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BAGHDAD BULLETIN ■ CENTURY OF THE AMERICAS? ■ AID PROJECTS

$3.50 / JANUARY 2004 OREIGN ERVICE FJ O U R N A L STHE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS

ALPHABET SOUP U.S. Overseas Broadcasting Seeks Recipe for Success FSJ C1-15 JAN 2004 copy_FSJ C1-15 JAN 2004 copy 11/10/11 12:00 PM Page C2 FSJ C1-15 JAN 2004 copy_FSJ C1-15 JAN 2004 copy 11/10/11 12:00 PM Page 1 FSJ C1-15 JAN 2004 copy_FSJ C1-15 JAN 2004 copy 11/10/11 12:00 PM Page 2 FSJ C1-15 JAN 2004 copy_FSJ C1-15 JAN 2004 copy 11/10/11 12:00 PM Page 3

CONTENTS January 2004 ■ Volume 81, No. 1

F OCUSON U . S . B ROADCASTING F EATURES

16 / THE ABCS OF U.S. OVERSEAS BROADCASTING LETTER FROM BAGHDAD / 49 By Steven Alan Honley An FSO recounts a memorable recent week in Baghdad. By Beth A. Payne 20 / NEW DIRECTIONS IN U.S. INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING LATIN AMERICA: BACK ON THE RADAR SCREEN? / 53 By Brian Conniff The 9/11 attacks derailed the Bush administration’s plans for a “Century of the Americas.” But now that 25 / THE VOICE OF AMERICA ENTERS A NEW ERA vision may be getting back on track. By David Jackson By George Gedda 30 / A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS MAKING INSTITUTIONS OUT OF PROJECTS / 58 By Alex Belida Ad hoc aid projects often work very well. 35 / VOA’S SPECIAL But even the best ones usually don’t pave the way ENGLISH PROGRAM IS for long-term solutions to development problems. REALLY SPECIAL By James Olsen By Shelley Gollust KABUL TRAINING TRIP / 64 38 / GOING ONLINE AT A diplomatic courier’s first mission offers provocative VOANEWS.COM By Mollie King geographic and political sights. By James B. Angell 40 / RADIO FREE EUROPE/ Page 16 RADIO LIBERTY: TODAY AND TOMORROW By Tom Dine C OLUMNS D EPARTMENTS PRESIDENT’S VIEWS / 5 LETTERS / 7 43 / RADIO FREE ASIA: ‘A RARE WINDOW’ 2004: Year of the Dissident CYBERNOTES / 10 By Richard Richter By John Limbert BOOKS / 70 46 / IBB EMBRACES THE DIGITAL AGE SPEAKING OUT / 13 IN MEMORY / 72 By Alan L. Heil Jr. Time to Speak up for the INDEX TO Voice of America ADVERTISERS / 82 By Myrna Whitworth AFSA NEWS / REFLECTIONS / 84 CENTER INSERT By Robert Proctor

THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS OREIGN ERVICE Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), 2101 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is published FJ O U R N A L S monthly with a combined July/August issue by the American Foreign Service Association, a private, non-profit Editor Editorial Board STEVEN ALAN HONLEY organization. Material appearing herein represents the opinions of the writers and does not necessarily represent the views of the Journal, the Editorial Board or AFSA. Writer queries and submissions are invited, preferably by Senior Editor JUDITH BAROODY, SUSAN B. MAITRA CHAIRMAN e-mail. Journal subscription: AFSA Members - $13 included in annual dues; others - $40. For foreign surface mail, Associate Editor add $18 per year; foreign airmail, $36 per year. Periodical postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mail- SHAWN DORMAN MARK W. BOCCHETTI ing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Foreign Service Journal, 2101 E Street N.W., Washington, D.C. Ad & Circulation Manager ED MILTENBERGER STEPHEN W. BUCK 20037-2990. Indexed by Public Affairs Information Service (PAIS). The Journal is not responsible for unsolicited Business Manager TATIANA C. GFOELLER manuscripts, photos or illustrations. Advertising inquiries are invited. The appearance of advertisements herein MIKKELA V. THOMPSON CAROL A. GIACOMO does not imply the endorsement of the services or goods offered. FAX: (202) 338-8244 or (202) 338-6820. E- Art Director WILLIAM W. JORDAN MAIL: [email protected]. WEB: www.afsa.org. TELEPHONE: (202) 338-4045. © American Foreign Service CARYN J. SUKO AURIE ASSMAN Association, 2003. Printed in the U.S.A. Send address changes to AFSA Membership, 2101 E Street N.W., Editorial Intern L K BENJAMIN BODNAR HOLLIS SUMMERS Washington, D.C. 20037-2990. Printed on 50 percent recycled paper, of which 10 percent is post-consumer waste. Advertising Intern BILL WANLUND HONGYU CHEN TED WILKINSON Cover and inside illustration by Mikkela Thompson

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PRESIDENT’S VIEWS 2004: Year of the Dissident

BY JOHN LIMBERT

Last October I proud to present awards to those who, attended an event like Craig Johnstone, Ed Peck, Sam hosted by “Visas for Hart, David Long, Doug Ramsey, Tom Life,” a group dedi- We need Boyatt, and others, have challenged cated to recognizing our gadflies, conventional wisdom and taken a risky and honoring those or unpopular stand. diplomats who saved our shin-kickers, For the sake of our Service and our hundreds of thou- to remind us that profession, we need to value our dis- sands of lives during World War II by senters. I urge all of you to recognize issuing visas and papers to the hunted all human wisdom colleagues who have had the courage to and the threatened across Europe. does not necessarily speak out by nominating them for one Two things struck me about these col- of our AFSA awards for constructive leagues’ stories. First, compassion and reside in dissent. courage knew no national boundaries. Washington. We offer awards in four categories: Those who acted bravely included • The Tex Harris Award for a Americans, Swiss, Turks, Swedes, Foreign Service specialist Mexicans and Iranians. Some even • The Averell Harriman Award for a represented “enemy” countries such as fession if we did not have such individ- junior officer (FS 06-04) Japan and Germany. uals. We need our gadflies, our shin- • The William Rivkin Award for a Second, many suffered for doing the kickers, to remind us that all human mid-career officer (FS 03-01) right thing. Sweden’s Raoul Wallen- wisdom does not necessarily reside in • The Christian A. Herter Award for berg disappeared into the gulag, and, the FAM or in guidance from a senior officer (FE/OC-FE/CA) by all accounts, died there. Iran’s Abd Washington. It does not even reside in Recognizing dissenters is never easy. al-Hosein Sardari faced an official Section 214 (b) of the Immigration and Doing so may mean swallowing our inquiry and reprimand for having pro- Nationality Act. The realities of our pride and admitting we were wrong — tected Europeans Jews with Iranian violent and unpredictable world rarely or could be wrong — about an issue. It passports. Our own Hiram Bingham, conform to bureaucratic guidelines may mean identifying ourselves with an honored in June 2002 with a special hammered out between competing unpopular and contrary view on policy posthumous AFSA award for construc- bureaus and departments. Think of or operations. It may mean identifying tive dissent, found himself shunted into Vietnam in 1975; Iran in 1979; Rwanda ourselves with an abrasive, difficult per- backwaters and eventually hounded in 1994; and Iraq and Afghanistan in sonality. None of the above will come out of the Foreign Service for his 2003. None of these places was order- easily in a Foreign Service that values courageous actions in Marseilles. ly, and none of them conformed to any collegiality and consensus. Other winners of the AFSA dissent rulebook so far written. But the very difficulty of the process awards also faced great difficulties and Since 1968 AFSA has recognized makes it all the more important. I urge were sometimes forced to leave the colleagues who show the integrity, ini- all of you to go to www.afsa.org/awards Foreign Service. tiative and intellectual courage to take a and take an hour to write a nomination Yet it would be a sad day for our pro- stand for what is right. We are proud to for a colleague who has shown the present awards to those Foreign courage to stand up for what is right. John Limbert is the president of the Service personnel who say “no” or ask Our Service and our profession will be American Foreign Service Association. “why?” and “why not?”. AFSA is better for your efforts. ■

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LETTERS

Looking Back for the agrees that such forced early retire- out” personnel policy overlooked the Way Ahead ment is a waste. (See the September reality that in diplomacy, age is more I wish to support the observations of Journal.) often a plus than a minus, as exempli- Ronald Spiers in his November Sometime around 1970, there was a fied by Ambassadors Harriman, Speaking Out, “The Middle East Road crucial meeting of the “Young Turk” Kennan, Bunker, Habib and so many Map: Going Nowhere Fast,” and his AFSA board under President Charlie others. My concern today is about the sound proposals on the way ahead. I’m Bray’s leadership. Lannon Walker, the need to manage and control the activi- sure most of our colleagues who have original “Young Turk” who in many ties of so many different U.S. agencies served in the area would agree. ways was the prime mover on this overseas, to improve the views of for- I made virtually the same proposals issue, came from overseas to attend, eign governments and publics about in a talk to the Commonwealth Club of though he was no longer on the board. the nature of American policy, and to San Francisco in February 1971. They Interestingly, he expressed doubts at report back to the Washington estab- were considered to be “politically that meeting about whether the lishment with the authority that comes unthinkable” in both Israel and Foreign Service was ready for AFSA to from palpably greater experience. Washington at the time! become a labor union. One or two oth- It profits us to remember that the David G. Nes ers on our board agreed, and it excess zeal of the real-life Young FSO, retired appeared for a while that the negative Turks helped destroy the faltering Owings Mills, Md. might carry the day, until several of us Ottoman Empire that they were try- weighed in on the positive side. I am ing to save. Perhaps it is not too late More on the Young Turks proud to have been one of the majori- to save the remnants of American The Journal sometimes swims slow- ty who supported the move. Following diplomacy. Returning to some of the ly overseas, as happened with my copy this major decision, we waged a public- classical principles of effective diplo- of the very interesting June issue. ity campaign in favor of the change. macy comes more easily with experi- Though late, I still think I should fill AFSA as combination professional ence. Maybe some of today’s FS gen- out the excellent accounts of the AFSA association and labor union has never eration will try to reverse that mis- labor union formation by Tex Harris, looked back. guided reform, which speeds promo- Tom Boyatt and Hank Cohen. I was In reading the October Letters, I tion in the lower ranks only to cut the AFSA Governing Board member remember the helpful role that the late careers short when they are most pro- first assigned to sound out Tex on join- Bill Macomber played as head of State ductive. State’s personnel policy ing us, the one who first asked Tom to Department management on smooth- should be re-examined with that in help organize support among State ing the integration of AFSA as labor mind. Then State may once again officers for AFSA to become a labor union and helping to minimize grow- support its leader with the weight and union, and — a decade later — co- ing pains. depth that wins respect in the intera- author with Hank of a Journal article I sympathize with John Harter’s gency process. attacking the (military-inspired) up-or- lament about the confusion in earlier George B. Lambrakis, Ph.D. out policy, which prematurely deprives State management that probably con- FSO, retired the Foreign Service of many of its most tributed to the Young Turk revolution Professor of International experienced diplomats. Even former overshooting its mark. The major Relations and Diplomacy Secretary of State George Shultz now reform that led to institution of “up-or- London, England

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L ETTERS MARKETPLACE Web access to major advertisers. Go to www.afsa.org Click on Marketplace tab on the marquee Bukkehave www.bukkehave.com The Arnie Amendment least, not yet. For the same reason Where will Arnold Schwarzenegger Iran’s Prime Minister Khatami is out. Charles Smith Corp. Living www.SmithLiving.com take the U.S? A Washington Post edi- Still, both men sport funny headgear torial and Senator Orrin Hatch, R- that might appeal to voters who go for Clements International www.clements.com Utah, show the way: Repeal the consti- cowboy hats. tutional ban on a foreign-born presi- Israeli PM Ariel Sharon: Tough and Diplomatic Auto. Sales www.diplosales.com dent. Shouldn’t we also drop the citi- adept at making war on smaller, weak- zenship requirement? Let’s go all the er and demonized people — exactly Executive Club Suites way with the globalization of presiden- the American style of warfare since www.execlubdc.com tial politics. World War II. Georgetown Suites Why not? Americans wear gar- Finally, Cuban President Fidel www.georgetownsuites.com ments made in foreign sweatshops and Castro: A man who has stood down Intelsat cheer imported baseball stars who every American president since www.intelsat.com never saw a neighborhood sandlot. Eisenhower. Expert on running a Harry Jannette International Why shouldn’t we also seek the best country with a declining economy and www.jannetteintl.com candidates the world has to offer and restricted civil liberties, Castro’s only Hawthorn Suites draw from farm teams overseas? Why liability might be his beard. But then www.hawthorn.com be satisfied with an uninspiring, poli- there’s the nostalgia vote. Think of Hirshorn Company, The tics-as-usual bunch like the Rutherford B. Hayes and spittoons www.hirshorn.com Democratic Nine? To celebrate our returned to the White House. J. Kirby Simon Trust modern political values and add excite- So, editorial writers and senators, www.kirbysimontrust.org ment to campaigns both parties should push on fast with the Arnie Laughlin Management consider drafting some of the follow- Amendment. Make politics as playful www.century21laughlin.com ing … as making movies. Long & Foster Italian Prime Minister Silvio Henry Precht www.simunek.com Berlusconi: Italy’s richest man and a FSO, retired former cruise ship crooner with a Bridgton, Maine ■ Marriott www.marriott.com shady past. Can’t speak English? Niente problema. Most opera divas Oakwood can memorize lyrics in Italian, German AN INVITATION FOR www.oakwood.com SUMMER FICTION or French and still be unable to handle Pennsylvania House nce again the FSJ is seeking works of fiction www. dcsuites.com the language. Not so different from Oof up to 3,000 words for its annual summer our current crew with sound bites fiction issue. Story lines or characters involving Prudential Carruthers the Foreign Service are preferred, but not www.prudentialcarruthers.com imbedded in their brains. required. The top stories, selected by the British PM Tony Blair: He’s reli- Journal’s Editorial Board, will be published in Remington gious with a tendency toward untruth- the July/August issue; some of them will also be www.remington-dc.com simultaneously posted on the Journal’s Web fulness and a wife with a questionable site. The writer of each story will receive an SDFCU www.sdfcu.org real estate deal. But do we want a “lap honorarium of $250, payable upon publication. dog” who readily follows orders? Karl All stories must be previously unpublished. State Plaza Submissions should be unsigned and accompa- www.stateplaza.com Rove would love that — except that nied by a cover sheet with author’s name, University of North Carolina Blair might be too intelligent to stay on address, telephone number(s) and e-mail wwwhttp://www.uncpress.unc a message of simple slogans. address. Deadline is April 1. No fooling. Vulcan Power Company David Beckham: British soccer Please also note the following: www.vulcanpower.com superstar now playing for Madrid, • Authors are limited to two entries. married to the pop singer Posh Spice, • Entries will only be accepted by e-mail (prefer- WJDManagement ably in the form of Word or Word Perfect www. wjdpm.com rich and living in a castle. Certain to attachments and with the text copied into the bring in the soccer mom, plutocrat and body of the message). For more information about Hispanic votes. Please send submissions (or questions) to advertisers in the Journal go to: Mikkela Thompson, Journal Business www.afsa.org/marketplace The Pope: Sorry, Americans aren’t Manager, at [email protected]. ready for a man wearing a dress. At

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CYBERNOTES

Census Test to Count participate. An Internet site has been How Much Rank Does Americans in Three set up with information about the State Pull? Countries test, including “frequently asked NASA and the National Science The U.S. Census Bureau is conduct- questions” and confidentiality infor- Foundation are the top two federal ing test censuses beginning in February mation (www.census.gov/overseas agencies to work for, according to the in three nations — Kuwait, France and 04). In February, U.S. citizens will be first-ever “Best Places to Work in the Mexico — as the first step toward deter- able to respond to the census test Federal Government” rankings mining the feasibility of counting all online at this site. They may also released Nov. 12 by the Partnership Americans overseas in the 2010 census request that a questionnaire be for Public Service and American (www.census.gov/PressRelease/ww mailed to their overseas address, or University’s Institute for the Study of w.2003/cb03cn03.html). pick it up at embassies and consulates Public Policy Implementation (www. Between three and six million or from partner organizations serving bestplacestowork.org). Twenty- Americans are currently estimated to American overseas. eight cabinet departments and inde- be living abroad, a feature of the Meanwhile, Sen. Jay Rockefeller, pendent agencies and nearly 200 sub- increasing integration of the world D-W.Va., introduced a bill in agencies were ranked. economy. But to date, only federal September calling for a series of State’s ranking in the different cat- civilian employees, military personnel overseas census tests, and mandat- egories is instructive. On overall and their respective dependents have ing that all Americans residing employee satisfaction, State ranked been included in the decennial census. abroad must be included in the 2010 19th out of 28. Its best showing was in The results of this test will help deter- Census. The “Census of Americans the category of support for diversity mine whether to include the rest of the Abroad Act” (S.1682) states that (12th), with a middling standing in overseas Americans — retirees, stu- because of the threat of terrorism in strategic management and work/life dents and business people — in the the world today, especially against balance (both 16th), and in effective 2010 census, and how to do it. Americans, it is vital to keep a tally leadership and pay & benefits (both The three nations chosen for the on where Americans are and what 15th). The rest was downhill: perfor- sample are geographically diverse, their status is around the world mance-based rewards and advance- but all have large populations (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ ment (20th), teamwork (21st), em- of Americans. The Census Bureau, query/z?c108:S.1682). The legis- ployee skills/mission match (22nd) working through American business lation has been sent to the Senate and training and development (25th). and civic groups and English-lan- Governmental Affairs Committee. As far as the category of family friend- guage media in the three countries, is (So far, no similar bill has been intro- ly culture and benefits is concerned, informing people about how they can duced in the House.) State hit rock bottom (27th). “Best Places to Work” was created really could use you … on those diplomatic conferences that I have by the Partnership for Public Service to go to, sitting there all day long. … Man, you could have livened up and the ISPPI to promote excellence Ithings at the end of a long day, when we were all dying to reach an and improve performance within fed- agreement on something! I can just see you now, jumping up, eral agencies by creating a baseline for measuring employee commitment throwing off the cape. Get up! Get up! Get off of that thing! … and engagement. Godfather, I hereby appoint you Secretary of Soul and Foreign Minister The Washington, D.C.-based Part- of Funk. nership for Public Service (www. — Colin L. Powell, speaking to Kennedy Center Honors winner James ourpublicservice.org), a nonparti- Brown, Dec. 6, www.state.gov. san, nonprofit organization dedicated to revitalizing public service, was

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CYBERNOTES

founded in 2001. It aims both to out of the dumps into which it was While Canada Slept, a book making inspire talented professionals to join cast during the 1990s, when the the rounds among policy circles. “Do government service and to transform State Department’s budget was we want or need a professional career the way government operates. halved, Foreign Service ranks dwin- diplomatic service?” is the way Masud The “Best Places to Work” Web dled and for two years the FS Husain, president of Canada’s site contains the complete rankings entrance exam wasn’t even given. Professional Association of Foreign and comprehensive information on On his watch, the budget has been Service Officers, put the fundamental the methodology behind them, as well restored and the Diplomatic question facing Canadian diplomats as detailed analysis of the findings, Readiness Initiative rapidly rebuilt and the nation in a recent issue of frequently asked questions about the FS ranks. But that doesn’t mean the PAFSO’s quarterly, bout de papier rankings and “fast facts.” plug won’t be pulled again on the (Vol. 20, No. l, p. 4). ship of State in the future. There has been a sharp decline in On the Other Side of the To our north, the Canadian Canada’s ability to project a diplomat- Fence… Foreign Service appears to be facing a ic presence both abroad and in The grass is always greener, truly existential crisis, its raison d’etre Ottawa, Husain explains. It is evident according to the old saying. But called into question as much by gov- in the extent to which other govern- Foreign Service folks, worried and ernment actions as by the stunning ment departments conduct their own dispirited by the almost constant bar- portrayal of Canada’s decline on the foreign affairs without central coordi- rage of attacks on American diploma- international stage in Andrew Cohen’s nation, in the large number of vacan- cy and diplomats from Capitol Hill to Istanbul during the past year and Site of the Month: The National Security Archive more, can take heart. News from France and Canada indicates that The National Security Archive, government information through the things could be worse. located at the George Washington FOIA, and an indexer and publisher On Dec. 1 thousands of French University’s Gelman Library in of the documents in book, micro- diplomats and Foreign Ministry staff Washington, D.C., is the world’s fiche and electronic formats. members resorted to a strike for the largest nongovernmental library of The Web site contains first time ever, protesting proposed declassified national security docu- “Headlines” — which at this writing 2004 budget cuts that would trim the ments. A great many of these docu- featured new documents on “Nixon’s Foreign Ministry’s operating budget ments are available, with annotation Trip to China,” “The Dawn of by nearly 2 percent, do away with 116 and well-written commentary, at the Mexico’s Dirty War,” and “Kissinger jobs, and cut diplomatic housing Archive’s Web site (www.gwu.edu/ to Argentines on the Dirty War: ‘The allowances by $24 million. ~nsarchiv/). It is a gold mine of fas- quicker you succeed, the better’” — “After years and years of economiz- cinating and topical material. as well as critical documents on 10 ing that have hit this ministry,” a strike Founded in 1985 by a group of different topics such as Europe, leader said, “they’re asking us to go fur- journalists and scholars who had Humanitarian Interventions and ther — that is, to no longer have the obtained documentation from the Government Secrecy. The site also means to do our job.” The French U.S. government under the Free- contains special Archive projects. Foreign Ministry supports about 5,000 dom of Information Act and sought a There are also links to a directory people in 154 embassies, 98 consulates centralized repository for these of the Archive’s books, with ordering and nearly 500 cultural offices and materials, the Archive also functions information, and to the Digital schools around the world. as a public interest law firm defend- National Security Archive, which, In Washington, Secretary of State ing and expanding public access to however, is a subscriber-only facility. Colin Powell pulled U.S. diplomacy

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C YBERNOTES

engaged staff employees. “These 50 Years Ago... changes have created a quasi-parallel Foreign Service without the same The task of keeping the American people adequately rules on entry requirements, bilingual- informed on international developments is a joint ism, probation, training, appraisals and responsibility of the diplomat and the newsman. It is a promotion imposed on the FS,” responsibility which must be carried out in a spirit of Husain points out. “The government is going to have cooperation and mutual trust. to decide if it wants a professional — Henry B. Cox, from “Diplomacy and the Press,” FSJ, career Foreign Service or whether it January 1954. is happy to go with another model of a public service that has people going cies in the Foreign Service that force and International Trade felt they on single assignments to foreign post- the remaining officers to work large were not treated with respect (com- ings,” says Husain. “If the latter, it will amounts of overtime, and in the poor pared to 14 percent of the public ser- have to address issues of getting peo- salaries FS officers receive compared vice overall). ple to go to the hardship posts rather to the responsibility of the work, At the DFAIT there has been a than New York, London, Paris and among other things. In a recent pub- large increase in “non-rotational” offi- Geneva. It will have to consider how lic service survey, FS officers had one cers filling FS positions on a single it will develop Asia specialists, Middle of the highest planned departure assignment basis over the last few East experts and Africa hands. Or rates in the public service, and a years, as well as continued conversion how it will explain its inability to have whopping 42 percent of FS officers at of FS positions to non-rotational posi- expertise in these areas when crises the Department of Foreign Affairs tions and increased use of locally hit.” ■

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SPEAKING OUT Time to Speak Up for the Voice of America

BY MYRNA WHITWORTH

emember you represent BBG sets priorities, determines lan- the American people and At the very time that guages, allocates resources and com- “Rits free press.” With these it should be at its missions program content. Under the words, VOA Newsroom Chief Bernard current structure, the directors of VOA Kamenske bade farewell to his staff in strongest, America’s and the grantee entities do not make the fall of 1981. Bernie lived and Voice is being policy or programming decisions; breathed the First Amendment, and instead they are expected to imple- believed passionately that VOA had an silenced in some ment the wishes of the board. obligation to its international audience parts of the world Drawing upon their domestic com- to provide balanced journalism. A self- and marginalized mercial experience, board members professed Jeffersonian, he also knew seek to oversee with a corporate, the American experience was worthy in others. micro-managerial style. Unfortunately, of sharing with the rest of the world. there is no one among them who advo- Bernie, my friend and mentor, cates for the Voice of America. In fact, passed away in September, but he side to politicize VOA content. To be frustrated by what they see as a cum- leaves behind a lasting legacy best sure there has been some of that; bersome federal bureaucracy, board exemplified in the document he notably, for instance, the State members have chosen to break away helped to become law — the VOA Department’s disagreement with VOA their pet projects from the Voice of Charter. The Charter, drafted in 1960 management in the emotionally charg- America, thus bypassing the mandate and signed into law in 1976, is both the ed days following 9/11 over the airing of the VOA Charter. (Of all the enti- foundation of VOA’s credibility and a of a report based on an interview with ties that the BBG supervises, VOA is statement of its public diplomacy role. Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed the only one that has a legal mandate, “VOA will serve the long-range inter- Omar. But equally troubling, if not based on Public Law 94-350, to uphold ests of the United States,” the docu- more so, is the tilt toward commercial- the provisions of the VOA Charter.) ment states, “by communicating ization of publicly funded international A case in point is the much-touted directly with the people of the world.” broadcasting. Radio Sawa that replaced VOA’s Arabic It requires VOA to provide accurate, Service in March 2002 with a 24-hour objective and comprehensive news; a The Commercial Impulse: Western/Arabic music network. Gone broad and balanced picture of Radio Sawa were the VOA brand, the VOA central American institutions, thought and val- Following restructuring in the news product, and the comprehensive ues; and a thorough explanation of U.S. 1990s, a nine-member, bipartisan reporting and analysis that had been policies on a broad range of issues. It Broadcasting Board of Governors the hallmark of VOA Arabic program- provides a road map for U.S. interna- oversees VOA and its sister grantee ming for 55 years. In their place were tional broadcasting that is as relevant in broadcasters. (The Secretary of State Britney Spears, Amer Diab, Justin today’s war on terrorism as it was in the serves as an ex-officio member.) This Timberlake and Nawal Zoghby. VOA Cold War. part-time group of private citizens, Arabic Service employees were However, at the very time that it most of whom are active in the media required to compete for positions in should be at its strongest, America’s business, has broad authority over a the new Radio Sawa. In fact, the Voice is being silenced in some parts of multimedia, international broadcast majority of the Sawa staff is not from the world and marginalized in others. operation that cost the American tax- VOA. They were hired under a rela- One might expect pressure from out- payer some $540 million in 2003. The tively new personnel provision called

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the Personal Services Contract. in Jordan, where Sawa’s easily replicat- the VOA Arabic Web site that drew Radio Sawa is the creation of BBG ed format is already receiving compe- not from Sawa news output, but from Governor Norman Pattiz, founder and tition from a local military station, double-sourced and carefully edited chairman of Westwood One, the news programming is being reduced VOA central news material. nation’s largest radio syndicator. Using not increased. And the producers had much to the business acumen and salesmanship As FM markets continue to open in choose from. The VOA newsroom that turned a small business into a mul- the Arab world, we can expect more output during the 22 days from March timillion-dollar media empire, Pattiz stations to copy the successful Sawa 19 through April 9, 2003, comprised a led a campaign on Capitol Hill and in model but jettison the American news total of 1,563 news items and 847 the corridors of the State Department content. There is precedent for this. reports and backgrounders; about two- to sell his vision of a network designed Backed by a million-dollar research thirds of the output reflected U.S. poli- to attract Arab youth with music and study, VOA Europe was launched in cies and statements. Understaffed then inform them about the United 1985 in an effort to attract a new gen- and underfunded, the VOA newsroom States with short news, interviews and eration unaware of the U.S. role in rose to the occasion in the finest opinion pieces. reconstructing the new Europe. Its Bernie Kamenske tradition. The over- In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, “music and more” format had some all content of this material was judged Pattiz found a receptive audience will- success, especially as media markets “accurate, objective and comprehen- ing to appropriate $35 million to put began to open in Central Europe after sive” by an inside review panel and by Sawa on the air. And more funding is the collapse of the Berlin Wall. But it four outside experts. promised for an around-the-clock didn’t take long for young, would-be Arabic-language TV service, the media moguls in Europe to pick up on A Public Diplomacy Mandate Middle East Television Network, to the format and, given the easy avail- In recent months, a series of compete with the Qatar-based Al- ability of CDs on the commercial mar- reports have been released document- Jazeera and the 44 other Arabic-lan- ket, to replace VOA Europe with their ing the failure of American public guage satellite channels that blanket own brand. diplomacy since the terrorist attacks on the Middle East. The quality of Sawa’s transmission the World Trade Center and the also has something to do with its listen- Pentagon. To name a few, they include A New Model of Success? ing rate. Despite repeated appeals reports from the Council on Foreign In its literature and public state- from VOA managers for improved Relations, the Heritage Foundation, ments, the BBG regards Radio Sawa transmission facilities, VOA’s Arabic the Pew Charitable Trust, and the as an unqualified success, pointing to Service — Radio Sawa’s predecessor Advisory Group on Public Diplomacy the results of an ACNielsen survey that — was relegated to barely audible for the Arab and Muslim World. All showed it is the leading international short-wave and medium-wave signals have concluded that anti-Americanism broadcaster in five Middle Eastern to the target area. In the days of the is widespread, particularly in the countries, with a 31-percent listener- Cold War and in the budget-tight Muslim world. ship. But what is the audience hear- 1990s that followed, no money was While each takes a different ing? It is true that at the height of the ever appropriated for better radio cov- approach to addressing the problem, Iraq War, Sawa’s four streams erage to the Middle East. none has given adequate recognition increased news coverage, but it contin- Yet with a one-time capital expense to what a properly funded, staffed and ued to air at least 14 hours of Arabic of $16 million, the BBG built and supported Voice of America could con- and Western pop music as U.S. bombs improved AM transmissions, estab- tribute to improving international fell on Iraq. Radio Sawa now offers at lished FM transmitters in nine Arabic- understanding of the United States, its least one 30-minute news program on speaking countries, including four in values, its institutions and its policies. its Iraqi stream. However, the bulk of Iraq, and leased audio channels on VOA tells the American story within a news is delivered in hourly five-minute popular regional satellites. We will regional and cultural context and in the and 90-second increments. This is never know what kind of audience 50-plus languages its audiences speak. hardly sufficient for comprehensive VOA Arabic would have garnered dur- The BBC World Service is not going to news coverage or for in-depth discus- ing the Iraq War if it had had similar tell that story. sion that will foster greater under- transmissions at its disposal. No other entity under the standing of the United States. The Instead, audiences seeking substan- purview of the Broadcasting Board board says it will continue to layer tive VOA information had only one of Governors has the well-defined more substance onto Radio Sawa, but source — an eight-minute newscast on public diplomacy mandate that is

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outlined in the VOA Charter. Radio Cost Efficiencies The globally recognized VOA brand and Television Marti have no such The American taxpayer spent about is worth protecting and preserving. mission, nor do Radio Free Asia and $150 million dollars in 2003 for the Strengthen it; improve it; streamline its Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Voice of America to deliver credible, personnel and administrative proce- These are surrogate broadcasters, truthful information about the United dures. But don’t dismember, margin- created to promote democracy States and the world to an estimated alize or commercialize it. For over 60 through the broadcast of accurate global audience of 100 million people. years, the Voice of America has, in local and regional news and informa- That’s less than the cost of an F/A-22 Bernie Kamenske’s words, “represent- tion. Their mission statements do jet fighter. As a public diplomacy tool, ed the American people and its free not call for an explanation of VOA is cheap. press” to the world. This venerable American values or policies. On the To put it in even clearer focus, institution remains the best and most contrary, the “Radios” take pride in VOA’s Kirundi/Kinyarwanda Service cost-effective vehicle for projecting the fact that they are not required to broadcasts a daily program of news American values and policies to tens of carry U.S. policy statements. coupled with conflict resolution, millions of people around the globe. If Radio Sawa is any example, the democracy-building, humanitarian and And hopefully, once knowing us better, BBG strategy of trying to increase youth reporting to the strategically they will distrust us less. ■ audience and market share by “mar- important Great Lakes region of rying the mission to the market” will Central Africa. The cost of the pro- Myrna Whitworth is a former program bring on line more tax-supported, gram, which reaches an estimated 50 director of the Voice of America. She easily replicated, commercial-style percent of the population, is about the also served twice as acting VOA direc- music stations with a minimum of same as one State Department FSO tor, including during the summer and information or American identifica- with a family posted to an overseas fall of 2001. She is now a free-lance tion. mission. journalist and writer.

