurses at the State Department were con- Yerevan and Almaty.

Web-zine Calls for Help A message from the founder of Tales from a Small Planet: Good USAA: End of the Road news first: Tales (the Web-zine for expats) has had a great year. AFSA is standing down in the long fight to convince USAA to add We won a “Best of the Web” award from Forbes magazine, we non-State Foreign Service employees to those eligible for insurance cov- recruited more staff and volunteers and we featured more Real erage. We went to great lengths to push the issue with USAA, as we Post Reports than ever before. We have a new editorial panel in have reported over the past months. After AFSA Governing Board place so that the quality of our literary magazine has risen. Our member Ted Wilkinson attended the 2004 USAA annual meeting and message boards are now monitored and are busier than ever. met with the USAA general counsel, a review of the policy barring new What’s the bad news? I’ll be blunt: If Tales does not raise a sub- non-State membership was undertaken by USAA. stantial amount of money, we’re going out of business. This is not The resulting conclusion by USAA was that “the principal mission of a fund-raising ploy — it’s a fact. We do not have enough funds at USAA is serving USAA’s core eligibility group, the active military. this time to continue paying our staff (and believe me, they’re Extending eligibility to [State Department] FSOs and Foreign Service working for rock-bottom stipends as it is). Please click on the specialists was, and is, an accommodation… the accommodation will Support Us button at the top of our home page at not be extended (to other groups)… regardless of the degree of similari- www.talesmag.com to find out how you can help keep us going. ty they bear to their Department of State counterparts.” USAA con- You’ve let us know by your frequent visits to our site that you need cludes by noting that AFSA should either accept this policy or face the us. Now we really need you. alternative, which would be “achieving perfect symmetry by denying eli- Please send a donation, even a small one. It’s tax-deductible and gibility to all FSOs and Foreign Service specialists, including those in the any amount will help. Department of State.” Francesca Kelly, Tales from a Small Planet, “What it’s really like to Find the letter at www.afsa/org/aidvp/usaalettertowilkinson052605.pdf. live there.” For the time being, case closed. Ì

SEPTEMBER 2005 • AFSA NEWS 9

CLASSIFIEDS

RETIREMENT SERVICES TAX & FINANCIAL SERVICES

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10 AFSA NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2005

