FOREIGNSE

$2 DO November 1989 TEN YEARS AGO

Bruce Lamgen Moorhead Kennedy Marian Precht James Thurber, Jr. Enjoy \ The American Foreign Service Club

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Since January, the department has withheld the content of the certificates on the grounds that the in¬ AMERICAN FOREIGN formation is classified, and AFSA has reacted to dtis untenable claim by SERVICE ASSOCIATION suing to have the information released. Governing Board AFSA thus finds itself once more in the ring in hand-to-hand combat President: THEODORE S. WILKINSON State Vice President: GEORGE JONES with the spoils system for embassies, somewhat against our inclinations. AID Vue President: CHARLES UPHAUS USIA Vice President: VANCE PACE Why against our inclinations? Because common sense tells us not to expect Retiree Vice President CHARLES A. SCHMITZ all embassies to be placed off-limits in the plum list; because we bear no Secretary: MICHAEL COTTER Treasurer. MICHAEL DAVILA illwill toward public-spirited citizens who want to serve their country State Representatives: PURNELL DELLY EILEEN HE A PHY abroad; because even some of the unqualified ones will be confirmed in DAVID I, JONES ROSS QUAN spite of AFSA, Trudeau, Herblock, and about 95 percent of the informed DAVID SMITH media of our country; and because we want to serve the president in a AID Representatives: WENDELL MORSE SAMUEL SCOTT nonpartisan way. USIA Representative: Vacant Retard Representatives: JOHN J. HARTER Enough reasons to keep our heads down? Probably. And we would if L. BRUCE LAINGEN someone else would mount a campaign in defense of the national interest DAVID SCHNEIDER in effective representation abroad. Trouble is, no one else is doing it. Staff Executive Director: SABINE SISK And how can we stay silent when the White House “trashes” the For¬ General Counsel: SUSAN Z. HOI.IK Controller: CATHY FREGELETTE eign Service (to quote the Post headline on Ron Spiers’ article) with am¬ Membership Coordinator: JANET I,. SCHOUMACHER Director firr bassadors whose principal qualifications are their campaign contributions, Member Services: CHRIS BAZAR and only a few courageous senators, led by Paul Sarbanes, are prepared Member Services Representatives: AMY L. MACEACHIN to marshal “no” votes to defeat the nominations? And this at the end of CATHERINE SCHMITZ Uml Assistant: CHRISTOPHER PERJNE a three-year period when 300-400 capable, experienced, and mature FSOs Law Ctcrk: JAY EISENBERG have been involuntarily retired because there are no senior jobs for them? MONIKA LOVEWELL Conference Coordinator: BRIAN HENNESSEY We had hoped to strike a responsive chord in AFSA’s open letter to Administrative Assistant: CHAMPA JARMUL Executive Secretary: MONIQUE COPELAND the transition team last December, supporting in principle a judicious mix Professional Issues of career and non-career ambassadorships, but suggesting that the new RICHARD S. THOMPSON administration for its own good avoid the embarrassment of Senate chal¬ Congressional Liaison ROBERT M, BEERS, RICK WEISS lenges by screening its nominations carefully beforehand. The team de¬ Scholarship Programs clined to meet with us and our ideas were never addressed, but we were CRJST1N K. SPRINGE'!' nevertheless encouraged by the mid-winter nominations of career officers The American Foreign Service Association, founded to certain key posts and the decision to leave career incumbents in place in 1924, is the professional association of the For¬ until the end of three-year tours. Then came the spring and a surge of eign Service and the official representative of all Foreign Service employees in the Department of mystifying nominations that left even loyal friends of the president stunned. State and the Agency for International Development The statistics are depressing. Of 34 non-career nominations for bilateral under the terms of the Foreign Serv ice Act of 1980. Active or Retired membership in AFSA is open to posts, only 20 have claimed any past sendee in government. Some 26 all current or retired employees of the U.S. foreign appear to have been selected because of their Republican party activities, affairs agencies. Associate membership is open to persons having an interest in or close association of these eight contributed over $100,000. Only 11 have any declared with the Foreign Service. Annual dues: Active Mem¬ experience abroad, and six do not have college degrees. bers—$80-165; Retired Members—$45-55; Associ¬ ate Members—$45. All AFSA members are mem¬ What happened between winter and spring? Charitably, we would like bers of the Foreign Service Club. Please note: AFSA to think that internal party pressures obliged a reluctant secretary' of state dues and Legislative Action Fund donations may be deductible as an ordinary and necessary business and White House personnel director to propose using some embassies expense for federal income tax purposes. Scholar¬ to pay off political debts, and that they could accept Senate rejections of ship and AFSA Fund donations may be deductible as charitable contributions, their nominations with equanimity. Knowing this, the Senate could do • AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION its duty without fear of reprisals. Unfortunately, some Democratic sena¬ 2101 E Street NW, Washington, D C. 20037. Mem¬ bership inquiries, controller, professional issues, schol¬ tors are reportedly getting hints from wealthy patrons not to oppose die arship programs, insurance programs, JOURNAL of¬ president’s nominees; they see their own turn coming. fices: (202)338-4045 Governing Board, standing committees, general counsel, labor-management rela¬ AFSA’s officers and staff have been active on Capitol Hill encouraging tions, member services, grievances: (202)647- senators to vote in conscience. This would be a good time to let your 8160. • Foreign Service Club (202)338-5730, senators know how you feel. Drop us a copy of what you write. Ted Wilkinson

4 Editorial Board Chairman FOREIGNSEKVICE ANTHONY CE. QUA1NTON

JIM ANDERSON LAWRENCE FUCHSBERG JOHN D. PIF.LEME1ER BERNARD REICH LYNN SEVER THEODORE WILKINSON DAVID E. ZWE1FEL “The Independent Voice of the Foreign Service”

Editor ANN JLUPPI 1 Four reflections on a turning point. Managing Editor NANCY JOHNSON Assistant Editori Admtmng Manager Ten Years Later 26 JULIA T. SCHIEKEN Bruce Laingen The FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL is pub lished monthly except August by the Ameri¬ can Foreign Service Association, a private non-profit organization. Material appear¬ ing herein represents the opinions of the The Hostage Crisis: Norm or Exception? 30 writers and does not necessarily represent die views of AFSA or the JOURNAL. Writer queries invited. Moorhead Kennedy JOURNAL subscriptions: AFSA Mem¬ bers—included in annual dues; Others, $20. Overseas subscriptions (except Canada), add $3 per year. Airmail not available. Coming Together in Crisis 34 Second-class postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional post office. Postmas¬ ter: Send address changes to AFSA, 2101 Marian Precht E Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037. Microfilm copies: University Microfilm Library Services, Ann Arbor Michigan 48106 (October 1967 to present). Indexed bv Public Affairs Information Service The Lessons of Islamabad 37 (PAIS). Advertising inquiries invited. The ap¬ pearance of advertisements herein does not James Thurber, Jr. imply AFSA endorsement of the services or goods offered,

v' American Foreign Service Association, 1989 \ State’s Press Briefing 41 ISSN 0015-7279 November 1989, Vol. 66, no. 10 Is it more nuisance than news? Nicholas F. Benton

Cover art by Journal: Delivering Grain to Angola 46 David R. Street Streetworks Studio Robert Gordon

Departments Letters 6 Clippings 10 Books 14 10-25-50 25 Scholarships 54 AFSA News 55

NOVEMBER 1989 5 Letters

The Truth about Lies again.” Some of these people are my good Nicolson wrote that earlier ambas¬ friends and are good officers; this is No modern journalist, including Barry sadors did provide plenty of evidence not personal criticism. I just wonder Rubin (JOURNAL, September 1989), for suspicions from which their mod¬ how many public affairs officer jobs seems able to resist quoting Sir Henry ern counterparts have unjustly suf¬ USIA is offering to senior State Wotton’s view that “an ambassador is fered, including subversion of the Department officers. I also wonder an honest man sent to lie abroad for host country. what is going to happen to us senior the good of his country.” However, Dorothy M. Weaver State Department officers who are one never gets the story around that Portland, Oregon unassigned partially because so many remark. senior State slots are being given (at In 1939, British diplomat Harold USIA: In or Out? least four in one Bureau!) to USIA Nicholson wrote that this phrase was people. often taken out of context and quoted I know we are ‘The Foreign Service Irwin Rubenstein against the profession. He continued, of the United States,” but tire assign¬ Guadalajara, Mexico “What is not stated is that Sir Henry ment of so many USIA officers to scribbled this remark as a joke in an senior vacancies in ARA seems to be I suppose that after having experi¬ album at Augsburg. The remark was going a bit beyond what we’ve ever enced the condescension of State FSOs discovered by one of his enemies, seen. Chris Arcos (USIA) is about to over many years, I should not have who reported it to James I. That become ambassador to Honduras; been surprised to learn that my USIA monarch was profoundly shocked by Sally Grooms (USIA), deputy assis¬ identity card would not accord me the cynicism of his envoy; in vain did tant secretary in ARA; Steve Dachi access to New State—or any other Wotton plead that he had scribbled (USIA), deputy permanent represen¬ State building, I presume. This is this apothegm merely as a merriment. tative to the OAS; Jeff Dieterich simply another logical step toward King James refused to employ him (USIA), DCM in San Salvador. excluding a foreign affairs agency

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6 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL (under the titular authority of Secre¬ pursue felony prosecution for a single Ms. Holik suggests that the OIG tary Baker) from the inner sanctum, minor misuse. I do not intend to does not recognize an employee’s the heady men’s world of foreign suggest that the OIG takes vehicle right to be represented during an affairs decision-making, which is the misuse lightly; however, the fact is interview by an individual of his or State Department’s sole prerogative. that the vast majority of vehicle mis¬ her choice if that employee reason¬ As I walked the corridors with my use matters are handled administra¬ ably believes that the consequence of visitor pass stuck on my lapel, looking tively and usually involve repayment such an examination may be discipli¬ and feeling rather out of place, I met to the government and, if there has nary action against the employee. The a security chap whom I had known been a pattern of such misuse, appro¬ OIG does not dispute this right and in Bonn and who expressed more priate disciplinary action. agrees wholeheartedly with the con¬ surprise than I had about USIA’s Ms. Holik implies that while OIG cept of union representation when unacceptable ID card. Was this deci¬ is not required to inform an employee the typical examination of an em¬ sion discussed in the Bureau of Diplo¬ that he or she is under investigation, ployee in an administrative setting is matic Security and with USLA? Cer¬ it is commonplace for OIG to speak involved. When an interview of a tainly this decision would never have to others about that employee and subject or target of a criminal investi¬ been approved were Charley Wick inform them that the employee is the gation is at issue, however, the OIG still USIA’s director. subject of an investigation. This is has severe doubts about AFSA’s inter¬ I reckon USLA will be denied just not so. For obvious investigative vention in a process which should be access to classified cable traffic next. reasons, OIG does not always notify handled by attorneys experienced in There is no apparent end to the an employee that he or she is under criminal defense work. Experienced lessons in humility our State “col¬ investigation. However, we are very members of the defense bar will be leagues” find pleasure in providing sensitive about unfairly impugning an able to carry through representation us. individual’s reputation, and, to the of an individual under criminal inves¬ John Allen Quintus extent possible, our investigators are tigation with competence and with¬ Washington, D C. very circumspect about providing in¬ out a potential professional conflict formation to others about a particular of interest. If an employee wishes to investigation. Obviously, there will have a union representative present at be occasions when the subject matter a criminal interview, the OIG will, of The IG Replies of the questions asked or the contents course, comply with that request. of the documents requested will alert However, we feel it only fair to point I read with disappointment Ms. another employee that a particular out that in those cases where an Holik’s article, “How to Deal with an individual may be under investiga¬ employee has the right to a union IG Investigation” (AFSA News, June tion, but such notification is not done representative at an interview, the 1989). In my view, the article was purposely or with the malice implied OIG has no duty to bargain with the unnecessarily adversarial and, unfortu¬ in Ms. Holik’s article. union representative during the inter¬ nately, just plain wrong on several The Holik article informs employ¬ view and, in fact, could insist upon salient issues. ees that the OIG uses standard investi¬ hearing only the employee’s account While the Office of the Inspector gative techniques in its investigations, of the matter under investigation. A General (OIG) will vigorously investi¬ including lying to individuals, in or¬ defense attorney would be under no gate misuse of government vehicles, der to obtain a confession. While it is such constraints. that in no way suggests that we true that in limited circumstances the Ms. Holik admits that OIG investi¬ consider each misuse a theft or that courts have sanctioned knowing mis¬ gators typically inform employees of we are obliged to refer a single minor statements by investigators to subjects their Constitutional rights. What she incident of misuse to the Justice or targets of criminal investigations, does not say is that we often do so Department for criminal prosecution. that in no way suggests that OIG even in situations in which such Despite Ms. Holik’s assertion that investigators intend to utilize decep¬ rights are not strictly required to be OIG would request, and a federal tion as a standard investigative tech¬ given. In fact, we receive far more prosecutor would seek, a felony in¬ nique. Sherman Funk, the depart¬ expressions of concern from employ¬ dictment of an employee for a single ment’s inspector general, is on record ees when we inform them of these “personal errand” in a government stating that it is as important that our rights than when we do not, because vehicle, the fact is that it is extremely investigators find the facts fairly and the routine rendition of the “Miranda unlikely that a federal prosecutor would impartially as it is that they find them rights” actually frightens employees. have the time or the inclination to at all. What Ms. Holik also does not say is

NOVEMBER 1989 7 Letters that, much like AFSA, the OIG spends ees of the department would not be tension when an employee is a significant amount of its time pro¬ want a relatively small number of under criminal investigation, and, cer¬ tecting employees against attempted criminal violators to taint the reputa¬ tainly, the investigative powers of the supervisory reprisals and against other tion of the entire Foreign and Civil OIG are broad and far-ranging under real or imagined management faults. Sendee, so too, the inspector general die Inspector General Act. Neverthe¬ She also fails to point out that the would not wish to have everything less, diat power is far more likely to inspector general has very recently this office does perceived in terms of be used to protect departmental em¬ intervened with management, at the fear generated by those few times ployees from abuse than to investi¬ AFSA’s specific request, and sug¬ when we perceive it to be our duty to gate them. Furthermore, it is my gested a change in a proposed FAM weed out and prosecute serious crimi¬ observation that the OIG has utilized section which would have the effect nal violators. a great deal of restraint in the exercise of preventing employees who are In fact, the criminal investigative of its authorities. Indeed, while the simply “under investigation” from be¬ side of OIG represents only about 15 inspector general is one of only four ing placed summarily on unpaid leave percent of our organization, which individuals in the department who status. also includes our Offices of Inspec¬ has authority under die new poly¬ What is perhaps most troublesome tions, Audits, and Security Oversight. graph regulations to approve poly¬ about Ms. Holik’s article from my For the OIG to make progress in its graph examinations, he has not in his viewpoint is that it suggests OIG attempts to root out waste, fraud, nearly two-year tenure here found it conflict and antagonism with all em¬ abuse, and mismanagement in the necessary even once to utilize this ployees, whereas very few members department, which would be benefi¬ approval audiority. of the department are actually under cial to all employees, our offices must Finally, I believe that this “shot investigation at any given time and continue to interact with employees across the bow” in the form of the fewer still are found to have violated in a positive, professional, and trust¬ Holik article, which purports to give federal criminal law. Just as employ¬ ing way. Certainly, there will always advice on how to deal with the