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THE ABCS OF U.S. OVERSEAS BROADCASTING Mikkela Thompson

THE BBG AND THE BBC ARE DIFFERENT ANIMALS, BUT FACE MUCH THE SAME CHALLENGES IN THE 21ST CENTURY.

BY STEVEN ALAN HONLEY

ver the past 16 months, the Foreign Service Journal has periodically spotlighted each of the foreign affairs agencies (besides State) with Foreign Service contingents: the U.S. Agency for International DevelopmentO (September 2002), the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service (January 2003), and the Foreign Agricultural Service (May 2003). This month, we wrap up the series by focusing on the smallest (and newest — just a decade old) of the bunch, the International Broadcasting Bureau. Now, a quick show of hands: how many of you knew there was another foreign affairs agency with Foreign Service posi-

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tions — much less what the IBB does, or how it relates to articles on the following pages: “Every week, more than the rest of the acronym-laden alphabet soup of interna- 100 million listeners, viewers and Internet users around tional broadcasting? I thought so. the world turn on, tune in and log on to U.S. international Well, here’s the story. broadcasting programs.” America was the last major power to enter the world of That’s a nice, round figure. But like most statistics, it international broadcasting, setting up the Voice of America raises as many questions as it answers. First of all, given in 1942 — well after Radio Moscow, the official service of that a large portion of our “target audience” resides in the Soviet Union (1929), Vatican Radio (1931), the British countries where tuning in to U.S. broadcasters can be dan- Broadcasting Corporation (1932), and Nazi Germany’s gerous, it is impossible to know for sure how accurate that Rundfunk Ausland (1933). Yet despite that relatively late estimate is. But assuming that many more people would start, today VOA broadcasts around the world (except for listen if their governments did not jam our signals — for Western Europe and the United States) in 55 languages to instance, Fidel Castro’s regime does such an effective job an estimated audience of 91 million people each week. Its of jamming Radio and TV Marti that as few as 1-2 percent programming travels via short-wave and medium-wave of Cubans can receive those broadcasts — let’s triple the radio, on television via satellite (14 hours a week), and on figure to 300 million worldwide “customers” per week. the Internet. Impressive as that hypothetical number is, it represents Now we jump ahead half a century to the International barely 5 percent of the six billion or so people in the world. Broadcasting Act of 1994. That legislation brought VOA On the other hand, if they are “opinion leaders” (in and all the other radio, television and Internet resources of Foreign Service parlance) who disproportionately influ- U.S. nonmilitary international broadcasting under the ence their compatriots to understand and (ideally) appre- aegis of the nine-member Broadcasting Board of ciate America and Americans, then that would be a real Governors. It also established the International success story — particularly if they are located in volatile Broadcasting Bureau as the administrative arm of the BBG regions such as the Middle East that are difficult to reach (not to be confused with the BBC!). The IBB not only otherwise. manages the day-to-day operations of the three govern- Complicating the issue further, one must also bear in mental broadcasters (the Voice of America, Radio Marti mind the increasingly stiff competition VOA and its sister and TV Marti), but also provides technical support to all services face on the international airwaves from dozens of the other official U.S. broadcasting entities the BBG man- other governmental broadcasters, such as the BBC World ages: Radio Sawa, Radio Farda, Radio Free Europe/Radio Service, Radio France International, China Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and WORLDNET Television International, and the Voice of Russia (Radio Moscow’s (which is now being folded into VOA). successor). Even more formidable is the challenge from We hope our coverage will provide a solid frame- the commercial media that have mushroomed around the work for understanding the bureaucratic structure of world in the past decade or so — from the Dubai-based U.S. international broadcasting, some of the issues it Al-Arabiya and Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellite TV chan- faces, and how most of its components operate. But nels to the private FM stations in Africa. that is a far cry from being able to assess its effective- ness. Are the fruits of America’s governmental broad- Suddenly, Everything Changed … casting effort worth the approximately half-billion dol- During the four decades of the Cold War, the scope and lars the BBG spends annually? mission of international broadcasting was simple and straightforward. The Soviet bloc and the Free World bat- How Effective Is the Effort? tled to sway each other’s domestic populations and the Consider the following statistic, cited on the BBG’s populations of developing countries, and nobody much home page (www.bbg.gov) and quoted in several of the questioned the budgetary outlays involved. Getting an audience was not very complicated either: there weren’t Steven Alan Honley is the editor of the Foreign Service many broadcasts to be picked up on the shortwave dial, so Journal. An FSO from 1985 to 1997, he served in Mexico just putting a strong signal out there meant you’d be likely City, Wellington and Washington, D.C. to get listeners. Jamming, of course, was a problem, but

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with sufficient funding it could be worked around. mer VOA Assistant Director Myrna Whitworth notes in The fall of communism and the end of the Cold War her Speaking Out column (p. 13). transformed the world’s political geometry. Many interna- Further, the introduction of a commercial approach has tional broadcasters cut back on their hours and foreign lan- given a new twist to the old tension between the public guages, and were generally forced to scramble for govern- broadcaster’s role as an instrument of U.S. policy and as an ment funding. The Voice of Russia, for instance, discon- exemplar of free and independent journalism. This funda- tinued six languages and laid off 30 percent of its staff in mental tension is still alive and well. Al Kamen’s column 1995. In the U.S., foreign policy premises and goals were (“In the Loop”) in the Nov. 19 Washington Post reprints an thrown into turmoil, and many questioned the continued internal VOA e-mail, for instance, expressing high-level need for public diplomacy of any sort. Suddenly, interna- displeasure with a report on President Bush’s visit to tional broadcasting was fighting for its life, at the mercy of England that focused on the millions being spent for secu- lawmakers for whom budget restraint had become an rity during the trip, the numbers of police to be deployed overriding preoccupation. and protest activities, rather than the substance of the visit. Perhaps more significant, this crisis coincided with an Here are the final two paragraphs from that missive: explosion of communications technology that fueled a “Do you think the listener in North Korea or India or commercial media boom around the world and fierce Nigeria understands or cares that $9 million will be spent competition for audiences everywhere. Satellite technolo- on security, or that 5,000 police will be deployed? gy, in particular, gave broadcasting a global reach. The “If you were the Khmer or Dari or Swahili language growth of the Internet and developments in digital tech- service chief, would you even bother translating these sto- nologies linking television and computers point to the con- ries? I know that slightly more substantive stories about tinuing nature of this revolution. Few governmental the visit were sent out yesterday, but that was yesterday. broadcasters have the budgets to proceed with all of the The users of today’s stories have been given no clue why program delivery options simultaneously, so choices have this visit is occurring or what these national leaders are to be made and priorities set. planning to talk about. Did the White House not have a And, because listeners worldwide now have more pre-trip briefing on the trip? Where is that information?” choice in private and governmental media offerings to Such complaints are not new. Shortly after the 9/11 tune into than ever before, programming content has attacks, the State Department and the Broadcasting Board become a critical issue. How do you win and hold a grow- of Governors put intense pressure on VOA not to air a ing audience share, and at the same time get a particular news report that included excerpts from an interview with editorial message across? Taliban leader Mullah Muhammad Omar. Nonetheless, News Director Andre de Nesnera authorized the release Content In Contention of the report as one part of VOA’s overall coverage. For his Two of the BBG’s new market-based projects — courageous efforts to defend VOA’s charter and preserve Radio Sawa, aimed at Arab listeners, and Radio Farda, the integrity of its news broadcasts, AFSA honored de aimed at Iranians — exemplify a trend toward down- Nesnera in June 2002 with the Tex Harris Award for con- playing news and information in favor of popular music structive dissent by a Foreign Service specialist. and other “softer” programming. Early indications are that this approach is successfully inducing younger lis- The Challenge of Public Broadcasting teners to tune in. A late-November survey conducted by The BBG’s five-year strategic plan issued in December D3 Systems Inc., of Vienna, Va., in Baghdad, Mosul and 2002 attempts to address the new challenges. The plan, Basra, Iraq’s three largest cities, found that Radio Sawa’s “Marrying the Mission to the Market,” was prompted by average listenership was 48.9 percent of the population, declining audience share in key markets such as Russia, compared to 39.2 percent for Radio Monte Carlo and and historically static performance in critical strategic 30.4 percent for the BBC. But is Britney Spears truly regions such as the Middle East. In the early 1990s, for the best cultural diplomat we have in our arsenal? And instance, the BBG had a 21-percent market share in it may not take long for local commercial media to copy Russia; in recent years that has declined to about 4 percent the format, leaving out the “content” altogether, as for- of the adult audience. For decades, the VOA’s Arabic ser-

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vice listenership in the Middle East has America was the review, ran into roadblocks when senators been static at less than 2 percent of poten- objected to ending service in some coun- tial listeners. Hence the desire to prioritize last major power to tries where a free and fair press is not yet the use of limited resources to reach larger assured. As the GAO report notes, the audiences in key markets in support of U.S. enter the world of total number of language services has actu- national interests. Support for the war on ally increased, from 91 to 97, between the terrorism is one of the BBG’s principal mis- international BBG’s 2000 review and today. sions. Despite the many difficulties, as the According to a U.S. General Account- broadcasting. BBG’s “Vision 2010” strategic plan asserts ing Office report issued in July 2003 for — and several recent commissions deplor- the House Committee on International ing the state of public diplomacy have Relations, the BBG has done a commendable job of noted — the need for U.S. international broadcasting has advancing solutions to the challenges of technological never been greater. The challenge for the Foreign Service innovation and better coordination of its seven separate personnel and other professionals working at the IBB, broadcast entities. But the board needs to set measur- VOA and regionally directed services will be to organize able objectives, and has yet to address the problem of and direct the official broadcasting behemoth to accom- overlapping language services, the GAO report notes plish this mission, despite circumscribed budgets, pointedly (“U.S. International Broadcasting: New increased competition from other governmental and com- Strategic Approach Focuses on Reaching Large mercial broadcasters, and omnipresent political sensitivi- Audiences but Lacks Measurable Program Objectives,” ties about program content. ■ GAO-03-772). As of April 2003, the GAO states, the BBG had a 55- percent overlap between VOA and the surrogates broad- casting in the same language: 23 of RFE/RL’s 31 language services overlapped with VOA’s language services, as did eight of RFA’s nine services and Radio/TV Marti’s Spanish services. Though the BBG refuses officially to accept the premise that there are “duplicate” services, it is currently conducting an in-depth assessment of the utility and prac- ticality of integrating current overlap language services. The findings will be reported as part of its Fiscal Year 2005 budget submission. “Overlap” is only one aspect of the skirmishing over the language services. The BBG conducts an annual review intended to address the need to delete or add language cov- erage to streamline operations. More than $9 million has been reallocated through the elimination or reduction of language services since the first review in 2000: VOA Portuguese to Brazil was eliminated, and VOA Arabic and RFE/RL’s Persian service were eliminated (replaced by Radio Sawa and Radio Farda respectively), and the scope of operations of another 25 services has been reduced so far. But Congress has begun to challenge the efficiency moves. The BBG’s 2004 budget request, reduced at OMB’s direction by $8.8 million to reflect the proposed elimination of nine language services assessed as low pri- ority/low impact in the BBG’s 2001/2002 language service

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NEW DIRECTIONS IN U.S. INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING

THE BROADCASTING BOARD OF GOVERNORS IS BUILDING ON THE PROUD LEGACY OF U.S. INTERNATIONAL BROAD- CASTING, NOT RESTING ON ITS LAURELS.

BY BRIAN CONNIFF

he world is in the midst of a may belong to the same political party, a limitation intend- communications revolution, with new technologies and ed to reinforce the firewall that insulates broadcasters from deliveryT systems constantly changing the way people political pressures. The Senate confirms a chairman, receive facts and information. Yet billions of people con- appointed by the president; Kenneth Tomlinson currently tinue to be denied access to basic, accurate news about holds that position. All eight governors, many of whom their countries and the world. have extensive private-sector media experience, serve To fill that gap, the Broadcasting Board of three-year terms, on a part-time basis, Governors supervises a diverse array of U.S. including regular monthly meetings. government-funded, non-military interna- VOA, based in Washington, D.C., with tional broadcasters. These include the Voice bureaus around the world, is the largest and of America; Radio/TV Marti; Radio Free oldest of these broadcasters. Founded in Europe/Radio Liberty; and Radio Free Asia. 1942, it is charged with presenting news An independent federal agency since Oct. about the world and the United States, and 1, 1999, the BBG has about 3,200 employees; representing all segments of Ameri- its budget was $544 million in FY 2003. (See can society in its reports to the rest of the table on p. 24 for a detailed breakdown.) world. (Under the 1948 Smith-Mundt Law, Previously, the BBG was part of the U.S. Information VOA is prohibited from broadcasting to the United States.) Agency, which was abolished when the State Department Radio Marti and TV Marti, now based in Miami, have assumed public diplomacy functions in 1999. The BBG is been broadcasting Spanish-language programming to headed by a nine-member Board of Governors, eight of Cuba since the mid-1980s. Like VOA, they are under the whom are appointed by the president and confirmed by aegis of the BBG. the Senate. The Secretary of State is the ninth member, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia serving ex-officio; Sec. Powell has designated his under are known as “surrogate” services, focusing on providing secretary for public diplomacy as his representative on the news to countries where the free flow of information is board. blocked and residents have little or no access to uncen- By law, no more than four of the appointed governors sored news. RFE/RL, headquartered in Prague, Czech

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Republic with an office in Washington, was founded in Foreign Relations Committee in early 2003. 1950 as a Cold War tool to defeat communism. The Yet when overseas listeners, particularly in the Middle Washington-based RFA was started in 1996. Both services East, are already skeptical or cynical about U.S. policies, it are private, nonprofit corporations, wholly funded by can be a daunting challenge to build an audience. Congress, but they are also supervised by the BBG. Fortunately, the BBG has identified several tools with In addition, the BBG oversees the International which to address this problem. Broadcasting Bureau, which manages the day-to-day oper- Research is a building block in creating a flexible, ations of VOA and the Marti services — a function previ- multi-media broadcasting service that reaches the target ously performed by the now-defunct U.S. Information audience. Each year, BBG hires an independent research Agency before its consolidation with the State firm to conduct research on the effectiveness of broadcast- Department. The IBB handles transmission, marketing ing in all languages as part of a program review process. In and program placement for all broadcasting services, addition, the BBG itself annually reviews all language ser- including RFE/RL and RFA. vices to determine priority audiences, in accordance with The IBB’s global transmission network includes short- U.S. foreign policy objectives. The process, conducted in wave stations in Botswana; Delano, Calif.; Germany; consultation with State Department officials, helps the Greece; Greenville, N.C.; Kuwait; Morocco; Philippines; BBG allocate its resources more efficiently. In some cases, Sao Tome and Principe; Sri Lanka; Thailand; and the language services have been consolidated — RFE/RL’s Northern Mariana Islands. High-powered AM transmit- Persian service was combined with parts of VOA to create ters, with a long reach, are used to reach places the BBG Radio Farda for Iran. In other cases, the language services can’t penetrate with FM signals, such as Egypt, Iran and complement each other as in Afghanistan. Saudi Arabia. (IBB has over 1,400 FM affiliates around Keeping up with technological advances is also cru- the world.). IBB’s engineers also distribute radio and TV cial. Shortwave radio was once the only way to listen to programs via satellite. U.S. international broadcasting. Today, more than 100 million listeners can receive news, information and enter- Reporting the News tainment by shortwave, FM, medium-wave, television, The BBG’s mission is deceptively simple: “promote and Internet and digital audio satellite in English and 64 other sustain democracy by broadcasting accurate and objective languages. news and information about the United States and the The BBG is also moving to accelerate multimedia world to audiences overseas.” And that commitment has development, adopt updated techniques, control distribu- remained constant through more than 60 years of interna- tion and develop multiple products for key areas. tional broadcasting Finally, the BBG is moving to tailor content to the BBG’s broadcasters are journalists first. Every day, they audience. reaffirm William Harlan Hale’s maiden VOA broadcast on “The one-size-fits-all approach no longer works as a Feb. 25, 1942. “The news may be good for us. The news model for U.S. international broadcasting,” says Governor may be bad. But we shall tell you the truth,” Hale said. Norman J. Pattiz, a radio pioneer who is also chairman of As Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, the BBG’s current chairman Westwood One, America’s largest radio network. “We and a former editor-in-chief of Reader’s Digest, points out, have to use modern communications techniques to target U.S. international broadcasting is part of the public diplo- our audiences.” macy apparatus, but operates according to a separate set of Adds Tomlinson: “We need to keep in mind that no rules. media market is monolithic. We have to make choices “International broadcasting … is called upon to reflect about which parts of the market we most want to reach.” the highest standards of independent journalism as the For example, Congress has recognized “the particular best means of convincing international audiences that trust importance of broadcasting in countries and regions is on the side of democratic values,” he told the Senate undergoing democratic transition.” So the BBG’s five-year strategic plan, 2002-2007, spells out the following priority Brian Conniff is executive director of the Broadcast- areas as the Middle East; Central, South and West Asia; ing Board of Governors. China and the Far East; Southeast Asia and the Pacific

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area; Eurasia, particularly Russia, Ukraine and Belarus; the region, according to an ACNielsen study. Nielsen’s Caucasus; the Balkans; Sub-Saharan Africa; Cuba; and the research, conducted in July and August 2003, showed that Andean region. Radio Sawa has an average listenership of 31.6 percent In many of the priority areas, the BBG continues to face among the general population 15 years and older in five challenges in reaching audiences because governments Middle Eastern countries. Listener rates were: Egypt 10.6 jam, block and censor broadcasts and the Internet. China percent; Jordan, 30.4 percent; Kuwait, 39.5 percent; Qatar, is a major offender, jamming VOA and RFA broadcasts in 40.8 percent and UAE, 36.6 percent. (Typically, interna- Mandarin and Tibetan as well as RFA broadcasts in tional broadcasters get between 4-5 percent listening rates.) Cantonese and Uygur. BBG files monthly complaints with Because the BBG manages Sawa’s transmission, includ- the International Telecommunications Union over the ing FM and AM stations, the U.S. government is able to jamming — and spends millions transmitting on extra fre- deliver crucial information at key times. During the Iraq quencies to get through. War, Sawa broadcast as much as five hours of news a day. China also blocks the Internet sites of RFA and VOA, And when U.S. forces bombed Baghdad in April 2003, res- requiring both services to experiment with proxy servers idents heard live coverage from Sawa’s correspondents on and mirror sites. But BBG Governor Edward Kaufman, the ground. a former chief of staff to Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., Joining Sawa in the near future will be the Middle East believes the Chinese are pursuing a losing strategy in cen- Television Network — an Arabic-language, full-service net- soring international broadcasting. “While pursuing more work that will compete with Al-Jazeera, Al-Arabyia and interaction in the global marketplace, the Chinese govern- other direct-to-home satellite channels in the region. This ment is trying harder than ever to isolate its people, cut off product will be the first Arabic-language Western network the free flow of information and deny them access to accu- in the Middle East, a region where 90 percent of the people rate and credible news.” own television sets, and satellite viewing is growing rapidly. Other countries that routinely jam and/or block U.S. “Impressions of the U.S. in the region come from gov- broadcasts include Cuba, Iran, Vietnam and North Korea. ernment-controlled stations,” says Pattiz, chairman of the BBG’s Middle East Committee. "We’re changing that Recent and Upcoming Initiatives with Radio Sawa — now we want to do the same with The BBG’s recent and upcoming initiatives include: a METN.” He adds that the United States needs to get soon-to-be launched, Arabic-language Middle East involved in the “media war,” where “the weapons include Television Network; the popular Arabic-language Radio disinformation, incitement to violence, hate radio, govern- Sawa and Persian-language Radio Farda; new television ment censorship and journalistic self-censorship.” programs for Iran and Indonesia; a country-wide, 24/7 Based outside Washington in suburban Virginia, with radio network for Afghanistan; special e-mail packages for bureaus across the Middle East, the new network will fea- China, and new delivery options for Cuba, designed to ture news, information and public affairs programs, along elude jamming. The BBG recently announced a test to with family and children’s entertainment. More than 100 put TV and Radio Marti on Hispasat’s satellite, allowing Arabic-speaking broadcasters will comprise the core staff. Cubans and others with a dish and digital receiver to view Startup is expected in early 2004. the programs. In December 2002, VOA and RFE/RL launched Radio One of the BBG’s most ambitious projects has been Farda — a 24/7 program stream targeting young Iranians Radio Sawa, a 24/7 Arabic-language station that is broad- with popular Persian and Western music, as well as news cast throughout the Middle East on a combination of AM, and special features. With studios in Prague and FM, shortwave, Internet and digital audio satellite. Sawa, Washington, this program offers a fresh alternative to lis- aimed at listeners under 28 who comprise about 60 per- teners in Iran, a country where 70 percent of the popula- cent of the Middle East’s population, primarily broadcasts tion is under 30 years. Farda is available on AM, short- Arabic and Western popular music, but also mixes in news wave, Internet and digital audio satellite. and current information. Listeners’ response to Farda has been strongly positive, Not surprisingly, it took less than a year for Radio Sawa judging from e-mail traffic, Internet use and reports from to become the leading international broadcaster in the inside Iran. “You cannot imagine what a big impact you

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had during recent events with your timely news,” an reviews. It also profiles the daily lives of young Iranian- Iranian e-mailed the station during the pro-democracy Americans. protests in the summer of 2003. Afghanistan is another important broadcasting area. In addition to Farda, the VOA radio network continues VOA had strong listenership for its Dari- and Pashto-lan- to offer objective news and information through its AM, guage broadcasts during the Taliban era, when as many as Internet and shortwave broadcasts, which Iranians have 80 percent of the country’s men tuned in. (Women were enjoyed for over 30 years. Radio Farda and VOA’s Persian- not permitted to own radios.) So in January 2002, just a language Web sites attract nearly a million visitors every few months after the Taliban fell, RFE/RL launched Radio month. Free Afghanistan. Together, the services form a single, Television is popular in Iran — 90 percent of Iranians 24/7 stream of news and information. say they get their news that way — so VOA has developed Shortwave was the only medium in the past, but the a range of TV products beamed to Iran by satellite. BBG has installed high-powered, 400-kilowatt AM trans- “News and Views,” a daily 30-minute show, offers com- mitters in Kabul to give the programs nationwide reach. prehensive news and expert commentary about events The BBG also gave an AM transmitter to the Afghan gov- inside and outside Iran. “Roundtable with You” is a week- ernment. Meantime, engineers are installing FM trans- ly 90-minute, call-in program that allows viewers and lis- mitters in cities around the country. teners to speak directly with prominent figures regarding Training is a key component of the Afghan initiative. politics, social issues, and entertainment. And “Next With money from the State Department and the U.S. Chapter” provides the younger Iranian generation a week- Agency for International Development, BBG has trained ly sample of fresh cultural fare — including the latest in more than two dozen journalists, coaching them on how to sports, technology, fashion, Hollywood films, and car cover events involving politics, health and education in a Home Suite Home

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FY 2003 Budget and Staffing for ming, Radio Marti has redesigned its programs to attract U.S. International Broadcasting listeners. At TV Marti, broadcasters have added new pro- grams, and, as part of a transmission test, shows are being IBB (Engineering and technical RFE/RL put on a popular, high-powered regional satellite. services, management, direc- Budget: $78.486 million Other potential initiatives are in the works — increasing tion, program support) Positions: 602 Budget: $219.583 million Urdu broadcasting to Pakistan with a lively, upbeat, youth- Positions: 1,048 (includ- RFA oriented service designed to run 24/7; refocusing on Africa, ing FSNs) Budget: $27.084 million which holds about 40 percent of VOA’s audience; and ensur- Positions: 262 Voice of America ing comprehensive coverage of countries in Central Asia. Budget: $155.643 million Radio/TV Marti Nearly 40 years ago, John Chancellor, the respected Positions: 1,364 Budget: $25.362 million broadcaster and onetime VOA director, wrote in the Bureaus: 22 (5 domestic Positions: 163 Foreign Service Journal that there was a “spirit … that and 17 international) exists inside the Voice. … They understand that microsec- onds after they speak, what they say is communicating to fair, balanced and unbiased fashion. This is helping build people in bedrooms, living rooms, tents, cars, caravans as a cadre of independent journalists with the skills needed to they enter the world of the listeners.” impart information to their fellow citizens. Chancellor’s description of the “magic of the Voice” Cuba, where Fidel Castro stifles dissent and imprisons persists. But it has grown — and the same magic now per- independent journalists, remains a priority for the BBG. vades the expanding, vitally important world of interna- As engineers try new radio frequencies to overcome jam- tional broadcasting. ■

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THE VOICE OF AMERICA ENTERS A NEW ERA

THE U.S. FLAGSHIP BROADCASTER’S UNIQUE DUAL MISSION — AS A TOOL OF PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND A SOURCE OF OBJECTIVE NEWS REPORTING — IS MORE RELEVANT TODAY THAN EVER.

BY DAVID S. JACKSON

ever before have so many together reflect the core of VOA’s activities throughout its countries around the world had governments depen- more than 60 years of continuous service to the nation and dentN on the will of the people. And consequently, at no to the peoples of the world. point in the history of the United States has it been more important for us to speak not only to the leaders A Little History of those countries, but also directly to their citizens. On the one hand, VOA was created by Congress and The former task, of course, belongs principally to the functions as a federally funded agency to respond to the Department of State; the latter to U.S. international foreign policy challenges faced by our country. During broadcasting and, especially, to its flagship World War II, VOA focused its energies service, the Voice of America. against the Axis powers in Europe and the The practice of diplomacy, of speaking Pacific. During the Cold War, the organiza- government to government, is well under- tion devoted its greatest attention to the peo- stood by most people. But the role of inter- ples of the Soviet bloc and to places where national broadcasting in support of what John F. Kennedy called “the long U.S. policy interests is much less so. twilight struggle” was played out in So let me describe to you what we at When people say Asia, Africa and Latin America. After VOA are doing to promote the nation- our victory in the Cold War, VOA al interests of the United States. “I heard it on VOA” regeared its efforts to reach a different The Voice of America first went on audience yet again, a process acceler- the air Feb. 24, 1942 — just 79 days they can be confident ated in the wake of the terrorist after the United States entered World attacks on our country on Sept. 11, War II. In its first broadcast, in German, that it’s true. 2001. from New York City, announcer William On the other hand, the journalists Harlan Hale began with the words: “The at VOA have always seen their role as news may be good for us. The news may be bad. But we telling the truth to the world. Like the American shall tell you the truth.” This date and these words taken founders, they believe that truth works for us, that

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“a decent respect for the opin- VOA’s Central Newsroom You’ll notice that the charter ions of mankind” requires that speaks about communicating via we give nothing less. prepares more than 150 news radio. A quarter-century ago, These two views of our mis- that was more or less the only sion — a tool of public diploma- reports every day in English; option, and, indeed, it was the cy and a beacon of accurate, rise of short-wave radio broad- objective news — were inter- these are then shared with all casting that made it possible for woven in the charter of the us to enter into this kind of pub- Voice of America which was of VOA’s language services lic diplomatic activity. Now we passed by Congress and signed have a variety of other outlets, into law by President Gerald R. and programs. including television and the Ford on July 12, 1976. That Internet, which greatly add to document governs everything the impact of what we do. VOA does to this day, and is The charter also requires that prominently displayed throughout our building (see VOA “win the attention and respect of listeners.” box, below). Getting the attention of people in the increasingly crowded media marketplace of today is not easy, even in developing countries. But when we get it, through cre- The VOA Charter ative programming and modern marketing techniques, The long-range interests of the United States are we win the allegiance of generations of listeners by served by communicating directly with the peoples of treating them with respect, and by providing accurate the world by radio. To be effective, the Voice of and balanced information. When people say “I heard it America must win the attention and respect of listen- on VOA” they can be confident that it’s true. Given the ers. These principles will therefore govern Voice of nature of some media outlets around the world, that’s America (VOA) broadcasts. no small thing, and it’s a key reason why VOA has been so effective for so long. 1. VOA will serve as a consistently reliable and Finally, the charter specifies that VOA must “repre- authoritative source of news. VOA news will be accu- sent America” and “present the policies of the United rate, objective, and comprehensive. States clearly and effectively.” Alone of all U.S. inter- national broadcasters, VOA is responsible for telling the 2. VOA will represent America, not any single seg- world about the richness and diversity of American life, ment of American society, and will therefore present and for outlining what American policy is on the key a balanced and comprehensive projection of signifi- issues of the day. In both cases, VOA broadcasts help cant American thought and institutions. to overcome the kind of distorted or deliberately dis- honest presentations of who Americans are, and what 3. VOA will present the policies of the United we believe in, that are, unfortunately, all too prevalent States clearly and effectively, and will also present in today’s world. In this sense, VOA is a critical partner responsible discussions and opinion on these poli- of the State Department in the promotion of American cies. foreign policy.

