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PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION DECEMBER 2016 THE NEW RUSSIA AT 25 DIPLOMACY LESSONS AN INTERVIEW WITH GEORGE SHULTZ FINDING MONEY FOR COLLEGE EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT FOREIGN SERVICE December 2016 Volume 93, No. 10 Focus On Russia 21 Understanding Russian Foreign Policy Today U.S.-Russia relations are in disarray, with talk of a new Cold War pervasive. Fortunately, framing the conflicts in terms of national interests points to a way forward. By Raymond Smith 27 The Rise of the New Russia This tour d’horizon from the fall of 21 the Soviet Union to today—including hopes, disappointment and missed opportunities—puts U.S.-Russia relations into perspective. 48 Communications Education By Louis D. Sell Behind the Iron Curtain This firsthand account of a fire in Supplement 32 the secure area of Embassy Moscow Something Happened on March 28, 1991, conveys the on the Way to the Market: importance and drama of Diplomatic Telecommunications Service work 76 The Economic State of during the last days of the USSR. Finding Money the Former USSR By Timothy C. Lawson for College: A Guide When it comes to the Soviet successor to Scholarships nations, economic and commercial Scholarships can lighten the financial diplomacy is a particularly important 52 burden of a college education. Here part of the U.S. foreign policy playbook. Groundbreaking are some tips on finding them. By Michael A. Lally Diplomacy: An Interview By Francesca Kelly with George Shultz 37 George Shultz reflects on his tenure Four Centuries and as Secretary of State in the Reagan 86, 88, 90 administration and the process of Schools at a Glance Three Decades of making foreign policy and conducting Russian Thinking diplomacy during the decade leading Conversations in Moscow with up to the fall of the Soviet Union. 92 Russians from different social strata By James E. Goodby paint a vivid picture of a country What Is the grappling with the meaning of the past Coalition App? quarter-century’s upheavals. There’s a new college application By Justin Lifflander platform on the block. By Francesca Kelly 44 Ukraine in 2016: There’s No Going Back 109 Young Ukrainian leaders battle Russian News from the World pressure, endemic corruption and a of College Rankings moribund economy in pursuit of a new, By the Editors independent identity. 52 By William Gleason THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | DECEMBER 2016 5 FOREIGN SERVICE Perspectives 117 Reflections Departments In Praise of the Ambassador’s 7 Self-Help Fund 10 Letters President’s Views By Robert Gribbin Cultivating Strong Leadership 14 Talking Points By Barbara Stephenson 118 71 Books Local Lens 9 Buenos Aires, Argentina Letter from the Editor By Kevin Keen Understanding Today’s Russia By Shawn Dorman Marketplace 18 112 Classifieds Speaking Out Why USAID’s New Approach to 114 Real Estate Development Assistance Is Stalled 116 Index to Advertisers By Thomas Dichter 78 AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION 61 Call for Nominations: 2017 Constructive Dissent Awards 62 State VP Voice—A Primer on Labor-Management Relations 63 USAID VP Voice—Workplace Bullying: Setting the Agency Standard 64 FAS VP Voice—Crash Course on Promotions 64 Reminder—2017 High School Essay Contest 65 AFSA Receives Six-Figure Planned Gift 66 Retiree Corner—Managing Your TSP in Retirement 61 67 AFSA Governing Board Meeting Notes 68 AFSA Hosts Autumn Happy Hour 69 Sinclaire Language Award Nominations 69 AFSA Engages with UT Austin Students 70 360-Degree Feedback in the Foreign Service On the Cover: A view of the Kremlin and St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow. In the foreground, a Russian national flag and flowers at the place of death of Boris Nemtsov, well-known Russian opposition leader, who was killed on this bridge on Feb. 27, 2015. Cover photo and several others inside this issue are by Arthur Bondar. Born in Ukraine, this award-winning photographer studied at New York University. The recipient of a National Geographic Grant (2011), his work has been widely exhibited worldwide and published in The New Yorker, The New York Times, and elsewhere. 6 DECEMBER 2016 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL PRESIDENT’S VIEWS Cultivating Strong Leadership BY BARBARA STEPHENSON have written before in this column nan’s “Long Telegram.” But a cultural working group on leadership excellence, about AFSA’s new effort to engage our change has been taking place at State, chaired by a Governing Board member members through “structured con- and increasingly members of the Foreign active in the Culture of Leadership Initia- Iversations” so that we can build our Service place a high priority on leader- tive (iLead), I promised to give the event advocacy agenda based on a nuanced ship and management excellence, in a plug in my column and urge members understanding of members’ aspirations themselves and in others. to participate. and concerns. Here I must tip my hat to