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8 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL “ogre” OIG, does not contribute to ing statements to subjects or targets ATTENTION... the cooperative relationship which of the investigation. we should both be seeking. Instead Many of AFSA’s dealings with the PEOPLE on the of attempting to highlight the numer¬ IG have indeed been constructive and MOVE.. . ous occasions in which we have come AFSA wishes to maintain the coopera¬ to the aid of employees with just tive relationship which we have strived grievances or cleared diem of alleged to establish. At the same time, AFSA wrongdoing, Ms. Holik appears to owes an obligation to the employees find it necessary to instill in employ¬ we represent to advise them of what ees a sense of fear about our activities, they may expect, and how to comport Cathie Gill, inc. especially with regard to criminal themselves, should they become the investigations. This fear is not war¬ subject of an IG investigation. The Opens Doors ranted by the facts. I have been thrust of my column was that employ¬ present when the inspector general ees should exercise good judgment in met with the last two presidents and all aspects of their employment, ad¬ vice presidents of AFSA. These meet¬ vice which would appear to be wholly We specialize in ings were friendly and cordial. The consistent with the interests of the sales and property vast majority of our respective posi¬ IG. The intent of my column was not management in the tions were in accord, with only minor a declaration of war, but an attempt differences. to meet AFSA’s primary responsibil¬ Metropolitan Washington As we have in the past, we will ity—to counsel our members. area. continue to conduct our investiga¬ Susan Z. Holik tions, inspections, and audits in a General Counsel, AFSA timely, professional, and discrete fash¬ Our name means ion. We welcome constructive sugges¬ Personal Attention, tions as to how we might work together to make the department ran N Service, and Results. more efficiendy and effectively. so° John D. Duncan, Jr. Counsel to the Inspector General Of RESTAURANT Department of State and ' PALACE LOUNGE AFSA’s Response Shep and Niep I am surprised by the IG’s reaction to Lowman my column. The column was in¬ tended not to engage the IG in an adversarial exercise but to provide • Fine Vietnamese Cuisine guidance to employees about the IG’s • Excellent Wine List CatfiieCM \nc. investigative practices and the types of offenses for which employees may • Superb Desserts REALTORS ® find themselves under investigation. • First Class Bar A careful reading of Mr. Duncan’s • Banquets letter shows that while disputing the 4801 Massachusetts accuracy of my column, he admits • Good Parking Avenue, NW virtually every statement: that a prose¬ Suite 400 cutor may pursue charges of misuse of government vehicle; that the IG Washington, DC 20016 does not always notify an employee (202) 364-3066 that he is under investigation; that an 5401 Lee Highway individual’s colleagues may be alerted (Corner of Lee & Harrison) that he is being investigated; and that Arlington, VA Serving Washington, DC, the IG may deliberately make mislead¬ 532-8415 Maryland & Virginia

NOVEMBER 1989 9 Clippings

The Washington Times besides the spy charges, is that some¬ What Mr. Bloch explains is either August 28, 1989 one so seemingly widess made it to trite or untrue. The trite triumphs on the third-highest diplomatic rank. Af¬ top: “The United States and Western In case you missed the latest issue of ter 30 years in the Foreign Service, Europe are the closest of allies.” We the FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL [July/ Mr. Bloch landed die prestigious post need a high-level professional to tell August], it contains an aimless article of deputy ambassador of the embassy us this? Or that “relations between without interest. Except that its author in Austria. He then moved on to an the United States and the European is Felix S. Bloch. increasingly important directorship in Community (EC) consequendy are You might recognize the name as the State Department. intricate and enigmatic”? that of the most notorious spy sus¬ I plodded through the article, won¬ Mr. Bloch is flat-out wrong when pect in decades. Or, more likely, as dering whether the U.S. Foreign Serv¬ asserting that despite all the talk “of the fellow who leads a veritable pa¬ ice had become a haven for the bland an interdependent world, the United rade of FBI agents and panting jour¬ leading the bland. Lest you deem this States has litde experience, or inter¬ nalists around when trekking with his unduly harsh, why else would die est, in the concept of shared sover¬ poodle. Here he is identified as “direc¬ State Department’s FOREIGN SERVICE eignty among nation states.” Has the tor of the Office of European Re¬ JOURNAL have published such drivel? veteran envoy never heard of U.S. gional Political-Economic Affairs in The tide gives the tip-off: “The Euro¬ involvement in NATO, CENTO, the the Department of State.” pean Community, Managing the U.S.- OAS, ANZUS, and sundry metre President George Bush called the E.C. Relationship,” with the boldface “shared sovereignty” arrangements, hall¬ Bloch case “a very serious matter,” print following: “A measured ap¬ marks of the postwar era? although nothing happens with it proach by U.S. policymakers will Plodding on, a reader is inflicted except diese farcical forays that make pave the way to smooth dealings with widt boring bureaucratese about “the the evening news. Europe’s new governmental institu¬ nature of the European community’s What is “a very serious matter,” tions.” institutions,” the EC Commission,

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10 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL the EC Council, whatever. Mr. Bloch then comes to his big point; “The founders of the community did a remarkable job in creating an institu¬ tional framework solid enough to function efficiently but flexible enough to adapt to change.” U.S. officials grappling with the volatile trade disputes, presumably led if not inspired by Mr. Bloch, receive guidance: “We should always seek the best deal we can get in trade negotia¬ tions without losing sight of the importance and depth of the overall partnership.” If you’re still with me, we come to Mr. Bloch’s final crescendo, the sec¬ tion boldly entided “the 1990s,” which begins with a question, “What do we expect from U.S.-EC relations in the future?” From there we proceed to more questions. Gobs more. Nine are posed in the next paragraph alone. The following paragraph contains the WHEN DUTY CALLS

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This Week with David Brinkley but because they're rich people who appointees almost always are sent to August 27, 1989 gave campaign money, a complaint countries with good climate, food, we’re hearing now this week. The wine, cheap servants, and no prob¬ Mr. Brinkley: Finally, an ancient charge is true about a third of the lems. And that when it comes to a hallowed Washington tradition is this: time. But when the out party wins an place like, say, Outer Mongolia, the the party holding the White House election and takes over the White career diplomats go because the rich appoints ambassadors to other coun¬ House, it comes in and does exactly contributors won’t. That’s all true. tries while the party not holding the the same thing. . . . The general rule of thumb seems to White House complains that the presi¬ But now, a new complaint. The be this: for a country where it’s safe dent’s appointments are political, that Foreign Service Association, a sort of to drink the water, send a rich con¬ he is choosing ambassadors not be¬ union for Hill-time professional career tributor. If it is not, send a career cause they’re equipped for the jobs, diplomats, charges that rich political diplomat. ABC News

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The Twilight of Amateur consular components—in the decade the nation abroad. He even rates Diplomacy: The American of the 1890s. He chose this particular them individually, finding 54 “demon¬ strably competent,” 134 generally ac¬ Foreign Service and Its decade for two reasons: It was the period when the United States, after ceptable, 18 too briefly at their posts Senior Officers In the 1890s. 70 years of near total preoccupation to have left footprints, and only 20 By Henry E. Mattox, Kent State with domestic affairs, first began to clearly ill-suited. To buttress his point, University Press, 1989. emerge on the international scene, he sketches in more detail the activi¬ and it was the final decade of a ties—occasionally antics—of those with Just five of President Bush’s first 17 completely patronage-staffed Foreign the fullest dossiers, ranging from egre¬ ambassadorial appointments are ca¬ Sendee. Mattox observes that both gious blunders in Guatemala to skill¬ reer officers. The remaining 12 in¬ contemporaries and subsequent histo¬ ful (although unsuccessful) efforts in clude a brace each of advertising men rians have tended to dismiss the Madrid to head off war. and real estate developers, a pastor, a 1890s Foreign Service as a repository This relatively felicitous situation, TV producer, several miscellaneous for political hacks. To test that asser¬ he concludes, came about because the businessmen, a professional fundraiser, tion, he has delved into personnel officer corps was drawn largely from and a dog track owner. But cheer up! records, inspectors’ comments, and a tiny, wealthy, educated elite in a Back in the 1890s, all 17 would have miscellaneous contemporary evalu¬ country where the overwhelming ma¬ been political appointees, as was the ations of virtually every senior officer jority had neither interest in foreign entire Foreign Service, right down to of the period, a total of 226. affairs nor the slightest desire to live the lowest vice consul. His conclusions are surprising. Far abroad. Among spoils-seekers, only Henry Mattox’s slim volume is an from a gaggle of incompetent boors, those from that elite would prefer the analysis of the few hundred people he finds most 1890s appointees to Bangkok legation to the post office in who manned our Foreign Service—or have been reasonably able, dedicated Cincinnati. And only they, by educa¬ rather, its separate diplomatic and officers, folly capable of representing tion and inclination, were likely to be

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FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL adequate to the job. kind, conflicts in developing nations, Foreign Service and applies a gener¬ Mattox’s book includes a fine sprin¬ which the author cleverly describes as ous portion of political savvy and kling of detail on life abroad in the wars of the “third kind.” The charac¬ common sense. The major unresolved 1890s, pay scales, housing, and simi¬ teristics of these conflicts—in Cuba, question is why the world’s leaders, lar fascinating minutiae. I have two China, Vietnam, Nicaragua—are becom¬ both the powerful and the not-so- minor reservations: He has a propen¬ ing uncomfortably familiar: rural- powerful, continue to neglect the sity for words like “prosopographi- based and sustained by festering po¬ clear lessons of history, which the cal.” More seriously, his final chapter— litical and social injustices. Fueled by author so clearly chronicles. Finally, an effort to draw lessons for today a ragtag and illusive guerrilla army reflecting much personal experience, from his findings—tends to dwindle where the strength of convictions Wars of the Third Kind stands as a into the platitude that the best person substitutes for conventional military tribute to the author’s fall and rich should be selected for the job regard¬ organization and equipment, wars of career in the Foreign Service. less of career status. the third kind inevitably bring unre¬ Reviewed by Edward Costello Reviewed by Edward C. Ingraham sponsive regimes to their knees. Fi¬ nally, distant conflicts more often At the Creation of a New than not threaten the internal equilib¬ Wars of the Third Kind, Germany. By George McGhee, Tale rium of those world powers that University Press, 1989. Conflict in Underdeveloped support them, such as that in Algeria, Countries. Edward E. Rice, Univer¬ which threatened the stability of the Ambassador McGhee’s memoirs of sity of California Press, 1988. French government. his five years in Bonn provide a In his insightful, scholarly, and timely and insightful review of a While the world has been spared the very readable analysis of these con¬ much neglected period of West Ger¬ horrors of a nuclear war, it has been flicts, the author skillfully draws upon man history—and of a pivotal half pestered by conflicts of a different his accumulated experience in the decade in U.S.-German relations. The ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA Walk to metrorail • 5 minutes to State Department National Winner VOLVO 1987 Inn of the Year Factory-Set Discounts ENTERPRISE SQUARE To Diplomats Posted 1211N. Glebe Road. (1-66 and Glebe Road.) Stateside and Abroad Arlington, Virginia 22201 (800) 228-5150 CALL TOLL FREE U.S., U.K., European, or • Facilities'Accommodations 126 rooms and suites with climate control Overseas Specs Restaurant and Lounge offers room service from 6:30 AM to 10 PM Overseas and Domestic Free underground parking, no in/out charges Deliveries Free color cable TV including CNN, ESPN and Showtime Gift Shop KELLY COGHILL DIPLOMATIC SALES SPECIALIST

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book spans the final months of the cautioning U.S. policymakers against Adenauer era, Erhard’s turbulent term overemphasizing our confrontations as chancellor, and the first years of with the Soviet Union as the determi¬ GENERAL ELECTRONICS the Grand Coalition. Beginning with nant in U.S. policy toward Germany. President Kennedy’s triumphal 1963 While he opens himself up to charges INC. visit to die Federal Republic and of “clientitis,” McGhee has the cour¬ Berlin, McGhee’s account defdy traces, age to warn against U.S. insensitivity □ REFRIGERATORS □ FREEZERS inter alia, the denouement of the to valid German anxieties arising out □ RANGES□ MICROWAVE OVENS Multilateral Force (MLF) and Non¬ of their unique situation. At the same □ AIR CONDITIONERS □ DRYERS □ WASHERS □ SMALL APPLIANCES proliferation Treaty (NPT) debates, time, he underscores that Americans □ AUDIO EQUIPMENT □ TELEVISION U.S.-German negotiations over offset cannot “be more German than the □ DISHWASHERS DTRANSFORM- payments, adjustments in the Ameri¬ Germans.” ERS □ COMPLETE CATALOG (Please check box) can military presence in Europe and Reviewed by Timothy M. Savage the onset of detente, Bonn’s Ostpoli- Available for All Electric tik, and Washington’s increasing pre¬ Strengthening the Poor: What Currents/Cycles occupation with Vietnam. Have We Learned? By John P. Immediate Shipping/Mailing Rather than change, which the title Lewis and contributors, Overseas Devel¬ From our Local Warehouse of the work suggests, a constant opment Council, 1988. theme running through McGhee’s chro¬ We Can Also Furnish nology of developments is continuity. This book is a collection of essays Replacement Parts for In this regard, he observes, ‘The based on a wide variety of experiences Most Manufactures C& Germans have a long view of history in the uses of development assistance and are willing to bide their time.” In to attack poverty. Particularly illumi¬ SHOWROOM recalling debates on such key issues as nating are die discussions of specific General Electronics, Inc. reunification and nuclear weapons, aspects of poverty such as urban 4513 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20016 McGhee illuminates basic concerns poverty and the role of women and Tel. (202) 362-8300 which continue to affect thinking in development. Despite the diversity of FAX (202) 363-6538 Bonn and Washington. To be sure, topics addressed, the result is surpris¬ TWX 710-822-9450 the contours of these debates shift ingly coherent and offers a number of GENELECINC WSH with time and context, yet core con¬ well-supported general conclusions. siderations are evident now as then. For example, it refutes the notion McGhee recalls Bomi’s fear that the that poverty among economically iso¬ two great powers would decide Ger¬ lated and politically powerless groups many’s destiny between them, Ger¬ can be solved by trickle-down ap¬ man sensitivity over any hint of Ameri¬ proaches. It demonstrates the impor¬ can misgivings on Bonn’s Eastern tance of designing programs with the policy, as well as German concerns active participation of recipients, both about being perceived as being in the poor themselves and planners lockstep with U.S. policy. from developing countries. It shows McGhee is at his best in providing how the flexibility of non-governmen¬ striking vignettes of German and Ameri¬ tal organizations is particularly useful can leaders addressing issues large and in anti-poverty interventions. small. While the book generally tracks Not an introduction to develop¬ with standard accounts of the period, ment issues, die work is intended one is able to glean new insights and primarily for professionals in the field. novel perspective. McGhee argues, It presumes considerable knowledge for example, that the style which of development issues and some di¬ Willy Brandt developed tended to rect experience with assistance opera¬ weaken his voice in the formulation tions. However, except for the occa¬ LU lli of foreign policy. sional lapse into jargon, any well- informed reader with a genuine inter¬ < t The book is throughout a subtle “7 l argument for a rational long-term est in the subject will profit from this perspective on German-American rela¬ book. tions. McGhee wisely concludes by Reviewed by Fred MacEldowney

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Operation Autonomous. By Organized around SOE’s last at¬ How Can Africa Survive? By Ivor Porter, Chatto Publishers, London, tempt to insert a liaison mission with Jennifer Seymour Whitaker, Council on 1989 Romania’s opposition chief, Juliu Ma- Foreign Relations Press, 1988. niu, the book brings together 40 Those who read and enjoyed the years of history with breathtaking A former teacher in Nigeria and description of prewar Bucharest in speed. Porter’s recounting of King associate editor of Foreign Affairs, Olivia Manning’s Balkan Trilogy will Michael’s iron-nerved confrontation Jennifer Whitaker has written exten¬ enjoy British career diplomat Ivor and arrest of Romania’s wartime dic¬ sively on Africa, probing the causes Porter’s excellent short volume, Opera¬ tator, Antonescu, is the finest and of and possible solutions for die tion Autonomous. For those who are most balanced account of that epic catastrophes facing the continent. interested in the twists and turns of moment. His tense biographical The problem of synthesizing Afri¬ Romania’s history after World War I, sketches of the period’s Romanian can life style and culture with West¬ her disastrous slide under King Carol actors makes his account lively and ern institutions goes to the heart of and Marshal Antonescu into war unique. His account of the life and her present effort. She is talking against the Allies, the gripping coup times of Rica Georgescu, the head of about the very survival of a dozen d’etat of 1944, and the background ESSO’s Romanian holdings, is the states and their peoples. The stark to the Communist takeover, Porter first account written of the contribu¬ facts and statistics presented are a has produced a tightly written, su¬ tion of that brave and very special shocking reminder of the scope of the perbly researched, first-rate modern man—and his equally remarkable problem: the continent is four times history. For students of the division wife—to Romania and to the United larger than the United States with of post-war Europe, Porter’s account States. twice as many people but only 6 of Anglo-Soviet discussions and deci¬ Taken as a whole Porter’s tale is percent of the U.S. GNP; in 1960, sions about Romania is must reading. eloquent testimony to the tragedy of Africa was a net exporter of food but Few are better placed to write the modern Romania—a tragedy which by 1985 it was importing 40 percent tale than Ivor Porter. Romanian¬ is still being played out. Romania’s of its food needs; African debt, in speaking, a member of the British entry into and departure from the turn, rose from $14 billion in 1973 Council in Bucharest at die beginning war, and the Communist takeover, to $125 billion in 1987; African of World War II, a member of has been written repeatedly and with population growth further com¬ Britain’s wartime intelligence opera¬ great bias. Ivor Porter is to be thanked pounded all these problems with a tion, SOE, and the ill-fated de Chaste- for finally telling the story as it really rise from 2.4 percent to 3.2 percent, lain mission to die Romanian opposi¬ occurred and for giving us to boot a the highest growth rate in history. tion, and a member of the British very well-written piece of modern In spite of the statistics cited, a diplomatic service after the war, Por¬ history. number of hopeful signs are offered ter brings to his story the passion of Reviewed by Frank Wisner indicating that the present abysmal an officer reliving his first post and of situation may be the nadir of the a young man playing for the highest post-independence experience. international political stakes. Whitaker cites an imposing array of reforms in many states of Africa, beginning with the frank admission of President Masire of Botswana who, PAPERBACK LOVERS in 1986, stated, “We have graduated Enjoy Our Unique Paperback Book Service from the stage of blaming our condi¬ • Monthly newsletter lists 300 new releases tion on colonialists to taking positive • Featuring mass-market and trade paperbacks initiatives on our own behalf.” She • Categorized by subject with brief reviews • Order your selections for immediate shipment also suggests that “in the drive for • Special requests for any book honored • This is not a book club—no purchase required reform Africa cannot live with the Subscribe today - enclose your check or money order for $20.00 for one full year to: West and cannot live without it.” A THE COMPLETE PAPERBACK SHOPPER long, protracted process is in sight. P.O. Box 44, Dept. 177, Winnetka, IL 60093 While sweeping in scope and gen¬ Name eral in view, there is enough useful Street. information to qualify Whitaker’s work City. as a “must” in any African collection State & Zip Code. of reference works. Revien’ed by James D. McHale