VOA Today For much of its history, VOA was part of the U.S. David S. Jackson is director of the Voice of America. A Information Agency, and many Foreign Service officers veteran journalist and foreign correspondent, Jackson played distinguished roles in helping to build the orga- spent 23 years at Time Magazine. He has also worked nization and its reputation. But since 1999, VOA has as a consultant to the U.S. Defense Department, where been subordinate to the presidentially-appointed he created the DefendAmerica.gov Web site. Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees all

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civilian U.S. international broad- Many of our language agers, and support personnel who casting, including our sister sta- work full-time for America’s Voice, tions Radio Free Europe/Radio services view the Internet VOA’s Washington headquarters Liberty, Radio Free Asia, the has more than 40 radio studios and Office of Cuba Broadcasting, as their future: three television studios, as well as a Radio Sawa, Radio Farda, and the digital master control and two cen- new Middle East Television our Web-based products ters to record reports from corre- Network. In those cases where spondents around the world. Our VOA and one of its sister stations for China are colleagues at the International can be heard in the same region, Broadcasting Bureau help us main- VOA’s unique mission — to pre- especially effective. tain some 22 transmitting stations sent and explain U.S. policy, and to around the world. explain Americans and what we believe in — ensures that our mes- Moving Beyond Radio sages are both different yet complementary. When VOA began in 1942, the only channel for U.S. The Voice of America today is a remarkable and international broadcasting was short-wave radio. Since remarkably complex organization. In English and 55 then, we have moved into all of the media that the world other languages, VOA broadcasts more than 1,000 uses. First, we put our programs on FM and (medium- hours of radio and television each week to most regions wave) AM radio via cable and more than 1,300 affiliate of the world except Western Europe and the United stations. As anyone who has listened to short-wave and States. Every one of its language services maintains a FM knows, it’s far easier to hear the latter than the for- Web site at VOANews.com, in order to reach the grow- mer. And in most places in the world, VOA is wel- ing number of people around the world who go online comed as an affiliate partner. But where it isn’t, or to get news and information. Combined, VOA’s various where we’re uncertain about the future, we’ve main- broadcasting efforts reach more than 90 million people, tained a short-wave presence, a strategy that enables us according to media surveys. to be heard now while also serving as an insurance pol- At the heart of our operation is news coverage. icy for the future. VOA’s Central Newsroom prepares more than 150 news Second, VOA has moved aggressively into the world reports every day in English; these are then shared with of television. Even in less developed countries, the all of VOA’s language services and programs. In addi- device many people now turn to for their news is a tele- tion to the newsroom’s staff of writers and editors in vision set, not a radio. So VOA is there for them, too. Washington, VOA has 10 domestic and 21 overseas full- We currently produce regular television programs in 10 time correspondents, plus a worldwide stringer net- languages, special programs in many others, and work. rebroadcast a variety of acquired U.S.-produced pro- In addition to our standard English core, VOA offers grams as well. We broadcast via satellite, through affil- Special English, a program which uses slow-paced iates, and even online. As for the future, we believe it’s delivery and simplified vocabulary to help listeners only a matter of time before direct-to-home satellite learn American English, and an English to Africa ser- television will be one of our most effective delivery vice, which features programming from the Central mechanisms. Newsroom. Every one of VOA’s 55 language services Finally, VOA is an active participant in the rapidly has its own staff of journalists who produce stories about expanding world of the Internet. VOANews.com fea- particular regions and about American developments tures streamed audio and video of VOA programs, story that have particular relevance to those regions. Many texts, and Web-based materials in support of our radio of those stories are then shared across VOA to ensure and television programs. Many of our language ser- that all broadcasts are accurate, balanced, and broadly vices view the Internet as their future: our Web-based informed. products for China are especially effective in reaching To support the more than 1,100 journalists, man- audiences, and in one case, Arabic, VOA has shifted

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entirely to an Internet operation At present, more than are those in which viewers can since the launch of Radio Sawa call in and challenge officials and U.S. Middle East Television 2 million people a day see the and experts appearing on the Network. At present, more than shows. The Internet allows two million people a day see the VOA materials translated them to contact us at virtually VOA materials translated into no cost. Arabic, both directly and as they into Arabic, both directly are posted on major portals What’s On VOA? throughout the Middle East. and as they are posted on And Why? These new technologies help In its hundreds of hours of our audiences to do more than major portals throughout the programming every week, VOA just watch or listen to our pro- carries a virtual encyclopedia of grams; they allow them to partic- Middle East. information for our listeners, ipate. VOA’s radio programs television viewers and Internet have always featured call-in surfers. We present a portrait shows which give our listeners of the world as it is every day, the chance to react to what we say, and educate us about with news so accurate and carefully sourced that many how they see us and the United States. Now they can journalists around the world rely on it to do their own do that and more with our content on television and the work. It is a portrait of America as diverse as we are, Internet. Some of VOA TV’s most popular programs with editorials — which are approved by the State

THE REMINGTON

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Department — and discussions of American policy that from most, if not all 16, of the State Department’s help promote and explain our policies and our values. bureaus. During one recent month, we broadcast three of In addition, during the same month we aired inter- President Bush’s major speeches, covered all the speech- views with the presidents of Ecuador, Romania and es of Secretary of State Colin Powell, and interviewed Ghana; the prime ministers of Albania and Kosovo; more than a dozen members of Congress as well as a vari- senior ministers in the governments of Chile, Lithuania, ety of senior administration officials. Hungary and Eritrea; and the Slovak, Bulgarian and From the State Department alone, VOA featured Colombian ambassadors here in Washington. Like the interviews with Lorne Craner, Assistant Secretary of interviews we do with American officials, these conver- State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor; sations promote the kind of dialogue that President Walter Kansteiner, (former) Assistant Secretary of Bush and Secretary Powell have indicated is essential to State for African Affairs; Amb. Ellen Sauerbrey, U.S. winning the war against terrorism. Representative to the U.N. Commission on the Status By itself this isn’t enough, of course. But VOA’s of Women; Zalmay Khalilzad, Ambassador to overall contribution to promoting American national Afghanistan; Amb. Thomas Watson, State Department interests is not trivial, especially in the world after 9/11. Special Coordinator for Cyprus; Amb. David That world, which President Bush has accurately Satterfield, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for described as a new war of ideas, is one in which we must Near Eastern Affairs; and John Miller, director of the appeal directly to individuals and groups, not just to Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. governments, if we are to succeed. In that kind of strug- Over the course of a year, we’ve interviewed officials gle, VOA can and will continue to play a key role. ■

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A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS

THIS VOA CORRESPONDENT’S LIFE HAS BEEN FULL OF EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCES AND A DIFFERENT KIND OF NOTORIETY.

BY ALEX BELIDA

K. Unlike Brokaw, Jennings or he acknowledged that was not his real name. Rather, I am a virtual unknown here in the United States. “My real name is Mesafint Beyene. My nickname But OI do have more listeners in my audience than all is Alex Belida. I got it recently from friends.” three of them combined. And I have had my name Even I had to admit it was an unusual choice for a recognized at an airline ticket office in Ethiopia and at nickname, so I asked him to elaborate. The answer passport control in Uganda. I’m told African babies was one that was certain to thrill the hearts of all VOA have been named after me. executives. Like the network anchors, I, too, get fan mail. But “I got that name because I listen to the radio day I bet no network anchor has ever had an incident like and night.” this: And not just any radio. He listened to VOA and he I was sitting in the VOA News Bureau in an office especially liked to hear my voice. building in central Nairobi one day in the mid-1990s “It’s a wonderful voice. ... The sound is great. ... when the phone rang. On the That’s why many friends, line was a man who told me when I tell them about Alex his name was Alex Belida. I Belida ... they gave me that was naturally flabbergasted — name.” so flabbergasted that I agreed Mesafint Beyene was an to an appointment so the Ethiopian refugee who lived caller could drop by in person. in Kenya. Before he left the The next day my mystery VOA office, I got him to guest arrived and I again, this record a standard VOA news time for the record, asked him sign-off and added it to the to state his name. bottom of a report I wrote “My name is Alex Belida,” about him. Listeners that day he said. got to hear Mesafint saying at But after some prodding, The author in Rwanda. the end of one of my voice

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reports, “I am not the original I have had my name survey the contorted scene in Alex but I can say I am the copy front of me. Alex Belida, VOA News, recognized at an airline The BK-117 groaned as it Nairobi.” strained to take off. Slowly, ticket office in Ethiopia and painfully, it gained altitude and Where A VOA struggled back to an airstrip near Correspondent Should Be at passport control in the town of Chibuto. When it Of course, life for a VOA cor- landed, it was anything but grace- respondent overseas is not always Uganda. I’m told African ful. The helicopter slammed into that amusing. I have been shot, the ground and slid a hundred shelled, harassed and threatened babies have been named meters on its skids before stop- while covering stories in Africa ping. In all, there were 26 peo- from 1993 to 2000 (after more after me. ple on board — on an aircraft sedate, if not more prestigious, with a normal capacity of eight. I assignments in Europe and at the was astonished, but even more so White House). when I later learned the record during the flood relief But a continent like Africa, where there are actually effort was 32 aboard a similar chopper. listeners and a never-ending supply of human dramas, is, in my view, the best kind of place for a VOA corre- Street Prospecting spondent to be working. It gives you a chance, as VOA Equally amazing, though for a different reason, was historian Alan Heil has written, to be “a voice for the an incident that occurred in Burundi in 1994. I was voiceless.” And you have the most extraordinary expe- driving through a residential area of the capital, riences in the process. Bujumbura, when I spied about half a dozen men in tat- In early 2000 there were thousands of flood victims tered shirts standing knee-deep in the waters of a in Mozambique. While covering the disaster, I one day drainage ditch with shovels, plastic basins and metal flew out with the crew of a South African military res- pails. cue helicopter, a BK-117. It was not a particularly large I stopped and discovered they were panning for gold. helicopter. Its stated capacity was eight people. On the How absurd, I thought. But what made the effort last mission of the day, there were five on board to start worthwhile was that the waste water they were working — the pilot, a co-pilot, two crewmen and me. in originated behind the walls of a villa housing what We flew out to a field of mud and water where a was said to be a secret gold and gemstone processing group of Mozambicans were huddled on the steps of a operation run by a local businessman. building in which they had taken shelter. After a slog The businessman, the gold diggers told me, bought through the field, first a woman with a baby and suitcase raw gold-bearing ore that was smuggled across Lake climbed on board, followed by an elderly man with a Tanganyika from what was then called Zaire. After he water-logged bag of clothes. Then more bodies piled in. crudely refined it, the gold was sold to buyers outside Soon it was so crowded that it was impossible to distin- Africa. In the finishing process, though, tiny amounts guish whose arms and legs were attached to which bod- of gold dust got washed away — and the street prospec- ies. I was crammed deep in the back of the passenger tors of Bujumbura recovered it. They told me they compartment, my body forced into a U-shape by the found about two grams of gold per person a day — not curve of the fuselage, my eyes barely able to look up and a lot, but enough to provide them with an excellent source of income in a country where most people got by Alex Belida is a senior correspondent with Voice of on subsistence-level farming. America, currently assigned to the Pentagon, who has But for every entertaining story I have written over spent more than 30 years in international broadcasting. the years, there have been far more disturbing ones. He is the IBB representative to AFSA’s Governing The Rwandan genocide, clan warfare in Somalia and Board. the civil war in Sudan are among the turmoils I covered

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The Price of Independence Think about all the facets of Foreign Service life that a dozen others who are domestic employees on foreign are, at least in theory, intended to make life a little less excursion tours or limited appointment “contract” cor- stressful, a bit more comfortable and secure. Now take respondents). Attrition and a lack of replenishment them all away. No diplomatic or official passport. No have depleted the ranks. No one has been hired into the embassy housing or furnishings. No cars or drivers. No Foreign Service at VOA as a prospective career foreign customs assistance for household goods. No medical correspondent for more than a decade. care. No APO. No two-way radios or security escorts. No But none of them feels particularly disgruntled or dis- PX or commissary or cafeteria. No duty-free cars or advantaged. Most VOA correspondents consider them- booze. Think of anything else and take that away, too. selves journalists first, not Foreign Service officers. What kind of Foreign Service life would that be? VOA veteran Mike Drudge, now posted in London as a Especially in hardship locations? Probably pretty diffi- roving “fireman,” says he didn’t even know what the cult, and perhaps totally unattractive. Foreign Service was when he was hired. After all, he But that is precisely the way Foreign Service special- notes, he didn’t join VOA to be a Foreign Service officer ists who are correspondents with the Voice of America but to report the news to a worldwide audience. are required to live overseas — totally separated from He says the independence of VOA is essential to the U.S. missions. It is the price they pay to protect their credibility of its news. “I don’t want (our) listeners journalistic independence and integrity from possible thinking VOA journalists are flunkies for the State interference by ambassadors, PAOs and others in the Department,” Mr. Drudge says, adding, “We don’t do “official” American diplomatic community abroad. diplomacy, we report the news, and the VOA Charter and There are, at present, fewer than 10 such tenured, our independence should help us defend that tradition.” fully-sworn and full-fledged VOA specialists (plus about — Alex Belida

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that are well-known. Some of But for every entertaining wearing a filthy T-shirt and tat- the lesser-known human tered shorts hoisted himself out tragedies that I covered occurred story I have written over the and stood on the sidewalk, stretch- in Angola, when it, too, was torn ing and yawning. Thirteen-year- by civil war. years, there have been far old Osvaldo Mingo was followed by several other sleepy-looking Sewer Boys more disturbing ones — boys. One day, returning from the Surrounded by flies, covered airport after a visit to one of the Rwandan genocide, in sores and coughing, they were Angola’s besieged provincial probably the most pathetic street cities, I was riding to my hotel clan warfare in Somalia and children anywhere in Africa. with some aid workers when I They emerged by day to scrounge thought I saw a child crawling the civil war in Sudan. through garbage cans for food into a drain hole by the side of and scooped water from puddles the road. One of the aid workers said she had heard of to drink. People in nearby apartment buildings told me such “sewer boys,” and told me they often were seen the boys sometimes stole but neighbors also occasional- emerging at dawn. ly gave them food. Aid workers said some had run away So I returned the next day as the sun was rising and from their homes in the capital. Others, they said, fled watched as a head popped up from the grimy drain along the embattled countryside and their parents were prob- the curb, followed quickly by two arms. A young boy ably dead.

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Lesser-Known Tragedies Regrettably, I could and chained the patients to I found some other casualties things like bed frames or scrap of war among the mentally dis- only tell his story… auto parts and other heavy turbed imprisoned at Papa objects like truck transmissions Kitoko’s clinic and church on the but that is how VOA or wheel hubs, which they outskirts of Luanda. I went on a dragged behind them as they Sunday, and from the street I correspondents make meandered around the court- could see the patient-parish- yard of the compound. ioners swaying and clapping to a difference. It was not a pretty sight. the music of a church service. Parts of the compound were What I could not see until I went unroofed, exposed to the blister- inside was that some of them were in chains. ing sun. Human waste lay about the yard. But perhaps Kitoko’s facility was the only one dealing with most distressing was the chained man leaning against a Angola’s mentally disturbed at that time in 1997. The wall, who muttered repeatedly in a soft voice that he government had given him a battered ambulance with had been snatched off the streets and deprived of his which he cruised the streets, picking up anyone acting liberty against his will. Regrettably, I could only tell his strangely. Many of his patients were, in fact, former story. soldiers who were said to be violent. At the clinic, Papa But that is how VOA correspondents make a differ- administered his own concoctions of herbs and roots, ence. ■

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VOA’S SPECIAL ENGLISH PROGRAM IS REALLY SPECIAL

INTERESTING AND SUBSTANTIVE, SPECIAL ENGLISH PROGRAMS QUICKLY BECAME SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR ON VOA — AND THEY STILL ARE.

BY SHELLEY GOLLUST

everal American visitors to A Unique Program Chinese cities have recounted similar versions of the fol- Three elements make Special English unique: We lowing experience.S Walking down a street on a warm use a core vocabulary of 1,500 words that are published summer evening, they heard coming from every window in a workbook and posted on our Web site. We write a newscast, spoken very slowly in simple English. They short sentences in the active voice that contain only one could walk the entire length of the street without idea, avoiding unnecessary phrases, idioms and missing any of the broadcast. What they heard was slang. Finally, Special English broadcasters read Special English, one of the most popular products at a slower pace than standard English. This helps of the Voice of America. people learning English hear each word clearly, VOA broadcast the first Special English pro- and enables people who are fluent English speak- gram on Oct. 19, 1959. It was an ers to understand complex subjects. experiment to communicate by radio In many countries Yet while the format is simple, the with people whose native language content is not. We describe complex was not English. Experts said the English teachers require topical subjects in a way that is easy to goal was admirable, but the method understand. would not work. Countless listeners their students to listen Eleven full-time staff members have proved them wrong. and four part-time contract workers Special English programs quickly to Special English write and edit all the news and fea- became some of the most popular on ture programs in a specialized for- VOA, and they still are. Over the years, broadcasts. mat. We broadcast around the world the role of Special English has expand- six times a day, seven days a week. ed. It helps people learn American English while they Each half-hour broadcast begins with 10 minutes of the learn about life and popular culture in the United States latest news, followed by 20 minutes of feature program- and stay informed about world news and developments in ming. A different four- or five-minute feature is broad- science. It provides listeners, including native English cast each day. During the week there are reports about speakers, with information they cannot find elsewhere. important issues in developing countries, agriculture,

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health and medicine, education and The format of up-to- teaching tool — from private teach- economics. The education reports ers in Cuba, to elementary school include a 28-part series, updated the-minute, objective teachers in Thailand, to university every two years, on how foreign stu- professors in Vietnam, China, Japan, dents can study at colleges and uni- news followed by Iran and several other countries. versities in the U.S. The weekend Many Peace Corps workers also use short features are timely background informative features is our materials for teaching English. reports about news events and a Universities, governments and pri- lighthearted program about Ameri- very popular with vate companies adapt Special can idioms and phrases called English materials for use in their “Words and Their Stories.” listeners. own English-teaching projects. These short programs are fol- China National Radio has been lowed by a different 15-minute fea- broadcasting Special English fea- ture each day. These are “This is America,” “Science in tures for several years. the News,” “Explorations,” “The Making of a Nation,” Listeners also are able to learn English on their own. and “American Mosaic,” which includes popular music Prince Norodom Ranaridh of Cambodia visited the and an answer to a listener’s question each week. The Voice of America in 1991, and told then-director Chase weekend shows are “People in America,” about famous Untermeyer that he was able to speak English because Americans from history, business, science and the arts; of VOA. The prince had listened to Special English and “American Stories,” adaptations of short stories. In since arriving in exile in Thailand eight years earlier. a typical week these programs might be about the life A few years ago, another VOA director, Sandy Ungar, and music of Johnny Cash, Asian-American writers, reported after a visit to Vietnam that practically every nanotechnology, the latest exploration of Mars, writing Vietnamese person he met knew and listened to the U.S. Constitution, the American health care sys- Special English. Many people have written to tell us tem, hip-hop music or an adaptation of an award-win- that learning English improved their lives by helping ning novel for young adults. them get a better education and a better job. This format of up-to-the-minute, objective news fol- People around the world practice their listening and lowed by informative features is very popular with lis- speaking skills by recording our programs and playing teners. However, last year, for the first time, Special them repeatedly. In the past, we have received letters English changed its news format during the war in from individuals who make a special effort to listen Iraq. We temporarily suspended our short features and even when our programs are not broadcast in prime expanded the daily news shows from 10 to 15 minutes. time. A group of college students in Iran said they take This new format enabled us to broadcast in-depth turns getting up in the middle of the night to record backgrounders to explain important issues relating to our programs in order to listen and translate them as the war. homework. An older listener in Kuwait wrote to us that before going to sleep he drinks four large cups of warm A Popular Teaching Tool water mixed with fruit juice so he can wake up at 3:30 Though not designed as a teaching program, Special a.m. for the Special English broadcast. English has become a very popular tool for teaching People with Internet access have it much easier. English. In many countries, English teachers require They can listen to our programs any time they want. their students to listen to Special English broadcasts. For the past several years, listeners have been able to Teachers around the world use Special English as a stream or download programs from the Special English Web site while reading the text. And they can receive Shelley Gollust is chief of the Special English Branch of scripts of features every week by e-mail. This e-mail the Voice of America. She has worked for VOA for subscription service is especially popular with listeners more than 20 years. In 1986, she served as community in China whose access to our Web site is blocked by liaison officer at the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem. their government. The Special English Web site,

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www.voaspecialenglish.com, and Typically we receive He says he does this so that fellow our e-mail subscription service are citizens who do not understand among the most popular at VOA. about 500 e-mails and English can get the latest informa- For the past two years, Special tion. English Television has been broad- 100 letters every month But even Americans living over- cast by satellite around the world. seas listen to Special English. Each day, a Special English from all corners Recently I had the pleasure of announcer reads one of the short meeting Francie Bremer, wife of reports on development, agricul- of the globe. Amb. L. Paul (“Jerry”) Bremer, the ture, health, education or econom- chief civilian administrator in Iraq. ics while the text scrolls below. When I told her where I work, I This has proved to be such a good thought I would have to explain all teaching tool that China Educational Television has about Special English. But she knew all about it. She been broadcasting these videotapes, with definitions of and her husband listened to Special English during key words in Mandarin, for almost a year. their early years in the Foreign Service. “We were post- ed to Malawi from 1968 to 1970,” Ms. Bremer said. Devoted Listeners “Jerry was the junior officer there. Everybody would Over the years, Special English has forged a strong listen to Special English. … This was a fascinating time link with millions of people around the world. and we learned all the news about America — from the Listeners in several countries including Nigeria and riots to the moon walk.” ■ Pakistan have formed Special English clubs. While we do not know exactly how many people listen to Special English, we receive much feedback. During one week in June we had a contest, asking listeners to send us an e-mail telling about themselves and their favorite Special English program. During that week, we received almost 500 e-mails from 49 countries. The highest numbers of e-mails came from China, Nigeria, Vietnam, Japan, India and Iran. While these listeners ranged in age from 9 to 75, the largest number were college students, graduate stu- dents or teachers in their 20s and 30s. Although we broadcast many programs about popular music and culture for young people, we were surprised to learn what the respondents listed as their favorite program: our 234-part weekly series about the history of the United States, called “The Making of a Nation.” Several of these listeners said learning about American democracy gave them hope for their own countries. Typically we receive about 500 e-mails and 100 let- ters every month from all corners of the globe. We hear from listeners in Ethiopia and Ghana, Yemen and Iraq, Sweden and Italy, Kosovo and Cuba. We get let- ters from young people in universities and refugee camps. A listener in Eritrea says he translates almost all of our programs into the local language and sends them to the local radio station, which broadcasts them.

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GOING ONLINE AT VOANEWS.COM

VOA’S NEWEST MEDIA ELEMENT AIMS TO REACH OFFICIALS AND PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS WITH ACCESS TO COMPUTERS WHO CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR OWN COUNTRIES.

BY MOLLIE M. KING

OANews.com, which serves up news tions or other formats for handheld devices, as these and information for about two million visitors a month, is become the preferred Web-surfing method in countries VOA’sV newest media element. Launched in November where mobile phones outnumber landlines. 2000, the Web site now averages more than 60,000 visits a day, with six million pages viewed every month. When Why the Web? the Iraq War started, traffic to VOANews.com almost VOA has a 61-year history as a broadcaster, with its tra- doubled as users around the world rushed to get the lat- ditional audience sometimes seen as the shepherd in the est news and U.S. perspective on world events. Usage tent or the migrant in the refugee camp, who has no has remained high — so visitors must like what they see. other access to accurate news and information. But VOA VOA has Web pages for more than 50 language ser- wanted a way to reach a different audience, one that vices, all of which stream their daily audio programs on includes government and NGO officials, university stu- the Web. Nearly 40 services also produce regular unique dents and urban professionals who are comfortable with text and news content on the Web. VOANews.com uses technology and have access to computers at school and the VOA Charter as its guiding mission statement. work. These are the current and future leaders, activists Because VOA’s target audience is entirely outside and decision-makers of the world; they are Web users but the United States, VOANews.com has had to take not necessarily radio listeners, and include many whose accessibility and other factors into consideration more parents listened to the Voice of America but who may not than commercial American news organizations like listen to it themselves. CNN or MSNBC. Most of its users don’t have access These are the people who can make a difference in to broadband connections, and are paying per minute their own countries, based on the information they get for both telephone time and dial-up Internet service. from the Voice of America. They increasingly get their Therefore, VOANews.com offers its Web material as a news online. Busy people with tight schedules that may “full bandwidth” option with pictures, graphics and not match the times that VOA broadcasts locally, they audio and video links, as well as a “low bandwidth” may travel frequently, or no longer live in the “footprint” option in text only. of the VOA broadcast. They need to get their news and Future options might also include wireless applica- information at their own convenience, and at a pace they

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can process, which is best done by reading on the Web. cially useful in circumventing the Web site blocking prac- If they are getting the news in English but speak it as a ticed by the Chinese government to prevent its citizens second language, they can also expand their skills as they from having free access to information. VOA has also listen to the reports while they read. used proxy servers and mirror sites to help the Chinese people find the information they seek. Web Benefits One of the advantages VOA offers compared to other Help for the news sources on the Internet is that its archives are avail- Foreign Service able free of charge. Most newspapers begin charging In addition to helping the overall public diplomacy within a week or two of publication, making it impossible effort by presenting accurate and objective news and to do any extensive research on a topic or region without information about the world, and about American per- racking up a significant bill. Even in the area of multi- spectives and U.S. government policy, the VOA Web site media, many commercial broadcasters charge to see can help Foreign Service personnel in some very real and video or hear audio. A Jupiter research survey of online concrete ways. First, VOANews.com provides a quick adults in March 2002 found that glance at world news headlines, 70 percent could not under- providing a fast way to soak up stand why anyone would pay for the top stories quickly. The online content. A subsequent great benefit of the Internet is Jupiter survey in September that it’s always “on” — you don’t 2002 found that more people in need to wait for a broadcast. So Western Europe were willing to you can usually get a global view pay for online content such as of the news very quickly, at any news, audio and video, but that’s time of day. still the exception rather than Second, Voice of America the rule. VOANews.com offers covers the parts of the world its entire archive without where you are, or where you expense to the user. may be going. VOANews.com VOA uses a content manage- can help you keep up with cur- ment system that allows broad- rent events in your target coun- casters to copy and paste text try or region. When you get a material directly into templates. People with no training new assignment, this Web site can give you a quick read in HTML or other specialized Web production skills are on the region, or even a broad overview of events over able to publish material easily, and maintain the same the past few years. And, unlike CNN, VOA doesn’t just “look and feel” for their Web pages as the rest of cover the Ivory Coast when it’s “hot.” It has a correspon- VOANews.com. dent based in Abidjan who provides regular coverage of In addition to providing audio or video of broadcast events in Ivory Coast and the rest of West Africa. programs, and text of many of the stories, more than 25 Finally, VOA’s most valuable resource is its language language services produce a daily or weekly e-mail sub- services — more than 50 of them — all with something scription service of their news and feature content. For to share on the Internet. If you’re learning Mandarin, English, Special English and Chinese, this has been espe- Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Persian, Dari, Amharic, Kirundi, or any of the other VOA languages, Mollie King is the deputy Internet coordinator for VOANews.com provides an excellent way for you to lis- VOA, and Internet news chief in the English News ten to broadcasts in that language every day and hone Division. An integral part of the team that launched your listening skills and understanding. There’s even a VOANews.com, she has 19 years with the Voice of good chance the service provides news in text on the America, previously serving as an assignments editor, Web site or through an e-mail newsletter, so you can copy editor, and news writer. work on reading skills, too. ■

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RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY: TODAY AND TOMORROW

AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF COMMUNISM, THIS VENERABLE COLD WARRIOR SHIFTED ITS FOCUS TO THE TROUBLED AREAS OF EURASIA AND SOUTHWEST ASIA.

BY THOMAS A. DINE

he caller from Azerbaijan had a behind the Iron Curtain (Radio Free Europe to Central problem. “I own an apartment in Makrorayan, a section and Eastern Europe, Radio Liberty to the Soviet Union). of Kabul,”T he told the moderator of a recent installment That mission almost ceased after the collapse of commu- of “Listeners’ Corner,” a regular program on Radio Free nism. In 1991, a special presidential commission con- Afghanistan. He had lived there for 20 years before flee- cluded that RFE/RL should continue to serve as a source ing to Azerbaijan to escape the repression of the Taliban. of encouragement and factual, analytical support to “Now my daughter and brother-in-law are living in the newly free nations of Central and Eastern Europe and apartment, but some time ago a man who introduced the former Soviet Union as they struggled to build free- himself as Commander Basir’s relative came and threat- market democracies. But in 1993, amid a general reduc- ened my daughter, ordering tion in U.S. funding for her to leave the apartment.” defense and foreign affairs Within hours, Afghan activities, Congress slashed authorities arrived at the RFE/RL’s budget from a man’s apartment, evicted peak of $227 million a year the interloper and returned to a maximum of $75 mil- it to the rightful owners. It turned out that Afghan lion, and set the end of 1999 for the elimination of tax- President Hamid Karzai had been listening to the popu- payer support for broadcasts. lar Radio Free Afghanistan program, and promptly dis- On July 4, 1994 — U.S. Independence Day and the 44th patched aides to look into the matter. anniversary of RFE broadcasting — President Bill Clinton That kind of impact has been the hallmark of Radio formally accepted an offer from Czech President Vaclav Free Europe/Radio Liberty broadcasts for more than 50 Havel and the Czech Government to relocate all of RFE/RL years. from Munich, Germany, to Prague. The move symbolized America’s commitment to democratic development in Cold War Origins Central Europe, and coincided with the creation of the RFE/RL was founded in the early days of the Cold Broadcasting Board of Governors and the reorganization War to broadcast uncensored, accurate information of U.S. international broadcasting under the U.S.