the Foreign For more information about Lead- Those conversations are ongoing—I Service Institute for its instrumental role ership Day and the work of iLead, a met over lunch last week with two small in bringing about this change. As Ruth voluntary group of employees dedicated groups from USAID, and by the time you Davis fans will know from her September to improving leadership throughout the read this, I will have rounded out a series FSJ interview on being named winner of State Department, go to www.afsa.org/ of lunches with specialist cadres. AFSA’s Lifetime Contributions to Ameri- leadership. In the meantime, AFSA’s new Profes- can Diplomacy award this year, one of AFSA recognizes the priority mem- sional Policy Issues unit reviewed all the her proudest achievements was helping bers place on fostering strong leader- feedback received in the first round of stand up the Leadership and Manage- ship and management in the Foreign structured conversations with the largest ment School at FSI in 2001. Service. While bearing in mind the need group of AFSA members, namely active- It’s not simply that, as a former dean to respect lanes and the important work duty, mid-level State Department FSOs. of LMS, I’m a cheerleader for leadership others are doing, AFSA would like to do One theme that emerged clearly is the training—which, of course, I am. The our part to champion leadership excel- importance of leadership. We heard how point is this: On the basis of the struc- lence. much members value strong, effective tured conversations we’ve held, I can We are weighing options for doing leadership. We also heard how much faithfully report that, far from resenting just that, such as bringing in speakers to “toxic leadership”—a phrase used more or resisting leadership training (which feed the conversation and perhaps spark than once—costs members in terms of may be how members of my generation related submissions to the FSJ. Another commitment, engagement and produc- and before recall prevailing attitudes), proposal is to use an online video con- tivity. And we heard a strong desire from many of today’s mid-level FSOs place ferencing service to host a conversation mid-level officers for opportunities to great value on FSI’s leadership and man- in early 2017 with members currently learn how to develop into good leaders agement training—and they want more stationed abroad to bring them into the and managers themselves. of it. discussion and point them to resources This is, in my view, a big deal, a Some members note that, with mid- they can use to launch leadership groups potential “tipping point” moment for ranks fully staffed for the first time in at their posts. the State Depart- decades, the Foreign Service is now in a As we develop an action plan at AFSA ment. State FSOs position to expand training opportuni- for doing our part to cultivate leadership have long valued ties. excellence, I encourage you to develop policy prowess One sign of the cultural change taking your own action plan. Participate in and the ability to place at State is the first-ever Leadership Leadership Day, answer iLead’s call to write well—think Day, scheduled for Dec. 13 in the Dean share stories of your success improving of the reverence Acheson Auditorium. At the request of leadership where you work, and let us for George Ken- AFSA’s new—and admittedly nascent— know your ideas. n Ambassador Barbara Stephenson is the president of the American Foreign Service Association. THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | DECEMBER 2016 7 FOREIGN SERVICE Editor in Chief, Director of Publications Shawn Dorman: [email protected] Managing Editor www.afsa.org Susan Brady Maitra: [email protected] Associate Editor Gemma Dvorak: [email protected] CONTACTS Publications Coordinator AFSA Headquarters: BUSINESS DEPARTMENT Vacant (202) 338-4045; Fax (202) 338-6820 Director of Finance State Department AFSA Office: Femi Oshobukola: [email protected] Ad & Circulation Manager (202) 647-8160; Fax (202) 647-0265 Controller Ed Miltenberger: [email protected] USAID AFSA Office: Kalpna Srimal: [email protected] Art Director (202) 712-1941; Fax (202) 216-3710 Assistant Controller Caryn Suko Smith FCS AFSA Office: Cory Nishi: [email protected] (202) 482-9088; Fax (202) 482-9087 Editorial Intern LABOR MANAGEMENT Katherine Perroots: fsjedit@afsa,org GOVERNING BOARD General Counsel Advertising Intern President Sharon Papp: [email protected] Eka Cipta Putera Chandra: [email protected] Hon. Barbara Stephenson: Deputy General Counsel [email protected] Contributing Editor Raeka Safai: [email protected] Secretary Steven Alan Honley Labor Management Specialist William Haugh: [email protected] James Yorke: [email protected] Editorial Board Treasurer Hon. Charles A. Ford: [email protected] Senior Staff Attorney Beth Payne, Chair State Vice President Neera Parikh: [email protected] Randy Berry Angie Bryan: [email protected] Senior Staff Attorney James Bever USAID Vice President Zlatana Badrich: [email protected] Angela Bond Sharon Wayne: [email protected] Hon.