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War & Peace in the Nuclear details how Reagan was manipulated through the cracks of political obtuse¬ ness like some hardy, benevolent weed. Age. By John Newhouse, Alfred A. by a tiny coterie of Star War believers The book is worth the price and Knopf, 1989. and a larger cabal of anti-arms control fanatics in the Pentagon and Arms the time it takes to read it, if only for A reader’s companion to the public Control and Disarmament Agency, the analysis of the motives of those television series about the nuclear who used Reaqan’s naivete to spike who run our national security appara¬ age, this book traces the tortuous any real progress in cutting back on tus, including an incisive view of history of the great powers from the nuclear weapons for six of his eight Henry Kissinger’s operations. Be dawn of the atomic age. years in the White House. warned: the final chapters are scar}', Newhouse, a staff writer for The An unlikely hero emerges in the abolishing forever the comforting no¬ New Yorker and author of the defini¬ final chapters—Mikhail Gorbachev— tion the Somebody Is In Charge. tive work on SALT I, Cold Dawn, is who took Reagan’s simplistic dream Newhouse warns it will get worse. at his best in the closing chapters of a world without nuclear weapons As weapons get better, future presi¬ describing in unnerving detail the and used it to drag the Reagan dents will have about four minutes to twists and turns of American strategic administration—kicking and scream¬ decide whether to launch a nuclear thinking. ing and struggling internally—into a counter-attack—about the same He has open contempt for the new generation of arms control agree¬ amount of time that the captain of amateurism of the Carter administra¬ ments. the USS Vincennes had in deciding to tion. His real scorn however comes Despite all the blundering, the fire a missile at an approaching air¬ for the Reagan administration, headed posturing, the charlatans on both craft that turned out to be a civilian by a president he describes as the sides, and die enormous complexities, airliner. “fantasist,” a man who fell for the the arms control idea continues to Reviewed by Jim Anderson ultimate scam—the exorbitantly ex¬ survive. As Newhouse describes it, pensive “Star Wars”—from a small the concept of doing away with nu¬ group of snake oil salesmen. Newhouse clear weapons keeps popping up

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FSJ, November 1979: FSJ, November 1964;

AFSA President Kenneth W. Bleakley AFSA Vice President Marshall Green’s delivered the following address in the speech to the association started off on a Diplomatic Lobby on November 9, while light note: A successful ambassador is a demonstration by Iranian students one who goes around with a worried was underway in the street outside. look on his deputy’s face. [Green Secretary Vance reminded us yester¬ continued,] it is true that our princi¬ day that once again the Foreign pal task as an association must con¬ Service is being tested in difficult and tinue to be the promotion of fellow¬ dangerous ways. For our heroic col¬ ship among members and rendering leagues in Iran, the test is as difficult to our membership various kinds of as any we have experienced. Many of services. . . . But we recognize that us have close personal ties to the the American Foreign Service Associa¬ captives in our embassy. Many of us tion has broader responsibilities as FSJ, November 1939: have endured our own test in loca¬ well—after all our name is Foreign tions around the world. Service, not self-service. Here I refer Diplomacy at War: (Top) Vice Con¬ As members of the diplomatic pro¬ to our task of doing our part to sul E. Tomlin Bailey and William C. fession and as Americans, we cannot ensure wider understanding and sup¬ McDonald cover the Warsaw embassy help but cry for action to support our port for our foreign policies as well roof with an American flag to protect colleagues. But as concerned profes¬ as understanding and support for us the embassy against air raids. (Bottom) sionals, we also know that the only who, if not architects, are at least The embassy at Warsaw photographed effective action possible at this time is executors of those policies. We should during the siege by Julian Bryan. The quiet and effective diplomacy. Else¬ do all we can to see the Service gets photographer, together with the staff of where in this building and in the better backing from our Congress, the consulate general, lived in the cellar White House, every effort is being our press, our people, and for ensur¬ for two weeks, September 7-22. made to bring that effort to the only ing that the career principle is pro¬ successful conclusion we can accept— tected, advanced, and honored. the safe return of our countrymen to It is with these thoughts in mind the United States. that over the past year the board has The protection of the lives and decided on certain steps to establish a safety of the individual Americans closer relationship between the For¬ involved must remain the paramount eign Service and people throughout concern of the United States. We the country, and for this reason has appreciate the steps already taken in proposed two new categories of mem¬ this regard. We commend the pru¬ bership . . . and plans to hold a dence with which the administration symposium next spring. . . . The main is refraining from actions and public thrust of symposium discussions will statements which could imperil the be to give some of our leading precarious position in which employ¬ citizens who are actively interested in ees in the Foreign Service find them¬ foreign affairs a better knowledge of selves. Until the safety of these Ameri¬ the problems facing the Foreign Serv¬ cans is assured, we ask all Americans ice and the people responsible for to be equally prudent in their actions carrying out our foreign policies. and their public remarks. At the conclusion of the address, the assembly broke into prolonged applause as a sign of support and appreciation for our colleagues in Tehran.

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decade has passed since that fateful day, and But Tehran reminded us as well that what comes first and painfully to mind is the however much we harden the security of our cruel, hard fact that terrorism did not end missions abroad, there are limits if we do not with that return to freedom, despite the have credible assurances of protection from strong words of warning to future would-be the host government. What we termed Fort terrorists that Americans heard from their Apache in Tehran was a case in point. We new president as he welcomed the hostages later applied that lesson in Tripoli. Embassy home. Indeed the Tehran affair, even with Beirut is a more recent example. Our Ma¬ the enormity of the act and the breadth of rines, partners in diplomacy in today’s For¬ political and emotional fallout at home, eign Service, are not there to fight Custer’s today seems somehow elementary as an last stand. example of terrorism, in contrast to what we The Foreign Service, hopefully, has learned have seen since. Not least in its duration— to think lean about its files and document two of those held now in Beirut have been holdings (if there is any one thing FSOs hostages for almost half of this decade. should have learned from shortcomings in Ten years later and what have we learned our Tehran experience it is that). There have from our experience in Iran? Or how are we been no repeats of seizures of embassies, different, in both our perception and re¬ thanks both to enhanced security and, not sponse to the challenge of change that least, to the unlikelihood that any other confronted us so dramatically and forcefully government, however hostile, would want in Tehran a decade ago? to experience the costs of doing so—costs On terrorism, we have in a sense matured. for Iran that must have been apparent even We seem to accept it as a part of our times, to the likes of Khomeini in his more coming reluctantly to the conclusion that thoughtful moments. there are no easy answers, that every incident There is surely a new appreciation that the is different and part of a continuing learning bottom line in anticipating and responding experience. A considerable academic culture to terrorism is intelligence—of the most perceptive human kind. But at the same time Bruce Laingen, charge d’affaires in Tehran at we know how difficult and time-consuming the time of the Iranian hostage crisis, is it is to put such capability in place, Lebanon executive director of the National Commission today being a tragic example. Another essen- on the Public Service.

26 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL tial element, coordination of intelligence information with friends and allies, appears leaps beyond what it once was, apparendy extending even in a guarded way to the Soviets. But governments in the final analy¬ sis will still act on the basis of their own political and strategic perceptions; witness the French and the Germans in Tehran. And witness the United States. In the Reagan administration’s regrettable arms-for- hostages affair, we deceived our allies, seri¬ ously undermined our credibility with needed friends in the Middle East, and perhaps even prolonged the Iran-Iraq war. If we learned anything from that experience it is that deals conceding larger American interests are coun¬ terproductive in the struggle against terror¬ ism. We learned as well something of larger moment: policies of any kind conducted in secret by the executive branch cannot hope to be sustained if their premises do not merit public support as expressed in the legislative freedom to others, especially those guilty of Bruce Laingen branch. In our system of governance there is such bestiality as evident in the hanging of and President no gainsaying that basic fact. Colonel Higgins? But raw emotions rarely Ronald Reagan in A policy of no deals, one that is now produce rational policy. There is also the January 1981. constantly emphasized in the aftermath of accumulation of evidence over the past the arms-for-hostages imbroglio, must not, decade that the use of force in responding to however, become one that totally excludes terrorism is a highly uncertain policy and negotiations. We need to avoid hang-ups rarely an effective tactical instrument. Recent about that term. Any and all negotiations, polls in the aftermath of the Higgins murder on any issue, begin with dialogue. And suggest a growing awareness of that point dialogue, direct or indirect, is crucial in any among die American public as well. Other terrorist situation, crucial to knowing the than Entebbe, even the Israeli record is not facts, the demands, the nuances, the possibili¬ that demonstrably effective in either curbing ties for resolution of the crisis. We have yet violence against them or rescuing Israelis to learn that no negotiations is a policy, not held hostage—the Israeli POWs held now a law forever immutable. A policy, a process, for several years are a case in point. that must retain flexibility, subject only to Carter, Reagan, and now Bush, all came avoiding concessions that would jeopardize to the agonizing appreciation that the na¬ larger American interests. tion’s military assets, large though they are, The Tehran hostage crisis ended with the are not easily applied against terrorists in Algiers Accord of 1981 and the freedom of places like the urban jungle of Beirut. Except the 52 hostages; the product of negotiations, of course when circumstances are right, as with skillful Algerian help, a settlement that they rarely are, but as they were for Reagan former Deputy Secretary of State Warren in the bombing of Tripoli and the seizure of Christopher once called a signal example of the Achille Lcmro hijackers. Surely few deci¬ diplomacy. Few would deny that the Accord sions must be so difficult for occupants of folly satisfied and in several ways furthered the Oval Office as how and when to use larger American interests, evident, for exam¬ force in dealing with terrorism. The current ple, in the establishment of the Hague occupant of that office, like those before Tribunal, still resolving commercial/economic him, has found it difficult to ignore the fact claims, both public and private, between that we are a people who in most things Iran and the United States. The vast major¬ place a high priority on the human element. ity have been decided in favor of the American claimants. Ten years later, and what else have What of the use of force in dealing with we learned? Tehran of course was terrorism: that human and emotional in¬ to us a unique example of terror¬ stinct that makes us all want to strike back at ism, but many Iranians saw it as a the likes of those who so wrongly deny justifiable effort to redeem their past. The

NOVEMBER 1989 27 trauma of that embassy was part product and back on that period in Iran today, is that the part purpose of the revolution that toppled United States (and for that matter most the shall and put in place an Islamic republic. observers) did not adequately challenge the Intelligence The first takeover of the embassy in Febru¬ prevailing wisdom that the shah’s regime is of no ary 1979 (on the same day that Ambassador had the potential of becoming broad-based, consequence if Dubs was murdered in Kabul), a six-hour until it was too late. it is not used affair that amounted to a kind of trial run for Without that constant challenge to con¬ that of nine months later, had roots deep in ventional wisdom, both diplomatic reporting the history of postwar Iran, and well before and covert intelligence risk being wrongly that, especially in the overthrow of the focused and without firm foundation. And Mossadegh regime in 1953. A central theme that is a large lesson for the Foreign Service in the rationale by the militants who held us from Iran. But so too is a lesson in a broader in 1979-81 was that the United States had dimension and that is in the use of intelli¬ in effect taken Iranian nationalism hostage, gence, from whatever source and whatever by its use of the CIA at that critical juncture its quality. to help restore the shah to his throne. Looking back on what Embassy Tehran Whatever the merits of that rationale, was saying to Washington during that pe¬ history accurately records thereafter the evo¬ riod, both before and after the revolution, lution of what was assuredly a special Ameri¬ not all was short of the mark. (Much of it is can relationship with Mohammed Reza on the public record, thanks to publication Pahlavi. For Iranian nationalists it was ex¬ by the militants of documents taken from the actly that, a relationship with a man and not embassy.) Intelligence, however perceptive with Iran, one that was identifying Iran so and however accurately focused, is of no closely with the United States and with consequence if it is not used, and used by American culture (“Westoxification” was those very senior levels of government who Khomeini’s term) that it was undermining deal with a crisis when the crunch comes. Iran’s own cultural heritage and its Islamic Preoccupied at home by Camp David, the traditions. As Zbigniew Brezinski puts it in opening to China, the Panama Canal Treaty, his memoirs, the shah’s regime violated a when the crunch came in Iran in late 1978 basic rule “that old religious beliefs should and early 1979, the record suggests that not be uprooted without gradual public available intelligence was too often over¬ acceptance of more modern values, including looked and at times seemingly ignored. some genuine connection with the national Again in the period after the revolutionary past.” Or as the British ambassador in takeover, hindsight if nothing else suggests Tehran at the time, Sir Anthony Parsons, that the embassy did not adequately chal¬ observed: “. . . the urban masses preferred lenge the conventional wisdom then that the to turn to the leadership which represented Revolutionary Council behind the scenes their Islamic past . . . rather dian to support seemed prepared to live with the resumed, if the man who was trying so hard to turn limited American relationship that the provi¬ them into something they were not.” sional government was pursuing. And when A revolution born of an idea—that the the embassy did warn, accurately, of the shah was taking Iran in a direction it should consequences of a decision to admit the shah not go and that his regime had no standing into the United States, that critical piece of in Iran. A revolutionary idea that needed intelligence was set aside, with the fateful leadership, and found it in the Ayatollah consequences that followed. Khomeini, a cleric who became a figure of arguably historic significance on the world The power of an idea, the strength stage. of Islam, as a political force in this From all of that there is much to learn. case, the risk of over-identification Not least, an appreciation in politics at any with a ruler rather than with a level of the power of an idea when it is people, the importance of challenging conven¬ rooted in history and exploited by charis¬ tional wisdom, all important lessons from matic leadership. Where ideas of such poten¬ Tehran. Have we applied those lessons since? tial as that in Iran are around, born in the In Iran or elsewhere? It may be too soon to events of the 1950s and nurtured by the judge. In the Philippines, perhaps, they were impact of the shah’s forced modernization applied, if late in the game with Marcos, and process of the 1960s and 1970s, conven¬ die returns there are far from in. In Chile, tional wisdom inevitably becomes question¬ possibly, but again it is early to tell. Lessons able. And surely a paramount lesson, looking learned in one issue are not always trans-

28 FOREIGN SERVICE IOURNAL ferred elsewhere. We have surely learned something from Iran-contra. We have used our military power, wisely and on the whole prudently, in the Persian Gulf. But in the larger areas of the Middle East, perhaps all concerned have yet to learn from the counsel of Abba Eban: “Men and nations behave responsibly when they have exhausted all other alternatives.” Ten years later and in Iran one thing is clear. The Ayatollah Khomeini is gone. His departure from the scene could prove as consequential as his entry a decade ago. The revolution must now measure up to its promises in a way it did not have to when Khomeini commanded the scene. Lessons for Iranians are apparent now too. Surely the inescapable one is that much of the potential of what began as a genuinely populist revolution has been wasted by almost a decade of fruitless war, not to mention the loss of much of a generation of young men. Iran’s new leadership appears to sense that the ardor of all revolutions must in time subside, that a revolution must rest on something more than religious zeal and bombast against external satans. Also appar¬ ent is the fact that the Islamic fundamental¬ ism of that revolution has not been easily exported; except to Lebanon and there only because of the political and material chaos of that tormented land. A decade later, a dialogue with Tehran is long overdue. President Bush has put it well in saying that “. . . we don’t have to be hostile with Iran for the rest of our lives . . . they would be welcome back into the family of law-abiding, non-terrorist-sponsoring na¬ tions.” That, however, will not come soon, not least because no relationship of sub¬ stance with Iran is possible without resolu¬ tion of the hostage problem in Lebanon. That problem in turn is linked with the largest of issues in the Middle East, that of finding a way for the Israelis and the Palestinians and their Arab state supporters to live peaceably, side by side. If there is one overriding lesson from the past ten and indeed 40 years, not only in Iran but in the Middle East as a whole, it is that all of these issues are interrelated, that terrorism of the kind we know in the Middle East has its roots in these issues, and that there can be no real resolution of that or of the other difficulties we face in the region as a whole unless and until a peace process between Israel and its neighbors begins in earnest and evidences that earnestness in solid results. □