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International Broadcasting Act of It is important to now half the total — are to places 1994. It enabled RFE/RL to where the majority populations streamline and redesign its opera- focus fully on the troubled are Muslim. tions with new efficiency. This shift was underscored The first broadcasts from areas of Eurasia and with the Nov. 28 announcement RFE/RL’s new home in the former that RFE/RL would cease broad- Czechoslovak Federal Parliament Southwest Asia. casts in seven languages to coun- building took place on March 10, tries in Central and Southeastern 1995. In 1999, Congress adopted legislation supporting Europe — countries preparing to join NATO and the the continuation of RFE/RL broadcasts until democracy E.U. — by the end of 2003. Given budgetary con- and independent media have been firmly established and straints, it is important to now focus fully on the troubled consolidated in a country. areas of Eurasia and Southwest Asia where RFE/RL has RFE/RL broadcasts emphasize local and regional rapidly expanded operations in the past six years. developments — so-called “surrogate” radio — in places Before the Iraq conflict, RFE/RL had correspondents where local media remain under authoritarian control or in northern Iraq reporting in Arabic; these reports were where economic chaos, censorship and other threats to used as well by other RFE/RL language services. Once democracy remain. In some places these programs are the war began, it naturally dominated RFE/RL’s news and complemented by Voice of America broadcasts, which in analytical coverage in 2003. Its correspondents were addition to news and analysis present a U.S. perspective embedded with U.S. forces in Iraq, and reported from the on issues and provide information about American life. Kurdish-held North plus elsewhere in the region. RFE/RL broadcasts more than 1,100 hours of pro- Drawing on Radio Free Iraq resources, RFE/RL began to gramming a week in 34 languages from its Prague opera- provide daily reports in Kurdish to the Voice of America tions center to listeners in Central, Eastern and for inclusion in its programming. After major hostilities Southeastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central and ended, RFI quickly established an office in Baghdad and Southwestern Asia. RFE/RL’s location in the broadcast a network of more than a dozen correspondents through- region facilitates the production of relevant, locally ori- out the country representing all of Iraq’s ethnic and ented programming in a cost-efficient manner. Its orga- regional groups. RFI is now on the air 17 hours daily, nization includes the headquarters, 30 bureaus in its including on FM stations in Baghdad and Basra. broadcast region, and more than 1,500 freelancers world- Radio Farda, an around-the-clock service to Iran pro- wide reporting local, regional and international news. duced jointly by RFE/RL and VOA, went on the air in 2002 and now offers news and information coverage an Iraq, Iran and Beyond average of eight hours daily, plus music and features Well before the 9/11 attacks, RFE/RL was emphasiz- designed to attract young listeners (70 percent of Iran’s ing new information products for countries and regions population is under age 30). First-year highlights includ- that are now on the front line of the U.S.-led war against ed live, in-depth coverage of the war in Iraq, including terrorism. In 1994, RFE/RL began broadcasts to the exclusive coverage from inside Iraq; and extensive, live countries of the former Yugoslavia. In 1998, Congress coverage from within Iran of student-led anti-regime mandated that RFE/RL begin a Persian language service protests during June 2003. In response to the early suc- beamed to Iran and establish Radio Free Iraq to broad- cess of the station — and paying Radio Farda the highest cast in Arabic. Since then, this trend has accelerated. of Cold War compliments — the Iranian government Now 19 of RFE/RL’s language broadcasts — more than began jamming the broadcasts and blocking the station’s active, popular Internet site. Thomas A. Dine is the president of RFE/RL. Prior to Since January 2002 Radio Free Afghanistan has his appointment in 1997, he served as assistant admin- broadcast 12 hours daily in Pashto and Dari in a joint 24- istrator for Europe and the New Independent States at hour program stream with VOA. It does live program- USAID. Earlier, he headed the American Israel Public ming from its Kabul bureau, and has expanded its stable Affairs Committee. of correspondents to more than 30 to provide detailed,

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current domestic news and information. aired electrifying coverage from inside the country’s In 2001, RFE/RL increased its daily broadcasting to parliament as it was attacked by masked gunmen who Central Asia and the Caucasus (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, killed the country’s prime minister, parliament speaker Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan) and six other officials. Shots could be heard as an by 50 percent to more than 160 hours weekly. The week- RFE/RL correspondent, huddled under a desk in par- ly audience in Kyrgyzstan is now up to 11 percent of liament hall, reported from her cell phone. adults. Listenership has also increased in the Muslim North Caucasus region of Russia, where programs in New Initiatives Avar, Chechen and Circassian were launched in 2002 at A major change since the end of the Cold War is the the request of Congress. availability of RFE/RL programs on local, rather than Putting together in-depth reporting under battlefield shortwave, frequencies. As of September 2003, RFE/ conditions is hazardous. Radio Free Iraq reporter Sami RL coverage was available on 632 local AM and FM fre- Shoresh narrowly escaped death twice in Iraq, once quencies broadcast by 272 affiliated radio organizations when traveling in a Kurdish convoy mistakenly attacked — an increase of more than one-third in a year. by a U.S. Navy warplane, and again when his car was hit The Internet has also become an important means of by 22 bullets in an attack by pro-Saddam militia forces. delivery of RFE/RL products. The average number of In 2000, RFE/RL Russian Service correspondent Andrei visitors to RFE/RL’s 23 Internet Web sites doubled in Babitsky vanished while on assignment in war-torn 2003 from the previous year, to over 1.8 million monthly. Chechnya. Babitsky, who was abducted and held by In addition, each month RFE/RL electronically distrib- Russian authorities, was released only after nearly six utes nearly 838,000 copies of news and analysis reporting weeks of uncertainty and intense international pressure in English about the countries to which it broadcasts. on the Kremlin. Last year, Radio Free Afghanistan cor- In April 2003, RFE/RL launched an external training respondent Ahmad Behzad was assaulted, detained, and program in Afghanistan. The program, undertaken at the expelled from Herat after he put tough questions to war- request of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and lord Ismail Khan at a news conference about the human unique to U.S. international broadcasting, utilizes the rights situation in Herat Province. Also, in June 2003, expertise of RFE/RL trainers in Kabul, thus fulfilling one two Radio Farda correspondents fled Iran to avoid important aspect of its mission to foster the development detention by the authorities. Threats to RFE/RL’s of independent media. Courses stress the importance of Prague broadcast headquarters have been ongoing since newsgathering, forming contacts, developing news judg- 1998. ment, and keeping to tight deadlines and schedules in an RFE/RL’s recent successes extend well beyond its environment as close as possible to that of a live, working- high-priority broadcasts to Muslim populations. In news setting. A clear measure of the success of the pro- May 2003, RFE/RL’s Belarus Service broke an exclu- gram is the fact that three of the 24 trainees who attend- sive story that was picked up by media outlets world- ed courses from April through July recently secured jobs wide about secret Iraqi government documents found in Kabul’s first commercial music station, Arman FM. by an embedded RFE/RL correspondent in Baghdad Other trainees have become trainers themselves in media that implicated the Belarusian government in illegal NGOs or have increased their responsibilities in their arms trade with the Iraqi regime. “Blitz,” a morning current workplaces. Perhaps most impressive, a female television news program launched by RFE/RL’s student from the third course is now heading up the first Bulgarian Service in 2003, quickly became the top women’s community radio station in northern show in its time slot with a 43-percent market share. In Afghanistan. Serbia, RFE/RL’s South Slavic and Albanian In the past decade, RFE/RL has made many changes Languages Service was the first electronic media outlet to remain relevant to U.S. foreign policy needs. But its to report the assassination of Prime Minister Zoran vital mission hasn’t changed from that celebrated by Djinjdic. President Dwight Eisenhower in a tribute to RFE/RL: Such vivid, timely reports are an RFE/RL trade- “The simplest and clearest charter in the world is what mark. In October 1999, RFE/RL’s Armenian Service you have, which is to tell the truth.” ■

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F OCUSON U . S . B ROADCASTING

RADIO FREE ASIA: A “RARE WINDOW”

RFA HAS TARGETTED THE SWATH FROM HANOI TO HOHHOT AND FROM LHASA TO LUANG PRABHANG TO DEMONSTRATE BY EXAMPLE WHAT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION MEANS.

BY RICHARD RICHTER

very year, the nonprofit Kong, Taipei, Phnom Penh, Dharamsala, Bangkok, U.S. organization Freedom House publishes a map of Seoul, and Ankara. Broadcasts also include reporting press freedomE around the world. The map and accom- from numerous stringers elsewhere around the world. panying narrative rank countries as “free,” “partly free,” RFA follows strict journalistic standards of objectivity, or “not free” — denoted by the colors green, yellow, and integrity and balance. Maintaining credibility among lis- purple, respectively. Year after year, the countries of East teners is RFA’s top priority. Asia, comprising the entirety of Radio Free Asia’s target audience, stand out as a broad, bold, violet sweep. From Hanoi to Hohhot, Lhasa to Luang Prabhang, the media are decidedly unfree. Enter Radio Free Asia, a “surrogate” national broad- caster, delivering news and information relevant to listen- ers’ daily lives in a way the local press would if its jour- nalists could report freely. RFA broadcasts in Mandarin, Cantonese, Wu (Shanghainese), Uyghur, three dialects of Tibetan, Burmese, Vietnamese, Korean, Lao and Khmer. Each language service is staffed entirely by native speak- ers, and the programming of each service is unique.

Setting an Example Exiled Chinese dissident Wang Dan and Hong Kong pro-democracy leader Martin Lee take calls from Incorporated by an act of Congress as a private non- China on June 4, 2003, during one of Radio Free Asia’s profit company in 1996 and funded by an annual grant toll-free, Mandarin-language hotline programs. Wang from the Broadcasting Board of Governors, RFA and Lee’s visit coincided with the 14th anniversary of employs 256 staff and broadcasts roughly 250 hours every the Tiananmen crackdown and an outcry in Hong week. All broadcasts originate from RFA’s Washington, Kong over government plans to pass a draconian anti- D.C., headquarters, with reports from bureaus in Hong subversion bill.

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Broadcasters and editors try to demonstrate by exam- guage programs hosted by former Chinese labor leader ple what freedom of expression really means to a popula- Han Dongfang, regularly break news related to worker tion of listeners who have never experienced it in their unrest in China. Han, a 1989 dissident who now lives and own lives. In practical terms, this means airing balanced, works in Hong Kong, retains a loyal following throughout objective stories and a wide variety of voices and views. China, and he frequently fields calls from Chinese work- For example, when a U.S. reconnaissance plane and a ers whose stories would otherwise remain untold. Chinese fighter jet collided over international waters in In 2002, for example, Han obtained an exclusive inter- early 2001, RFA received calls from listeners who view with the indicted leader of massive worker protests believed the United States was at fault as well as calls that rocked China’s northeastern industrial city of from those who regarded the Chinese pilot’s moves as Liaoyang. In the interview, Wang Zhaoming was unre- provocative. RFA broadcast them all. Chinese listeners pentant, saying, “We did what we did only to survive.” quickly recognized this balance in reporting on a highly Wang was among four workers in Liaoyang arrested controversial incident, and many thanked RFA for giving for organizing demonstrations there in March, briefly airtime to both sides. paralyzing the city. The protesters claimed that their Reporting on these tightly closed countries poses employer, a bankrupt metals-processing factory, had some unique challenges, not least of which is the propen- robbed them of severance pay to which they were enti- sity of Asia’s authoritarian regimes to jam or block recep- tled when the factory failed. The protests, which drew tion of RFA signals. RFA listeners frequently complain tens of thousands of people, touched a nerve among about jamming, which most governments accomplish by Chinese authorities, who fear a major backlash by work- broadcasting at the same time and on the same frequen- ers angered by efforts to transform loss-making state- cy as RFA. Some also try to jam RFA’s Web site, owned enterprises. www.rfa.org. Just as often, however, listeners phone, In 2003 RFA launched a toll-free hotline in the write or e-mail RFA to say that they’re able to listen to its Uyghur language, spoken by the mainly Muslim pop- programming despite jamming, and that it fills a critical ulation of Xinjiang, after a devastating earthquake void in their lives. tore through the remote northwestern Chinese region Gathering information about these countries can also in February. The Chinese government largely pose some difficulties, as obvious news sources are often rebuffed foreign journalists who wished to travel to unwilling or literally unable to speak on the record about the stricken area, but RFA’s Uyghur service was able newsworthy events. In most instances, however, relent- through its hotline to speak directly with earthquake less reporting does turn up all sides of a story — though survivors, who painted a grim picture of disaster-dri- the process may take longer than it might elsewhere as ven hardship in what was already one of China’s poor- reporters must confirm and reconfirm information from est regions. sources who cannot be named on-air. A Rare Window Call-in Programs in China Precise audience research in RFA’s target countries is RFA also broadcasts seven telephone call-in pro- impossible to obtain. Yet even in countries that still hand grams: four in Mandarin and one each in Tibetan, down jail terms or worse to anyone caught listening to Uyghur, and Cantonese. These programs provide a foreign broadcasts, listeners report that they rely on RFA unique window on events in territory under the control of programs and often use ingenious means to circumvent the Chinese government. official jamming. “Labor Hotline” and “Labor Express,” Mandarin-lan- “After listening to RFA, I have seen light and … hope,” one Chinese caller reported. “Please, soldiers, Richard Richter, a veteran journalist, became the first don’t jam RFA’s programs, for your own good and for the president of Radio Free Asia in 1996, soon after it was sake of Chinese people,” said another. chartered. He previously held senior executive positions “All the comrades who listen to Radio Free Asia,” at ABC News, CBS News and the PBS affiliate WETA in a Chinese caller said in May 2003, “can actually hear Washington, D.C. a radio station that speaks the truth. They should feel

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happy and fortunate. This is a rare opportunity ... I ed exhaustive coverage to the deadly SARS virus and its think that all the audience should cherish this rare regional impact. They also covered in-depth North window that allows us to breathe in the air of free- Korea’s declared nuclear program, China’s leadership dom.” transition, Burmese unrest, and Cambodia’s July elec- Even North Koreans, subjected since 1950 to inten- tions. The international commercial media now often sive propaganda and draconian media controls, retain an cite RFA as an authoritative source for news on Asia’s astounding capacity — against all odds — to think for closed countries, which attests to RFA’s growing access themselves, and appreciate honest, factual reporting and credibility. when they hear it. A survey of 200 North Korean defec- Current plans call for stepped-up investigative tors conducted by the Intermedia Survey Institute in reporting and an expansion of RFA’s Web site to June 2003 found that 47 percent had personally modified include more text, more audio, and live streaming of a one-channel radio to listen to foreign broadcasts, call-in programs. although nearly all knew this could land them in re-edu- These initiatives will likely fuel a growing audience cation camps. Forty-two percent reported listening to in East Asia — which, despite assertions to the con- South Korean radio every week, while 17.5 percent trary by authoritarian leaders, has prized the virtues of reported listening to RFA’s Korean-language broadcasts truth-telling and speaking truth to power for cen- (at four hours daily). turies. Asked by a student how he should address a prince, no less venerable a sage than Confucius land- “Tell Him the Truth” ed on the side of unvarnished honesty. “Tell him the Over the past year, all RFA language services devot- truth,” Confucius replied, “even if it offends him.” ■

2000 N. 14th Street ■ Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201 Telephone (703) 797-3259 Fax (703) 524-7559 Tollfree (800) 424-9500

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F OCUSON U . S . B ROADCASTING

IBB EMBRACES THE DIGITAL AGE

U.S. INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING IS EXPANDING THE ESSENTIAL MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS IN AN INCREASINGLY DIGITAL WORLD.

BY ALAN L. HEIL JR.

orty years ago, then-VOA direc- Latin America. tor Henry Loomis was quoted as saying that running the But with the end of the Cold War and the apparent vic- Voice of AmericaF was somewhat akin to manning the tory of capitalism and democracy around the world, critics bridge of an aircraft carrier: just operating the ship was a began to question the need for America to maintain a huge and complex task, and it was impossible to maneu- strong official presence overseas, either diplomatically or ver or change course very quickly. on the airwaves. Those doubts led to a wave of massive Of course, there was no pressing need to alter the ves- funding cuts, increased congressional micromanagement sel’s direction back then, for the life of a U.S. internation- and, eventually, the dissolution of USIA and the creation al broadcasting executive was relatively simple in the of a new bureaucratic structure for U.S. official overseas 1960s. The skipper on the bridge could coordinate his broadcasting operations. programming and technical operations and his budgetary Then came the 9/11 attacks. Terrible as they were, and personnel functions, and set long- they did serve to demonstrate that over- range goals for a one-medium delivery sys- seas broadcasting is essential to our tem. And the consistency of policy and nation’s long-range security. After all, resources helped VOA to blossom as the high-quality, thought-provoking program- nation’s largest government-funded global ming can inspire a new generation of broadcaster, expanding its primarily short- reformers all over the globe: the Mandelas, wave radio operations from Europe and Sakharovs and Walesas of the Arab and Asia into the rest of the world. Islamic worlds and beyond. And there is a That halcyon state of affairs continued real hunger for accurate, objective, in- more or less intact until the early 1990s. depth news and information among over- U.S. international broadcasters such as seas listeners, viewers, and Internet users. VOA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty helped pro- Nations began broadcasting across borders to other vide the intellectual stimulus for the reformers who top- nations 75 years ago. Over the years, they have employed pled the Soviet empire and, in the Voice’s case, fueled the three principal styles of international radio: expansion of democratic governments in Asia, Africa and 1) Propaganda or policy-laden radio. This style was

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prevalent during World War II and the first two decades ingly competitive television markets, and finding ways to of the Cold War. Radio Moscow and Radio Tirana were fully exploit the potential of the Internet. And they must typical examples. But despite rather awesome transmis- do all this on a planet where about half the people have sion systems, neither of these networks ever attracted sig- yet to make their first telephone call. nificant audiences because they lacked an essential ingre- Furthermore, IBB navigators, working with the VOA dient, credibility. director, are confronting the enormous geopolitical 2) Youth-oriented or entertainment radio. From 1985 changes of the post-Cold War era. In particular, as noted, to 1996, VOA Europe exemplified this approach before broadcasting to the Arab and Islamic worlds has become being abolished as part of a number of budget reductions. a high priority. Since 2001, the U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors has created new, predominantly pop-music formats to An “Architectural Monstrosity” attract younger audiences in Arabic and Persian. These IBB Director Seth Cropsey and his staff are respond- programs are heavy on entertainment, light on news. ing to all these challenges from the helm of an unwieldy 3) Fact-based, news and information radio. The pri- organizational structure that is devilishly difficult to man- mary examples over the years have been the BBC and age. International broadcasting veteran Mark Hopkins VOA, which have amassed the largest global audiences once called it “an architectural monstrosity.” Writing in and between them, currently reach a quarter of a billion the Columbia Journalism Review, he commented that, listeners a week. They reflect and offer incisive, objective, “White House and congressional tinkerers have attached on the scene reportage and analysis of events in their own a wing here, a porch there, a shaky cupola on top, and countries as well as the world and regions to which they some dormers jutting from the roof.” broadcast. Today, the International Broadcasting Bureau supports History suggests that the third category of broadcasting VOA and Radio Marti, including their television net- — that is, “full service” programming — is likely to con- works. It provides engineering services for all U.S. gov- tinue to be the most successful model for the 21st centu- ernment-funded overseas broadcast entities (Radio Free ry. Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia and Radios Sawa This fact-based broadcasting, especially if it includes and Farda, as well as VOA and the Martis). Its Office of call-ins with experts in many fields, fosters dialogue with Performance Review evaluates programming content at the new generation of reformers described earlier. It also the Voice and the Martis. inevitably expands the essential marketplace of ideas in an In addition to providing engineering support to all the increasingly curious and increasingly digital world of fer- networks, IBB reports to a U.S. Broadcasting Board of ment and change. The new non-government Arab TV Governors that is increasingly inclined to micromanage networks illustrate how differing viewpoints can begin to day-to-day operations and technical enhancements in the make a difference. As veteran Dutch international networks it oversees. The BBG, in fact, conceived of and broadcaster Jonathan Marks once put it: “We must share pressed for the new networks, Radios Sawa (Arabic) and information, not shout it.” Farda (Persian), and the Middle East Television network The challenges to U.S. publicly-funded international (Arabic). Both METN and an Urdu language station to broadcasting and the IBB have become vastly more com- Pakistan, Radio Aap Ki Dunyaa (Your World Radio), are plex, technically as well as substantively. VOA and its scheduled to launch in 2004. growing array of sister networks are playing catchup, com- The contrast between the organizational structures of peting in a zillion-channel world to reach shortwave and the Loomis and the Cropsey eras is stark. medium-wave (AM) listeners via satellite. At the same Yet the IBB has defied claims by some that federal time, they must move far beyond traditional shortwave bureaucracies are plodding and unresponsive to delivery systems, entering already crowded and increas- change. In just eight days last summer, IBB engineers, working closely with VOA’s Persian Service, expanded Alan L. Heil Jr, a retired deputy director of VOA, is VOA Persian-language TV programs from two to seven author of Voice of America: A History (Columbia days a week at the height of student demonstrations in University Press, 2003). Iran. Those programs, including call-in segments, are

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now a permanent feature of the media scene there. to flesh out and set tangible goals for implementing the They have attracted substantial new, reform-minded BBG’s overall strategic plan. Its main points: audiences. • The need for U.S. international broadcasting has The agency is also utilizing the digital age to capital- never been greater, and sufficient funding is essential ize on the potential for instantaneous communication to meet the challenges of a multimedia age. among expert studio guests in Washington and listen- • U.S. must achieve market dominance as an inter- ers, viewers and Internet gurus in every corner of the national broadcaster in parts of the world that are globe. Call-ins are regularly scheduled on 13 VOA for- strategically important to American interests. eign-language services today, in addition to English. • Managers of U.S. international broadcasting must Some are radio-TV simulcasts videostreamed live on address the perennial problem of time lags between the Internet. when an international crisis erupts and when funding Meanwhile, over the past year, the Office of permits its managers to acquire and deploy equipment Engineering and Technical Operations negotiated more such as high-power, medium-wave transmitters for the than 20 around-the-clock leases of FM stations in the necessary surge broadcasting. Middle East and Africa, helping to increase youth audi- • IBB must make the most effective use of its phys- ences for Radio Sawa and VOA services to Africa; set up ical plant, both in the United States and overseas. This FM stations in four cities in Iraq: Baghdad, Basra, Irbil means providing the most cost effective services to and Suleymania; and constructed or leased powerful AM VOA, VOA/TV and Worldnet, RFE/RL, Radio Free transmitters in Afghanistan, Cyprus and Djibouti. Asia, Radio/TV Marti, Radio Sawa, Radio Farda, and In some countries, notably the People’s Republic of soon the Middle East Television Network. China and Iran, the thought police continue to try to Cropsey singles out two challenges as particularly prevent Western broadcasts from reaching their citi- important: tracking expansion of the Net, and using cell zens. Beijing has heavily jammed VOA shortwave phones as vehicles for transmitting information. Even broadcasts in Mandarin ever since the Tiananmen in many poorer countries, he notes, there’s a tendency crackdown of 1989, and in Tibetan since that service to “leapfrog” from rudimentary communications sys- was established in 1991. For the past several years, tems directly to wireless. As he puts it: “IT technology Chinese authorities have also blocked access to the is changing before our eyes every month.” Web sites of VOA, Radio Free Asia and other Western This vision is already starting to become a reality. broadcasters. Very soon, IBB and VOA will complete a high-visibility IBB Engineering has been active in exploring tech- project that has been five years in the making. Just as nologies such as the use of proxy sites and expanded e- the 2004 presidential primaries start up, “VOA News mail services to counter such interference by centrally Central” will be inaugurated, open to the viewing pub- controlled PRC service providers. As a result, VOA lic from a new visitors’ center. The multimedia news- Chinese Branch e-mails to China have expanded from room will be located at the IBB-VOA headquarters hundreds of thousands to millions of messages a day building, just three blocks from the U.S. Capitol. over the past year. (Using the same technology, Persian Encompassing radio, television and Internet opera- Service and Radio Farda daily e-mails to Iran now tions, the facility will include a new specialized section number in the thousands.) U.S. overseas broadcast designed to serve an innovative “24-hours-a-day” VOA network Web sites also have been blocked from time to multimedia broadcast service to Africa. time by Burma, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Laos, North Korea, The center will stand as a symbol of IBB’s and VOA’s Uzbekistan and Vietnam, prompting IBB to work on a ability — if left intact with their current cooperation global strategy to combat such interference. sustained — to continue practicing in the 21st century what Henry Loomis had in mind when he promulgated VOA News Central the Voice of America’s Charter in 1959: a steady pursuit Looking ahead, Cropsey has won the Broadcasting of knowledge, and a determination to share accurate, Board of Governors’ approval for what he calls “Global objective and comprehensive news and analysis with a Broadcasting Vision, 2010.” The blueprint is designed curious and candid world. ■

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LETTER FROM BAGHDAD

AN FSO RECOUNTS A MEMORABLE RECENT WEEK IN BAGHDAD.

BY BETH A. PAYNE

his morning (Oct. 31) in the wonder- when I was in Kuwait). I yelled for assistance and after ful city of Baghdad, I woke up at 6:00 ordering several guys with tourniquets away (she could and made some coffee. Sitting out in have lost her arm if we’d tied a tourniquet), I found sev- front of the Convention Center and eral men to help carry her down the three flights of stairs. listening to the birds, I watched the I remember calling for a medic once we got to the tail end of the sunrise and felt almost lobby of the hotel, which was already filled with people. normal. Unfortunately, no medic had been stationed at the hotel, This week was a little more exciting than even I would but a former South African special forces officer came to Tlike. Sunday morning (Oct. 26), I had just woken up to help (he’s doing private security here, the most popular the Muslim call to prayer and was lying in bed thinking job in town) and helped somewhat while I continued to about getting up and starting anoth- keep pressure on the arm. After er day. I’d had a really nice Friday what seemed like forever (but off and Saturday was very produc- probably was 15-20 minutes), the tive, so the week had started out I called mom and dad and army ambulance arrived. Because well. Suddenly there were huge there weren’t many medics, I explosions and my room was filled told them I was all right. stayed with the woman in the with smoke — the Hotel al-Rashid ambulance continuing to keep was under attack again, and this was I then started counting the pressure on her arm, using my a big one. other hand to call the State I rolled out of bed, grabbed my casualties as they were Department and tell them of the sandals and phone (we’ll leave the attack. We arrived at the hospital analysis of why I grabbed sandals brought into the hospital. and she was immediately taken and a phone until later — a friend into surgery for two or three hours. grabbed her contacts and makeup The doctors saved her arm and she case!) — and was instantly out of my is doing very well. room. The hallway was filled with smoke and I had almost So, there I was at the 28th Combat Surgical Hospital in reached the stairs when I heard an American woman my green PJs (my favorite PJs!) and sandals, clutching my screaming for help — she’d lost her arm. I ran back and cell phone! I was covered in blood and still somewhat in immediately put pressure on her wound (thanks to State shock, but I called mom and dad and told them I was all Department training on emergency medical assistance right. I then started counting the casualties as they were brought into the hospital. Someone gave me a hospital Beth Payne is the U.S. consul in Baghdad. An FSO since gown, so I could take off my top — but the gown kept 1993, she has served in Kuwait, Tel Aviv and Kigali. On opening and here I was, clutching the front of my gown, Nov. 24, she received a Superior Honor Award and an still wearing my PJ bottoms, carrying a phone covered in Award for Heroism for her service in Iraq. blood. I must have looked like a madwoman!

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I must admit that I rather like having men with guns around!

At one point some officer ordered me away (I had no ID and couldn’t prove who I was), but luck- ily I knew the head of the hospital. He told the guys that I was the U.S. consul and asked them to let me hang around and give assistance to the injured Americans. I actually ended up helping everyone who came in only slightly injured with simple things like making a phone call home, finding clothes for people to change into, and getting a ride to the CPA headquarters (better known as the four-headed palace) for temporary lodging. Some- one eventually gave me a T-shirt and shorts and I was able to clean up a bit. When the lady came out of surgery, I helped her call her family and sat with her for a while until she went to sleep. At some point I managed to shower and then went back to the hotel to pick up a few things for her (and clothes for myself). In particular, she really wanted her glasses since she could not see without them, so I was glad I found them. I was very thankful for my own Lasik surgery; that’s one less thing to worry about in a crisis — I can see! That night I slept in a friend’s trailer (she was in the U.S. on leave) and tried to figure out what to do. The homeless from the hotel were scattered throughout the Green Zone (protected area), with the less fortunate (meaning no friends with empty trailers) sleeping on cots in

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the basement of the palace. I decid- ed that the best and safest place for me would be the spare room in my office. I got permission the next day to move into the Convention Center, and became the only woman living among hundreds of Florida National Guardsmen in a very nice fortress- type building! Unfortunately, I was still at breakfast on Monday (Nov. 1) when bombs started exploding all over the city. I ran to the office of Global Risk Security (a private security company with some of the best peo- ple I’ve ever met, who take care of me and never forget me in a crisis) and listened to a first-hand report from my friend Chris, who had quickly arrived at the scene of the Red Cross car (actually ambulance) bombing. There were a total of eight explosions on Monday morn- ing — luckily, miraculously, no pri- vate Americans were injured or killed. In fact, no private Americans were injured or killed in the Hotel al-Rashid bombing. However, one military officer was killed and four AN INVITATION FOR civilians were injured. I went back to the al-Rashid on SUMMER FICTION Monday afternoon to retrieve the nce again the FSJ is seeking works of fiction of up to 3,000 rest of my things from the hotel Owords for its annual summer fiction issue. Story lines or room. The only thing I lost in the characters involving the Foreign Service are preferred, but not bombing was my World Space radio, required. The top stories, selected by the Journal’s Editorial which was on the window ledge con- Board, will be published in the July/August issue; some of them nected to a small satellite antenna. will also be simultaneously posted on the Journal’s Web site. As I looked out the window, naively The writer of each story will receive an honorarium of $250, thinking my radio might be on the payable upon publication. ground below it, I saw a round hole All stories must be previously unpublished. Submissions in the concrete overhang over my should be unsigned and accompanied by a cover sheet with bulletproof window (the al-Rashid author’s name, address, telephone number(s) and e-mail address. was built by Saddam to withstand Deadline is April 1. No fooling. quite a beating). It turns out that Please also note the following: one of the 20 rockets that slammed • Authors are limited to two entries. into the hotel hit my window over- • Entries will only be accepted by e-mail (preferably in the form of hang but did not detonate; it blew Word or Word Perfect attachments and with the text copied into open the window (which was good the body of the message). because it otherwise would have Please send submissions (or questions) to broken) and shattered the glass in Mikkela Thompson, Journal Business Manager, at the other windows. Everything else [email protected]. in the room was perfect except for a

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2004 AFSA AWARD FOR CONSTRUCTIVE DISSENT I became the only “...I thank you for speaking out, having woman living among the courage of your convictions ... that’s hundreds of Florida what my people are National Guardsmen supposed to do. I encourage all of my in a very nice fortress- people to stand up for what they believe, speak type building. out, let us know what they think.” —Colin L. Powell layer of gray dust — amazing! I’ve Secretary of State never felt so lucky! So I’m now resettled into the Make an awards nomination and earn a one year Journal Convention Center (the envy of others subscription for the school of your choice. Go to who are still in the basement of the www.afsa.org/awards.cfm or call toll free 800 704-2372. palace) and am ready for anything! It’s Deadline: February 2004. going to be a rough few weeks — there’s been at least one bombing each day so far, and people in town are pret- ty scared. I’ve told my staff not to come in on Saturday and Sunday and am going to take it easy for the next few days just in case something big columbia plaza happens. Luckily, I have the Global apartments guys who call me several times a day, Capital Living With Comfort and Convenience and tell me if I need to come stay with 24 Hour them (which I did several times). I Fitness Center must admit that I rather like having men with guns around! So, I was very ready to board the plane on Nov. 19 for a brief R&R and take a nice break from the excitement!