CLASSIFIEDS

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Give him a call or WASHINGTON, D.C. or NFATC TOUR? E-mail: [email protected]. send him an e-mail. He can help you find the EXECUTIVE HOUSING CONSULTANTS www.EquityFundGroup.com appropriate loan program to meet your needs. offers Metropolitan Washington, D.C.’s finest Tel: (202) 297-3375. portfolio of short-term, fully-furnished and E-mail: [email protected] equipped apartments, townhomes and sin- FULLY FURNISHED APARTMENTS: gle-family residences in Maryland, D.C. and Arlington, VA. Two blocks to Rosslyn Metro. Virginia. Short/long-term rental. Everything included. REAL ESTATE In Virginia: “River Place’s Finest” is $1,500 Studio, $1,800 1 BR. Please contact: steps to Rosslyn Metro and Georgetown, and Theodore at Tel: (703) 973-9551, or JOANN PIEKNEY/ PRUDENTIAL CAR- 15 minutes on Metro bus or State E-mail: [email protected]. RUTHERS REALTORS: Complete profes- Department shuttle to NFATC. For more info, sional dedication to residential sales in please call (301) 951-4111 or visit our Web Northern Virginia. I provide you with person- site: www.executivehousing.com al attention. Over 23 years’ real estate expe- RETIREMENT HOME RENTAL - Tucson, rience and Foreign Service overseas living Ariz., 2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, den, experience. JOANN PIEKNEY. CORPORATE APARTMENT SPECIALISTS includes clubhouse, pool, exercise room, ten- Tel: (703) 624-1594. Fax: (703) 757-9137. Abundant experience working with Foreign nis courts. Available July. E-mail: [email protected] Service professionals and the locations to best E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.foreignservicehomes.com serve you: Foggy Bottom, Woodley Park, Cleveland Park, Chevy Chase, Rosslyn, Ballston, Pentagon City. Our office is a short walk from NFATC. One-month minimum. All furnishings, RENT NORTH ARLINGTON. Cute LONGBOAT KEY, BRADENTON/ housewares, utilities, telephone and cable includ- 2-Bedroom, 2-Bathroom. Walk to Va. Square SARASOTA: Area will exceed expectations. ed. Tel: (703) 979-2830 or (800) 914-2802. Metro. 1-2 cats OK. Available mid-Aug. Don’t miss owning in Florida. Resales, new Fax: (703) 979-2813. $2,200/mo. Tel: (703)-528-0513. homes, rental management and vacation E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] rentals. Dynamic, growing company offering Web site: www.corporateapartments.com personalized professional service. Contact: Sharon E. Oper, Realtor (AFSA member) Wagner Realty. Tel: (941) 387-7199. PIED-A-TERRE PROPERTIES, LTD: TOWNHOUSE FOR RENT in E-mail: [email protected] Select from our unique inventory of fully-fur- Germantown, Maryland. 3 bedrooms, 2.5 nished & tastefully decorated apartments & baths, finished basement. 15 minutes from townhouses all located in D.C.’s best in-town Shady Grove Metro in a lovely neighborhood. FLORIDA neighborhoods: Dupont, Georgetown, Foggy Call (301) 528-6536 Bottom & the West End. Two-month mini- NO STATE INCOME TAX enhances gra- mum. Mother-Daughter Owned and cious living in Sarasota, the cultural capital of Operated. Tel: (202) 462-0200. Florida’s Gulf Coast. Contact former FSO Paul Fax: (202) 332-1406. FURNISHED APARTMENT, NESTLED Byrnes, Coldwell Banker residential sales spe- E-mail: [email protected] in beautiful Fauquier County on horse prop- cialist, by e-mail: [email protected], or Web site: www.piedaterredc.com erty, 40 miles west of Washington. Perfect Toll-Free: (877) 924-9001. for home leave or weekend getaways. Living room, kitchen, bedroom and bath. FURNISHED LUXURY APARTMENTS: Utilities, cable TV included. $500 per week, Short/long-term. Best locations: Dupont shorter or longer stays possible. Contact by TIMESHARE FOR sale in Hawaii. Marriott Circle, Georgetown. Utilities included. All price tel: (540) 341-8607, fax: (540) 341-8608 or Kawai Beach Club. Ocean front, platinum ranges/sizes. Parking available. e-mail: [email protected]. week. Contact: H. Blanchette. Tel: (202) 296-4989. E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