NOVEMBER 1989 HOSTAGE CRISIS MOORHEAD KENNEDY

On November 4, 1979, immediately to look into its causes and make recommen¬ after the steel door to the second dations for the future. The reply was an floor of the chancery in Embassy Tehran was instant negative: ‘The important thing now opened to militant students, our hands were is to protect careers.” And so back to tied, we were blindfolded, and led down¬ normal. Not long after my return, an FSO stairs. As I followed my student captor’s colleague chided me, “But you don’t under¬ instructions, “turn left, step down,” I had stand. The embassy had every right to one nagging worry—a lunch scheduled that protection. The Iranians had every duty to day with an Iranian banker and important protect it!” I looked at him, and was quite contact. Would I be released in time? If not, speechless. how could I get word to him? In captivity, as day after interminable day My mind was not yet ready to process my went by, I realized how irrelevant much of new status. In fact, 36 hours were to go by the wisdom of the Department of State that before I removed my jacket and tie, a form I first began to imbibe in die A-100 course of sartorial denial that this was anything was to my situation. Indeed, my very status more than a temporary inconvenience. Cer¬ as an FSO abroad, with all its privileges and tainly, that is how the Foreign Service has immunities, was the reason I might be led to chosen to regard it. the execution wall. With time to think, I In December 1980, as hope of our return began to raise questions that I had never was growing, my wife, Louisa, asked a very thought of before and have pondered con¬ senior officer whether there would be an siderably since. investigation, perhaps a blue-ribbon panel, For example, among the foreign affairs community, the Iranian hostage crisis has Moorhead Kennedy is executive director of the been treated as an irrational aberration, a Myrin Institute’s Council for International kind of 100-year flood which the normal Understanding and author of The Ayatollah culverts of international law and diplomatic in the Cathedral: Reflections of a Hostage. practice were not designed to channel. The

FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL “irrational aberration” theory presupposes a If so, then we had a right to sue Iran in U.S. norm of responsible sovereign states that federal court. Without that right, our claim behave rationally according to agreed rules. would be without value. The U.S. govern¬ In fact, the violence that overwhelmed us in ment argued dtat the civil wrongs commit¬ Iran, and very nearly other FSOs in Beirut, ted against U.S. embassy personnel in Tehran and which flouts these rules, may only reflect had not been committed on territory under the more basic norm of human nature, the jurisdiction of the United States. The which very fragile institutions try to keep in District Court found for us. The Court of check. Appeals, Judge Bork presiding, overrruled Let’s take a look at the word “rational.” It the District Court, two to one. The Supreme is only too easy to accept as “rational” that Court declined to hear the case. which makes sense to us, in American or If, as our Iranian captors might have Western terms, and to dismiss as “irrational” argued, Embassy Tehran was not under U.S. that which does not. Sometimes die word jurisdiction, then it had to be under Iranian. “rational” can backfire on us. In Tehran, in It follows dtat they were entitled to enter the early 1980, after the news broke that the embassy, by force if necessary, to investigate Canadian embassy had documented and smug¬ activities that they suspected might be preju¬ gled out six Americans of the U.S. embassy, dicial to the interests of Iran. In fact, when NORM OR EXCEPTION?

one of our captors reacted, “Why, that’s they broke in they did find materials of a illegal!” questionable nature, not only the documents FSOs who hear this story sometimes they later published, but also forged West point out how this demonstrates the utterly German passports containing photos of em¬ irrational mentality of the Iranians. After all, bassy officers and forged Iranian entry and they had taken over an embassy, in plain exit stamps. It was somewhat embarrassing. violation of international law. In reply, the Let not the reader think from my exposi¬ Iranians would argue that the Canadians had tion of my captors’ views that I favor the violated their border controls, their domestic takeover of embassies. On January 19, 1981, law. the afternoon before our release, we hostages With regard to the status of embassies, I were taken in for individual talks with have wondered how rational we are. Not Ahmad, our senior warden. “Some of you,” long ago, a group of hostages, myself in¬ he said, “are being sent home tomorrow. cluded, brought suit against the U.S. govern¬ You are all about to be interviewed for ment. We argued that our right to sue the television, where you will give your impres¬ government of Iran for what had happened sions.” His plain implication was that those to us had been traded away after our release, who collaborated and said the correct things in furtherance of important foreign policy would be on the first list. interests of the United States. Not that we My interviewer, “Mary,” asked me what questioned the propriety of that action. In conclusions I had drawn “from your time such cases, however, it is established law that with us.” Never, I replied, no matter how if a government confiscates a right to sue, serious your grievance against a foreign which is a form of property called a “chose government, should you take over an em¬ in action,” it must pay compensation. bassy, for an embassy is a means by which The case hinged on whether the injuries nations communicate and preserve the peace. we had suffered had occurred on territory Mary’s face froze and I was led out of the under the jurisdiction of the United States. TV room, certain that I would be on list B.

NOVEMBER 1989 31 Having struck my modest blow for inter¬ came out to minister to us. One of these was national law and diplomatic immunities, I the former anti-Vietnam activist, William had reason to expect that my government Sloane Coffin. Whether we knew it or not, And to think would not be far behind. What happened? he told us, we had been betrayed. “We,” he that all this Let us imagine a Senegalese FSO, on his first said, hope to get you out in a few weeks. happened post, in Washington, reporting to Dakar on “We” were not those by law entrusted with because of Judge Bork’s decision, and more generally, the conduct of foreign affairs. Still in the the position of the United States on the thrall of the shah, he was suggesting, the religion! immunities of embassies and their personnel. U.S. government was not going to do much He might well conclude his telegram, “After for us, unless its hands were forced by liberal Iran, the United States has ever}' interest in activists like William Sloane Coffin and a asserting, to the extent practicable, plenary movement which, as he had with Vietnam, jurisdiction over its diplomatic posts abroad. he might again spark. Instead, it declares that its jurisdiction is only partial. One wonders at the rationality.” It is a mistake to consider jurisdiction over Upon my retirement from the Foreign embassies, or rules that govern international Service, I found myself involved conduct generally, as universals. They are the with many of these activists, especially from product of the West, its cultural assump¬ the peace movement. These last, I thought, tions, and state system. But the West and its had to be off-the-wall, having few facts, institutions are no longer the model that ignoring those elements that did not fit their they once were, certainly not for many preconceived formulas, and reducing com¬ traditional parts of the world. Among its plex issues, most notably those of nuclear many implications, the Iran hostage crisis disarmament, into easily remembered gener¬ was a denial by many Iranians of the moral alizations. Ultimately, however, I under¬ authority that we once enjoyed. stood, even when my views were utterly at Three of us hostages were reminded of variance with theirs, that I was hearing and this one evening in February 1980 when coming to terms with insights that had never Hossein Sheikholeslam, the spokesman for crossed my mind or desk in the Foreign our captors and more recendy deputy for¬ Service. eign minister of Iran, paid us a visit in our I realized just how far I had come one basement cell. “Don’t you realize,” I de¬ day, after I heard a recently retired FSO manded of him, “that you are holding us write-off schoolteachers, saying they were a contrary to international law”1 He looked at class of “people who don’t have their heads me almost pityingly, “And what is interna¬ screwed on right.” As I pondered his charac¬ tional law? Tour rules, by which you the rich terization of educators (and many others industrialized countries justify what they do who might not have “read tire telegrams”) as to poor developing countries like Iran! Be¬ somewhat divorced from reality, I began to sides, you don’t observe them yourselves.” wonder, whose reality are we talking about? He was referring, rather snidely, to the In a fast-changing world, can we afford not documents and equipment mentioned above. to pay attention to novel ideas, particularly But his words have a larger significance. those not a part of our intellectual forma¬ Foreign affairs are not necessarily run as tion? If we arbitrarily rule out those forms FSOs would like them to be, as a game of thinking that are foreign to us at home, reserved to professionals. One of the features how effective will we be abroad? of the hostage crisis was the number of In dealing with “abroad,” the Foreign “other players,” media, clergy, academics, Service is as reductionist in its way as the peace people, congressmen, or just ordinary peace activists. Each foreign country is con¬ citizens, who rushed into the game as soon sidered to be a pie. Out of that pie, the as the Foreign Service was forced off the Foreign Service slices a wedge and calls it field. A number harbored a visceral dislike of “political,” and another it calls “economic.” the whole foreign affairs establishment, most Other wedges—agricultural, military, com¬ notably the Department of State. To some mercial, intelligence, etc.—are, of course, the of them, the ignominious collapse of the responsibility of other agencies. Elements in embassy, and America’s position in Iran, was the life of a society, which may be highly a kind of vindication of views long held, and significant to the local population, had better an opportunity. find a wedge. Otherwise, for purposes of the At Christmastide in 1979, almost two Foreign Service, they may not exist. months into our captivity, two clergymen Now, in a world with so much informa-

32 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL tion to be dealt with, reducing knowledge to inherently rational. Elements that FSOs do The welcome manageable categories, whether academic not normally report on may some day be for the freed subjects, medical specialties, or Foreign Serv¬ highly determinative of the future of a Americans at the ice wedges, is inevitable. So long as no one country or an area and affect our interests White House. pretends that these categories are anything adversely. more than a convenience, and if nothing of any importance happens outside the segment Today, what religious, ideological, eco¬ of the pie that is the sum of all bureaucratic nomic, or other forces lie “out there,” wedges, then Foreign Service reductionism not reported by the Foreign Service because may not do any harm. they do not fit its preconceptions? Or, if But suppose something happens that does observed, not reported because no one in the not fit? For those who enter, compete, and department would understand them? That is spend their formative professional years in what happened in Embassy Tehran, in years one or another wedge, or cone, what the leading up to the fall of the shah and the French call deformation professionelle may blind embassy. them, and the system, to elements that have More generally, when structures that are not found room in a wedge. Movements that expected to meet basic human needs and do not fit snugly into the matrix of the aspirations act instead to frustrate them, national state, like a transnational religious violence tends to be institutionalized in their movement, may catch us by surprise. place. A leading member of the PLO once In the Foreign Service, religion has no observed that Palestinian terrorism was only wedge. Much has been written on why the the precursor of a far more widespread U.S. government was so ill-prepared for the terrorism in the future. Its goals, however, religious revolution in Iran. Part of the would not be political, but economic, the reason is encapsulated in a remark by a reaction of hopeless poverty. Should this senior FSO shortly after we hostages re¬ occur, then Tehran and Beirut will not be turned from Iran. “And to think that all this seen as aberrational, nor its practitioners happened because of religion'.” irrational. That religion could be anything more In conclusion, hardly anywhere in the than a guide to decent living, that it could United States can one find as able and tap the deepest passions of humankind to talented a group as our corps of FSOs. I become a political force capable of chal¬ miss my years in their midst. So long, lenging the United States, earlier would have however, as the Foreign Service remains struck him (and many others) as irrational. locked into forms of thinking so that it Otherwise stated, just because FSOs observe, cannot anticipate, much less respond, to new report on, and deal with those portions of forces, its usefulness will depreciate. Where human experience that are susceptible of to begin? Perhaps we should ask ourselves rational analysis, as Americans perceive it, what to teach future A-100 courses. I would does not mean that international politics are make a lesson of Iran. □

NOVEMBER 1989 Coming Together

in Crisis MARIAN PRECHT

When the American embassy Liaison Office. The creation of FLO in in Tehran was seized on March 1978 also recognized that as embas¬ November 4, 1979, the crisis sies grew in size and complexity they needed encompassed not only the help to continue functioning as a commu¬ fate of the embassy staff and the shock to our nity. national honor, but the anguish of the family When families were evacuated from Iran members of the 72 Americans caught up in in 1978, Betty Atherton had organized tire violence. The scale of the problem was volunteers in Washington to address con¬ so great and so unprecedented that no cerns of the evacuees that were not being machinery existed in the State Department met by the State Department—locating tem¬ to respond adequately to the families’ needs porary housing, pushing for authorization of for information and support. From the first, housing allowances, urging wives to get it was clear to Foreign Sendee women in the power of attorney so that they could collect Washington area that if those needs were to paychecks and have access to household be met, it would be up to us. We telephoned goods, and above all, pressing for evacuees several Foreign Sendee wives and contacted to be brought back to the United States the American Association of Foreign Service rather than to a “safe haven,” as it was Women. The volunteers who responded unlikely that they would return to post. That became the core of the Family Support precedent set the example for the Family Group. Support Group the next year. The tradition of coming together in a In that chaotic first week in November, crisis has been integral to Foreign Service life we met in the Operations Center’s large abroad. In overseas posts, the embassy is, if conference room. Outfitted with a bank of not a family, certainly a community with telephones, it was adjacent to the Iran interdependent members. Unusual in recent Working Group. This was to remain our years are the crises affecting families abroad, permanent home. The volunteers included such as the evacuations from dangerous the wives of some of the hostages—Penne posts, which call for extraordinary responses Laingen, Louisa Kennedy, and Rita Ode— and draw on the extended Foreign Service who came to help locate the next of kin of community in Washington, as well as the the hostages, to share with families scattered resources of the State Department Family across the United States what information they had and to offer support. Eventually, Marian Precht based this article on a report writ¬ the Family Support Group, as we called ten by Precht, Betsy Barnes, Sylvia Joseif, and ourselves, included on a more or less perma¬ Sharon Sens in April 1981. nent basis Betsy Barnes, wife of Director

34 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL General Harry Barnes; Sylvia Josif, wife of the proper authority, sometimes only retired FSO Harold Josif; Pearl Richardson, to remind them we were there and whose husband Cy had just left Tehran; concerned. And so, gradually our task Katherine Keough, wife of Bill Keough, an began to take shape and we began to For many American school superintendent in Pakistan find our role as a group and as families the caught in the embassy seizure; Sharon Sens, individuals in it. The situation was, in frequent whose husband, Andy, became a member of fact, defining itself and we were mov¬ the Iran Working Group; and myself, whose ing ourselves and our lives to meet it.” contacts filled husband, Henry, was the director of the a real need for For some weeks telephone lines to the Iranian desk in the department. Many other occupied embassy were open. The Working a sympathetic volunteers joined us from time to time, and Group officers were able to talk to the ear and when family members came to State, they captors, who agreed to record messages from often took their places at the telephones. personal die families to the hostages. Much love and advocate careful thought went into those short mes¬ ur aim was to maintain close O sages. We learned later none was ever contact with the families of the delivered. hostages, so that we could relay As it became clear that the crisis would accurate information provided not soon be over, we took on additional by members of the Iran Working Group, duties. One of these was to help the depart¬ counter rumors, provide emotional support, ment handle the mail that came for the and find answers to their questions. Conversa¬ hostages. Every day someone from the mail- tions lasted a half hour or more, emotions room would dump bags of mail on the table were high, and lives became increasingly for us to sort. The families had been given a disrupted. At least two or three volunteers special post office box number to which to came every working day, and sometimes on address letters to the hostages. Their letters weekends. In particularly stressful times we were forwarded to Iran through the Swiss were as many as ten. embassy and other channels, but as we now In the beginning, we tried to make daily know, few were received. Volumes of letters, contact with the closest relative of the cards, and gifts arrived from die public and hostage, and over time die volunteers and from school children. These were sorted and the families came to know each other well. held for the return of the hostages until It became clear that for many families the eventually every unoccupied conference chair frequent contacts filled a real need for a had become a post office box for a hostage. sympathetic ear and a personal advocate in Within a few weeks of the seizure of the what they perceived to be an uncaring embassy, families in the Washington area bureaucracy. Others preferred to handle the were invited to the State Department for a situation in their own way and contacted us briefing by Secretary Cyrus Vance. Later, on only when they felt a need. As one volunteer several occasions, all the hostages’ families remembered: came to Washington to meet again with the “The calls started flooding in. If we secretary, and with President Carter, Warren were uncertain of the needs or limits Christopher, deputy secretary of state, Harold of our role, the families were not. They Saunders, assistant secretary for Near East¬ had fears and they had anger and many ern affairs, as well as with State Department were not at all hesitant in letting it all employees who could answer questions on flow into the receiver. We followed salaries, allowances, income tax, and other their lead for a period of time, check¬ practical matters. We helped plan the agen¬ ing with the Iran Working Group next das for the meetings, coordinated transporta¬ door for information we didn’t have, tion and accommodations, and met at last following up on requests, but above the friends we had come to know so well on all, listening and listening and sympa¬ the telephone. thizing. We began to become acquainted During the 14 months that the attention with them, to know the different mem¬ of the whole nation was riveted on the bers of the family, to learn the chil¬ hostage situation, the Support Group re¬ dren’s names, to recognize the ones ceived and filtered ideas from the public for who were having the hardest time. We bizarre and magical solutions to the crisis. began to initiate the calls, often with We also responded to often imperious re¬ news, sometimes with the answer to a quests from congressional staffers, and re¬ question we’d checked through with layed messages to the families from the