Toll Free 1-888-240-5131 I have a new appreciation, though, for Utilities Included what it’s like for you all on this side of Complimentary Voice Mail Beautiful and Spacious: Courtyard Style Plaza the world as I am now worrying about Efficiency $1,100 - $1,250 Polished Hardwood Floors everyone I love and care for back in Private Balconies 1 Bedroom 1,400 - 1,700 Huge Walk-in Closets 2 Bedroom 2,100 - 2,700 Baghdad. I realize that I can’t just leave Baghdad behind, even for a few 2400 Virginia Ave., N.W weeks of R&R! 24 Hour Front Desk Washington, D.C., 20037 Garage Parking Avaliable Tel: (202) 293-2000 P.S. Check out my updated Web Controlled Access E-mail: [email protected] site: http://www.geocities.com/betha Potomac River Views Minutes to Fine Dining payne/usconsulbaghdad/BaghdadBl Newly Renovated Kitchens Office Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8:00 AM-5:30 PM ues.htm — I put in a photo of my Sat 10:00 AM-4:00 PM new room. I promise to take more Directly across the street from Main State, minutes to Kennedy Center and Georgetown photos! ■

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LATIN AMERICA: BACK ON THE RADAR SCREEN?

THE 9/11 ATTACKS DERAILED THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION’S PLANS FOR A “CENTURY OF THE AMERICAS.” BUT NOW THAT VISION MAY BE GETTING BACK ON TRACK.

BY GEORGE GEDDA

t the outset of his administration, erences to Latin America: the newly enacted free trade agree- President George W. Bush signaled his ment with Chile and the goal of a hemisphere-wide free trade intention to make Latin America a key accord by early 2005. focus of his foreign policy. During an Missing was any mention of other hemispheric issues, such April 2001 hemispheric summit, he as the potentially explosive political upheaval in Venezuela, outlined to fellow heads of government the general economic malaise throughout Latin America, and his dream of making this “The Century what appears to be a worsening crisis of governance in much of the Americas,” declaring: “We have a great vision before us: of the region. Even the perennial issue of narcotics came up Aa fully democratic hemisphere, bound together by good will just once — and not in reference to Colombia, the world’s and free trade. That is a tall order. It is also the chance of a largest exporter of cocaine, but to North Korea and its pen- lifetime.” chant for state-run trafficking in heroin and other illicit drugs. Secretary of State Colin Powell offered similar rhetoric The attention Powell actually devotes to the hemisphere is during a Sept. 9, 2003, swearing-in probably somewhere between the ceremony for the new assistant secre- contrasting extremes of the two tary of State for Western Hemi- Latin America’s speeches. This past June, he took sphere affairs, Roger Noriega. part in a meeting of Organization of Powell told a room full of Latin democratic development American States foreign ministers in American envoys that, “There is no Chile (an annual event that some of region on earth that is more impor- generally has not been his predecessors routinely skipped), tant to the American people than the and he also made a stop in Argentina. Western Hemisphere. This is our accompanied by gains in During two hectic days in November, home. This is our neighborhood, and he traveled to Panama, Nicaragua we are bound to our neighbors by the the social sphere. and Honduras. Meanwhile, a parade deepest ties — ties of family, ties of of Latin American presidents have business, ties of culture.” visited Bush in the Oval Office. He Yet, from a political perspective, Powell left a different and Powell will attend a hemispheric summit in Mexico this impression just six days later about the importance of hemi- month. The main issues are expected to be economic growth spheric ties during an address — one of his longest as and democratic development. Secretary of State — delivered at the George Washington Jorge Castaneda, who stepped down as Mexican foreign University. The speech, a comprehensive foreign policy minister in early 2003, believes there is not much substance analysis covering 8,000 words, contained just two fleeting ref- to U.S.-Latin American ties, aside from the ambitious trade agenda. “In the post-Sept. 11 world, Latin America finds George Gedda is the State Department correspondent for itself consigned to the periphery: it is not a global power cen- the Associated Press. ter, but nor are its difficulties so immense as to warrant imme-

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diate U.S. concern. In many ways, “But too often they still suffer from the region, at least in terms of U.S. weak governments and ineffective attention, has become once again an Compared with its grim institutions. In too many places, rule Atlantis, a lost continent.” of law and property rights are honored past, this is a rare period mainly in the breach. Children are Democracy Emerges not being educated for jobs in a global- That description may be excessive of hope for Central izing world or being educated for citi- but it is true that threats to the United zenship in a democracy. ... In too many States from nations to the south are America. countries in our hemisphere, health minimal, particularly when compared care systems are failing. Corruption to the “other hemisphere” to which still saps the marrow of democracy. Powell devotes the great bulk of his Economic stagnation and even deep time. Terrorism in the hemisphere is recession retard development.” generally limited to acts by illegal tion, of course.) Consider- Latin America’s inability to develop armed groups in Colombia and, most ing Latin America’s grim history of strong institutions to deal with its prob- importantly, there are no known military dictatorships, this is no small lems is becoming increasingly worri- unconventional weapons anywhere in achievement. some. The depth of the dilemma was the region. (Argentina and Brazil flirt- eloquently underscored by Mario ed with acquiring nuclear weapons a Falling Short on Development Vargas Llosa, the Peruvian novelist generation ago but eventually dropped The big disappointment for who is widely admired as one of the the idea.) Nearly all Latin American Washington, not to mention the region hemisphere’s most astute thinkers. and Caribbean nations earn good itself, is that Latin America’s democra- In Latin America, he said in a grades for keeping the peace and tic development generally has not speech in Spain, “there is a total lack of shunning arms races. been accompanied by gains in the confidence, on the part of the They also are doing better at avoid- social sphere. Precise figures are hard immense majority of the people, in ing the scourge of dictatorship. to come by but there are said to be 160 institutions, and that is one of the rea- Thirty-four nations of the region are million Latin Americans and citizens sons why our institutions fail. now bound together by the Inter- of Caribbean nations who live in “Institutions cannot flourish in a American Democratic Charter, a extreme poverty — nearly a third of country if the people don’t believe in region-wide commitment to promote the region’s half-billion residents. In them, if people ... see in them not a and defend democracy in the hemi- fact, the area is actually less prosperous guarantee of security or of justice, but sphere. In fact, the 9/11 suicide than it was a decade ago, according to precisely the opposite.” bombers struck on the very morning Stephen Johnson, who examined the He then outlined his own experi- Powell was in Peru for a ceremony to region’s socio-economic conditions in ence as a former resident of England ratify that document. The bombings an October study for the Heritage to provide a concrete example. In forced him to cut short his visit. Foundation. England, he said, “something curious Between 1979 and 1990, all Latin This has produced a political fall- happened to me. I didn’t feel nervous American military leaders stepped out, as Powell noted in his Sept. 9 when I passed a police officer. In aside, allowing elected civilians to take speech, when he alluded to the “lin- Peru, I had always felt, when in the power, though the armed forces have gering dissatisfaction” with what the presence of a policeman, a certain ner- retained a significant — and detrimen- democratic evolution in Latin America vousness, as if that policeman in some tal — political role in some countries, has wrought. sense represented a potential danger notably Guatemala. “Men and women have sacrificed to me. ... In Peru, as in most of Latin Except for unconstitutional changes and they want to see results in their America, people have good reason to of government in Haiti (1991) and pocketbooks, in their pay packets, in feel alarmed when they come across Suriname (1980), democratic pro- their polling places, but above all, in someone in uniform, because there is a cesses have been respected through- their homes by their ability to put food good chance that the uniform will be out the region since a 1976 military on the table, to bring a roof over the used, not to defend their safety, but to coup in Argentina. As Powell repeat- head of their families, to see their chil- shake them down.” edly notes, 34 of the hemisphere’s 35 dren grow up to have a better future Frustrated by dysfunctional institu- nations hold competitive elections on than they do, to see more opportunity tions, Latin American voters some- a regular basis. (Cuba is the excep- in their lives,” Powell said. times look to presidential candidates

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who promise change. Brazilians, for Washington is Chavez’s willingness to Powell showed his disregard for the example, veered to the left in 2002 allow leftist rebels in Colombia to Mexico City conference by not bother- when they elected Luiz Inacio Lula da make use of territory in western ing to show up. In the end, the con- Silva, head of the Workers Party, as Venezuela as a springboard for attacks ference approved a statement that president. “Lula,” as he is universally inside Colombia. Colombian Presi- embraced the views of both Mexico known, has turned out to be more dent Alvaro Uribe has emerged as per- and the United States. It acknowl- pragmatist than doctrinaire leftist, and haps Washington’s favorite president in edged the legitimacy of Washington’s is widely admired in much of the hemi- the hemisphere. He wants his country concerns about transnational threats sphere. President Bush greeted him out of the drug export business and has but also accepted Mexico’s position warmly when he visited the White accelerated efforts to eradicate coca. that poverty and other social issues House in June. He also has been stepping up the war deserve attention as well under the Venezuelans broke with 40 years of with the leftist FARC and ELN rebels hemispheric security umbrella. centrist politics in 1998 by electing while attempting to negotiate the Mexico’s decision to go to the mat populist Hugo Chavez as president, demobilization of the AUC, a rightist with the United States on the security reflecting widespread disgust with the paramilitary group. issue reflects the complexity of cross- country’s traditional parties. But border relations. On the whole, 2003 Chavez appears to have made a bad sit- Redefining Security Threats was not a good year for U.S.-Mexican uation worse. He has presided over a In October, Mexican President relations. Much to Fox’s chagrin, it dramatic decline in the country’s eco- Vicente Fox convened a meeting of marked yet another year in which nomic fortunes. He befriended Fidel hemispheric foreign ministers to rede- there was little measurable progress in Castro and Middle East radicals, lead- fine hemispheric security. He pointed Mexico’s hopes for a fairer shake for ing many to worry that he plans to shut out that inter-American concepts on the four to five million Mexicans who down Venezuela’s democratic process- this issue have not been revised since live and work illegally in the United es in favor of a more authoritarian the Rio Treaty, a mutual defense pact, States. approach. A referendum on his rule was signed in the Cold War year of Mexico wants legal status for these may be held in early 2004. Meanwhile, 1947. Citing his belief that the real people, but in the post-9/11 environ- U.S. officials are becoming increasing- threats to hemispheric security are ment, there has been little enthusiasm ly concerned about what they see as a poverty, disease and environmental in Congress for rewarding Mexicans joint effort by Chavez and Castro to degradation, Fox had already with- who entered the United States illegal- nurture anti-American sentiment in a drawn Mexico from the treaty in 2002. ly. There is more interest in expanding number of Latin American countries His stand may also reflect Mexican a program that allows Mexicans to with money, political tutoring and weariness with constant American enter the country as guest workers for training. pressures to combat narcotraffickers a set period. Rather than taking the In Bolivia, a pro-American presi- and to ensure that the border area is lead itself, the administration seems dent, Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, was not a gateway for terrorists wishing to content to let Congress carry the ball deposed in a political uprising in enter the United States. on immigration reform. It’s hard to October. U.S. officials are convinced Mexican Foreign Minister Luis overestimate the importance of that Chavez financed the Bolivian Ernesto Derbez gave voice to this frus- Mexican immigrants to the Mexican opposition and say that may have con- tration in a September speech in economy: $14.2 billion in remittances tributed to Sanchez de Lozada’s down- which, without mentioning the United during 2003, according to a new study. fall. At present, the most popular States by name, he said, “No state can And as Bush himself has noted, they political figure in Bolivia appears to be impose on another its own security help the U.S. economy as well. Evo Morales, known for his hostility to agenda nor the order of its priorities.” Mexico is not alone among hemi- capitalism and his support for Bolivian The Bush administration argues spheric countries in its eagerness to farmers who grow coca, the raw mate- that the Rio Treaty is still applicable, score political points at American rial for cocaine. Bolivia not long ago pointing out that other dangers have expense. Latin American and Carib- qualified as a U.S. favorite in the emerged to replace international com- bean nations banded together at the Andes, with its pro-growth policies and munism, such as terrorism and drug Organization of American States meet- its determination to destroy the narco- trafficking — threats that it believes ing in Chile last June to defeat the U.S. trafficking industry. Now its course is are best dealt with collectively. candidate nominated to serve on the highly uncertain. Signaling Washington’s view that Inter-American Commission on Another cause for anxiety in Fox’s initiative trivializes grave dangers, Human Rights, an arm of the OAS.

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There was no open debate on the merits of the U.S. candidate, Rafael Martinez, brother of HUD Secretary Mel Martinez. But several delegates privately expressed doubts about his qualifications. He is a Cuban-born lawyer who is best known for his expertise in medical malpractice and health law. Martinez’s defeat means that the commission for the first time will not have a U.S. representative. The vote also may have reflected hemispheric dissatisfaction with America’s unbending hostility toward Cuba. Many countries oppose Wash- ington’s long-standing campaign to punish the island through a policy of economic denial. So does a majority of the U.S. Congress. Both houses approved amendments in 2003 to ease restrictions on travel to Cuba. A pres- idential veto threat doomed the effort. With its eye on the Florida vote in the November elections, the administra- tion is working on a plan to hasten a transition to democratic rule in Cuba. A spring announcement is planned.

Central American Warmth Against a backdrop of generally live better. unwelcome developments in the brand new luxury high rise : fully appointed one, one bed- hemisphere in 2003, Powell’s early room dens and two bedroom corporate suites : state of the art fitness and business centers : heated outdoor lap pool : November trip to Central America custom made mahogany furniture : fully equipped kitchens : luxury towels and linens : soft, firm or hypoallergenic pil- was a pleasant surprise. Nicaraguan low selection : weekday club breakfast serving Starbucks® President Enrique Bolanos and Coffee : afternoon Tazo® Tea : digital premium cable and high speed internet : 27” and 20” sony wega tv and dvd : Honduran President Ricardo Maduro sony cd stereo : free local phone : on-site management, both lavished praise on the United maintenance, housekeeping : concierge services : walking distance to ballston common mall, ballston and virginia States and endorsed the U.S. notions square metro stops of the requirements for good gover- nance and economic growth: open markets, free trade, transparency in government, the rule of law and rooting out corruption. Powell was also well received in Panama, where he attended ceremonies marking the country’s 100 years of indepen- korman communities arlington dence. CORPORATE SUITES No region in the hemisphere has been more supportive of the U.S. arlington, va 880 north pollard street effort in Iraq than Central America. 866.korman.4 : kormancommunities.com Honduras and El Salvador each dis- patched 360 troops to assist the U.S.-

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the problems are still very basic and severe: poverty, economic develop- On the whole, 2003 ment, social development, political development, education of young was not a good year people, health care — all the stan- dard issues that all developing coun- for U.S.-Mexican tries have to deal with.” A big test for U.S.-Latin American relations. relations will come this year. Every nation in the Western Hemisphere except Cuba will be working against a January 2005 deadline for approval of the proposed Free Trade Area of the led coalition in Iraq, while Nicaragua Americas. sent 120. (The only other Latin Bush wants to build on what he American country with troops in Iraq sees as the huge success of the North “Postcards from the Past” is the Dominican Republic, with American Free Trade Agreement. By Sam Oglesby 300.) Combined, these forces are He says trade among the United assisting a Spanish-led brigade in States, Canada and Mexico has more “Postcards from the Past” takes south-central Iraq. No South Ameri- than doubled since NAFTA took the reader on a journey through can country has offered troops. effect in 1994. time and many places; from Trade expansion is the prime issue He predicts a similar trade explo- Southeast Asia to Europe to the streets of New York City. These on the U.S.-Central America agenda. sion if free trade were to extend from are all true stories. Some are The United States is negotiating a free Alaska to Argentina, a community of humorous, some poignant; trade agreement with Guatemala, El 800 million. Critics, of course, argue others are filled with intrigue and Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and that free trade has led to the export of murder. They are all fascinating Costa Rica (Panama and Belize are U.S. jobs and the hollowing out of tales which will resonate with not included). If and when the agree- America’s manufacturing capability. readers who have spent much of ment is signed and ratified, it should Some also question whether Mexico their lives overseas. Sam Oglesby offer the promise of a better econom- and Canada have actually benefited worked as a diplomat and ic future for the region. from NAFTA. international civil servant and has Compared with its grim past, this is An FTAA agreement is likely, but spent most of his life in Asia. In a rare period of hope for Central one that is far less ambitious than what this memoir covering more than fifty years of adventure, he takes America. Powell has firsthand recol- was originally contemplated because us through palaces, slums, war, lections of the 1980s, a period when, differences on some issues could not earthquakes and even a hangover as a high-ranking military officer, he be overcome, including complaints, as well as exploring the feelings personally helped persuade El mostly from Brazil, about U.S. farm of loneliness and isolation which Salvador’s military brass to surrender subsidies, and U.S. insistence on mea- are sometimes a part of Foreign power, exhorted members of Congress sures to protect intellectual property Service life. to support the Nicaraguan Contras in rights. Hemispheric trade officials their fight against the leftist Sandinistas decided that these issues are more Postcards from the Past and planned for the 1989 U.S. invasion appropriately handled by the World ISBN# Hardcover 1-4134-1202-5 ISBN# Softcover 1-4134-1201-7 of Panama that deposed Manuel Trade Organization rather than a Published through Xlibris Antonio Noriega. The peace that pre- regional trade group. But rather than Tel: 888-795-4274 ext 276 vails on the isthmus nowadays is a wel- await WTO action, the Bush adminis- (phone orders) come change. tration is working out bilateral free Heading home on Nov. 4 after his trade agreements with a number of To Purchase Central America visit, Powell out- eager Latin American countries out- Order by phone or online at lined to reporters the promise and side the FTAA. www.Xlibris.com the problems of the region: “There’s Whatever the outcome, the trade www.bn.com or visit your local been so much progress on the road to issue is giving Latin America more bookstore democracy and economic reform, but prominence than usual on the admin-

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MAKING INSTITUTIONS OUT OF PROJECTS

AD HOC AID PROJECTS OFTEN WORK VERY WELL. BUT EVEN THE BEST ONES USUALLY DON’T PAVE THE WAY FOR LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS TO DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS.

BY JAMES OLSEN

he U.S. Agency for International differently about how we design, implement and evaluate Development and other aid agencies assistance projects. Let me illustrate this by giving some have carried out literally thousands of “lessons learned” from a five-year USAID-sponsored edu- international development projects in cation project I worked on as chief of party in the the Third World over the years, in Dominican Republic during the 1980s. From speaking to addition to their ongoing assistance professionals working on social projects, it is clear these programs. Such projects are generally issues still pose difficulties. ad hoc efforts lasting from six to 24 months carried out by Texpatriate specialists, who use limited funding to achieve Project Design specific short-term objectives It is crucial to begin with an accurate definition of the Often these projects work very well, as far as they go. problem the assistance is meant to remedy, rather than But even the best of them tend to share one serious flaw: relying on the answers provided by models, experts, stud- they don’t pave the way for institutions that can prevent ies, and local government officials and bureaucrats. The the problems the project addressed from recurring or best way to accomplish this is to talk to the people who live apply the approach to address other needs. And certain there and will be affected by what’s done. If it’s an educa- problems, such as helping children without access to tional project, start with the teachers and parents. If it’s an schools or assisting expectant mothers who lack prenatal agricultural project, start with the campesinos who farm. health services, are best addressed institutionally. This can If it’s a water project, start with the people who need the be done through creating a new organization on the water. ground or a new capacity for an existing agency to provide Instead, we tend to impose an extant “model” — a par- goods and services to unserved citizens. However it is ticular technology or methodology — that has worked else- done, such “institution-building” is central to a country’s where. (In education, it may be team-teaching, pro- social and economic growth. grammed instruction, radio education, or audiovisual To make this outcome more common, we have to think instruction, to name a few.) The trouble with this approach is that even models that have succeeded in simi- James T. Olsen is an international consultant currently liv- lar places may not suit the physical, cultural or social real- ing in Mexico. He has been an editor-in-chief at McGraw- ity in which they are to be applied in the recipient country. Hill Publishing, an educational expert for the Organization It is also important to realize that the host-country min- of American States, and a chief of party with USAID in the istry helping to implement the project may know as little Dominican Republic. He holds a B.A. and M.A. in 17th- about the realities of life in an impoverished rural area as century English literature from Columbia University and a the foreigners do. I discovered that our Ministry of Ph.D. in international education and economics from The Education counterparts in Santo Domingo had never even Union. visited the southwest region of the country where the pro-

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ject I was responsible for was to be based. At that time, dinner in an air-conditioned hotel back in the capital. there was no highway, the heat was intense, most of the Ultimately, however, it’s the people carrying out the area was desert, and the population was highly impover- project who make it work — or fail. International aid ished. Why would anyone in his right mind want to go agencies usually don’t recruit monomaniacs with mission- there? ary zeal, but that’s what it takes to turn a short-term project The few government officials who did work in the into a self-sustaining institution. An entrepreneurial type region regarded it as a form of exile, and because of the is ideal for this because he or she has the motivation to cre- difference in social status between them and the locals, ate something out of nothing. But the agencies prefer they were not fully aware of just how bad conditions were. cooler types with a Ph.D. (the more specialized, the bet- Nor were they keen to find out. ter). Nevertheless, the officials had Most host countries like the plenty of statistics and baseline stud- Ph.D.s, too, because they show the ies at their fingertips. For instance, Institution-building is international agency is sending its they assured us that a census had “best” people. But speaking as a just been taken and that there were central to a country’s Ph.D.-holder myself, I have to admit 5,000 children in the area without we aren’t always the best choice. We access to schools. When we actually social and economic are used to competent support staff, went to the communities to talk to telephones and computers that work, our future clients, however, we had growth. a social setting much like a corpora- to leave the jeep behind and walk tion or university, and cultural several miles up the mountains amenities like movies and restau- where coffee was grown and down rants and museums. We are often into coastal areas where the sugar cane was cut in order to overspecialized and not too concerned about what are reach the remote villages. The census takers had not done properly called business and political matters. We also like this and six months into the project we discovered there abstractions and are sometimes unaccustomed to address- were actually 250,000 children in the area without access ing practical problems like project workers stealing gaso- to schools! This misinformation was extraordinarily costly; line, or selling powdered milk meant for malnourished for example, we would have been better off from a cost children on the black market, or figuring out how to reach and outreach perspective to use available satellite technol- a given community when it’s flooded four months out of ogy rather than repeater radio signal towers. (But we stuck the year. Sure, you need to know what you are doing but with the towers, by the way.) that doesn’t necessarily mean you need a Ph.D. to do it. Even when background data are reliable, site visits Personally, I think some of my best preparation for over- should still be made by the people who are going to do the seas work took place on the streets of the low-income actual work, not by “project designers” who draft a project neighborhood in the Bronx where I grew up. paper and then leave. Making matters worse, all too often the project designed by one so-called “expert” is carried The Host Government out by another “expert.” The designer never understands There are lots of reasons why the governments of Third why his or her plan wasn’t actually carried out and the per- World countries want international projects. Sometimes son implementing the project thinks that the original they want them for the cash or the physical inputs (i.e., design was clearly insane. (Both are correct, of course.) equipment). Or they may want to curry favor for a devel- Money should be budgeted so that the future project opment loan they are seeking. In some countries, it may workers can travel to the area and experience the actual con- be for the prestige. In our case, in the Dominican ditions they will be working in for long enough to check the Republic, it was because the population in the targeted accuracy of the available reports. In that way, we can avoid region were now voting in significant numbers and the doing projects that will cease to exist when the money runs government wanted to show those voters that it was con- out and the foreigners leave — as happens all too often cerned and was actually helping their children. when the strategic decisions about a program are made over Finally, it may be, as it was with our project, that one

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person in the ministry is personally In the resulting collision of committed to the initiative. Having interests, the clients came last. a backer like that is good news if it is The best way to target Ultimately, you can’t build an institu- necessary to push the bureaucracy tion unless everyone shares a com- along, but if that person leaves, you assistance is to talk to mon vision — and when they don’t, may have no constituency for what is the vested interests opposing change to be done — especially if the project the people who almost always win, unless the interna- involves change. tional agency has the courage of its In fact, change — even for the will be affected by convictions and a heavy hammer to better — is often perceived as a use on the client. And because most threat to the status quo and therefore what’s done. aid agencies lack the political will to the position of the special interests even to engage in the conflict — as already operating there. In our case, many agency officials say, “we want to for example, we argued that a non- make friends, not enemies” — the formal education project didn’t people who would have been served replace conventional schools but lose. simply supplemented them. That So the question arose, who was rationale was effective for a while, supplementing whom? The Minis- Staff Training and Finance but then four things happened to try of Education, no matter how A project that is an innovative undermine our position. The power- much we extolled their efforts and experiment does not normally ful governmental official who had emphasized the importance of for- require heavy staffing because the grown up in the region and had suc- mal schools, perceived us as under- focus of the effort is on identifying cessfully fought for the project was mining their programs because they research results along specific replaced for political reasons. Next, were never really committed to non- dimensions. But if you are building the project was placed directly under formal education anyway. They an institution, creating a human the control of the new minister of wanted more traditional schools and infrastructure for the future, you education, who was also the head of more teachers even though hun- need to train people intensively in all the teachers’ union. She had always dreds of thousands of youngsters phases of the work so they can keep seen the project as a threat to union would go unserved. (Under even going after the foreign staff have left, power because our teachers were the most favorable economic projec- the money has been spent, and the unpaid paraprofessionals we had tions for the country there was not project is over. Everyone on the recruited from the local community enough money for conventional staff, down to the porter and clean- and trained. Then an economic cri- school programs to meet the current ing lady, needs to understand what sis meant that the 150 Dominican or future demand.) the project is about, why it is impor- Education Ministry project staff The situation soon resembled tant, and how it will serve the people were not paid for six months. “Roshamon,” with everyone involved of the country. Furthermore, they The coup de grace, however, was seeing the project differently. For need to learn how to participate in our very success. As measured by the international cosponsor of the decision-making — a new experi- tests, our children were learning project, the project was an educa- ence for many, particularly in tradi- more and faster than the students in tional experiment to see if numeracy tionally authoritarian, hierarchical the conventional schools with and literacy skills could be taught via societies. Understanding and faith trained, licensed teachers. Here we radio. The Ministry of Education are the cornerstones of institution- were, teaching in thatched structures saw it as a temporary, stopgap pro- building. paid for and built by the community, gram to help unserved people. We, This also means that you have to staffed by unpaid volunteers, and the three expat project staff, were change the time period of the project transmitting lessons via the radio at trying to build an institution to serve and allow more time for the same about 20 percent of the cost of a for- the many hundreds of thousands of amount of work to be produced. mal school setting. Due to the trans- Dominican kids without access to (Five years, I think, is a lot better parency of our research, people were schools. And for the subcontractor than three.) I am always amused that bound to ask what our success said for whom we worked as direct hires, no matter how much Washington about the efficiency and cost of the project was simply a wonderful bureaucrats extol the virtues of for- Dominican schools. chance to make money. eign staff participation, we will read-

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The host-country , ministry helping to implement the project may know as little about the local situation as the foreigners do.

ily sacrifice participation for perfor- mance — because that is how we ourselves are judged. “Did you bring it in on time and within bud- get?” Once institutionalization becomes a stated goal, all staffing, budgeting, administration and scheduling func- tions have to be regarded somewhat differently. This will affect many of the host government’s decisions regarding its own counterpart contri- bution. As to financing, in a bilateral arrangement neither government may have the long-term resources to sustain the project. At best, we or they may be able to pay part of the bill. So we need to think about the type of future organization we want. Perhaps it shouldn’t rely wholly on public sector revenues. Maybe it will be able to raise money in the corporate sector or from the clients themselves or from private founda- tions, or even all three sources. To provide the necessary flexibility, a parastatal format might be called for. Or maybe a nonprofit organizational format might work. Once the pro- ject is up and running, these deci- sions need to be made early on so there is enough time to gear up for the fundraising that will inevitably

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have to take place. more concerned about his own Cost considerations are also para- career than about how effective U.S. mount. The institutional budget Part of the problem is assistance programs are; the Third should factor out expat salaries and World official seeking to plunder the initial capital expenses but should fac- that one-time projects project’s resources. The list goes on tor in recurrent costs. I remember and on, suggesting we need not new once reviewing a development bank’s can be swept under the techniques or even new ideas so capital expense budget for building much as a new ethos to inform and schools. No one had factored into the rug while big, expensive give meaning to what we do. loan document the recurrent costs of On the other hand, we have maintaining and repairing the struc- programs can smart, committed people working in tures, which run about 10 percent of our government who have the skills the capital costs per year. I pointed damage careers. and the background to accomplish out that under the prevailing eco- some remarkable things. So these nomic conditions, there was no way initiatives can succeed, creating these countries could afford to pay broad constituencies for the project’s back the loans and keep the proposed benefits. And if we focus our atten- new schools in repair. Silence greet- 18 studies, ranging over every type of tion on comprehensive strategies to ed my comment and we moved on to conceivable project. That an agency deliver those benefits, rather than other matters. Clearly, the develop- could critique itself so incisively and so one-shot “quick fixes,” we could ment bank school construction loans thoroughly is a remarkable achieve- weed out those countries that really were going to be made even if the ment — and that knowledge, experi- don’t want change anyway and focus countries couldn’t afford the upkeep. ence and institutional intelligence are on those desperate and smart Economic decisions are often made there to be used. enough to make a genuine commit- by politicians who have other agen- Part of the problem is that one- ment. We could have a real partner das. time projects can be swept under the rather than someone just along for rug while big, expensive programs the ride. Defining Success receive publicity that can put profes- Only a thorough evaluation will Evaluation is the great stepchild sional careers on the line, and per- make that possible, however. of all assistance projects. Why spend haps even damage the bilateral rela- Usually, the U.S. embassy in the money finding out how successful tionship if they don’t succeed. And country is best suited to conduct you were ... or how you miserably there are certainly many ways for such an assessment and do the nec- failed? Yet if routine assessment them to fail: the subcontractor who essary follow-up work. In the measures were integrated into our uses the staff and money of one Dominican Republic, our in-country project designs, we would have a funded project to write the proposal USAID program officer was our much better idea as we go along of for another one; the development greatest support the whole way what is working and what is not. bank official whose career depends through. He visited the project, saw That would allow us to make the nec- on how quickly he can push the the benefits and identified the prob- essary adjustments, or extend the money out; the program officer who lems, and personally resolved some project’s scope. would rather smooth over problems of the pressing political issues that Alternatively, after 50 years of con- than directly address them; the over- could have destroyed us. To institu- ducting so many pilot projects, we ly hierarchical, top-down structure of tionalize a program, you need this already have a sufficient research base development organizations, which type of professional support. to launch large-scale programs that often pre-empts the very staff partic- Even with his strong backing, it have the potential to change people’s ipation urged for the developing took us close to a year to convince his lives in a number of sectors instead of country; the artificial dichotomy colleagues in the embassy that our small-scale pilot projects. One of the between people who think (design- project could succeed and obtain most brilliant series of evaluations ever ers) and people who do (technicians their backing. But it was worth all done in the field of development, I in the field); the emphasis on risk- the hard work. When embassy rep- believe, came from the Center for averse, academic types to run pro- resentatives and Dominican Repub- Development Information & Evalua- jects rather than entrepreneurial lic government officials came and tion. This compilation brings together ones; the embassy staff person who is visited the communities where we

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To build an institution, you need to train people intensively in all phases of the work.

were working with the 5,000 chil- dren in the program and saw them learning along with their parents and older siblings, it was a moving expe- rience. Children suffering from malnutrition, many dressed in rags, were learning their letters and num- bers, much to the delight of their parents. They were the most power- ful argument we could have made for the success of the project. Nor is that the only way projects make a difference. My wife Anne, who was deputy chief of party and AN INVITATION FOR largely in charge of the outreach component, had to leave the country SUMMER FICTION after almost three years because she contracted tropical sprue. (When nce again the FSJ is seeking works of fiction of up to 3,000 she finally got medical attention in Owords for its annual summer fiction issue. Story lines or characters involving the Foreign Service are preferred, but not the States, she was so anemic and required. The top stories, selected by the Journal’s Editorial malnourished that she was given Board, will be published in the July/August issue; some of them almost two dozen blood transfu- will also be simultaneously posted on the Journal’s Web site. sions.) The day she was leaving, a The writer of each story will receive an honorarium of $250, campesino walked seven miles to our payable upon publication. office carrying a sack of grapefruits. All stories must be previously unpublished. Submissions He said he heard she was leaving the should be unsigned and accompanied by a cover sheet with project and hoped she wouldn’t author’s name, address, telephone number(s) and e-mail address. because his children were learning so much. Could she please stay? He Deadline is April 1. No fooling. said that if she ate two grapefruits Please also note the following: • Authors are limited to two entries. every day, it would cure her health • Entries will only be accepted by e-mail (preferably in the form of problems. He would bring them to Word or Word Perfect attachments and with the text copied into her every week. Then he left. the body of the message). International development is Please send submissions (or questions) to about many issues. But ultimately, Mikkela Thompson, Journal Business Manager, at isn’t it about people like that man [email protected]. and his family? ■

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KABUL TRAINING TRIP

A DIPLOMATIC COURIER’S FIRST MISSION OFFERS PROVOCATIVE GEOGRAPHIC AND POLITICAL SIGHTS.