SEPTEMBER 2005 • AFSA NEWS 11

CLASSIFIEDS

VACATION SHOPPING PET TRANSPORTATION NORMANDY, FRANCE: Large, comfortable farmhouse near D-Day Beaches for 110 - 220 VOLT STORE weekly rental. E-mail: [email protected] MULTI-SYSTEM ELECTRONICS Web site: www.laporterouge.net PAL-SECAM-NTSC TVs, RENT A 300-year-old stone house in VCRs, AUDIO, CAMCORDER, a medieval village in the south of France ADAPTOR, TRANSFORMERS, KITCHEN APPLIANCES (Languedoc-Roussillon)! Photos online at GMS WORLD WIDE PHONES www.pipeline.com/~denman/France.html. EPORT WORLD ELECTRONICS E-mail: [email protected] PET MOVING MADE EASY. Club Pet 1719 Connecticut Ave NW International, is a full-service animal shipper (Dupont Circle Metro. Btwn. R & S Sts.) specializing in domestic and international trips. SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA: TEL: (202) 232-2244 or (800) 513-3907. Club Pet is the ultimate pet-care boarding ENJOY world-class golfing and shopping E-mail: [email protected] facility in the Washington Metropolitan area. in fully-furnished condo (sleeps 8). Month min- URL: www.eportworld.com Tel: (703) 471-7818 or (800) 871-2535. imum. E-mail: [email protected] DOWNTOWN LOCATION E-mail: [email protected] 1030 19TH ST. NW (between K & L Sts.) Web site: www.clubpet.com Washington, D.C. 20036 NEW HAMPSHIRE RETREAT: TEL: (202) 464-7600. 1780 farmhouse on 100 acres above Crescent INQUIRE ABOUT OUR PROMOTIONS Lake, Acworth. Five bedrooms, three baths, Government & Diplomat discounts fireplace, country kitchen, screen porch, deck, DOMESTIC / WORLDWIDE SHIPPING: swimming pond, canoes, rowboat, fall foliage, Tel: (304) 274-6859, (888) 234-5028 x-country from front door; 20 minutes from PALESTINIAN EMBROIDERY: Hand- www.actionpetexpress.com Mt. Sunapee. $1,500/wk or $650/weekend - crafted jackets, vests, blouses, pillows, run- E-mail: [email protected] - 8 people. Tel: (603) 863-3817. ners, placemats, purses and eyeglass cases. E-mail: [email protected] Tel: (703) 528-2623. E-mail: [email protected] BUSINESS CARDS BARBADOS: DIPLOMAT'S 3-BR, Web site: www.mashrabiya.com (sleeps 6) West Coast seaview home, BUSINESS CARDS printed to State walk to beaches, shops, restaurants, BOOKS golfing. Low season 1,000/week, Department specifications. 500 cards for as 3,000/mo; High: 1,500/3,750. little as $37.00! Herron Printing & Graphics. Zabriskie at [email protected]. OLD ASIA/ORIENT BOOKS BOUGHT Tel: (301) 990-3100. Tel: (301) 587-4956, (703) 582-5751 Asian rare books. Fax: (212) 316-3408. E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] DISNEY VACATION RENTAL: VISIT THE BOOKFAIR. The 45th MISCELLANEOUS Townhouse with pool sleeps eight nestled in annual BOOKFAIR, sponsored by the wildlife preserve minutes from Disney. Associates of the American Foreign Service E-mail: [email protected] SHIPPING Web site: www.vacationdisneyhome.com Worldwide, opens on Friday, Oct. 14, at 2 p.m. BOOKFAIR is held in the Exhibit Hall of Main State. Employees, their escorted guests, SHOPPING PLANNING TO MOVE OVERSEAS? retirees and their spouses are cordially invit- Need a rate to ship your car, household CRAVING GROCERIES FROM HOME? ed. During the week, from Oct. 17 through Visit www.lowesfoodstogo.com. We ship goods, or other cargo going abroad? Contact: Oct. 21, BOOKFAIR is open from 11 a.m. to Joseph T. Quinn. at SEFCO-Export non-perishable groceries to you via the Dulles 3 p.m. BOOKFAIR is open to the general pub- mail-sorting facility, or your choice of ship- Management Company for rates and advice. lic on two weekends: Oct. 15-16 and Oct. 22- ping facility. For more information e-mail: Tel: (718) 268-6233. Fax: (718) 268-0505. 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. On the final day, [email protected] Visit our Web site at www.sefco-export.com some items will be half-price. VISA, WWW.WEBNETSTORE.COM Mastercard and checks will be accepted. Please call (202) 223-5796 with questions. NORMAL -- 3,000+ HIGH-QUALITY Your attendance at BOOKFAIR helps sup- PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD: GIFTS and products to choose from, shipped port AAFSW programs to benefit the Foreign $1.25/word (10-word min.) First 3 wherever you want! Shop for yourself or send Service community, so please come on over words bolded free, add’l bold text gifts home to friends and relatives stateside! and shop! $2/word, header, box, shading $10 Our Web site uses the latest secure technol- ea. Deadline: 20th of the month for publication 5 weeks later. ogy to process your orders safely and quick- WORLD WAR II EBOOK. A collection of ly. Want our catalog(s)? Send an e-mail rarely seen black-and-white photos taken dur- Ad Mgr: Tel: (202) 944-5507. request with your mailing address to ing WWII in the Philippines. 140 pp. Check Fax: (202) 338-6820. E-mail: [email protected] out: www.buyww2ebook.com E-mail: [email protected] Tel: (218) 741-2597. Cell: (612) 518-0848.

12 AFSA NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2005

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