NOVEMBER 1989 35 media, from persons with schemes to raise initiatives resulted again and again in dis¬ money for the hostages by manufacturing appointment. T-shirts or bracelets, and from those who On April 25, when news came in that The captors wanted to organize events in support of the eight men had lost their lives in the Iranian added a final families. desert during a rescue attempt, the Working cynical twist by After the beginning of 1980, when hopes Group called the families in the early hours of an early release had faded, the families of the morning to notify them of the disaster delaying the began to encounter problems that affected before the president addressed the nation. airplane to them as a group and which could not be This time was for many the moment of freedom handled appropriately by the State Depart¬ greatest despair. After Khomeini announced ment. Legal questions arose owing, for in May that the fate of the hostages de¬ example, to efforts by some groups to raise pended on the yet-to-be-elected parliament, money on behalf of the hostages and their the long summer of waiting seemed endless. families. Many families felt harassed and In September, Iraqi bombs striking Tehran exploited by members of the media. They added another worry. At last, as one year of realized also that if they were to have any captivity ended on the date of the American political voice in negotiations for the hos¬ elections, hope revived. The captors added a tages’ release or in Congress upon dieir final cynical twist by delaying the departure return, they needed to organize. Thus the of the airplane to freedom until after the Family Liaison Action Group (FLAG) was inauguration of President Reagan. formed, an organization of and for the families of the hostages. The Support Group began to refer all questions having to do Despite the excitement and ela¬ with the families from the media and other tion of the reunions, the toll on outsiders to the FLAG spokesperson. the hostages and families caused Throughout the whole of the crisis, how¬ by the long captivity and months ever, we continued to provide the best of anxious waiting was severe. Lives changed information we could get to the families and permanently and scars remain. to offer friendly emotional support. We read Throughout the 14 mondis of the crisis, the unclassified portions of the daily IRAN the status of the Family Support Group SITREP and had briefings as needed from continued to be unofficial in the eyes of the the Working Group officers, whose proxim¬ State Department. Because we were doing a ity insured that the information was as job that the department was unprepared to current as possible. The mental health per¬ do, we were regarded paternally by the sonnel of the State Department’s medical officers who were involved in managing the division gave us advice and took over when crisis. We could often bypass official chan¬ we felt problems were critical. Eventually nels to get things done directly through they made their own contacts with the personal contacts. Without the interest of family members. some officers, however, we were powerless, Relationships between the volunteers and When we were blocked, an officer explained the hostages’ families were not always smooth. the necessary procedures, but that did not Some family members felt that because their lessen our sense of frustration in dealing as problems were being addressed by non¬ outsiders with the bureaucracy. officials, they were not being taken seriously. If the group had had official status in the In those cases, we referred the caller to a eyes of the department, as one of the member of the Working Group. The real elements in the total effort on behalf of the anger, however, was caused by the inability hostages, that recognition might have con¬ of the government to accomplish the release tributed to a more credible operation and a of the hostages, and everyone concerned, more trusting relationship with the families. from the president on down, got a taste of It is my impression that volunteers are still that anger. somewhat in limbo in the modern Foreign We saw times of increased stress in all the Service. families. Holidays in particular were hard, Aside from these minor problems, we in especially when television showed some hos¬ the Support Group felt personal satisfaction tages participating in contrived celebrations, in being able to contribute to the overall while others remained hidden by their guards. effort. When the hostages finally came home, Hope turned to despair as the United we shared in the joy and relief as if we were Nations negotiators returned without the ourselves one of the families. □ hostages in March 1980. Other promising

36 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL The Lessons of Islamabad

JAMES THURBER, JR.

t’s probably presumptuous die building burned around us. of me to think that anybody What happened is history: the student ff would be interested weeks, invasion of the embassy, our retreat into the months, or years later in vault, die six hours jampacked in the com¬ what went on in Islamabad on the 21st of munications area, the “clearing of the roof’ November, 1979, but in case anybody in the by our heroic group of Marines, and finally family is thinking of joining the Foreign our escape through a ceiling hatch onto the Service, perhaps they should know what life roof of an intensely burning building and could be like, or actually was like on one day down jerry-built ladders to the ground. Six in November.” hours of hell as Fran Fields, the brave and It was just ten years ago that I sat in an tireless embassy nurse, took care of our empty house in Islamabad, Pakistan, and wounded Marine, Steve Crowley, in a little used those words to start a letter to my alcove of the room, trying desperately to just-evacuated family—recounting to them keep him alive without any equipment, and how a mob of 10,000 angry Muslims, finally, at 3:30, with tears streaming down sparked by a rumor that the U.S. military her cheeks, whispering to me that she had had taken over the sacred mosque in Mecca, failed. Six hours as our Marine guard detach¬ destroyed the entire embassy compound, ment, minus one, used everything at their killed four embassy employees, and almost disposal except bullets to keep the raging killed another 139 of us. We spent six mob from breaking down the door or walls. terrifying hours in the embassy vault while Six hours with no water and no facilities, but lots of smoke and tear gas eating up the James Thurber, Jr. is minister-counselor for small amount of oxygen in the room. Six public ajfairs in Ottawa.

NOVEMBER 1989 37 the United States conducted its business The mob outside the hours of hearing shots from the roof above U.S. embassy in us as rioters tried shooting through air overseas and set new guidelines on how its Islamabad, conditioning vents to force us out. Six hours thousands of Foreign Service officers were November 21, 1979. of watching the floor get hotter and hotter to live and work. We learned that day, as our from the burning rooms below until finally colleagues had learned 17 days earlier in tire rug caught fire and we were forced to Tehran, that iron fences, built for looks use fire extinguishers, thus consuming more rather than security, do not keep out deter¬ valuable oxygen. mined mobs. We learned a bit about how far Not to be forgotten, Navy Chief Warrant foreign governments would go to protect Officer Bryan Ellis, who was caught in his our embassy when their political future apartment building and died, apparently might be at risk and how important it is to from the fire. And the two loyal Pakistani prevent overreaction from those emotionally telephone operators who suffocated to death charged by the raid and unaware of the in the smoke-filled embassy corridors. And, pressures on the host government from the stalwart group, mostly embassy wives, internal and external forces. We learned that who were caught by the rioters at die the work of the embassy benefited if those American Club in the compound and held involved were rotated out as quickly as hostage in an open area—spat on, vilified, possible and new officers, untainted by the and terrorized until Pakistani police man¬ horror of such an event, replaced them. It’s aged to outwit the rioters and deliver the hard not to let such an incident affect your hostages to the Army barracks for safekeep¬ view of the host government and its citizens. ing. And we learned that terrorists, or just It was an afternoon that changed the way fanatic rioters, care little whether their vic-

FOREIGN SERVICE IOURNAL tims are male or female, adult or child, Union invaded neighboring Afghanistan five Christian or Muslim. Diplomatic immunity weeks later). But it did nothing to calm die is a thing of the past when it comes to anger felt by most who were held in the terrorism. The year 1979 marked the begin¬ embassy. It is true that with an estimated ning of major attacks against U.S. facilities 10,000 rioters circling the embassy, a con¬ with no thought by terrorists of who might certed attempt by the army to chase them be killed. Terrorism became more lethal and away could have resulted in a disaster to the living under the cloud of terrorism became a government—it even could have resulted in real part of the Foreign Service officer’s an overthrow of Zia. But did President life—for the officer and his or her family. Carter have to be quite so forgiving? In While we do everything in our power to contrast to Tehran, at least in Pakistan the protect our Foreign Service personnel, there host government was not guilty of inciting is no question in anybody’s mind today that the mob—its sin was failing to act radier serving overseas for the U.S. government than aedvely pushing the mission of death The aftermath at can be dangerous to your health. and destruction. In other circumstances, Embassy Islamabad. In one area we were very lucky in Islamabad. Almost clairvoyant, the adminis¬ trative counselor, two days before the raid, asked the regional security officer and the general services officer what would happen to the telephones if we lost electric power. Neither seemed to know, so as a test, they cut the power and quickly found out that the batteries for the generator were dead. Need¬ less to say, the dead batteries were replaced immediately and we had generator power and lights, air conditioning, and phones on November 21 when all other power was cut. But the message is very clear. It is essential to be prepared for any eventuality and to constantly check and recheck plans and equipment, no matter how distant a threat may seem. One of the most contentious parts of the Islamabad raid involved President Carter’s cable to President Zia immediately after the incident, expressing “the appreciation of the American Government for the action on the part of the Pakistani military to rescue the American embassy staff besieged during a mob attack on the embassy in Islamabad.” This was utter nonsense. The thanks were not only premature—they probably should never have been sent. The army stood idly by while the mob tried to kill us and did nothing to help us down from the embassy roof when we managed to escape from the vault. Once on the ground, they did usher us into ambulances and drive us through what was left of the mob to the British embassy—a good 100 yards—but that was the extent of their aid to us. Some have claimed that it was terribly important to keep the Pakistan government from inciting the mobs further and the note of thanks probably helped to do that. It certainly helped Ambassador Arthur Hum¬ mel in his quest to maintain good relations for the future (important when the Soviet

NOVEMBER 1989 there might have been a need to punish the group who wanted nothing more than to be government and reduce drastically the scope reunited with dieir spouses, wherever it of the relationship, but not in this case. The might be. It was quite a lesson in coopera¬ government of Pakistan did eventually pay tion and helpfulness. As one who was left in for the rebuilding of the embassy compound, Islamabad to sort out the mess there, it was but the perpetuators of the crime went free. of great relief to know my family was being One of the most important lessons learned watched over and helped in getting settled from this incident was the handling of in temporary quarters. evacuations—the importance of sending non- The American embassy in Islamabad once essential personnel and dependents directly more glitters in the hot tropical sun— to the continental United States rather than reconstruction has been completed and our to a series of stops in other countries as was diplomats there know little personally about done in past evacuations. And we learned the events of ten years ago. But the underly¬ how to handle evacuees in die States: to ing causes have not gone away—mobs keep them together, provide counseling, stormed the USIS Center in Islamabad establish a network among the evacuees, and earlier this year in response to criticisms help them find housing. about Islam in a British novel. This time the When the evacuation Pan Am 747 flight Pakistani police reacted early and quickly and J. Thurber

The embassy arrived at Dulles Airport, the group was met the building and American lives were saved, vault (top) by senior representatives of Foreign Service but 50 Pakistanis died. and motor pool. agencies, including Under Secretary of State The lessons we learned from the Is¬ David Newsom, and representatives of State lamabad raid are now a part of the daily life bureaus ready to help with housing, medical of all of us overseas. The acceptance by the problems, finances, and the like. Also at the Foreign Service of the necessity for security airport were many, many friends who had has been remarkable but not totally unex¬ been notified by State’s Operations Center, pected. It is us, our friends and colleagues anxious to have as many sympathetic people who have been the victims of this violence, as possible to greet a planeload of obviously who have learned to work within the new stressed individuals. This kind of responsible perimeters. One more evidence of the skill understanding continued in the months to and dedication of the professional Foreign follow as the State Department FLO office Service. sprang into action to provide the families The scars left on many of those in the with the backup sendees desperately needed vault have yet to heal. “Even after ten years, as they set up a temporary life in the United I have a hard time controlling my emotions States. Evacuees in Washington, led by the when talking or thinking about the events of ambassador’s wife, Betty Lou Hummel, staffed that day,” stated one vault veteran. And for a special desk in the FLO office, published a the friends and relatives of our Marine newsletter to maintain a sense of community guard, the warrant officer, and the Pakistani among the evacuees and update diem on telephone operators, the scars will never plans for the return to Islamabad, and heal. □ assumed the leadership for the disparate

40 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL More Nuisance Than News: State’s Daily Press Briefing

NICHOLAS F. BENTON

For journalists and State Department sentence statement that clarifies U.S. policy professionals alike, the daily State on the news that has broken, either self- Department press briefing is often more initiated or in response to a request from the nuisance than news. Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Office. Depending on the Public Affairs Margaret Tutwiler, the depart¬ issue, the statement then travels an elaborate ment’s chief press spokesperson, has stated vertical and horizontal route toward the that she carries an average of 20 to 40 seventh floor, where it receives final clear¬ written “guidance” statements in her briefing ance for the daily briefing. book each day. For journalists, the briefing If the issue concerns, for example, a leak provides an infamous dearth of fresh, news¬ about an alleged new administration policy worthy information. For Foreign Service toward drug traffickers in South America, officers, an enormous investment of man¬ there will be many agencies of the govern¬ power is required to produce the 20 to 40 ment that will have a hand in formulating pieces of “guidance” available to the press. the response that will emerge as the daily The necessarily bureaucratic process pro¬ “guidance.” In the State Department alone, duces lowest common denominator state¬ not only the national desks and the Andean ments. There is also the concern that the Regional Office but also the International process of preparing “guidance” in anticipa¬ Narcotics Bureau will want a say. Then, of tion of questions at the daily briefing too course, the White House and National Secu¬ often winds up actually coloring the shape rity' Council and also the Justice Depart¬ of official U.S. policy. ment, “drug czar” William Bennett’s office, A portion of State Department “guid¬ and maybe even the Defense Department ance” results from traffic received internally will want input, each wishing to emphasize through department channels. But most “guid¬ a slightly different angle, aimed at both what ance” discussed at the briefing is written they want to highlight and what they want defensively in response to the morning news¬ to play down. papers. Therefore, a round of negotiation occurs The process begins at 7:30 a.m. with the that can preoccupy more than two dozen relevant desk officer drafting a three or four people in various branches of the govern¬ ment and, in the estimation of one official Nicholas F. Benton is chief Washington corre¬ familiar with the process, often a dozen total spondent for Century News Service. man-hours for a single, brief “guidance”

NOVEMBER 1989 41 statement on a U.S. foreign policy position. governments look carefully to examine the The process of completing an accepted significance of even the slightest alterations, one-paragraph “guidance” often requires de¬ which often lead to misunderstandings. Many argue laying die daily briefing at least an hour that the beyond its scheduled noon start (although removal of live always scheduled for noon, briefings almost To their credit, Assistant Secretary never start before 12:30 p.m. and delays Tutwiler or members of her staff daily “sound and until 1 p.m. or later are common). step into the bright television lights in the camera” What comes out of this frequently inten¬ second floor press briefing room and bravely would sive and deadline-driven negotiating effort is, take on whatever questions reporters are improve the not surprisingly, the lowest common de¬ prepared to fire. It is not an easy job. nominator of what each interested party will Unlike the daily briefings at the White briefings accept. It then emerges in the daily briefing House, those at the State Department are as something less than a sharp response. “for sound and camera.” Every word and However, no matter how bland the state¬ nuance uttered by the spokesperson will be ment is, once it is made public, there is a evaluated for both explicit and perceived strong tendency for it to be “chiseled in hidden meaning by those present at the stone” as official administration policy. briefing and by anyone else watching the live When a new development comes down broadcast beamed into USIA’s Foreign Press the pike at a later date that the administra¬ Center. There are nightly reruns of the tion decides not to comment on at all, the briefing telecast on local UHF channels and “guidance” will be to refer journalists back nationally on C-SPAN. In addition, tran¬ to a statement made at an earlier briefing, scripts of the briefing are widely distributed which, as a result, becomes definitive admini¬ and carefully combed for meaning. stration policy on the subject. The State Department briefings are held In this way, pressure to respond to the daily, in contrast to the twice-weekly brief¬ media can actually result in statements that, ings at the Pentagon or the less-frequent at least marginally, drive administration pol¬ ones at die Treasury or Justice Departments. icy. This has some officials in the State The State Department goes further than the Department genuinely concerned, because White House—whenever President Bush trav¬ they know such statements are the result of els, even for part of a day, there is never a hasty efforts at compromise among agencies briefing at the White House, but there is to produce a one-paragraph statement to always a briefing at the State Department appease pressure from the media, and may when Secretary Baker is on the road. not be consistent at all with where U.S. Is there a better way to provide the media policy wants to go, in the long run, in a with what they need to do their job? Does particular area. the growing emphasis by the news media on Nonetheless, efforts to alter such state¬ leaks from unnamed sources and the fixation ments at a later date can also produce with 20-second sound bites for the nightly problems, because journalists and foreign network news increase or decrease the need for these briefings? As critical as some journalists are of the State Department briefings, they would not take to die suggestion that they be cur¬ tailed in any way. Yet many in the State Department’s press corps argue that the removal of live “sound and camera” would improve them. In fact, when current White House Spokesman Marlin Fitzwater first came on his job in February 1987 and was asked by journalists to reconsider the “not for sound and camera” White House policy, he responded only half jokingly, “What, do you want these briefings to become like the State Department?”—implying they would become stilted and diminished in news value. The White Flouse briefings remain free from “sound and camera,” except for five minutes