BY JAMES B. ANGELL

t dawn, as our plane entered On the Grand Trunk Road Northern Pakistan from China, the For an overland diplomatic courier trip, the Grand glaciated Karakoram massif rose Trunk Road, the 1,600-mile thoroughfare from Calcutta abruptly from the sand waves of the to Kabul that has bound the Indian subcontinent togeth- Takla Makan desert and we were er for more than five centuries, is a fine introduction to offered a stunning sunrise view of the challenges of the job. The stretch from Islamabad to K-2, at 28,250 feet the world’s sec- Peshawar takes three hours each way and transects an ond highest peak. The spindrift blasted from its crest by intriguing landscape of dusty minaret-spired villages with Ajet stream winds was a dramatic sight indeed. bustling markets full of burka-draped women, men A desk officer in the Bangkok Regional Diplomatic attired in shawal qamiz wearing Chitral hats or turbans of Courier Division, I was escorting newly-minted diplo- varying colors, and the most beautiful multicolored matic courier Bob Hull on his very first mission: securing trucks in the world; not to mention camels, horses and classified material for Embassies Islamabad and Kabul, as donkeys hauling everything imaginable. well as Consulate Peshawar. The continued Indian over- About halfway to Peshawar the mighty, glacier-blue flight ban on Pakistan International Airlines meant that Indus that drains the Tibetan Plateau and the dust-brown PIA’s Bangkok to Islamabad service took a northern route Kabul River originating near the city of the same name over China at night. This routing ensured that our morn- merge in a steep, rocky gorge under the mammoth walls ing arrival in one of the more challenging parts of the of Attock Fort. The fort was first built by the Mughals in globe would be impressive. Our paired training mission the 1600s and is still used by the Pakistan Army to house was off to an inspiring start. political prisoners, including former Prime Minister Our first stop was Embassy Islamabad. From there, Benazir Bhutto’s husband. This was also where we took care of the monthly courier service to Consulate Alexander the Great’s Greeks crossed in 330 B.C. on their Peshawar, and then headed on to Kabul. march to victory over the warrior-king Porus and his 200 battle elephants at the Jhelum River near the present-day border with India. James B. Angell is a diplomatic courier officer in Bangkok, As we neared Peshawar, the adobe refugee camps that Thailand. He joined the Foreign Service in 1993 and has once housed tens of thousands of Afghans were strangely served in Washington and Frankfurt in addition to a pre- quiet. On my diplomatic courier missions five years ago, vious tour in Bangkok. His short story, “The Bone the railroad tracks that separate the camps from the trunk Collector,” appeared in the July-August 2001 summer fic- road had been seething with humanity. Now, according tion issue of the Journal. to the Pakistan media, substantial numbers have returned

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home to Afghanistan, encouraged by the prospect of a section of the range, U.S. forces battled the Pashtun war- more sane future secured by the International Security lord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Hezb-i-Islami soldiers, Assistance Force and President Hamid Karzai. killing 18, in January 2003. This rugged border gives Stability in this part of Pakistan is not guaranteed, sanctuary to those who would like to overthrow the however, as most of the Taliban who fled the U.S. attacks Karzai government and therefore is a constant focal point are now living either in Peshawar, the rugged Northwest in the war against terrorism. Frontier Province, or in the Pashtun tribal areas along the To the north of the Khyber and the Spinghar, the mas- border, where there has never been government control. sive, snow-covered Hindu Kush dwarf the landscape, as As we passed the massive Bala the range climbs toward the Hisar Fort in Peshawar’s old town, Panjshir Valley of the late built by the Mughal emperor Northern Alliance commander, Babur, Bob and I conjectured As we neared Peshawar, Ahmed Shah Massoud (the Lion that the Pakistan Army hunkered of Panjshir), and the 25,000-feet- down inside was also a target due the adobe refugee camps high Pamirs of Tajikistan. The to Pakistani President Pervez Spinghar range runs east-west, so Musharraf’s alliance with the West. that once housed tens of we paralleled its craggy ridgeline Security was extremely tight at as we descended into the parched Consulate Peshawar, the once thousands of Afghans Kabul valley, at about 6,000 feet noisy street outside only a memory above sea level, and the remnants due to barriers blocking access were strangely quiet. of the 500-year-old Mughal capi- except for authorized vehicles. tal (before it was moved to Needless to say, consulate person- Delhi). nel were delighted to receive the The first shock upon landing in classified material we delivered. Kabul is the number of destroyed Soviet-era planes litter- After a jarring return to Islamabad with Peshawar’s ing the airfield, from MiGs to the Antonovs and Ilyushins outbound material, we were off to Kabul the next morn- of Ariana, the national airline. When Bob and I deplaned, ing aboard the 45-minute United Nations flight that ser- we were met by our embassy escort and a detail of two vices the Afghan capital four times a week. For the first diplomatic security officers. The tight security is due to part of the trip we retraced the previous day’s route to the assassinations that have occurred at the airport, as well Peshawar: Bob and I gazed down upon the confluence of as the continuing citywide attacks against Inter- the turquoise and adobe-brown rivers at Attock, followed national Security Assistance Forces troops. After our by the gun-barrel-straight Grand Trunk Road into classified material was secured in a government vehicle, Peshawar. Seconds later, we were over the autonomous we were off to the nearby embassy compound. Security at Pashtun tribal lands, marveling at the family fortresses the mission was tight; the Marine Expeditionary Force with gun turrets and crenellated walls strewn over the put all vehicles and passengers through rigorous inspec- barren land on either side of the Khyber Pass road. Next tions. the naked Suleiman range rising to the Khyber Pass came When we were given clearance to offload our material into view, its folds still embracing the severe switchbacks at the chancery building, it became clear the entire facil- of the British “Great Game” railroad on its climb to the ity was an armed encampment. Sandbagged gun summit and forlorn border town at Landi Kotal. emplacements crown each corner of the embassy’s roof, while its main door was a sandbagged fortress as well, Over the Pass guarded by two Marines. As the information manage- Just over the pass is Afghanistan, with the glaciated ment officer began giving Bob a signature for each classi- Spinghar (White) Mountains to the south forming its bor- fied pouch, I wandered over to the nearby flagpole to der with Pakistan. Along the eastern end of this spectac- read a memorial plaque at its base. I took an extra deep ular range glistening in the winter sun was a dark gash breath of thin mountain air when I realized the plaque penetrating its icy peaks. Known as Tora Bora, this gorge itself was a piece of gray marble plucked from the rubble is where Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaida forces with- of the World Trade Center. While helping drag the clas- stood massive U.S. bombing and slipped away across the sified pieces into the chancery’s dilapidated foyer guard- border into the lawless regions of Pakistan. In another ed by a Marine post of cracked and bullet-holed protec-

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tive glass, my eye caught a collection in the middle of the night, it’s typi- of color in the drab interior, halfway cally a long, cold walk to find relief. up the stairs to the second floor. It Along the eastern end of was an “art in the embassies” mon- Guided through Ruins tage of photographs capturing the this spectacular range After we tossed our suitcases on spirit of the Afghan people in their our respective bunks, Bob and I untamed land, a rare sign of hope glistening in the winter marched off to the motor pool in amidst the harsh interior and exteri- search of a driver. The RSO had or of the mission. sun was a dark gash authorized a tour of Kabul as long as After meeting with the regional we used a light armored vehicle. security officer and securing our penetrating its icy peaks Fortunately for us, it was a fairly pouches in the classified vault, we quiet day in Kabul, so motor pool headed off to find our assigned — Tora Bora. was more than happy to assign a dri- quarters — two spaces in a contain- ver to guide us through the ruins. er (the ambassador has a whole one Our first stop was the heavily to himself). The embassy grounds shelled mausoleum of King Nadir are filled with rows of freight con- Shah, the resting-place of the royal tainers, both for permanent employ- facilities could be found deep family. His son, former King Zahir ees and those on temporary assign- underground. The Marines are Shah, age 87, was flown in from ment. Ours was a 12-person con- housed in triple-wides, while all Italy where he’d lived in exile for tainer with six bunk beds, recently employees eat together at a canteen nearly 30 years, to convoke the Loya vacated by the Karzai Protective made from several containers fas- Jirga of June 2002. Detail. It was close to an old bomb tened together. Bathrooms are The view from this barren hill shelter, where shower and toilet found in a few remote containers, so crowned by the mosque-like mau- soleum was of total devastation, especially to the east. The densely packed adobe structures in the late afternoon shadows at the base of the hill were completely wrecked, yet people wandered through the rem- nants, seemingly at home in the rub- ble. Our driver explained that the mausoleum hill had become a firing platform for Abdul Rashid Dostum and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s troops from 1992 to 1996, when the Mujahideen, who defeated the Soviets and their puppet, President Muhammad Najibullah, turned on each other and fought for control of the city and country (the conflict killed 50,000 in Kabul alone). Dostum and Hekmatyar combined to oppose then-President Rabbani and Defense Minister Shah Ahmed Massoud. To the south the azure Idgah Mosque rises untouched (along with several other structures) from what’s left of the city center. Downtown Kabul is backed by craggy hills, whose bases are thick with shanty-

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towns perched amidst rocky out- men shot hateful glances at the bul- crops, that separate the eastern and letproof glass of our vehicle. western parts of the city. One of We turned left on Jada Maywind the hills is crowned by another The first shock upon road, decently paved and lined with Mughal fort, Bala Hisar, with vendors and a mass of pedestrians. crenellated “city walls” snaking landing in Kabul is the Downtown Kabul is relatively north along a ridgeline to protect untouched, encircled as it is by the populace in times past. number of destroyed almost total destruction. Our driver Directly underneath the Nadir Shah took us to the west of town, over the Mausoleum is the infamous Kabul Soviet-era planes paltry Kabul river whose banks are Stadium, where the Taliban execut- crowded with more markets, out ed those who fell afoul of their strict littering the airfield. beyond the craggy hills and noon interpretations of Islam. gun left over from more civilized We set off down the mausoleum times. Soon after the river we hill, past the stadium and through passed the zoo, home of the infa- the Dresden-like remains of struc- mously neglected and impoverished tures that once made up the Char animals, as well as the grave of Chattya Bazaar. There were few wagons, blue-burka-clad women, Marjan, the one-eyed lion. signs of reconstruction, but that did- men in flowing shawal qamiz and n’t stop a throng of humanity from vendors selling fruit and vegetables The Road of Death conducting business along the lined the route as we crawled care- Then came the arrow-straight cratered dirt road and setting up fully through the seething market- Darulaman Palace Boulevard, shop in the adobe ruins. A plethora place. Occasionally, after eyeing which used to be the most beautiful of bright yellow cabs, horse-drawn our license plates, black-turbaned road in the city, according to our dri-

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ver, lined as it was with various Continental Hotel for its tremen- diplomatic and government mis- dous views over downtown Kabul sions full of flowering plants and There were few signs of and the airport. The quiet civility of trees. As we drove in awed silence the hotel was in direct contrast to there was not a shade of green any- reconstruction, but that the reality of what surrounded it. where: only mounds of rubble and Just below the hotel, in fact, is a shattered compounds. We passed didn’t stop a throng of deserted swimming pool resort, the completely gutted Soviet called Bag-e-Bala. According to our embassy, whose size at one time humanity from driver it once housed Al-Qaida must have matched the State troops and was visited often by Department’s Truman Building. conducting business Osama bin Laden. We drove in and The KBG compound next to it was toured the decrepit ruins once extensive as well, but little remained along the cratered dirt encircled by a vineyard. Most of the except for a few skeletal structures grapes are gone now, the roots and barely standing. Further on we road and setting up shop branches used for firewood by al- passed more adobe ruins with white Qaida. trucks parked outside. The driver in the adobe ruins. Driving back into Kabul’s center, told us this was the new UNICEF things do appear normal, mainly mission headquarters, a glimmer of because there is so little overt hope amidst total devastation. destruction. We went to ramshackle At the end of the two-mile long “Chicken Street” to check out the road of death, the Darulaman the city from downtown to the east, carpets and jewelry, but found the Palace (home of King Zahir Shah only added to the bleak vista. The selections limited and overpriced. before his exile to Italy) rises majes- massive, snow-covered Hindu Kush, ISAF forces patrol the streets of tically atop a knoll, its gorgeous rising majestically to the northeast, downtown, so we did feel safe on architectural detail still visible still seem to wall the tragedy of Kabul the sidewalks. The most intriguing between pockmarked shell holes. off from the world. sight in all of Kabul, however, is the Circling its base is a barren domain To counter the depressing nature overwhelming number of Massoud of crumbling walkways. Our driver of our surroundings, our motor pool posters. They’re affixed every- described this belt as once contain- driver, who was himself incarcerat- where! The Northern Alliance ing the most beautiful gardens in all ed by the Taliban for several leader, assassinated two days before Afghanistan, with the citizens of months, took us though more rub- 9/11 by either Taliban or al-Qaida Kabul thronging here on weekends ble to the Loya Jirga tent, where the operatives masquerading as journal- to picnic amidst the luscious palace tribal chiefs met and voted to form ists, seems to rule Kabul through foliage. Today there is nothing but the Karzai presidency. The trans- the ubiquitous photograph of him rubble and desiccated earth. The parent bigtop, a tent-like structure peering out from under his floppy famous Kabul Museum is just across made of some sort of plastic, in (pakol) woolen cap. In contrast, the street, directly beneath the which King Zahir Shah convened there is not a sign of President palace, its priceless Buddhist collec- the meeting is a hopeful sign that a Karzai anywhere. tion destroyed by the Taliban just healthy democratic government can Despite the relative safety of like the towering Buddha figures be established. But with Hek- downtown, it was comforting to carved in the cliffs at Bamiyan. matyar’s troops staging hit-and-run return to the security of the Behind the Darulaman Palace operations on U.S. special forces in embassy compound at dusk. The rises the hulk of another great struc- the Spinghar region and elsewhere, random hateful stares on the streets, ture, the Ministry of Defense, anoth- and a resurgent Taliban challenging coupled with the devastation we’d er heavily shelled exterior whose win- ISAF troops ahead of the coming witnessed, made a night in a clean, dows show nothing but sky. From the elections, success is far from modern container seem downright hill of the Darulaman Palace looking certain. elegant. back through the wasteland we had The following morning dawned driven through, it was as if a nuclear Stark Contrasts icy and cloudless. Our quick trans- explosion had leveled the western Taking another route back into fer to the airport graveyard with part of the city. The craggy, lifeless town, we stopped atop a pass over post’s classified outbound proved hills separating the devastated part of the craggy hills at the Inter- uneventful. We were escorted

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planeside by the same security detail, and were greeted warmly by Books by the U.N. airline personnel manag- The massive, ing the flight. After takeoff the FS Authors views of the Hindu Kush, Jalalabad, snow-covered Hindu the Spinghar range, the Khyber Here’s how it works: Pass, Peshawar and the Grand Kush, rising majestically Trunk Road were crystal clear on 1. Go to the AFSA Web site, the quick flight back to Islamabad. to the northeast, still www.afsa.org. We secured the diplomatic pouches 2. Click on the Marketplace in the vault at Embassy Islamabad seem to wall the tragedy tab (second brown tab from and made preparations for our the right). return to Bangkok the next morn- of Kabul off from ing. After Kabul, the capital of 3. Click on the “AFSA and Pakistan seemed like Paris. the world. Amazon Books” icon Our flight to Bangkok, with a 4. Click on “FS Authors” and thousand kilos of the region’s classi- then go directly to book fied outbound material, initially fol- listings by subject. lowed the Karakoram Highway due north past the 26,660-foot, ice- 5. Shop away! gnarled Nanga Parbat, and the black For an introductory diplomatic granite pyramid of K-2 with its mas- courier assignment, Bob couldn’t So bookmark the AFSA site, sive Baltoro Glacier before crossing have been given a more provoca- use the link and help your into Xianjiang at the Khunjerab tive and, therefore, instructive association — and yourself! Pass. mission. ■

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JANUARY 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 69 BOOKS

Dangerous Drivel menting the cited policies was neither Dangerous proprietary nor exclusive, as is well known and understood by anyone Dangerous Diplomacy: Diplomacy with the tiniest sliver of knowledge, How the State Department understanding or experience. Mow- Threatens America’s Security belongs in a bray fails to qualify, even at that level, Joel Mowbray, Regnery Publishing checkout-counter and appears proud of it. Inc., 2003, $27.95, hardcover, Nor is he even a decent writer, 307 pages. tabloid: though we should perhaps welcome REVIEWED BY EDWARD L. PECK “Saddam’s WMD that particular fault if it deters readers Seen at from getting very far into this poorly Let’s not be diplomatic about this organized and disjointed diatribe. book. As you might expect from a Graceland!” The book rambles, goes back over the jacket blurb praising its author as a same distortions, repeatedly touts the “pit-bull journalist” (a slur on both author’s skills and accomplishments, groups, I would contend), it is a nasty w and shrilly hypes his basic points. piece of work, grossly inaccurate and Lacking any semblance of rationality, gratuitously polemical throughout. it belongs in a checkout-counter Take just one amazing howler, on esty, unethical behavior, and crimes of tabloid: “Saddam’s WMD Seen at page 100: “... all communication from omission and commission by State’s Graceland!” the embassy must go through the fil- Civil and Foreign Service employees, Regrettably, this book will likely ter of the desk officer, [so] what folks and suggests that such conduct is not reinforce the limited but dangerous in Washington know about the goings- merely condoned, it is encouraged. delusion that State has absolute — on in a foreign country ... largely He devotes a great deal of space to and absolutely covert — control over hinges on what the desk officer choos- detailing the heartbreaking agonies of foreign affairs, and that the Foreign es to pass on.” To support that lunacy, Americans whose children are taken Service is full of rogue members. he quotes an unidentified “adminis- overseas by the other parent, blaming That belief conveniently permits crit- tration official with extensive desk the failure to get host countries — ics to unplug their brains, content to officer experience ...”. e.g., Saudi Arabia — to act against identify diplomats as the source of Self-immolation of this magnitude their citizens to satisfy ours entirely on everything that goes wrong. destroys Mowbray’s repeated claims the cold indifference of named con- The truth is far messier than that. to insider status, but critics of the sular officers. He then puts into their Yes, State participates actively in the Foreign Service (his target audience) mouths brutally callous, offensive and domestic battles over foreign policy may instead be impressed by his 603 highly questionable hearsay com- formulation, but it does not make the footnotes (I had to count them) and ments allegedly obtained from angry, decisions. In overseas implementa- 15-page index. Of course, 99 foot- understandably distraught Americans. tion of those decisions, State has a notes are meaningfully attributed to The book’s overarching focus on larger role, but it certainly does not “interview” or “an informed source;” a America’s (mis)dealings with Arab (and cannot) operate either indepen- further 103 are “ibid.” As for the countries is reflected in chapter titles dently or clandestinely, as Mowbray index, it includes three citations for like “Courting Saddam,” “Crushing endlessly alleges. “Texas” and two for “Virginia.” If you Freedom, Tolerating Tyrants,” and But he is right about one thing: are looking for real research, this is “Wrong Hands: The Arming of the organizations are never perfect, nor the guy. Middle East.” Yet the role of State are their personnel. So the Foreign Mowbray endlessly alleges dishon- and the Foreign Service in imple- Service and State Department would

70 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2004 B OOKS u

benefit from intelligent analysis and even some proponents — have articu- thoughtful, constructive criticism — lated, that the agency is just a Cold but not the hostile, baseless drivel Heil’s sympathies are War relic. He notes that the agency Mowbray serves up here. very nearly was abolished a decade clearly with those who ago because of that misperception, An FSO from 1956 to 1989, Edward and sheds some light on the desperate Peck served in Gothenburg, Tangier, fiercely defend VOA’s campaign to keep it not only function- Tunis, Oran, and Cairo, and was chief ing but thriving in the new millenni- of mission in Baghdad and Nouak- independence. um. chott. In Washington, he worked in But substantive as the narrative State, DOD and the White House, and is, it also contains plenty of human had extensive experience in intera- interest, including some charming gency intelligence coordination. A and even hilarious stories about Rivkin Award winner, he is a longtime the anecdotes and transcripts of radio VOA personalities and listeners. A member of AFSA’s Awards Committee broadcasts he intersperses throughout chapter on the Voice’s musical offer- and a lecturer at FSI for A-100 and the narrative. ings pays homage to longtime jazz other courses on “Advocacy and He opens his account with a look at host Willis Conover but goes on to Dissent.” how VOA witnessed and covered the cite many other hosts who have dramatic developments in China dur- helped show the rest of the world ing the spring of 1989, before step- America’s multifaceted cultural America’s ping back to the agency’s founding in tapestry. the grim months after Pearl Harbor. The book does have some short- Best-Kept Secret That pattern of alternating “thematic” comings. The author’s modesty and “chronological” chapters contin- about his own role in VOA’s history is Voice of America: A History ues throughout the book, and proves commendable, but the few personal Alan L. Heil, Jr., Columbia quite effective in conveying the sweep anecdotes he shares leave the reader University Press, 2003, $37.50, of the agency’s history. wanting more. And although he hardcover, 538 pages Yet despite the wide variety of sto- repeatedly alludes to interagency ries VOA has reported (or sometimes struggles with State and other enti- REVIEWED BY STEVEN ALAN HONLEY been the focus of) over the past 60 ties over broadcasting content, he years, certain policy debates have never really explains the process of Given that this issue of the Foreign been waged virtually nonstop. Most how VOA’s editorials are put togeth- Service Journal has focused on U.S. fundamentally, is VOA primarily a er, for example. (In fact, neither that overseas broadcasting, it seemed only vehicle for expressing U.S. govern- topic, the Foreign Service, or the fitting to conclude our coverage by ment views, or for reporting the news State Department rates a citation in reviewing Alan L. Heil Jr.’s Voice of without worrying about how it may the index.) Conversely, there is also America: A History, the first compre- make America look to the rest of the some padding; for example, one hensive history of the VOA since the world? Heil’s sympathies are clearly chapter near the end, “Yearning to mid-1980s. with those who fiercely defend VOA’s Breathe Free: Tales of Great VOA Heil worked for VOA from 1962 independence and adherence to jour- Escapes,” is clearly heartfelt but until he retired in 1998, holding vari- nalistic canons, even when bending to could have been shortened or even ous positions including foreign corre- political pressures might be more omitted. spondent, chief of news and current prudent. But he is careful to give the Nevertheless, this is a valuable affairs and deputy director of pro- other side of the issue its due, as well, account that deserves a wide reader- grams. The resulting familiarity with and to acknowledge that there are ship, both within the Foreign Service both the nitty-gritty and the larger times when the line dividing the two and among the general public. I issues surrounding “the Voice,” as roles moves and becomes blurry. VOA is commonly known, does much Heil repeatedly rebuts the stereo- Steven Alan Honley is the editor of the to make the story come alive, as do type some of VOA’s critics — and Journal.

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Harry Ackerman, 79, retired sador to Jordan (1966-68) and to an emphasis on international affairs. USAID official, died of lung cancer Ecuador (1970-73). He retired He taught at a number of institutions on Sept. 25 in Tucson, Ariz. from the Foreign Service following including the University of Minn- A native of Arizona, Mr. Ackerman that assignment, and from 1974 to esota, the University of North Carol- received a law degree from the 1980 worked at the United Nations in ina, Chapel Hill; the University of University of Arizona in 1952 and was New York, where he was director of California, Los Angeles; and the a member of the state bar. He served the Office of Technical Cooperation. University of Southern California. in the U.S. Air Force from 1943 to Amb. Burns is survived by his wife While at USC in the 1960s, he was the 1946. Martha and two sisters. editor of the academic journal Mr. Ackerman joined USAID in Communist Affairs. 1962. He served as a congressional Mr. Caldwell’s political and acade- adviser for USAID/State on Latin mic pursuits took him all over the American affairs from 1962 to 1967 in William Stuart Caldwell, 82, for- world, particularly to Western Eur- Washington, D.C. From 1967 to mer FSO, died Nov. 1 of cancer in ope, Eastern Europe, and Latin 1971 he was posted in Panama as Northridge, Calif. Born in Farmer, America. He also participated in the deputy director of the USAID mis- S.D., and raised in several small towns League of Sister Cities and the Unit- sion. From 1974 to 1977 he directed in South Dakota and Minnesota, Mr. ed Nations Association. the USAID mission in Quito. From Caldwell graduated from the He is survived by five children, 1977 to 1980 he served in Guatemala University of Minnesota in 1943. He Bonnie Jane Stroock of Rancho City as director of ROCAP, the enlisted in the U.S. Army during Mirage, Calif.; Angela Marie Reiner Regional Office of Central American World War II, and served in medical and Ralph William Caldwell of Rese- Programs. He retired in 1980. and training positions at various da, Calif.; Stephen Leslie Caldwell of Mr. Ackerman is survived by his domestic military installations. Bethesda, Md.; and William S. wife Vivian, three children and five Mr. Caldwell joined the Foreign Caldwell Jr. of Rancho Santa grandchildren. Service in 1945. He served as third Margarita, Calif. secretary in Embassy Rome, and as director of the U.S. Information Service at the U.S. Consulate in Findley Burns Jr., 86, retired Palermo. One of his key accomplish- Mary Pearl Dougherty, 88, FSO and former ambassador, died ments during this period was provid- retired member of the Foreign Oct. 14 at his home in Southern ing U.S. support to the Christian Service, died Nov. 13 at The Method- Pines, N.C. Democratic Party, which defeated the ist Home in Washington, D.C., after a Mr. Burns was born in Baltimore, Communist Party in the Italian elec- long illness. Ms. Dougherty was the Md. He was a graduate of Princeton tions of 1948. This election was a cru- mentor for several generations of University and of the National War cial turning point, preventing the fur- young black Foreign Service officers, College. ther spread of communism into including Ambassador Edward Per- He entered the Foreign Service in Western Europe. kins, the first African-American 1941. His postings included Madrid, In 1950 Mr. Caldwell left the ambassador to South Africa, who later Brussels, Warsaw, London, Vienna, Foreign Service and began a long aca- became ambassador to Australia and Berlin and Washington. In the latter demic career, studying and teaching the United Nations. part of his career he served as ambas- political science and journalism, with Born in Alabama, Mary Dougherty

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was raised and educated in Cleveland, Ms. Dougherty was a dedicated was a Sloan Fellow. Ohio. She accompanied her husband member, volunteer or official of Mr. McMahon joined USAID in to Washington, D.C., where she stud- many organizations including: The 1959 and served tours of duty in ied psychology at American University National Association of Negro Business Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam and in her spare time acquired superi- and Professional Women’s Clubs, and Thailand. He also had brief or secretarial skills. Mary went on to Phyllis Wheatley YWCA, African- assignments in many other parts of work for the War Department for American Women’s Association, Thurs- the world with that agency. Under nearly a decade, before returning to day Luncheon Group (at the U.S. the oversight of the World Bank, he the private sector to wait out the year- Department of State), Sigma Gamma accepted tours of duty in research long clearance process required to join Rho Sorority, AFRICARE and Trans- centers in Syria, Indonesia and the the Department of State. In those Africa. She was a devoted member of Philippines. He traveled to Oman to days, State was considered the most the Shiloh Baptist Church for more help start up a research station in segregated federal agency of all. than 55 years. In 1977, as a consultant Muscat, which was independently Ms. Dougherty’s first posting, in for the National Association of Negro funded by various donors. 1953, was to Liberia, where she was Business and Professional Women’s Mr. McMahon had recently been assigned to the consular section but Clubs, Ms. Dougherty coordinated and selected to serve with USAID’s became secretary to the U.S. ambas- led a delegation of NANBPW mem- Office of Transition Initiatives, and sador. There followed a series of post- bers to Senegal, The Gambia, Sierra was looking forward to more assign- ings around the world. Bill Davis, a Leone, Cameroon and Malawi. ments abroad at the time of his retired Senior Foreign Service officer, At 85, Mary Dougherty retired death. observed: “For decades, she worked from active social service but was Survivors include his wife Audrey, outside of her official duties as a volun- determined to remain involved and five children and several grandchil- teer and mentor for young black offi- supportive of causes which dren. A veteran of the Korean War, cers in the Foreign Service. She improved the quality of life for those Mr. McMahon was buried with mili- served in Liberia, South Vietnam, the in need until, as she stated, “I can’t tary honors in Bourne National Central African Republic, Zaire, go any more. When that time Cemetery in Massachusetts. France, Germany and Romania. She comes, and I can no longer move, I’ll drove her Volkswagen all over Europe, at least hold someone’s hand.” crossed international borders and star- Ms. Dougherty leaves a host of tled border guards who wondered why senior, mid-level and junior Foreign Robert Irving Owen, 82, retired on earth this black American woman Service officers, ambassadors, edu- FSO, died Oct. 5 at the Navesink was traveling in that area. In Vietnam, cational consultants, university pro- House in Red Bank, N.J. Mary gave receptions at her home and fessors, ministers, medical profes- Born in New Jersey and raised on a included the Vietnamese as social sionals, and longtime friends who farm owned by his father, Irving guests at a time when it was unusual will honor her memory forever. Lovejoy Owen, a former agriculture for Americans to be so forthcoming professor at Rutgers, Bob Owen grad- with the local citizenry.” uated from Rutgers University with an In 1974, Ms. Dougherty retired engineering degree in 1941, and went from the Foreign Service. But in the James T. McMahon, 73, retired on to graduate work at MIT. The Navy life of a woman who was always com- USAID official, died suddenly on mobilized him out of MIT and he sub- mitted to things beyond herself, retire- Aug. 24, at a fitness center in Vero sequently served in the South Pacific ment had no place. She voluntarily Beach, Fla. as an engineering officer. Just prior to escorted State-sponsored international Mr. McMahon was born in Mass- his first assignment in the Navy, Mr. visitors throughout the United States. achusetts. He received a B.A. from Owen married his college sweetheart, Later, she came out of government Boston College, an M.A. from The Mary Hance, in a military-style cere- retirement to work for Dr. Lorraine George Washington University and mony, complete with drawn swords, at Williams, vice president for academic an M.S. from the Massachusetts Rutgers Chapel in August 1942. At the affairs at Howard University. Institute of Technology, where he end of the war, he decided to change

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direction, and joined the Foreign 1970. He finished his career in community, investing countless hours Service in July 1946. Washington, D.C., working in the in their church, Old First United Mr. Owen’s first posting was to the Bureau of European Affairs. He was Methodist Church, and in service to Dominican Republic, where he country director for Bulgaria, Ro- environmental organizations and caus- served as the administrative officer for mania, Yugoslavia and Albania until es. Mr. Owen was most proud of his the embassy, then in Ciudad Trujillo. he retired in 1971. work on behalf of the Manasquan Following training at Middlebury Bob and Mary Owen raised four Watershed Planning group, and the College, Princeton and Columbia children, each born in a different Monmouth County Friends of Universities, he became a specialist in country: Jim, the eldest, was born in Clearwater. He also became deeply Soviet and Eastern European affairs. the Domican Republic; Mary Ellen in involved with the Alumni Association During the 25 years he was with the Germany; John in Bethesda, Md.; and of Rutgers University, and devoted State Department, Mr. Owen served Jeff, the youngest, in the Soviet himself to supporting the social and overseas in Finland, Germany, Union. charitable activities of the class of Moscow-USSR (twice), and Yugo- After retiring, the Owens moved to 1941, most recently as the president of slavia. While in Moscow the second West Long Branch, where they occu- the class. He was grateful for his many time, he was the officer-in-charge for pied on old farm that had belonged to friends in the Foreign Service, in the internal political affairs. During his Mary’s uncle, former West Long environmental movement and at last overseas posting he was the con- Branch mayor Dr. Owen Woolley. Rutgers and kept in touch with them. sul general in Zagreb, from 1966 to They became deeply involved in the Continued on page 76 Need to Sound the Alarm About Something?

Why not write a “Speaking Out” column for the Foreign Service Journal?

“Speaking Out” is your forum to advocate policy, regula- tory or statutory changes to the Foreign Service. These can be based on per- sonal experience with an injustice or convey your hard-won insights into a for- eign affairs-related issue.

Writers are encouraged to take strong stands, but all factual claims must be supported and documented. Submissions should be approximately 1,500 words in length and should be sent via e-mail to [email protected].

Please note that all submissions to the Journal must be approved by the Editorial Board and are subject to editing for style, length and format.

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William Macomber, 82, former book of Modern Diplomacy, origi- Following retirement in 1977, ambassador and under secretary of nally published in 1975, was revised Amb. Macomber became president State for administration during the and reprinted in 1997. of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, critical years of AFSA’s campaign to Amb. Macomber was part of a serving until 1987. become a union, died at his home in small group of top officials, Patricia He then settled in Nantucket, Nantucket, Mass., on Nov. 19 of Sullivan wrote in an obituary in the Mass., where he taught history and complications from Parkinson’s dis- Washington Post, who refused coached football at the local high ease. President Richard Nixon’s demand school. “He had all kinds of honors “Bill was a dear friend to many, a to punish Foreign Service officers and awards, but two things were great diplomat and a great contribu- who participated in demonstrations more important to him than any- tor to the Foreign Service,” AFSA against the Vietnam War. In a 1984 thing: teaching at the high school Secretary F.A. “Tex” Harris said. newspaper column he denounced and coaching the JV football team,” “We will miss him, but will cherish the exchange of campaign contribu- his brother John told the Nantucket his memory and many accomplish- tions for ambassadorships. Inquirer and Mirror. “He was ments.” William Macomber was born in amazingly dedicated to kids. He Ambassador Macomber was Rochester, N.Y., and graduated from believed very strongly in education, known in the Foreign Service com- Yale University. He received a mas- and he loved our kids,” Nantucket munity as a reformer. He was a ter’s degree in government from Public Schools Superintendent Alan founding member of the American Yale in 1947, a law degree from Myers said. “He was just one of Academy of Diplomacy. As deputy Harvard University in 1949 and a those people so dedicated to his under secretary of State for adminis- master's degree in social science country, who truly served his coun- tration from 1969 to 1973, Macom- from the University of Chicago in try. When he retired, he did the ber led an effort to not only reform 1951. From 1943 to 1946, Macom- same thing here. We were very, very the department, but to change the ber was a Marine lieutenant fortunate to have him with us.” way American diplomacy was con- assigned to the Office of Strategic Mr. Macomber also served on the ducted. Services. He twice parachuted into Nantucket School Committee and His recommendations were set France to work with the French started the Friends of the Athen- forth in an action blueprint titled, underground, and later worked in eum. “Diplomacy for the 70s.” The pro- Burma. He taught government for Survivors include his wife of 39 posals introduced the cone system two years at Boston University years, Phyllis of Nantucket; his and open bidding for jobs, emanci- while in graduate school, and brother John and sister-in-law pated wives from ratings and unpaid worked for the CIA from 1951 to Caroline Macomber of Washington, work, mandated gender equality, 1953 in Washington before begin- D.C., and their children; and his sis- and provided for due process allow- ning his career with the State ter-in-law Jacquie Macomber. His ing officers to see their “secret” per- Department. brother Bob predeceased him. formance appraisals, among other Amb. Macomber twice headed The family requests that tributes reforms. the congressional affairs bureau, be made in his name to the “AFSA “It was a true revolution,” wrote from 1957 to 1961 and again from Scholarship Fund.” Amb. Macom- Harris in “The Macomber Era, 1967 to 1969. In 1961 he was ber had originally established a schol- 1969-73” (FSJ, June 2003, p. 20). named ambassador to Jordan by arship in his name in 1997, with a “In all these battles, AFSA was President Kennedy, a position he donation of all proceeds from his Macomber’s strategic ally, but some- held until 1964, when he was made book, The Angels’ Game, to AFSA’s times his tactical enemy.” Macom- assistant administrator for Near East Scholarship Fund. Family and ber himself wrote a book about his and South Asia at USAID. In 1973 friends hope to reach the goal of experiences managing change at he was appointed ambassador to $12,000 in contributions to make it a State. The Angels’ Game: A Hand- Turkey. permanent scholarship.

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Mr. Owen loved his family very College in Washington in 1958-59. versity; and frequent speeches to com- much, and will be remembered for Early in his working life Mr. Ryan munity organizations. He also wrote his supportiveness at different stages was a sports reporter for two Mass- columns for the Daytona Beach News- in their lives, his lessons in practical, achusetts newspapers and administra- Journal, appeared frequently on radio frugal living, his love of games, his tive assistant in a fruit and produce and television programs, both locally love of reading and intellectual company in Hartford, Conn. In 1937, and elsewhere in the United States, debate, his humor, and for his many he accepted a clerk-secretary position and served on the board of DACOR. stories about family history. with the Passport Office and then These activities earned him awards Surviving are his wife of 61 years, advanced to increasingly responsible from AFSA, DACOR and the United Mary Hance Owen, his sons and their positions in the State Department, Nations Association. wives; Jim and Jan of Bangor, Maine; including assistant chief of the divisions On March 7, 2003, AFSA present- John and Lisa of St. Petersburg, Fla.; of departmental and Foreign Service ed Amb. Ryan with its National Alum- Jeff and Chris of Marshall, N.C.; and personnel, chief of personnel opera- ni Service Award in recognition of his daughter Mary Ellen McNaughton of tions and executive director of the tireless efforts to build a solid domes- Grand Rapids, Mich.; seven grand- Bureau of Near Eastern, South Asian tic constituency for the U.S. Foreign children; his cousins and lifelong and African Affairs. Service and for American diplomacy, friends, Ann and Tom Hedges of In 1955, he was appointed as a his role as a longtime board member Moorestown, N.J., and Carol Badgley Senior Foreign Service officer. His of the Foreign Service Retirees of Eleuthra, Bermuda. Last year, the assignments included counselor for Association of Florida and his invalu- Owens moved to the Navesink House administration in Paris and, concur- able advice and assistance to AFSA’s in Red Bank, where they found a wel- rently, executive officer of the U.S. public outreach efforts. coming community for folks their age. Mission to NATO, ambassador to Survivors include his wife, Mary; Mrs. Owen is grateful for the support Niger and deputy assistant secretary two sons, both retired Foreign Service she has been given, and will continue of State for administration. He joined officers, Robert Jr. of Daytona Beach to reside there, close to her family’s the United Nations Secretariat in and Thomas of Redding, Calif.; four roots, among new friends, and enjoy- New York in 1969, serving first as grandchildren and two great grand- ing the river view from her apartment. director of administrative manage- children. A memorial service will take place ment services and later as assistant at a later date. Those wishing to secretary general for general services, remember Mr. Owen may make con- a position which encompassed a tributions in lieu of flowers to the broad range of administrative respon- Robert R. Schott, 82, retired American Foreign Service Protective sibilities including the logistics of FSO, died of an aneurysm on Oct. 19 Association or to DACOR, or to an U.N. peacekeeping operations. while vacationing in Sweden. environmental organization of their After retiring from the U.N. in A native of Oregon, Mr. Schott choice. 1977, Amb. Ryan resided in Volusia graduated from the University of County, Fla. He remained active in Oregon in 1943. He served in the foreign affairs until his death, particu- U.S. Army from 1943 to 1944, and larly working to build grassroots sup- joined the U.S. diplomatic service in Robert J. Ryan Sr., 89, retired port for U.S. foreign affairs programs 1945. His first posting was to Basra, FSO and former ambassador, died on and for the United Nations. His many Iraq. He later served in Tehran and Sept. 17 at his home in Daytona activities in the Daytona Beach area Solnika. After Persian language train- Beach, Fla. included a strong role in the local chap- ing, he was assigned as consul in Ambassador Ryan was born in ter of the United Nations Association; Meshed and political officer in Hatfield, Mass. He attended the Uni- service as a consultant on international Tehran. In 1960, he was named offi- versity of Massachusetts and obtained affairs to local high schools, colleges cer in charge of Greek affairs, a post an LL.B. from the Columbus University and universities; membership on the he held until he was transferred to School of Law in Washington, D.C. He boards of Bethune-Cookman College Nicosia, Cyprus, as political counselor also attended the National War and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Uni- in 1964. Several turbulent events,

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mainly Archbishop Makarios’ maneu- co-authored reports that got promi- rist. Until 1943 Mr. Sweet taught vering and the movement to union nent notice in the press and led to modern European history at Bates with Greece, took place there during changes in occupation policy. He College in Maine. When war broke this time, culminating in the partition was awarded the Presidential Medal out, he was recruited by the OSS, of Cyprus and the Turkish invasion of of Freedom, the nation’s highest assigned to its London office, and the northern areas of the island. Mr. civilian honor, in recognition of his then sent to accompany the invading Schott received the Department of OSS work. Allied forces to interrogate prisoners State’s Superior Honor award for his In the 1950s, as the senior U.S. of war and report on matters like work during this period. In 1967, he editor of documents captured at the enemy morale. was assigned as political-military offi- war’s end from the German foreign In January 1945, the nationally syn- cer in Embassy Tehran. He retired office, Mr. Sweet found himself in an dicated columnist Dorothy Thompson from the Foreign Service in 1970. awkward confrontation with British picked up on a report by his OSS unit After retirement, Mr. Schott was authorities over whether to publish that in the occupied city of Aachen, associated with Iranians Bank in material concerning the Duke of German nationalism had evaporated Tehran (an affiliate of Citibank) and Windsor’s relations with Nazi Ger- and people felt unfit to govern them- worked as a consultant to the bank many. Mr. Sweet joined the Foreign selves. Thompson praised the report, and other companies until the Iranian Service in 1959 and was U.S. consul done by Saul K. Padover, Lewis F. Revolution of 1978-79. He continued General to Stuttgart in the late 1960s. Gitler and Sweet, not only for its find- consulting, working principally out of Mr. Sweet grew up in Indiana, the ings but for the interviewing tech- Athens until 1999, when he retired son of a prominent historian of reli- niques the three men used. Rather from active business. He divided gion in America. His interest in than asking “a stereotyped question” his time between Santa Fe, N.M., Germany was first awakened in 1929, that can only bring “a stereotyped Athens and Washington, D.C., until when he received a scholarship from answer,” they conducted interviews as his death. Mr. Schott was a member Depauw University in Indiana to informal conversations. of Diplomatic and Consular Officers, spend a year studying in Germany. It In March 1945, their report com- Retired. was a time when German nationalism plaining that Nazis were being re- Mr. Schott was married to the for- was sharply on the rise, and while Mr. stored to positions of authority in mer Diana Bennett, whom he met Sweet sent letters home expressing Aachen evidently led to a change in while serving in Basra. Besides his alarm, he also was strongly drawn to policy. Drew Pearson, in his “Merry- wife of 55 years, who resides in Santa Germany’s language, culture and his- Go-Round” column in the Wash- Fe, Mr. Schott is survived by two tory. ington Post, said that it had prompted daughters, Barbara Mostofi of Hono- Upon returning to the United Roosevelt himself to order a tougher lulu, and Alexandra P. Schott of San States, he went to the University of line. According to an article by the Francisco; two sons, Robert B. Schott Wisconsin to do graduate work in historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr. that of New York and Conrad W. Schott of German history. There he met his appeared in the New York Times after Santa Fe; and four grandchildren. wife-to-be, Katharyn Grumman, the the war, the findings came to the daughter of an art curator and profes- attention of top military brass in Paris, sor of German at the University of where Schlesinger was serving at the Nebraska. They married soon after time. Schlesinger said the Sweet- Paul Robinson Sweet, 96, retired Sweet completed his dissertation on Padover-Gittler report reverberated FSO and specialist in German history Friedrich Gentz, a top aide to through every level, so that future whose work ranged from research and Clemens Metternich, the architect of military government officials tried teaching to intelligence and diploma- the conservative post-Napoleonic to “avoid the Aachen pattern of cy, died in Philadelphia on Nov. 5. European order. collaboration with Nazi fellow-trav- During World War II, as a mem- Wisconsin published the disserta- elers.” ber of a roving three-man unit of the tion as a book, to strong reviews from Mr. Sweet reported extensively Office of Strategic Services on the French historian Georges Lefebre on Austrian affairs in the months Europe’s western front, Mr. Sweet and Hannah Arendt, the social theo- immediately after victory in Europe.

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His letters home and his investiga- from Parkinson’s disease on Oct. 24 at 1957 he was assigned as a division chief tions of Austrian industry have been the Collington Lifecare Community in in the Bureau of Intelligence and reproduced in historical accounts of Mitchellville, Md. Mr. Witt, who also Research, and from 1961 to 1962 he the period. had a home in Nantucket, Mass., attended the Army War College at Mr. Sweet joined the historical retired in 1977 after 30 years in gov- Carlisle Barracks, Pa. division of the State Department after ernment service. From 1962 to 1967, Mr. Witt served the war, following stints teaching at Mr. Witt was born and raised in as political counselor to the U.S. Colby College in Maine and the Seattle, Wash., where his father, W.H. embassy in the Republic of South Africa. University of Chicago. He worked Witt Sr., was a prominent engineer and He served in the State Department’s from 1948 to 1959 on the German builder. He graduated salutatorian Bureau of African Affairs from 1967 to foreign office documents, first in from Broadway High School and 1970, and was assigned to the faculty of England, then in Washington, D.C., received a scholarship to attend Har- the National Defense University from as American editor-in-chief in the tri- vard University, where he graduated 1970 to 1977, where he taught courses partite U.S.-British-French project. magna cum laude in 1941. He entered on a range of global issues. An account he later wrote about the the Army Air Corps and trained as a Mr. Witt served as a warden in Windsor episode, after appearing pilot, serving until 1945. In 1943, then- the Episcopal Church and partici- in The Historian, was translated into Lt. Witt met his wife of nearly 60 pated in many charitable activities, German and published in that years, then-Lt. Mary Fox, who was serv- including Meals on Wheels. For country’s leading journal of modern ing as an officer in the Women’s Army many years, he kept a sailboat, history. Corps. “Madre,” in Nantucket, Mass. From 1959 to 1963, Mr. Sweet From 1945 to 1947, Mr. Witt Survivors include his wife, Mary F. served in Bonn, and then from 1963 attended Harvard Law School, and Witt of Mitchellville and Nantucket; to 1967 in Stuttgart. Following retire- received his law degree from George his four daughters, Susan Alexander of ment, he taught the history of interna- Washington University Law School. Bethesda, Md; Priscilla Witt of Reston, tional relations at Michigan State He entered the Foreign Service in Va.; Dr. Charlotte Witt of Portland, University in East Lansing. His two- 1947, and his career included postings Maine; Virginia Witt of San Francisco, volume biography of the Prussian in Denmark, Finland and Iceland. In Calif.; and six grandchildren. ■ statesman, political theorist and lin- guist Wilhelm von Humboldt, was published by Ohio State University Press in 1978 and 1980. Mr. Sweet continued to publish articles on German intellectuals of the 19th cen- tury until he was well into his nineties. Mr. Sweet is survived by his wife Katharyn, a daughter Sarah Rosen of Philadelphia, a son William Sweet of Brooklyn, N.Y., four grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Donations in his memory may be made to Depauw University in Greencastle, Ind.

William Henry Witt, 83, a retired FSO who specialized in political affairs and global issues, died of complications

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REFLECTIONS An Epiphany in Juarez

BY ROBERT PROCTOR

ome say the city of Juarez has Meanwhile, a half-dozen or so male always had an air of imperma- She was very far co-religionists, smartly uniformed in Snence. But I suggest this is an white trousers and jackets with yellow illusion. I think I know. I’ve walked away, in a place of piping, brought her a portable mike. the Juarez streets a number of times in And just behind her, on the ledge of the last four decades and would be wonder. the park’s gazebo, the young men hard pressed to say that anything of placed a huge cooler filled with what substance has really changed. And, I could well be something like lemon- am basically glad for that. ade or Kool-Aid. Early last January, I spent a most One fellow swept right by me pleasant hour or so in and around the towards the gazebo carrying bulbous late-17th-century Guadalupe Mission Now it actually reached out to me plastic bags stuffed with pastries. church, just a block from the end of warmly and said, “Come, enjoy the Every once in a while I could catch a Avenida Juarez, the heart of a major peace I give to you, and to all the peo- word or two. “Esperanza — gloria — market and eating area. I could not ple near you there, on the plaza before diablo — terrible — señor — angeles recall ever seeing this building with me.” It was nearly sunset, and there ...” But I wasn’t listening so much as the same appreciative eye that granted was soon enough shadow to cast the watching. me closeness to it at that moment. edifice into a silhouette, a non-threat- The young woman was transport- In the past its classic but subdued, ening backdrop for the swirl of life ed. Oh, she was very much there in unpretentious nature escaped me. Its around me. There was no high drama body, yes, swaying in full accord with towers seemed pitifully spindly and as such, but a plethora of everyday the music and her message of salva- lacking in substance when compared things going on; mothers strolling with tion. But the look in her eyes said she to images of the great ecclesiastical kids, people rushing to catch busses, was very far away, in a place of wonder structures of Mexico City and hurrying to shops and restaurants where just about everyone around her Guadalajara. before they closed for the day. — me included — wouldn’t mind It seemed almost uncanny but being, too. I was transfixed. Bob Proctor retired from USIA in appropriate that just about this time a On previous visits, I might have 1987, having served in South and number of energetic evangelicals laughed at this spectacle of a young Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle showed up, and the leader, a youthful, woman preaching to mesmerized East. He and his India-born wife live stunningly beautiful sandy-haired “ignorant innocents.” But now, I in La Luz, N.M. In recent years, he woman, started singing a popular myself was one of those mesmerized has taken to writing, and his poems, hymn in full voice. With a touching ignorant innocents. And while it dis- short stories and essays have been reverence, a skinny, shabbily dressed turbed me slightly, it mainly pleased published in various literary journals man of indeterminate age moved to me. I could think of little else while and Web sites. The stamp is courtesy her side and proceeded to hit two slowly walking back to Avenida Juarez. of the AAFSW Bookfair “Stamp sticks together in an attempt to give Nothing has changed here — Corner.” background rhythm to her singing. except, with some certainty, me. ■

84 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2004 AFSAAmerican Foreign ServiceNE Association • January 2004WS

IRAQ SERVICE RECOGNITION DAY Praise and Advocacy for Inside This Issue: Employees Serving in Iraq BRIEFS: RETIREES PUBLISH...... 2 n Nov. 24, Foreign Service and SUCCESS ON CAPITAL GAINS ...... 3 Civil Service employees who have “SHADDUPA YA FACE”...... 4 Oserved in Iraq on assignments of at WATCH YOUR ANNUITIES...... 5 least 30 days were honored. Secretary of A TIRED PATCHWORK ...... 6 State Colin Powell presented two individ- RETIREE Q&A...... 7 ELDERHOSTEL & THE FS ...... 7 ual Awards for Heroism to Bill A. Miller A PORTABLE CAREER SOLUTION...... 8 and Beth A. Payne. A Group Superior NEW SCHOLARSHIPS...... 9 Honor Award was presented to the other 136 employees who have served in Iraq. The ceremony was held before an audi- LAST CALL FOR ence of several hundred in the Benjamin AFSA AWARD NOMINATIONS Secretary of State Colin Powell presents an Award Franklin Room of the State Department. for Heroism to FSO Beth Payne. AFSA wants all Foreign Service employ- Honor the ees to know that it is concerned about con- Continued on page 4 Dissenters

VISAS FOR LIFE FSA President John Limbert strong- AFSA Recognized for ly encourages all members of the AForeign Service to consider nomi- Honoring Harry Bingham nating a colleague for an AFSA Constructive Dissent Award this year. The AFSA BY MELISSA SCHWEINBERG, PUBLIC AFFAIRS INTERN awards recognize not just superior job per- formance, but the courage and integrity to he originator of the Visas for Life serving as a Foreign Service officer in take a risky or unpopular stand or to chal- Project, Eric Saul, presented AFSA Marseilles. lenge conventional wisdom on any issue TPresident John Limbert and The Visas for Life exhibit displays pho- related to the work of the Foreign Service. Executive Director Susan Reardon with tographs and previously untold accounts commemorative medals at the Oct. 29 of numerous diplomats who risked opening of the exhibit, “Visas for Life: everything to rescue Jews and others dur- The Righteous and Honorable Diplo- ing World War II. The traveling exhib- mats,”on Capitol Hill. AFSA was recog- it was on display in late October in the nized for posthumously honoring U.S. rotunda of the Russell Senate Office diplomat Hiram “Harry” Bingham IV Building in Washington, D.C. The exhib- with a special award in 2002 for his “con- it was sponsored by Senator Charles structive dissent” in going against official Schumer, D-N.Y., Congressman Tom U.S. policy by issuing over 2,500 life-sav- Lantos, D-Calif., and Mrs. Annette

ing visas and personally assisting Jews and Lantos, and the American Jewish JOSH Coninued on page 8 others in danger in 1940 and 1941 while Continued on page 6 AFSANEWSBRIEFS Get connected ... Florida Retirees Publish Book Do you enjoy the Foreign AFSA congratulates the Foreign Service CONTRIBUTE TO THE FSN Service Journal but are not an Retirees Association of Florida on the publica- EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND AFSA member? Joining is easy tion of their book, Serving America Abroad: AFSA urges members to contribute to the Real-Life Adventures of American Diplomatic and your membership helps Foreign Service National Emergency Relief Fund. Families Overseas, a compilation of 122 stories Recent relief efforts have depleted the fund, and AFSA support all Foreign Service by Foreign Service retirees. The book was employees. To become a mem- edited by FSRAF Chair Irwin Rubenstein, it is now in urgent need of replenishment. ber of AFSA, go to who served in Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, Contributions serve as direct assistance for FSNs www.afsa.org/mbr/index.cfm. Colombia, Nicaragua, Israel and Mexico around the world. Contributions to the fund To subscribe to AFSANET — a during his 36 years in the Foreign Service. can be made by check, credit card, or through free service designed to provide The book is published by Xlibris, and is payroll deduction. updates on items of interest to the available through amazon.com, Barnes & Check contributions may be sent to the State foreign affairs community — go to Noble.com and Borders.com. The price Department’s gift fund coordinator, Donna www.afsa.org/forms/maillist.cfm. is $22.99. Bordley, RM/CFO Room 1115, Main State. Make checks payable to the “U.S. Department of Life in the Foreign Service State” with the notation “FSN Emergency Relief ■ BY BRIAN AGGELER, FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER Fund.” Donors should include a return address where an acknowledgment for charitable tax deduction purposes may be sent. Credit card contributions are also accepted (Visa or Mastercard). To make a credit card con- tribution, send an e-mail via the Intranet to “FSN Emergency Relief Fund” (State Department Global Address List). The subject of your e-mail should be: “Contribution to FSN Emergency Relief Fund.” In the text of your message include your name, mailing address, Visa/Mastercard account number and expiration date. Also include the following statement: I authorize the State Department to charge the reference credit card account in the amount of $______as a “MAKE SURE THE REPORTING CABLE NOTES THAT WE DID NOT contribution to the FSN Emergency Relief Fund. REACH AGREEMENT ON ALL POINTS IN OUR DEMARCHE.” All donations are appreciated and needed.