42 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL of silent camera shots at the opening. now provides her with the benefit of fre¬ With no “sound and camera,” the White quent direct access to Baker for clarification House spokesman can permit more interplay of issues, while Redman had such an expert between himself and the press corps, includ¬ personal grasp of issues, due to his vast Written ing a lot of quips and jokes that might be experience in the Foreign Service, that he “guidance” is misunderstood by or offensive to a foreign was adept at speaking off the cuff with great routinely audience. For example, on one occasion precision about many delicate and detailed Fitzwater didn’t know the answer to a foreign policy and arms control matters. contentless reporter’s question about U.S. policy toward The daily State Department briefings do export subsidies, and tried to cover himself need more punch. Even given the need for with humor, joking, “I don’t know. I thought precise wording of delicate matters of diplo¬ Danish is something you have for breakfast.” macy, the content of written “guidance,” In this case, even without “sound and which the spokesperson will never deviate camera,” the remark was reported in Danish from in substance, is routinely contentless. newspapers and created a mild flap. No wonder journalists seem forced to resort The atmosphere generated by greater in¬ to nameless “sources” for information. If the terplay in the White House briefing permits administration is upset with leaks, many reporters to probe more deeply into admini¬ journalists argue, one thing it could do to stration positions, but what they get, in die help would be to offer more real substance final result, is whatever Fitzwater has been in the daily briefing. instructed to say beforehand. That, in turn, But to many State Department profession¬ is seldom any different from what the Public als assigned the duty of preparing the daily Affairs Office at the State Department will “guidance” that winds up in the spokesper¬ have to say. son’s briefing book, the problem is not that The only real difference is that journalists they withhold substantive information on at the White House can better apply the foreign policy issues. They claim many of the tools of their trade, pushing hard questions 20 to 40 “guidance” statements they spend with more aggressiveness, hoping they will so much time on are never asked for by the elicit from Fitzwater a different turn of a media. Instead, the briefing is driven by phrase that will make for an interesting media requests for comment on or reaction quote in their coverage. Such exchanges can to what has appeared in the morning news¬ reveal valuable insights on the process of paper or the previous evening’s newscast. administration decision-making, even if not more specific answers. The White House press secretary is at the In Washington, a distinct pattern has president’s elbow throughout much of the developed that frequently drives the day. The policy of including the White pursuit of news by most of the city’s 4,000 House press secretary in many of the presi¬ journalists. The pattern repeats itself almost dent’s meetings began, according to Larry daily. It begins with stories attributed to Speakes, Fitzwater’s predecessor, after Speakes unnamed sources in the leading morning himself was deliberately misled by National newspapers. By the time of the evening news Security Council adviser John Poindexter programs on the major TV networks, the about U.S. preparations to invade Grenada stories are augmented by reactions from in 1983. After Speakes had to apologize to appropriate public officials or government the press for misguiding them, he insisted agencies, elicited in scheduled briefings or on and received the right to much closer private interviews during the course of the direct access to the president, and the policy day. The augmentations are reported— continued with Fitzwater and through the together with new information from un¬ transition from the Reagan to the Bush named sources—in the newspapers the fol¬ administration. Therefore, Fitzwater seems lowing morning, and the cycle is begun for to be a better source of news than the State the next news day. Department spokesperson. Stories attributed to unnamed sources can While there may be truth in this, it is result either from a “leak” or from a deliber¬ offset by the fact that the most recent two ate policy decision either by the administra¬ chief State Department spokespersons, Char¬ tion or some other entity to plant informa¬ les Redman (now U.S. ambassador to Swe¬ tion from an “anonymous” source with a den) and Tutwiler, have had unique qualifica¬ particular reporter. tions of their own. Tutwiler’s long associa¬ The Felix Bloch affair is a particularly tion with Secretary of State James A. Baker egregious example. In this case, anonymous

NOVEMBER 1989 43 information was first reported on the ABC anonymous sources, regardless of whether nightly news. The story, although it never delivered openly by known high-level offi¬ advanced beyond its first report in substance, cials at announced press briefings, or by a From the drove the media at large to hound Bloch disguised voice over the phone to a lone public’s point relentlessly for more than a month. In this reporter from some latter day “Deep Throat.” of view, news classic case, not only did the anonymous comes from information propel the media, but the gov¬ ernment also claimed it was forced to prema¬ Such a deliberately fostered climate of anonymous turely concede something it was not yet anonymity gives the administration a sources prepared to disclose. degree of leverage over the media. By Each day commonly finds fresh stories institutionalizing “background” information, driven by similar anonymous sources. A the administration may feel it can be more cursory look at the front page of any selective in offering tidbits “on background” Washington Post edition can make the point. to those reporters whose favor it hopes to For example, two of the major stories in its curry. When an administration official, alone September 10, 1989 edition were attributed, for a moment with a reporter, says, “of in one case, to unnamed “administration and course, this is on background,” the official congressional sources” and, in the other, to may hope the reporter will believe he is “a senior administration official.” One was getting something special, and therefore will about a secret National Security Decision feel obligated to produce a story favorable to Directive allegedly signed by President Bush the administration in return. concerning use of U.S. Special Forces against Many journalists, who serve clients inter¬ drug traffickers in the Andes, and the other ested in special foreign or domestic issues, alleged an administration “miscalculation”of are not part of the anonymous source-driven Soviet leader Gorbachev’s intentions toward daily news loop. It is these journalists who Afghanistan following the Soviet troop with¬ tend to be the most frustrated at daily drawal. briefings, not only by the seemingly endless Both of these stories, published in this repetition of predictable questions, but also instance on a Sunday, became a major focus by government “guidance” which has been of media and government responses alike at so focused on responding to the day’s the beginning of the subsequent week. dominant loop issues that many other impor¬ The media justifies this anonymous source¬ tant, if seemingly less urgent, developments generated news cycle with polls that show have been ignored. Countless stories never the general public is just as likely to believe a receive deserving coverage in the major report from an unnamed source as from a media because they were not generated from named public official. A poll was cited die dominant news loop. during a panel debate entitled “Using Anony¬ Both sides of the problem are concerned mous Sources,” at a recent conference of the about being manipulated by the other. Association of Journalism Schools. While Through media reliance on unnamed sources, some journalists on the panel defended their factions of our government, and possibly use of anonymous sources, others warned of even foreign and hostile governments, ma¬ a “steady erosion of press autonomy” that nipulate the media, playing on the media’s reliance on such sources accelerates. None¬ fixation with breaking an exclusive story, no theless, it can be argued that a dependence matter how true or false a source’s report on such sources turns die media into a mere may be. pawn in someone else’s proxy war. In this climate, whatever decisions may be The administration policy refusing to al¬ taken by the State Department or any other low names to be revealed of those who part of the government concerning media provide so-called “background” briefings only relations have to be directed at countering contributes to the climate in which unnamed the influence of anonymous sources with sources dominate the news. Commonly, forthright and useful information, offered on briefings both at the State Department and the record, not “on background,” and as in White House, when given by top officials, depth as national security considerations are designated “on background,” which means permit. In addition, by regularly making that any quotes from them must be at¬ such information available, provided by authori¬ tributed only to an unnamed “senior admini¬ tative sources on the record, the public will stration official.” As a result, from the be less and less inclined to be satisfied with public’s point of view, news comes from what it gets from a 20-second sound-bite. □

44 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Journal

Delivering Grain to Angola

Early in the morning of ROBERT GORDON primarily of three nations, Cuba, Rus¬ Friday, July 10, 1988, the sia, and Angola, with occasional visi¬ freighter Thompson Lykes tors from northern Europe and Italy. dropped anchor in the har¬ Delays, restrictions, Nearby lay 20 to 25 weatherworn bor of Luanda, Angola. The ship was Russian deep-sea trawlers, with a carrying 31 officers and crew, eight explosions, anarchy: large mother ship and a floating passengers—all of them U.S. citizens, A first-hand account of life drydock to repair them. including me—and 12,000 tons of Crew and passengers had long hours cargo. Among that cargo were 1,265 along the Luanda docks. to watch the capital’s heavy air traffic, tons of soy-fortified sorghum, en¬ from 747s to a patrolling helicopter, cased in 50-pound bags, each of sweeping over the water; small local which was marked with the legend fishing boats, with their braziers of that it was the gift of the United still be instructive as evidence of the fire burning as night lures; pelicans States of America. The grain was breakdown of the system in Angola, and blue herons; orange lifeboats intended, apparently, for the children victim of a war that has gone on for from the Russian fishing fleet, chug¬ of Angola, through the intercession more than 15 years. ging back and forth throughout the of UNICEF. The deep, oval harbor of Luanda is bay; racing speedboats, apparently The ship’s owners in New Orleans about five kilometers long and about the toys of Russian officers; and, on had scheduled a two-day stopover for two kilometers wide, sheltered from weekends, regattas of tiny one-man unloading. In fact, the ship—accord¬ the Adantic by a barrier beach. The sailboats off the naval base, home of ing to the harbormaster the first U.S. Thompson Lykes anchored in mid-bay, two sleek rocket-carrying frigates and vessel to call at Luanda, in at least more than a kilometer away from the a minesweeper. three years—had to remain 20 days long commercial wharf where she was But the Thompson Lykes didn’t move. to complete her task. Although that ultimately to moor. Indeed, the dozen or more ships at visit took place more than a year ago, In the days following, we could see the docks rarely went anywhere; rather, what happened in those 20 days may three to seven other ships, both full as if in a game of nautical musical Robert Gordon is a frequent traveler and empty, waiting like the Thompson chairs, they usually only shifted places— and associate professor of English at Lykes in mid-harbor; the piers were the first indication of sluggish unload¬ Montclair (NJ.) State College. fully occupied by ships that were ing techniques ashore.

NOVEMBER 1989 45 For days, each morning die captain the decision of the port’s authori¬ ing experience which he relayed to was told he could not moor until ties that none of the passengers could the crew the next day. some later date, until at last a berth go ashore. The reason given for that “No way,” said one of the sailors, was promised for Saturday. On Fri¬ restriction was that one of the passen¬ “that I’m gonna spend die night in day evening, though, he learned that gers was booked to disembark in jail in that place.” a now-free space at the seaward end Durban, South Africa. Angolan paranoia had first mani¬ of the quay had been requisitioned So much, then, for any visits to fested itself days before, while the by “a Cuban passenger ship.” The cafes and restaurants, die cathedral, ship was still at anchor, with an order next morning before dawn, a ship the ancient Dutch fortress, the boule¬ that all cameras be sequestered by the steamed in. But she was neither Cu¬ vard along the waterfront of what has captain in a sealed locker. “What’s ban nor carrying passengers. Daylight been called one of Africa’s most beau¬ there to photograph?” one woman revealed a white-painted 23,000-ton tiful cities—albeit a beauty reserved, passenger asked—and she was right. former Cunarder from the trans- in decades now gene by, for the On Monday morning a doctor on Atlantic luxury run, built in the 1950s Portuguese colonials who governed board used his binoculars to look into and sold to Russia in the 1970s as a Angola for their own reward. the city, half a kilometer down the cruise ship. At the wharf, we learned Even walking on the quay was long wharf. A young Angolan soldier later, she discharged a battalion of prohibited. The captain, intending ran up the gangway, then to the Cuban soldiers—even as peace nego¬ one morning to check his ship’s draft, uppermost deck and seized the glasses, tiations were under way. was chased back on board by armed demanding the man’s passport. It That night she cast off her lines, guards. We were, in effect, prisoners— took the captain an hour to talk the after more than a dozen explosions aboard a vessel bringing relief grain soldier into returning what he’d con¬ were set off in the water within 10 for the children. fiscated. He did it by simple bribery: minutes as insurance against explosive¬ The crew members, however, were a carton of cigarettes, two beers, and carrying frogmen. I watched her sail authorized to go ashore between noon a cold can of soda. past, an enormous shape close by in and 8 p.m., on condition they surren¬ The only officer who went ashore the channel, with only her port and der their passports at the gate and was an engineer who had injured his starboard running lights and a few receive visiting certificates in return. hand and needed medical treatment. dim portholes lit. It was an eerie Interestingly, no member of the crew— In the absence of any American em¬ sight, like some apparition from World the large majority of whom were bassy or consulate, this required a trip War II. black—went into Luanda. Perhaps in the shipping agent’s car to a clinic The next morning an East German their caution stemmed from the fate attached to the French embassy. But harbor pilot took the Thompson Lykes of a black seaman from Ghana. In they couldn’t go alone; an armed into the now-vacated berth. An offi¬ town, he was overheard speaking soldier accompanied them. cer on the bridge asked him what English. The police assumed he was The engineer confirmed what the Luanda was like. from the Thompson Lykes and picked East German harbor pilot had said. him nn fr xr infprrnfTitmn o niemmi. Wn ennne et'pni/'n fn np nnptv nnnr.

‘There’s nothing there,” replied. “Everything is closed. This was a statement we heard often in the next 10 days, from other foreigners; but it was one we were unable to test. Why? Because it ways were boarded up; windows were been in Luanda a month, the Panama¬ empty container beside the ship. They broken; garbage lay in the streets; tall nian six weeks—with three more weeks hustled him out, made him hoist a construction cranes stood idly beside to go, according to her captain. rice packet—supposedly 120 pounds the frameworks of office buildings One 10-hour day, said the captain in weight—onto his head, and then whose steel beams were rusty. The of the Thompson Lykes, would ordinar¬ crab-walked him down die quay. Every city did not appear to be functioning ily be enough to land our grain. few yards they struck him with karate- as a city should—yet day and night Instead, with Saturday afternoon and chops; when he fell to the cobble¬ we could see streams of cars, trucks, Sundays off, it required eight and stones, they made him get up, re¬ and buses rolling along the roads. one-half workdays. The longshore¬ mount the bag of rice, and trot a few Gasoline, at least, didn’t seem to be men arrived irregularly between 8- steps more. Then they would hit him in short supply—nor, for that matter, 9:15 a.m., left anywhere between again, until finally they pulled him were vehicles. 1-2:30 p.m., returned about 2:45 and out of sight, into one of the sheds. Conditions on the dock area were quit anywhere between 5-6 p.m. No Angolans are used to cruelty from similarly dismaying. In the absence of foreman was evident on deck or dock their masters. Twenty-five years ago, locomotives, stevedores pushed the to coordinate the unloading; one the ship’s chief officer recalled, the railroad flatcars along the tracks that open hold would have a dozen work¬ Portuguese foremen beat the steve¬ ran along the key, from ship-hold to ers, another only two or three; the dores with sticks. Now it was their ship-hold. Angolan troops, by ones, men managing the booms changed own soldiers whom they had to be¬ twos, and threes, ambled past the with each shift or day. Emptying the ware. ships—some armed, some not. Oth¬ cargo was like a grand improvisation The violence was not unlike the ers, dressed in green berets, with dark played out by 40 to 60 stevedores— sporadic nightly rifleshots—at rats? at glasses and wristwatches prominently with no one in charge. thieves? for idle amusement?—and displayed (but no rifles), roared around Further, there was a transportation the explosions of grenades, thrown on motorcycles. It was impossible to blockage. Removing the sorghum from into the bay (as in the case of the tell whether they were on specific the quay, once it was dumped there, Russian liner) to deafen or maim patrol beats, supervising the long¬ depended upon the availability of imaginary frogmen. Supposedly in shoremen or simply passing time. trucks, from two to a dozen, which 1984 three ships were damaged by The saddest and most bewildering UNICEF had mustered. The three mines, so ever since, the repeated sight, perhaps, was the daily evidence biggest bore the slogans, “Gift of concussions are meant to prevent of men crippled by the war. Some, France,” but the storage depot was another such misfortune. with one foot or one leg only, hob¬ supposedly an hour’s drive away. Some¬ Two days before our departure, a bled past leaning on crutches impro¬ times five or six trucks were parked Russian RO-RO ship—one which vised from tree-limbs; one, legless, beside the ship; at other hours there can open up, either at bow or stern, was pushed around in a wheelchair were none. to allow tanks, trucks, or other vehi¬ by a friend. But what were these The longshoremen held jobs in a cles to Roll On, Roll Off—steamed invalids doing, moving freely around land where unemployment is rife. direcdy into the quayside, taking prece¬ working piers? Who at the gate had Nevertheless they complained to the dence over six anchored vessels. She ever admitted them to what should crew about their hunger and begged resembled a gigantic tank-landing ship have been a restricted area? for handouts of food or liquids. Al¬ from World War II; massed on her The quay itself was a monument most all of them scooped up packets deck were camouflaged troop-carry¬ to entropy. The majority of its more filled with spilled sorghum every day, ing trucks. She docked bow-on to the than 20 giant cranes were unwork¬ sometimes using broken container quay, opened her ramps and dis¬ able. In the absence of locomotives, bags. These they hid in sheds, under gorged them onto the paving. At last, stevedores pushed the railroad flatcars planks, behind stacked piping or had we had our cameras, there was along the tracks that ran along the wooden pallets. In the evening they something to photograph. quay, from ship-hold to ship-hold. would carry them away. On June 29 the Thompson Lykes The cobblestone paving was potholed The soldiers shared in the spoils. finished at last. The evening sky was or, in some places, crumbling into the They stole rice from the trucks empty¬ smudged with smoke from the vast sea. Abandoned vehicles littered the ing the Filipino freighter or they open garbage dump that burns day right-of-way, and by the stern of the shook down the longshoremen. Once and night and lies above Luanda’s Thompson Lykes a broken hoist was they caught three men pilfering the piers (and next to lightless Portuguese- unable to lift away a discarded tractor- Panamanian ship’s spilled wheat, struck built apartment houses). But the sea motor which blocked access to the them repeatedly, and marched them was calm, and, once we were out of ship’s after hold. off. But first they grabbed the men’s the harbor, schools of dolphin frol¬ Moored at our bow was a Filipino grain bags, presumably for their own icked around the hull while a dazzling freighter unloading rice from Thai¬ use. full moon rose. land; at our stern lay a Panamanian One day shots were fired just Good omens for the onward voy¬ ship whose cargo was 4,500 tons of before 7:30 in the morning, by sol¬ age; but the omens for Angola, then wheat from France. The Filipino had diers chasing a man who fled into an as now, seem unpromising at best. □

NOVEMBER 1989 47 Domestic Postings

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Statement of ownership, management, and circulation (required by 39 U.S.C. 3685) lA.Title of Publication: Foreign Service Journal IB.Publication no: 00157279. 2.Date of filing: October 1, 1989. 3.Frequency of issue: Monthly except August. 3A.No. of issues published annually: 11. 3B.Annual subscription price: $20.00. 4.Complete mailing address of known office of publication: 2101 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037. 5.Complete mailing address of headquarters of general business offices of the publisher: 2101 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037. 6. Full names and complete mailing address of the publisher, editor, and managing editor: Publisher: American Foreign Service Association, 2101 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037. Editor: Ann Luppi, 2101 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037. 7. Owner: American Foreign Service Association, 2101 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037. 8. State Department known bondholders, mortages, and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortages or other securities: American Foreign Service Prot. Association: 515 22nd St. NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20037; AFSA Scholarship Fund, 2101 E St. NW, Washington DC20037. 9.For completion of non-profit organizations authorized to mail at special rates (1) has not changed during the preceding months. lO.Extent and nature of circulation: Avg. no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months: A.Total no. of copies: 11,300. B.paid and/or requested circulation: Sales through dealers, etc.0. Mail subscription: 11,000. C.Total paid and/or requested circulation: 11,000. D.Free distribution: 200. E.Total distribution: 11,200. F.Copies not distributed: 100. G.Total: 11,300. Actual no. of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: A.Total no. of copies: 11,300. B.paid and/or requested circulation:Sales through dealers, etc.10. Mail subscription: 10,904. C.Total paid and/or requested circulation: 10,914.D.Free distribution: 300. E.Total distribu- tion:ll,214. F.Copies not distributed:86. G.Total:ll,300. I certify the statements made by me above are correct and complete, (signed) Ann Luppi, editor. u i; A i. i ; s i A i i -: , i N c. 6729 CURRAN STREET, MCLEAN, VA 22101 (703)734-7020

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Message 1990-91 AFSA/AAFSW Scholarships

Applications for the AFSA Scholarship Pro¬ should be addressed to: Olive B. Long, Direc¬ 20016. grams are now available for dependent students tor of Admission, Dana Hall School, Wellesley, of career American Foreign Service personnel Massachusetts 02181,(617)235-3010. SL Andrew’s School, Middletown, Dela¬ who have been or are currently stationed ware: The Norris S. Haselton Scholarships are abroad .The AFSA/AAFSW Merit Awards Grier School: A $1500 reduction in tuition is awarded to sons and daughters of career are for graduating high school students and are available to daughters of Foreign Service per¬ Foreign Service families where scholarship based on academic excellence. Twenty awards sonnel. Additionally, girls may compete for assistance is indicated. The school enrolls 245 of $750 each and twelve honorable mention scholarship support on the basis of demon¬ students in grades 9 through 12. For further awards of $100 each are uaually given every strated financial need and all-round abilities. information write the Director of Admissions, May. The Financial Aid Scholarships are for For information please contact: Admissions St. Andrews School, Middletown, Delaware full-time undergraduate study in the United Director, The Grier School, Tyrone, Pennsylva¬ 19709,(302)378-951. States and are based solely on need as estab¬ nia 16686. lished by information provided on the College Vermont Academy: An Edward R. Cheney Scholarship Service Financial Aid Form (FAF). Miss Hall’s School: A $2500 reduction is Memorial Scholarship is being awarded to the Grants range from $500 to $2000 for individu¬ available for the daughters of Foreign Service son or daughter of Foreign Service personnel. als with a $3000 limit for families. Write for personnel. Miss Hall’s enrolls 200 students in The academy enrolls 250 students in grades 9 applications and information now to the AFSA grades 9 through 12. For further information, through 12, PG. For information write to the Scholarship Programs Administrator, 2101 E contact Patrick C. Mclnemey, Director for Director of Admissions, Vermont Academy, Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037. Dead¬ Admissions, Miss Hall’s School, Pittsfield, Mas¬ Saxtons River, Vermont 05154,(802)869- line for completion and return of applications sachusetts 01201. 2121). is February 15, 1990. Middlesex School: Scholarship offered on the Colleges Other Scholarships Available basis of proven financial need for grades 9 to Foreign Service Students through 12 to the son or daughter of a Foreign Dartmouth College: S. Pinkney Tuck Scholar¬ Service family. For information write to Deb¬ ship. For students at Dartmouth College who The following scholarships are also available to bie Dewing, Director of Admissions, Mid¬ are the children or grandchildren of Foreign dependent students of Foreign Service person¬ dlesex School, 1400 Lowell Road, Concord, Service personnel and who are in need of nel. Applicants should write for complete Massachusetts 01742. financial assistance. Address inquiries to the information directly to the schools, colleges, Director of Financial Aid, Dartmouth College, and universities indicated. Northfield/Mount Hermon School: A $1000 Hanover, New Hampshire 03755.(603)646- reduction in tuition is offered all sons and 1110. Secondary Schools. daughters of State Department personnel sta¬ tioned overseas, grades 9 though 12. Addi¬ Vassar College: The Polly Richardson Lukens The American School in Switzerland, (TA- tional financial aid is available on the basis of Memorial Scholarship is awarded to children SIS), and TASIS England: $1000 tuition need. At present, students from 45 states and of Foreign Service personnel. Another scholar¬ reductions are offered at the TASIS schools in 64 countries are enrolled. For further informa¬ ship, awarded by an anonymous donor, is Switzerland and Great Britain to all sons and tion contact Virginia deVeer, Director of granted to the child of an American Foreign daughters in grades 7-12 of State Department Admissions, Northfield/Mount Hermon School, Service officer. If no such applicant qualifies, personnel stationed overseas. Additional finan¬ Northfield, Massachusetts 01360. the scholarship may be awarded to the child of cial aid may be offered on the basis of need. an employee of the federal government or of a 250 boarders in Switzerland and 150 in The Phelps School: The Phelps School pro¬ state government. Both awards are based on England represent 40 different nationalities. vides a $1200 scholarship to any son of career financial need. Apply to Director of Financial For more information, contact: Karen Ballard, Foreign Service personnel. The scholarship is Aid, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York TASIS U.S. Admissions Office, 326 East 69th available for grades 7-12. For information, 12601. Street, New York, New York 10021. Tele¬ contact Mr. Norman Phelps, Jr., Headmaster, phone: (212) 570-1066. Telex: 971912, The Phelps School, Malvern, PA Yale University: Children of American For¬ Fax:(212)249-3097. 19355.(215)644-1754. eign Service officers will be considered for a need-based scholarship made possible by the Castilleja School, Palo Alto, California: Schol¬ Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts: gift of Gilbert H. Kinney and Mrs. Kinney. If arships based on demonstrated financial need The Charles and Jane Stelle Memorial Scholar¬ no child of an American Foreign Service officer are available to daughters of personnel in the ship is awarded to the son or daughter of qualifies, children of members of the U.S. Foreign Service agencies or of U.S. military Foreign Service personnel. The award is based military services or of employees of the federal personnel serving overseas who are registered on financial need. For more information, write government will be considered. Recipients at Castilleja School for admission to grades 7 to Jeannie F. Dissette, Dean of Admissions/ must demonstrate financial need. Contact: Di¬ to 12 inclusive. For complete information Clement Morell, Director of Financial Aid, rector of Financial Aid, Box 2170 Yale Station, write to Nancy L. Hoffman, Director of Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts New Haven, Connecticut 06520. Admission, Castilleja School, 1310 Bryant St., 01810. Palo Alto, California 94301, (415)328-3160. SL Albans School, Washington, D.C.: The Dana Hall School: The Congdon Prize Schol¬ Phillip Hayes Funkhouser Memorial Scholar¬ arship is awarded on a competitive basis to two ship provides partial scholarship aid to an entering sophomore boarding students. In academically qualified student in grades 4-12. addition to the $2500 prize, each winner is The award is based on proven financial need eligible for financial aid up to full tuition when and is offered to the son of a Foreign Service warranted by need. Financial aid for all grades family. For information write to A. Wayne is also available based on need. Applications Gordon, Scholarship Committee, St. Albans must be completed by February 1. Inquiries School, Mount St. Alban, Washington, D.C.

54 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AF S A ♦ INI E W

November 30 Bicentennial Foreign Affairs Conference

In October, AFSA invited rep¬ from our own membership. Our which became the principal subject resentatives of several hundred of answer is—Foreign Sendee people at the 1989 Economic Summit. the largest U.S. corporations to join know that they have a good story. “Concomitant to these develop¬ in a dialogue with the Foreign The trouble is that the story is not ments, major shifts in America’s Service. We wrote, ‘There are many being told widely enough outside traditional international relationships common interests between the Ameri¬ our own foreign affairs community. and foreign policy goals may be can business community and the A common attitude in business cir¬ evolving: American diplomatic community— cles is that the U.S. government is “Less Predictability: Our long¬ so how can we work together more not helpful overseas. We even hear term adversaries are now less pre¬ productively both at home and some business people say that they dictably threatening and therefore abroad? would never go near an embassy. provide less of a reliable rallying “For our part, the American For¬ Clearly, we have a lot of mission¬ point for our allies predictable. eign Service has begun an outreach ary work to do in the business “Changing Emphases: The em¬ program (International Associates) community, and that community, phasis of our major foreign policy designed to unlock the potential of which depends on a favorable inter¬ priorities may be shifting: from en¬ joining forces. We want to reach out national climate for the conduct of suring a world politically secure for and learn from the business commu¬ trade, is one of the natural allies of democracy, to ensuring a world nity so that we can do our jobs the Foreign Service. We need to do economically equitable for U.S. en¬ better. At the same time, we will more to cultivate such allies. terprise. offer you new information, coopera¬ Here is how we are introducing “More Competition: America’s rela¬ tion, and access to resources impor¬ the conference to our business col¬ tive position in the world has tant for all who are active abroad. leagues: “Just when American busi¬ changed dramatically during the past ‘To help you get a sense of our ness must increasingly focus its ef¬ decade. America’s previously unques¬ Internationa] Associates program, forts abroad, the international environ¬ tioned preeminence in the West is the American Foreign Service Asso¬ ment has become even more unsta¬ no longer self-evident; and the U.S. ciation invites you to take part in a ble and unpredictable. The year 1989 now competes for influence and Bicentennial Foreign Affairs Confer¬ in particular has been one of sur¬ trade with other countries of the ence on November 30, “American prises, opportunities, setbacks, and world. Business and Government in a Tur¬ new kinds of challenges for Ameri¬ “It makes sense to meet these bulent World,” will be held in the can government and business alike. challenges by better business- conference rooms and historic Diplo¬ “Political Scenes from 1989: The government dialogue and collabora¬ matic Reception rooms of the State Red Army leaves Afghanistan. China tion. The question is how to get this Department. takes two steps backward. Gorbachev done. ‘The agenda is important, and is welcomed as a hero in Western “The American Foreign Service discussions will be stimulating: Busi¬ Europe. Solidarity obtains power in Association, as a part of the obser¬ ness opportunities in the developed, honest elections in Poland. Hungari¬ vance of the Bicentennial of the socialist, and developing worlds, and ans tear down their border fence establishment of the Department of how U.S. policies and tactics may with Austria and rebury Nagy with State and in honor of its Interna¬ or may not be helping American honors. The Vietnamese army pulls tional Associates, sponsors this For¬ business. Action-takers from busi¬ out of Cambodia. eign Affairs Conference to explore ness, industry, and government will “Economic scenes from 1989: The with American business what we all develop new understandings of each continued threat of a trade war ought to be doing better to adapt others’ enterprises and how to start between the U.S. and the EC; the to the epoch-making changes in the new alliances in motion. U.S. puts Japan, Brazil, and India international environment.” A part “Participants will include the Vice on our Super 301 unfair traders list; of the process of making friends is President of the United States, Sec¬ Americans worry about foreigners to listen carefully. Therefore, a ma¬ retaries of the major international buying U.S. productive capacity, jor part of the November conference affairs departments and heads of about Europe in 1992,about the is given over to presentations by agencies, and business leaders like Four Asian Tigers, about the U.S. business representatives. We hope you from major corporations.” being the number one debtor nation that by listening we’ll learn how to Why such a conference? Why of the world, about our stubbornly refine and improve Foreign Service now? Why AFSA? We get these unbalanced trade relationships; and capabilities abroad. We think that’s questions from business people and about protection of the environment what AFSA ought to be doing.

NOVEMBER 1989 55 F S N E S AFSA contests classification of certificates

AFSA filed suit in federal court on dential and may not be released to The Foreign Service Act of 1980 September 8th to compel the depart¬ unauthorized parties. provides that “an individual ap¬ ment to provide the Association the The only legitimate basis for mark¬ pointed or assigned to be the chief certificates of demonstrated compe¬ ing a document “confidential” de¬ of mission should possess clearly tence of current ambassadorial nomi¬ rives from the executive order gov¬ demonstrated competence to per¬ nees. These reports are specifically erning the classification of infor¬ form the duties of a chief of mis¬ compiled for distribution to the mation. This E.O. specifically re¬ sion,” including knowledge of the Senate Foreign Relations Commit¬ quires that the designation ‘confi¬ language, history, and culture of the tee prior to Senate confirmation dential’ be applied to information country in which the individual is to hearings, but provide useful informa¬ the disclosure of which can reason¬ serve. The Act also provides that an tion regarding a nominee’s qualifica¬ ably be expected to cause damage to individual’s contribution to political tions to serve as an ambassador. national security. The E.O. further campaigns should not be a factor in Such information is of interest to provides that in no case shall infor¬ their appointment as chief of mis¬ AFSA as the professional organiza¬ mation be classified in order to sion. These reports are intended to tion for all members of the foreign prevent or delay its release when illustrate the extent to which each service. In the suit, AFSA seeks such information does not require nominee fulfills the requirements of copies of the documents which the protection in the interest of national the act. department has marked “confi¬ security. Because the department has AFSA filed a similar suit in 1983, dential.” not established that the disclosure but subsequently withdrew our com¬ The department placed a notice of the reports in any way jeopardizes plaint after the department agreed on the face of the certificates stating national security, their classification to furnish the Association with the that they are to be treated as confi¬ is improper. certificates of competence. Employees harassed by "American Public Accountability Cards" AFSA has been contacted by many violation as well. We are investigat¬ people who have cleared their ac¬ employees who received postcards ing this angle on our own and are counts since the time the Travel labeled “American Public Account¬ pushing the department to do the Advance Status Report was issued in ability Card” that request accounting same. We are also concerned about February, but that does not remove for travel advances based on data the department’s role in maintaining M/COMP’s responsibility to correct found in the State Department’s inaccurate data in the first place. die problem, particularly given the Travel Advance Status Report. There have been recurrent problems fact that this data can potentially The information was obtained with M/COMP’s record-keeping in become public information. through the Freedom of Informa¬ recent years, and we will continue AFSA will continue to follow this tion Act and is in many cases errone¬ to press the department to devote issue and will keep employees ap¬ ous. AFSA is investigating whether more resources to this problem. prised of developments. this data was properly released State has apologized to those through the Freedom of Information Act. The cards were sent by private Negotiations continue on citizens the State Department be¬ disciplinary regulations lieves to be acting on behalf of the “State Department Watch,” a Cali¬ Negotiations continue between employees may be subjected to disci¬ fornia-based organization. They are AFSA, with the American Federa¬ plinary action and to limit employ¬ not authorized to accept payment tion of Government Employees ees’ procedural rights throughout on any travel advance accounts and (AFGE) ,and the management of the disciplinary process. employees are not to send any money the foreign affairs agencies on pro¬ Management position has focused or vouchers to the person whose posed sweeping revisions to agency on broadening the grounds for indefi¬ address appears on the postcard. regulations governing disciplinary ac¬ nite suspension and increasing man¬ Unfortunately, the postcard - tion. Management initially provided agement’s latitude in determining senders had erroneously been led to AFSA with the draft revisions in probable cause for suspension and believe that there is a widespread January of this year. Negotiations disciplinary action. AFSA is intent problem of voucher delinquency have proceeded slowly due to the upon guaranteeing that the rights of among State Department employ¬ extent of the proposed changes to employees are not eroded. We will ees. AFSA shares employees’ con¬ the existing regulations, along with report any developments as negotia¬ cerns on whether the release of this management's apparent desire to radi¬ tions continue. information may entail a Privacy Act cally alter the grounds under which

56 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AID Standing Committee It is clear to us that the Agency Agency has been less than candid in needs to be more forthcoming re¬ Charles Uphaus garding the Senior Foreign Service Vice President communicating with interested par¬ ties about the Senior Foreign Serv¬ in order to enable reasoned career ice as it affects career planning. planning. We need more data and Non-career Ap¬ Earlier this year, when the SFS less informal advice and corridor pointments: The pay increase was under considera¬ gossip. Information like the above 'Mi September issue tion and a number of FO-ls were should be disseminated by the Per¬ reported that AFSAS had pro¬ concerned over the implications of sonnel Office as a matter of course. tested the filling of an important this for retirement and SFS posi¬ We will be taking up this matter position with a non-career appointee, tions, we queried management about with Management with the objec¬ in violation of Agency regulations. promotions into the SFS and projec¬ tive of promoting increased informa¬ We have since been advised that the tions (if any) regarding the possible tion flow, including projections of appointment in question has been impact of the salary increase on retirements from and promotions cancelled, thus rendering moot our retirement and promotion rates. into the SFS. institutional grievance. This case, While we did not receive informa¬ In addition, several members have however, is illustrative of a broader tion regarding projections, we did recently raised questions regarding issue, namely, the lateral transfer of obtain some interesting data regard¬ the practical effect of the current AD (administratively determined) ap¬ ing past promotions. The specific seven-year window for the SFS thresh- pointees into the Foreign Service questions and responses were as hold, primarily in terms of the without going through normal selec¬ follows: continuing motivation of those who tion or screening processes. The “bail out” after six years and thereby •For the last three years, how many people relevant regulation (Handbook 25, forefit any further hope of promo¬ Chapter 35, Section G.2.b) specifies completed and were promoted into SFS jobs? 1988 1987 1986 tion. A recent cable and notice that non-career appointments are solicited members’ interest in the authorized only to meet specific 192/20 254/30 312/30 possibility of exercising our option personnel skill needs not otherwise •For Foreign Service officers in the seventh to renegotiate Handbook 25, Chap¬ available: year of competition, how many elected to ter 38, regarding the SFS. We would Non-career appointments are ap¬ compete and how many of those were appreciate continuing to hear from selected out over the last three years? propriate when the knowledge or members on issues relating to the skills required for a particular pro¬ Applications SFS. gram or project cannot reasonably 1988 1987 1986 Membership: The percentage of be provided by career employees; 10 4 NA AID direct Foreign Service person¬ when temporary program expan¬ nel belonging to AFSA at this time sions or shifts in program emphasis Selected out is not bad—approximately 65 per¬ create short-term personnel require¬ 1988 1987 1986 cent of those eligible are members. ments, or when development spe¬ However, there is a category of 10 4 NA cialists pursuing other careers, such membership that would provide an as under academic appointments, (Note: 1987 was the first year for seventh year review.) additional source of revenue as well may be available for service abroad as assist in developing a constitu¬ only for limited periods.” •What were the numbers of promotions ency for the Foreign Service that we The appointment in question into the SFS by backstop code as of the time of promotion? have been ignoring: associate mem¬ clearly did not meet these criteria, berships. All AID contract person¬ since the skills required were already nel are eligible for associate member¬ available among the current foreign 1988 1987 1986 ship. Associate members receive a service cadre. Personnel should be BS-01 - 8 BS-01 -5 BS-01 variety of benefits including a sub¬ aware that this sort of maneuver is BS-01 - 3 scription to the Foreign Service contrary to regulations; we would BS-02 - 3 BS-02 - 5 BS-02 - 6 Journal, membership in the Club BS-04 - 3 BS-03 - 1 appreciate any similar instances be¬ BS-03 - 2 and, most importantly, eligibility for ing brought to our attention. BS-11 - 1 BS-04 - 4 BS-04 - 2 all insurance plans offered through Senior Foreign Service: AFSA BS-12 - 1 BS-10 - 3 BS-10 - 3 the Association. has received a number of inquiries BS-11 - 1 BS-20 - 1 BS-11 - 1 The AID Standing Committee BS-12 - 4 over the past year regarding the encourages all members to bring to BS-50 - 1 BS-15 - 1 BS-20 - 1 Senior Foreign Service (SFS) and the attention of contractors and related issues such as promotion BS-85 - 1 BS-50 - 2 BS-21 - 3 BS-30 - 1 contract employees the opportunity prospects, TICs, and the overall BS-94 - 1 BS-85 - 4 BS-50 - 1 of associate membership in AFSA. issue of the equity and reasonable¬ 20 BS-92 - 3 BS-85 - 1 You may contact your AFSA Post ness of the Agency’s present proce¬ 30 BS-94 - 2 Rep or Membership Coordinator dures. In delving into this issue, it 30 Janet Schoumacher for further infor¬ has become manifesdy clear that the mation.

NOVEMBER 1989 57 NEWS

USIA Standing Committee represented by AFSA. AFGE nar¬ rowly won bargaining rights in an Vance Pace hope to get a panel discussion from election in the mid-seventies and has Vice President among the promotion boards to not been challenged since that time. meet with interested Foreign Service While this decision lias not yet been The AFSA stand¬ officers again this year. It was highly made, the USIA standing commit¬ ing committee successful last year. The committee tee seeks the views of the member¬ for USIA was also suggested a meeting with repre¬ ship on this question. A challenge constituted on September 13. The sentatives of the Thomas and Bre¬ must be accompanied by a petition members of the committee are my¬ mer commissions to explain the from at least 30 percent of the self, Don Crider, Bob Knopes, implications of their respective re¬ bargaining unit. This represents a Joanne Cotter, Lynn Sever, Buck ports to USLA’s Foreign Service. major outlay of time and money by Shinkman, Helmut Fischer, Frances We solicit any ideas the membership AFSA and its membership, particu¬ Sullinger, Omie G. Kerr, and Amy has for other projects. Please send larly AFSA representatives in over¬ Lee. An AFSA representative to the them to Vance Pace in care of seas posts. governing board will be selected AFSA, 2101 E Street, NW, Wash¬ from among the standing committee ington, D.C. 20037. and will be announced in the next The biggest issue facing USIA’s Brochure on issue of AFSA News. AFSA members is whether to chal¬ The committee discussed various lenge AFGE for exclusive bargain¬ Foreign Service programs for the coming year. We ing rights. Both State and AID are Using the insights of AFSA Award nominations, AFSA is producing a AFSA co-sponsors lecture descriptive brochure on the Foreign at Georgetown University Sendee. Printing and mailing costs for the brochure will be funded by contributions from major corpora¬ Deputy Secretary of State Lawrence that a solution in Cambodia de¬ tions and foundations. Eagleburger gave the Ninth Annual pends much more on the parties The brochure will be available to Samuel D. Berger Lecture on the directly concerned than on any uni¬ retired Foreign Sendee members who subject “Uncharted Waters: U.S. lateral influence the United States need supporting literature when speak¬ Foreign Policy in a Time of Transi¬ can bring to play. ing to student and civic groups. tion” September 13 at Georgetown Samuel D. Berger, for whom this Other recipients will include AFSA University. AFSA co-sponsored this annual lecture series is named, was a members, attendees at AFSA con¬ event with the Institute for the distinguished career Foreign Sendee ferences, and political and business Study of Diplomacy. Officer who served in a variety of leaders. Eagleburger stressed the transi¬ positions, including deputy ambas¬ The AFSA Award nominations tion from a bipolar to a multipolar sador in Saigon, then ambassador to are a rich source of good writing on world, where solutions to interna¬ the Republic of Korea, before retir¬ what outstanding Foreign Service tional issues such as the environment, ing in 1974. He died in 1980. The personnel do on behalf of their drugs, and terrorism, or even tradi¬ lecture was made possible by a grant country, both at post and in Wash¬ tional European questions, could no from the Harriman Foundation. ington. AFSA Award nominations longer be achieved through agree¬ are unclassified and descriptions will ment between the United States and be used anonymously. the Soviet Union alone. Noting that this new situation is fraught with potential for instability, he suggested that it could be managed success- Governing Board news folly only if the Western world is able to hammer out a common George Jones has taken over as tary of the Governing Board, position on critical issues. He thus AFSA’s State vice president, replac¬ replacing Perry Shankle, who re¬ focused the challenge for American ing Charles A. Schmitz, who gretfully resigned because his new foreign polity as one of achieving a retired in November. Mr. Jones position as a senior inspector consensus among its allies and other last served as DCM in Santiago. general precludes AFSA Board nations. Mr. Schmitz will become membership. Mr. Cotter has been In the question and answer pe¬ AFSA’s first retiree vice presi¬ a State representative on the riod, Eagleburger asserted that at dent, a position added to the Board. present the issue of easily-manufac¬ Governing Board bv vote of the David T. Jones is the newest tured chemical weapons is more AFSA membership this summer. State representative, moving into serious than nuclear proliferation, Michael Cotter is the new secre- Mr. Cotter’s former position. and can be resolved only by con¬ certed effort. Similarly, he noted

58 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL F S N E

To those planning to retire in 1989

Robert Beers, dies before the retiree, they will Congressional Liaison have enjoyed a larger annuity in¬ come during their retired life. FEGLI is the ac¬ time of retirement. We would advise caution in enter¬ ronym for Fed¬ A word of caution on another ing into such an arrangement. Ask a eral Employees aspect of retirement. For a married financial management expert, one Group Life Insurance. For those employee there is the matter of especially knowledgeable in the field employees who have elected this deciding whether to elect a spouse of retirement income and taxes, to coverage during their working years survivor annuity. (Under the law, evaluate of the possible advantages the face amount of their coverage this must be a decision agreed to and risks. Preferably, diis should be for the “Basic Life” program is jointly by the couple.) If the deci¬ an individual who would receive a calculated as follows: their current sion is made to elect the maximum fee for advisory services, rather than rate of pay rounded up to the next survivor annuity (which would ap¬ someone who would make a com¬ $1,000—plus $2,000. For example, proximate 55% of the retiree’s annu¬ mission from selling a particular the face amount of the coverage for ity), the retiree’s annuity is reduced investment or insurance program. an employee whose annual base pay about 10%. Obviously, individual cases pre¬ was $25,199 would be $28,000. Some financial planners or insur¬ sent infinite variations in the circum¬ The monthly premium for Basic ance agents are urging prospective stances to be taken into account in Life coverage for all active employ¬ retirees to forego the election of a deciding what to do about the ees, irrespective of age, is 40. let per survivor annuity and invest part of survivor annuity option. In particu¬ $1,000 of insurance. the resulting increase in the retiree’s lar, consider the possible fringe bene¬ Heretofore when an employee annuity into an insurance policy on fits that a spouse without a survivor retired, the government took over the life of the retiree. The rationale annuity would have to relinquish, payment of the employee’s share of behind this proposal is that if the such as cost-of-living-adjustments and the premium. After January 1, 1990, retiree dies first, the spouse receives the right to health insurance cover- however, the government will no the proceeds of the insurance policy, age. longer cover Basic Life premium which presumably could be invested Indeed, the election or rejection payments for employees who retire to realize an annual income approxi¬ of the survivor annuity option de¬ after December 31, 1989. If an mating the amount which would serves the most careful analysis, since employee wishes to retain the Basic have been provided by the survivor it can prove to be a one-time, Life coverage after retirement, that annuity. Alternatively, if the spouse irrevocable decision. individual must continue to pay the premium of 40.1

NOVEMBER 1989 59 Legislative Issues

Rick Weiss zation legislation. Commerce marked up the 1990 bill, Congressional Liaison As of September 25, none of but Senate door debate was not these legislative activities has been scheduled because Senator Robert In September congressional commit¬ initiated. The Senate Foreign Rela¬ Byrd (D. WVa), appropriations com¬ tees were to meet to reconcile differ¬ tions Committee and House For¬ mittee chairman, was trying to in¬ ences between die House and Senate- eign Affairs Committee have not crease funding for die “war on passed authorization bill in confer¬ met in conference because they drugs.” However, the Senate has ence; the Senate was to move to disagree on AID economic assis¬ passed the foreign operations appro¬ conference on die appropriations tance amendments to the authoriza¬ priations bill, which will now move bill for State, Justice, and Com¬ tion bill. to conference. The last week of merce Departments; and the Senate The Hollings Appropriations Sub¬ September will be dedicated to fram¬ would debate the foreign aid authori¬ committee on State, Justice, and ing a continuing resolution to keep the government funded into Octo¬ ber and the Budget Reconciliation measure. In the Appropriations Subcom¬ mittee markup for the State Depart¬ ment, the committee recommended- $33,419,000 of the $77,332,000 net increase requested for adjust¬ ments to base and built-in cost increase. However, the committee eliminated funding for the Foreign Sendee Institute facility at Arlington Hall Station in Virginia. Debating foreign aid in the Sen¬ ate on September 20. Senator Pat¬ rick Leahy (D. Vt) stated that the committee cut the operating ex¬ penses account of AID by $10 million from the president’s request and by 5 million from fiscal 1989. Leahy continued that the funding will be sufficient for AID to imple¬ ment bilateral foreign aid programs Former AFSA presidents are pictured during a recent meeting with current without a reduction in force if AID’s AFSA officers to discuss major ongoing AFSA issues. Left to right, management tightens its belt on incoming AFSA State Vice President George Jones, former presidents Lars Hydle, Kenneth Bleakley, Perry Shankle, outgoing State Vice President administrative and personnel costs. Charles Schmitz, President Ted Wilkinson, former presidents Thomas On September 22, Chairman Boyatt, Lannon Walker, William Harrop, and Robert Keeley. Sikorski of the Civil Sendee Subcommittee held a hearing on September 22 to examine the under¬ representation of women and mi¬ norities in the State Department. Rep. Sikorski was critical of depart¬ AFSA award nominations sought ment management for not taking corrective action. Nomination forms for the 1990 AFSA awards arc now in the mail. In October, the House Foreign Three awards go to junior, mid-level, and senior officers who Affairs Subcommittee on Interna¬ display intellectual courage and creative dissent. One is for a family tional Operations plans to hold a member who docs the most to advance American interests through series of four hearings on foreign volunteer activities. The Sinclaire awards recognize those who policy, management of the depart¬ distinguish themselves in the study of hard languages. ment, the personnel system of the By nominating worthy colleagues you can help provide public department and information gath¬ recognition for those who best exemplify Foreign Sendee traditions ering and processing in the 1990s. of sendee and intellectual courage. Nominations due by January 31.

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