AFSA HEADQUARTERS: Staff: Governing Board: (202) 338-4045; Fax: (202) 338-6820 Executive Director Susan Reardon: [email protected] STATE DEPARTMENT AFSA OFFICE: Business Department PRESIDENT: John W. Limbert (202) 647-8160; Fax: (202) 647-0265 Controller Kalpna Srimal: [email protected] STATE VICE PRESIDENT: Louise K. Crane USAID AFSA OFFICE: Accounting Assistant Steven Tipton: [email protected] USAID VICE PRESIDENT: Bill Carter (202) 712-1941; Fax: (202) 216-3710 Labor Management FCS VICE PRESIDENT: Charles A. Ford FCS AFSA OFFICE: General Counsel Sharon Papp: [email protected] (202) 482-9088; Fax: (202) 482-9087 Labor Management Attorney Zlatana Badrich: [email protected] FAS VICE PRESIDENT: Vacant Labor Management Specialist James Yorke: [email protected] RETIREE VICE PRESIDENT: George F. Jones USAID Senior Labor Management Advisor Douglas Broome: [email protected] AFSA Internet and E-mail addresses: SECRETARY: F.A. “Tex” Harris AFSA WEB SITE: www.afsa.org USAID Office Manager Asgeir Sigfusson: [email protected] TREASURER: Danny Hall AFSA E-MAIL: [email protected] Grievance Attorneys Harry Sizer: [email protected], and Charles Henderson: [email protected] AFSA NEWS: [email protected] STATE REPRESENTATIVES: Pamela Bates, Office Manager Christine Warren: [email protected] FSJ: [email protected] Cynthia G. Efird, Scot L. Folensbee, PRESIDENT: [email protected] Member Services Raymond D. Maxwell, John C. Sullivan, STATE VP: [email protected] Director Janet Hedrick: [email protected] Jim Wagner RETIREE VP: [email protected] Representative Lindsay Peyton: [email protected] USAID REPRESENTATIVE: Thomas Olson USAID VP:[email protected] Administrative Assistant Ana Lopez: [email protected] FCS REPRESENTATIVE: William Crawford FCS VP: [email protected] Outreach Programs Retiree Liaison Bonnie Brown: [email protected] RETIREE REPRESENTATIVES: Gilbert Sheinbaum, AFSA News Director of Communications Thomas Switzer: [email protected] David E. Reuther, Theodore S. Wilkinson, III, Editor Shawn Dorman: [email protected] Congressional Affairs Director Ken Nakamura: [email protected] Stanley A. Zuckerman Corporate Relations/Executive Assistant Austin Tracy: [email protected] How to Contact Us: Contact to How (202) 338-4045 x 503; Fax: (202) 338-8244 Scholarship Director Lori Dec: [email protected] IBB REPRESENTATIVE: Alex Belida On the Web: www.afsa.org/news Professional Issues Coordinator Barbara Berger: [email protected] FAS REPRESENTATIVE: Vacant

2 AFSA NEWS • JANUARY 2004 SUCCESS ON CAPITAL GAINS Years of Advocacy for FS Tax Relief Pay Off BY LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS DIRECTOR KEN NAKAMURA AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS INTERN JOANNA MCNAMARA

n Nov. 11, 2003, Veterans’ Day, fill the residency requirement has one year a special thanks must also be given to Sen. President Bush signed H.R. 3365, to file for reimbursement. This one-year John McCain, R-Ariz., and his staff. Sen. Othe “Military Family Tax Relief period to file ends Nov. 11, 2004. McCain, though not on the Finance Act of 2003,” into law. It was passed in AFSA efforts to change the law have Committee, was constant in his support the House 420-0 and in the Senate by been ongoing for over four years. There of our efforts, and his interventions over unanimous consent. One aspect of this are many to thank for helping bring the the years helped bring this legislation to law, now Public Law 108-121, that effort to a successful conclusion. AFSA fruition. affects the Foreign Service is the change In the House of Represen- in the tax treatment of capital gains on tatives, we must thank Ways the sale of a principal residence. and Means Committee Chairman Prior to 1997, the U.S. tax code Bill Thomas, R-Calif., and his allowed home-owners to roll over the cap- staff, and Ranking Member ital gains from the sale of a principal res- Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., and his idence and take a one-time tax exemp- staff. Their work was essential in tion on the rolled-over gains. A 1997 finally developing a bill that change in the tax code stated that if a everyone could accept. We also homeowner resided in his or her house want to thank Rep. Amo

for two of the previous five years from the JOSH Houghton, R-N.Y. It was his bill date of sale, that person could exclude up in the House that gave us a leg- to $250,000 ($500,000 for a married cou- islative vehicle to start the efforts ple) in gains from the sale of their prin- to change the law. It was to Rep. cipal residence. This is where the mem- Houghton and his staff that we bers of the Foreign Service and the uni- worked closely with the Military Officers could always turn for advice and infor- formed services ran into problems. Association of America and the American mation on developments in the House. Back-to-back tours can keep employees Bar Association. We went to the Hill Last but not least, AFSA thanks overseas six years or more. Upon return together to talk to staff on this issue, spent Secretary of State Colin Powell and his to the U.S., when Foreign Service mem- countless hours in strategy sessions, and colleagues at the State Department, both bers wanted to sell their homes, because exchanged information as things were Foreign Service and Civil Service. At key they had been out of the residence more developing. Their work was key to the moments, the department weighed in to than two of the previous five years, they success and we always appreciated and help secure the agreement of the Office had to either occupy the property for two enjoyed working with them. of Management and Budget to our pro- more years or pay the full capital gains tax. This legislation passed as a result of a posal, and the Secretary and other offi- The “Military Family Tax Relief Act bipartisan effort. While there was diffi- cials contacted important legislators to of 2003” changes the provision for culty in coming to a final agreement on express the department’s full support for members of the Foreign Service and the the details, the support from Congress was the passage of this and earlier bills. ▫ uniformed services, extending the look- not questioned. Thanks to our friends in back period from five to up to fifteen the legislature, the provisions covering the AFSA reminds members that the crit- years, based upon the number of years the Foreign Service were added to various tax ical advocacy work done by the leg- person was at least 50 miles from the prin- bills in an effort to get a vehicle that would islative affairs staff is funded primarily cipal residence posted on orders from the carry our tax provisions to become law. through the Legislative Action Fund. U.S. government. (For more details, go to AFSA thanks Senate Finance Committee Please send contributions to: AFSA the AFSA Web site.) Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, Legislative Action Fund, P.O. Box 98026, The new law is retroactive to May 7, and his staff, and Finance Committee Washington, DC 20077-7093, or go to 1997. A homeowner who sold a princi- Ranking Member Max Baucus, D-Mont., the AFSA Web site: www.afsa.org/laf- pal residence since then and incurred the and his staff for their continued support form.html. Make checks payable to “Legislative Action Fund.” capital gains tax because he or she did not in developing these bills. In the Senate,

JANUARY 2004 • AFSA NEWS 3 Iraq Service • Continued from page 1 ■ V.P. VOICE: STATE BY LOUISE CRANE ditions of service in Iraq. AFSA is in fre- quent contact with the Human Resources “SHADDUPA YA FACE” Bureau. The first issue AFSA raised in a recent meeting with HR was security. AFSA was pleased to hear that Diplomatic Security is creating a week-long security had an epiphany recently. It revealed a truth so basic I course that includes emergency first aid was abashed I hadn’t learned it earlier. This truth dawned training. (See Beth Payne’s account of how Ion me during a courtesy call AFSA’s new president John critical this knowledge can be on page 49 Limbert paid on Assistant Secretary for Administration William of this issue of the Journal.) As of late Eaton. (The A Bureau is the one that brings you allowances November, DS had 12 agents on the and pouch service and the other basic “foodstuffs” of overseas ground in Baghdad working to improve service.) During the course of the conversation, in which we the security of employees. asked about the status of the State Post Office, overseas schools, etc., John Limbert mentioned some of AFSA’s goals. One goal is what he terms “pride of profession” and he said AFSA would not let the Pat Robertsons, Newt Gingriches and Joel Mowbrays of this world get away with taking cheap shots at AFSA has stressed with HR the Foreign Service. Mr. Eaton asked, “Does this include the Foreign Service taking cheap shots at management employees? We’re the hardship for employees of Foreign Service, too.” How can we talk about being “seconded” to the The conversation took an interesting turn. Mr. “pride of profession” Eaton noted that there is a leadership problem with- Department of Defense overseas, when we ourselves in the Foreign Service when one of our “recreation- al activities” is to complain about our colleagues. You which leaves them without don’t speak proudly of know what I mean. The disparaging comments about reliable access to home agency everyone in the Foreign the authoritarian political cone, “consular fodder” and “Euro weenies,” the tired old characterization of man- resources including e-mail. Service? agement officers as people who tell you how to build a watch when you ask them the time. Then there are the Foreign Service specialists, who do not believe they have been given a proper measure of respect. In the interests of full disclosure, I AFSA has stressed with HR the hard- confess I have been guilty of all of the above. But I have seen the light. ship for employees of being “seconded” Why are we disparaging our colleagues, members of the same Service? They are to the Department of Defense overseas, just as loyal, they work just as hard, they serve in just as many hardship posts and expe- which leaves them without reliable rience just as much danger as anyone else. They make the same sacrifices and they are access to home agency resources includ- just as eager to be recognized and promoted. ing e-mail. AFSA is working on such How can we talk about “pride of profession” when we ourselves don’t speak proud- issues as ensuring adequate security ly of everyone in the Foreign Service, when we aren’t loyal to all of our Foreign Service equipment and training for employees colleagues, when we don’t present a united front to the world? These snide remarks going on assignment to Iraq; ensuring the most certainly creep into the public image of the Foreign Service. This past July, mem- ability to participate in the various cur- bers of Congress were making speeches about how the Foreign Service disparages con- rent open seasons for benefits; and sular work. Now, just where do you think they got this? From us! pushing for assistance with access to bid- The Foreign Service is unique in that it manages itself. The people responsible for ding materials for employees in Iraq. The administering the system, for disciplining us, for assigning us and promoting us, are department has assured AFSA it shares we. We should be supporting us and sticking up for us, not putting ourselves down. these concerns, and recently assigned an So here’s my advice: Stop it! Right now. Make this your New Year’s Resolution! experienced HR specialist to Iraq. This Speak about your colleagues — both within the department and outside — only with specialist will be able to assist State respect. Acknowledge everyone’s contribution. Disparage no one. Be loyal to our employees with personnel issues that the Foreign Service. If we aren’t, how can we possibly be surprised when others aren’t? DoD structure in Iraq does not handle. As your mother would nag, “Watch your language and don’t tolerate disparaging This new staffing move should help remarks about others.” ensure that department employees don’t May light dawn on you. Welcome, Aurora. ▫ find themselves shortchanged. ▫

4 AFSA NEWS • JANUARY 2004 V.P. VOICE: RETIREES ■ BY GEORGE JONES

Watch Your Annuities

hen I retired, I received a “Foreign Service Annuity notifying retirees of an annuity error Supplement Computation,” which noted that, “The was “not very consumer-friendly” (a Wannuity supplement takes the place of the Social true understatement!) and did not even Security portion of FSPS, which is not payable until age 62. The identify the reason for the over (or annuity supplement is payable only until the month prior to under) payment. The letter is being the month in which the retiree reaches age 62,” regardless of changed, computer systems have been upgraded, and Ms. whether I actually receive Social Security benefits or not. The Cooper has instituted a system to check and double-check cal- document included the calculated supplement and was culations to prevent future errors. signed by the chief of the Retirement Division under the words, The November Q&A explained how retirees can contest the “I certify the above as true and correct as shown by the records notification of overpayment and/or request a waiver — in effect, of the Department of State.” When I reached 62, I received forgiveness — of part or all of the overpaid amount on grounds an “Annuity Adjustment Notice” reducing my monthly annu- of financial hardship. The department representatives told us ity by the amount of the supplement. Did that they “wouldn’t want to discourage you? anybody from requesting a waiver.” You will have seen the Q&A on pension When I reached 62, What they do discourage is stonewalling overpayments in the November 2003 — failing to exercise any of the annuitant’s AFSA News. We addressed this issue I received an options, which are to repay, appeal the because 10 retirees have contacted AFSA “Annuity Adjustment Notice” repayment decision, request a full or par- after being notified by the department that tial waiver of repayment or file a grievance. their pensions had been overpaid, some for reducing my monthly A retiree who does nothing will eventu- many years and into the tens of thousands annuity by the amount ally have to repay with interest, and the of dollars. In most cases, the reason was payments can be deducted from the annu- that the department failed to stop the annu- of the supplement. ity. Annuitants who request a waiver ity supplement, and the retiree failed to real- must, of course, fully document their ize that it was still being paid (it is not Did you? financial situation, and AFSA can provide shown separately on the monthly annuity some guidance on that. breakdown you receive). We don’t know We pressed our interlocutors on the how many retirees have been notified but have not contacted standards used to determine whether a waiver is justified and AFSA; the department declined to tell us how many cases of whether in some cases a compromise could be reached on the overpayment had been found. (There were also some cases repayment amount. They declined to go beyond saying that of underpayment.) retirees with a total income of $12,000 a year would obvious- AFSA General Counsel Sharon Papp, two other AFSA staffers ly be waived, and that those with $2 million in assets obviously and I met recently with Cecilia Cooper, the chief of the would not. Those in between, they insisted, had to be looked Retirement Division (HR/RET), and representatives from the at on a case-by-case basis. The Office of Personnel Manage- Legal Advisor’s office and the Resources Management Bureau ment has published guidelines for Civil Service that serve as a (RM), to discuss this issue. They said they were confident they “baseline,” but they said the department wants to do better than had now found all the erroneous annuities, and that all those the baseline. The department is trying to redact information affected had been notified. The problem, they said, arose from protected by the Privacy Act so that they (and AFSA) can explain the fact that the supplement is not automatically stopped; some- the facts of some of the cases where waivers have been grant- one has to manually change the annuity. Until recently, the ed without violating privacy rights. That would provide some retirement office did not even have the capability to do a com- guidance to other retirees. puter printout of those nearing age 62. The move of the depart- As we noted in November, if you are uncertain whether your ment’s Finance Center to Charleston, S.C., further complicated annuity is correct, you may ask HR/RET to recalculate it by matters. submitting Form DS-5000. And, of course, retirees who are The department officers also acknowledged that the letter members of AFSA may always come to us for help. ▫

JANUARY 2004 • AFSA NEWS 5 Dissent Awards • Continued from page 1 ■ V.P. VOICE: USAID BY BILL CARTER Foreign Service employees put their lives (and often their families’ lives) at risk every A Tired Patchwork day to serve their country. Help AFSA show those who have questioned the loy- ating back to the early 1990s, at least eight (and per- alty, dedication and abilities of the men and haps more) internal and external reports from the women of the Foreign Service that the FS DGeneral Accounting Office, the Inspector General and exemplifies the best in public service, and others have tried with monotonous consistency to hammer that colleagues who demonstrate the home USAID’s need to undertake strategic workforce plan- courage of their convictions and the com- ning. Simply put, USAID was being begged from many sides mitment to work for positive change with- to put emphasis on human resource development — on its in the system should be honored. people. Instead, top agency management in each successive Presenting AFSA’s Lifetime Contrib- administration has consistently opted for a strategy of “patch utions to American Diplomacy Award to the tire.” George Shultz last June, Secretary Colin After losing a generation of Foreign Service officers because of a hiatus in hiring, Powell congratulated all of the award win- USAID recruitment restarted in the late 1990s with the New Entry Professional pro- ners and said, “I thank you for what you gram. This was a patch, because it meant hiring Foreign Service officers only at mid- have done for the department and for the level, neglecting the entry level and thus not measurably changing the demographics culture of the department … by speaking of an organization that is patently skewed toward out, having the courage of your convictions. a Methuselah profile. …. It is my job to integrate it and decide This latest patch envisions After many years of conducting little or no how best to use that information, but I bringing in non-career training, management used the leadership- encourage all of my people to stand up for development training patch, while at the same what they believe, speak out, let us know officers at mid-level. time eliminating more practical on-the-job what they think.” We believe this will further training and mentoring slots in field missions. Information on submitting a nomina- When field leadership gaps were perceived, tion was detailed in the December 2003 delay needed strategic USAID management turned to the outside-the- AFSA News, and is also on the AFSA Web workforce planning ... service patch. site at www.afsa.org/awards. The nomi- Then, of course, there was the management nation form is also posted on the AFSA site. de-layering patch, which, rather than putting Please send in your nomination now. more emphasis on human resources, buried the office and its director deeper down in The deadline for submissions is February USAID’s bureaucratic weeds. And sometimes the agency has chosen the no-patch 26. approach, and permitted a slow leak to go unchecked, as in the case of HR staffing, where Help honor those who rock the boat! ▫ a whole office has been left chronically understaffed and thus unable to meet recruit- ment goals. Well, you ask, if the agency has not been “investing in people,” where has it been investing its time and money? A partial litany would include re-engineering, reorga- New Retiree nization, a new management system (called the NMS), reblocking and competitive out- sourcing. It has even decapitalized human resources with a Reduction in Force. Employees Directory have been “BTEC’ed” and “Quick Hit” and, most recently, another right-sizing patch Published by AFSA has been applied that the agency is calling a “template.” This is a wholly (I might say unholy) ineffective patch, because it fails to cover all the bureaus. etiree members should keep an eye Now there is a new patch that agency management has in mind — the non-career out for the new edition of the hiring patch, bringing in non-career officers at mid-level. In AFSA’s view, this is just RRetiree Directory, published in another misguided half-measure to try to undo a decade of strategic planning inaction December 2003. All AFSA retiree mem- on human resources issues. We believe this will further delay needed strategic work- bers receive a copy of this valuable direc- force planning, and will sow palpable discontent and foster corrosive morale problems tory. This edition includes a new fea- among employees, especially NEPs, who see their career development and promotions ture, a resource section in the center of jeopardized. the book catering to the needs of If you have read this far, you know what the punch line is: Yes, it is time to spend Foreign Service retirees. Just one more the money and buy a new tire — and I sure hope this cockeyed patchwork of a tire reason to keep your membership active doesn’t hit a pothole before then. ▫ even after retirement! ▫

6 AFSA NEWS • JANUARY 2004 or her skills would be of use to a particular work for other bureaus. While some trans- bureau.) When the bureau — usually fer accommodations may have to be made through the executive office — decides to in order to move from one bureau to anoth- hire an applicant, the annuitant is added to er, the annuitant’s security clearance will the bureau’s reemployment rolls. After the remain in effect. Q&A annuitant’s security clearance is reactivat- Q: Do WAE employees have job security? ed, he or she can begin work as soon as a No. As part-time, temporary or suitable position becomes available. A: intermittent employees, WAE Retiree Q: What’s the best approach for an annu- employees serve at the pleasure of the bureau itant seeking a WAE appointment? and do not receive evaluation reports or Issues Most annuitants are re-employed future job guarantees. BY BONNIE BROWN, A:because they have vital skills and Q: Is there a cap on earnings for WAE RETIREE ACTIVITIES knowledge that are needed by a bureau, they employees? COORDINATOR are well known to bureau personnel and/or Yes. The sum of an annui- their timing is good. I would advise an A: tant’s salary and annuity during annuitant to make preliminary contacts a calendar year cannot exceed the annui- Q: How does a Foreign Service annuitant about re-employment with the bureau in tant’s salary at the time of retirement (with- become reemployed by the Department of which he or she is interested before retire- out adjustment for inflation) or the full- State in a WAE position? ment and to renew these contacts period- time salary of the position in which he or Each regional and functional ically after applying for an appointment and she was reemployed, whichever is higher. A: bureau in the department has its while on a re-employment roll. An annu- In practice, this means that an annuitant own separate WAE (While Actually itant can also assure immediate availabili- can work only for three to six months per Employed) program, which is managed ty by applying for re-employment shortly year and receive a full annuity as well as according to the bureau’s particular per- before or after retirement and thereby keep- full compensation for work performed. sonnel needs. To apply for re-employment, ing his or her security clearance current. Contractors, in contrast, are not affected an applicant must submit a resumé or a Q: Can a WAE employee work for different by this cap. AFSA supports current Senate standard employment application form to bureaus? efforts to expand the authority of the a specific bureau. (Using a resumé rather Yes. Although an annuitant Secretary of State to waive annuity limi- than the employment form gives an annu- A: may get an appointment only tations on re-employed Foreign Service itant greater flexibility in showing how his with one dedicated bureau, he or she can annuitants. ▫

FOCUS ON ELDERHOSTEL Foreign Service retirees. Petterson, Ronald Spiers and Michael The latest course, held in Portsmouth, Wygant treated participants to diplomat- AFSA Program N.H., in October 2003, was an outstand- ic case studies and insights on regional issues ing example of this approach. The first to involving the Middle East, Europe, Africa Educating the take place in New England, home of many and Central Asia. An overview of the Public distinguished retirees who volunteered as Foreign Service was provided by Ward faculty members, the program took AFSA’s Thompson and a discussion of consular BY WARD THOMPSON, outreach cooperation with State into a new functions and refugees by Matthew Ward. AFSA ELDERHOSTEL COORDINATOR area. Portsmouth houses both the Visa Center Director Sara Tufo, Passport re you one of the many AFSA National Visa Center, which does much of Office Acting Director Leo Hession and retirees (or future retirees) who enjoy the immigrant visa processing formerly Susan Mefel of S.I. International hosted Atelling people about the Foreign done by embassies, and the Passport course participants on tours and briefings Service? That’s an important activity, as the Office, which handles all passport renew- at these State Department facilities. In a public needs to have a better understand- al applications. So we called the course special evening session, participants heard ing of diplomacy. But for many of us, find- “Yearning to Breathe Free.” It attracted about the family side of Foreign Service life ing interested audiences is often difficult. 41 participants who came from 14 states from Elria Ewing, Julie Petterson and AFSA has hit on one solution — we bring to learn about diplomacy, with a special Catherine and Lee Wygant. the audience to you! In its eight-year col- focus on visas, refugees and citizens services. This course followed others successful- laboration with the Elderhostel organiza- Lectures were presented by members of ly inaugurated earlier in 2003 by colleagues tion, AFSA has arranged 84 courses at 11 the Foreign Affairs Retirees of New in California and Washington state. There different sites throughout the U.S. to which England. Ambassadors Charles Dunbar, are plans to reprise them, to continue ongo- Americans travel for a week of lectures by Hermann Eilts, Roland Kuchel, Donald Continud on page 9

JANUARY 2004 • AFSA NEWS 7 FS VOICE: FAMILY MEMBER MATTERS ■ BY KELLY BEMBRY MIDURA Self-Employment: A Portable Career Solution Editor’s Note: Due to the success of this these free-lancers successfully turned the ule, remaining employed yet available AFSA News feature, AFSA will now pay disadvantage of being unemployed in their while the FS employee works long hours a $100 honorarium (up from $60) for any profession into an opportunity to explore or travels frequently, as so many do. This column published as part of this series. an interest or a talent that might not have can be especially useful during difficult Submit your 500-word column on any topic been sufficiently profitable to support a periods such as the months following of interest to Foreign Service family mem- family in the U.S. (Embassy-provided arrival at a new post. bers to [email protected]. SD housing can reduce, if not eliminate, the • They will have interesting answers to need for a second income, at least dur- the “What do you do?” question at din- s “trailing spouses” we carry our ing some overseas tours.) ner parties, enjoying a separate profes- homes on our backs like snails — While few self-employed spouses sional identity from their FS spouses. At Awhy not carry our careers as well? make large salaries, few conventionally- my current post, for example, most peo- I have been self-employed since we employed Foreign Service spouses do ple know me as a local Web-site design- joined the Foreign Service. From selling either. Self-employment has certain er or the mother of my children, not as handmade toys at craft bazaars, I have advantages over embassy employment, “the cultural attaché’s wife.” moved on to free-lance writing, editing including the following: Finally, free-lancers overseas can enjoy and Web-site design. Self-employment • Self-employed spouses, unlike those the same advantages as their counterparts has always been possible, but is now an in Eligible Family Member positions, can in the States. There’s something to be easier and more lucrative option, thanks claim the overseas earned income tax said for being able to work in your sweat- to the educational, telecommuting and exemption. Even considering the “self- pants and bunny slippers on cold days, networking opportunities offered by the employment tax,” they will keep more of or to drop everything and take a walk on Internet. every dollar earned outside the embassy beautiful ones. When my kids are in Nearly every Foreign Service spouse than would be possible in EFM positions school, I can be available to help with enters the diplomatic community with the (for more information, visit www.irs.gov). homework, or just to hear about their day. brains, education and talent he or she needs • They can enjoy career continuity. When they are sick, they can curl up with to open a home business: It’s just a ques- They may have to acquire new clients at a book on the daybed in my office. tion of finding the right business. The each new post, but they will not have to Meanwhile, I’m earning enough to fund answer may have nothing to do with the start from scratch. If the business is their college savings plans. A “portable spouse’s university degree or previous pro- Internet-based, they may not even have career” has been a good employment fessional life. For example, I have a B.A. to do that. With the aid of a laptop com- solution for this Foreign Service spouse. in international relations, but learned to puter, the business can continue to ▫ design Web sites through online resources. prosper and provide an income even dur- Over five overseas tours, I have ing home leaves and transfer periods. Kelly Bembry Midura is a Web-site designer and known self-employed caterers, translators • Particularly if children are involved, writer who has accompanied her husband, Chris, and woodworkers, and teachers of foreign self-employed spouses can arrange their a public diplomacy officer, to La Paz, Guatemala languages, yoga and quilting. Many of business hours to suit the family’s sched- City, Lusaka, San Salvador, Washington and Prague.

Visas • Continued from page 1 posthumous constructive dissent award to Committee, in cooperation with the Visas for Bingham’s family on behalf of AFSA. AFSA Life Project. The exhibit was put together by has also been actively involved in supporting Eric Saul, who has gathered information on efforts to gain approval from the U.S. Postal 147 diplomats from 27 different countries who Service for an official postal stamp honoring aided in the massive effort that in total saved Bingham. Bingham’s story was featured in the more than 250,000 Jews from certain death June 2002 issue of the Foreign Service Journal. during the Holocaust. Nine of the diplomats Rep. Lantos, who survived the Holocaust honored were American. because of the efforts of Swedish diplomat At the June 2002 AFSA award ceremony, Raoul Wallenberg, opened the exhibit pro- thanks to the hard work and research of for- AFSA Executive Director Susan Reardon and gram by extending heartfelt words of gratitude mer AFSA President John Naland, Secretary AFSA President John Limbert with their com- to the families of all the righteous diplomats. of State Colin Powell presented a special memorative medals. Family members present offered emotional

8 AFSA NEWS • JANUARY 2004 Visas • Continued from page 8 FOCUS ON SCHOLARSHIPS and inspiring stories of their loved ones. Bingham’s daughter Abigail Bingham Foreign Service Colleagues Honor Their Own Endicott, an operatic soprano, per- he AFSA Scholarship Fund recently established two scholarships hon- formed a song that she wrote to honor oring Ambassador Prudence Bushnell and FAS FSO Martin G. her father and other righteous diplomats. TPatterson. What is unique about the awards is how they came to be. John Limbert and Susan Reardon The 111th A-100 training class created the Bushnell scholarship through made brief remarks upon receiving a donation to AFSA. The aim was to thank Amb. Bushnell for being their their commemorative medals — the Carl mentor and for her service to the United States. She joined the Foreign Lutz and Raoul Wallenberg Medals. Service in 1981 and has served as ambassador to the Republics of Guatemala Limbert offered words of gratitude on (1999 to 2002) and Kenya (1996 to 1999). Currently, she is dean of the behalf of over 12,000 active and retired Leadership and Management School at FSI. Holly Holzer, at Embassy AFSA members, saying the award serves Kathmandu, is acting as the class coordinator for the scholarship. The one- to remind us to be proud of the profes- time-only award will be bestowed in August 2004 as a need-based Financial sion of diplomacy. Susan Reardon Aid Scholarship to a child of a Foreign Service employee to help defray undergraduate remarked that it is an honor to work for college costs. an organization that recognizes dissent. Martin Patterson, an FSO with the Foreign Agriculture Service, passed away suddenly Just as Rep. Lantos has personal and pro- from heart failure on July 3 while visiting his parents in Louisiana. His wife, Constanza, fessional reasons to promote the recog- and three young daughters survive him. Over the course of three months, his colleagues, nition of righteous diplomats, so does friends and family donated over $16,000 to establish a perpetual scholarship in Marty’s name. Susan Reardon. She is one of the esti- AFSA would like to commend Mike Conlon and Eric Wenberg of FAS, and other close mated half-million descendants of the friends of Marty’s, for the lead they took in this effort. They made personal presentations, survivors and refugees saved by the hon- worked to establish a Web page, and even coordinated a bake sale to raise awareness of the ored diplomats. Martin G. Patterson Scholarship. This award will be bestowed in perpetuity because only In closing the ceremony, Eric Saul the interest from the donated principal is awarded as a scholarship. Like the Bushnell schol- asked that attendees share the stories with arship, this will be awarded under AFSA’s Financial Aid Scholarship Program and will specif- their children and educate others by the ically be bestowed on a child of a FAS or APHIS employee. When the Patterson children examples of the diplomats honored in the are old enough, they can apply to receive this award. Visas for Life exhibit. ▫ In both instances, biographical information on the scholarship will be shared with the recipients so the students can understand the Foreign Service connection. For more infor- mation on how to contribute to these scholarships or for general AFSA Scholarship Fund Elderhostel • Continued from page 7 information, contact Lori Dec at 1 (800) 704-2372, ext. 504, or e-mail [email protected]. Applications for AFSA’s merit and financial aid scholarships for the 2004/2005 school year are due Feb. 6, 2004. ▫

2004 AFSA Dues Rates 2003 Payroll/Annuity Grade/Annuity Annual Deduction Lifetime Josh SFS $312.95 $12.00 $1,500.00 FS 1, 2, 3 $242.00 $9.30 $1,500.00 FS 4, 5, 6 $138.45 $5.30 $1,500.00 FS 7, 8, 9 $73.20 $2.80 $1,500.00 ing programs by colleagues in Arizona, Annuity under 25K $56.40 $4.70 $1,000.00 Colorado, Florida, Georgia and the D.C. Annuity over 25K $84.40 $7.00 $1,000.00 area, and to keep sending retirees to con- Annuity over 50K $112.80 $9.40 $1,000.00 duct programs in Chautauqua, N.Y., as well Annuity over 75K $140.90 $11.75 $1,000.00 as to launch a new course in Houston. Retiree Spouse $50.00 $4.15 $1,000.00 If you live elsewhere and would like AFSA Retiree Associate $53.10 NA $1,000.00 to bring an audience to you, please con- tact Ward Thompson at thompsonw@afsa. Associate $86.80 NA $1,000.00 org for more information. ▫

JANUARY 2004 • AFSA NEWS 9 CLASSIFIEDS

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ROl a ND S. HEa RD, CPa SEEKING RETIRED FSO's. Government 1091 Chaddwyck Dr. Athens, GA 30606 contracting firm in Maryland is seeking TAX & FINANCIAL SERVICES recently retired USAID Foreign Service Tel/Fax: (706) 769-8976 Officers in such personnel categories as exec- Ta X RETURN PREPa Ra TION a ND E-mail: [email protected] utive management, health, population & Pl a NNING from a CPA firm specializing in • U.S. income tax services nutrition, and program and project develop- expatriate taxation. Home of JANE A. BRUNO, • Many FS & contractor clients ment to serve as coaches available to train, the author of "The Expat's Guide to U.S. • Practiced before the IRS support and guide new Foreign Service Taxes." Tax return preparation, tax consulta- • Financial planning employees in their career training develop- tion and financial planning. Contact us at: • American Institute of CPAs, Member ment, and to troubleshoot specific areas in their Tel: (954) 452-8813, Fax: (954) 452-8359. FIRST CONSULTATION FREE development that may need additional atten- E-mail: [email protected] WWW.ROLANDSHEARDCPA.COM tion. These are flexible, part-time positions to Visit our Web site: begin approximately March 1, 2004, normally www.americantaxhelp.com FINa NCIa l a DVISOR: Stephen H. working twenty hours per week or less, and Thompson, Legg Mason Wood Walker Inc. require no travel. Please submit your resume FREE Ta X CONSUl Ta TION: For over- Member NYSE/Member SIPC (Retired and salary requirements to: FSO Recruiter, seas personnel. We process returns as Foreign Service Officer). 12520 Prosperity Drive, Suite 300, Silver received, without delay. Preparation and rep- Tel: (202) 778-1970, (800) 792-4411. Spring, MD 20904 - No phone calls please. resentation by Enrolled Agents. Federal and Web site: www.sthompson.fa.leggmason.com all states prepared. Includes “TAX TRAX” E-mail: [email protected] unique mini-financial planning review with rec- LEGAL SERVICES ommendations. Full planning available. Get the most from your financial dollar! Financial VIRGINIa M. TEST, CPa : Tax service a TTORNEY WITH 22 years successful Forecasts Inc., Barry B. De Marr, CFP, EA, Specializing in Foreign Service/overseas con- experience SPECIALIZING FULL-TIME IN FS 3918 Prosperity Ave. #230, Fairfax, VA 22031 tractors. CONTa CT INFO: (804) 695-2939, GRIEVANCES will more than double your Tel: (703) 289-1167, Fax: (703) 289-1178, FaX: (804) 695-2958. E-mail: [email protected] chance of winning: 30% of grievants win E-mail: [email protected] before the Grievance Board; 85% of my clients PROPERTY MANAGEMENT win. Only a private attorney can adequately a TTORNEY, FORMER FOREIGN SER- develop and present your case, including nec- VICE OFFICER: Extensive experience w/ tax essary regs, arcane legal doctrines, prece- problems peculiar to the Foreign Service. REa l TY GROUP, INC. dents and rules. Call Bridget R. Mugane at Available for consultation, tax planning, and Tel: (202) 387-4383, or (301) 596-0175. preparation of returns: DC PROPERTY Ma Na GEMENT a ND Sa l ES E-mail: [email protected] M. Bruce Hirshorn, Boring & Pilger 307 West Maple Ave., Suite D, of single-family homes, Free initial consultation. condos & small apartment bldgs. Vienna, VA 22180 Tel: (703) 281-2161, We serve owners Fax: (703) 281-9464. who appreciate personalized E-mail: [email protected] service & quality maintenance. a TTORNEY PROFESSIONa l Ta X RETURN Amy Fisher, CRS: (202) 544-8762 GRIEVa NCE a TTORNEY (specializing PREPa Ra TION: Thirty years in public tax E-mail: [email protected], since 1983). Attorney assists FS officers to cor- practice. Arthur A. Granberg, EA, ATA, ATP. Visit our Web site: rect defective performance appraisals to Our charges are $75 per hour. Most FSO dcpropertymanagement.com reverse improper tenuring and promotion returns take 3 to 4 hours. Our office is 100 feet board decisions, secure financial benefits, from Virginia Square Metro Station, Tax KDH PROPERTIES serves the property defend against disciplinary actions and obtain Matters Associates PC, 3601 North Fairfax Dr., management needs of clients who are locat- relief from all forms of discrimination. Free Initial Arlington, VA 22201. Tel: (703) 522-3828, ed inside the beltway from American Legion Consultation. Call William T. Irelan, Esq. Fax: (703) 522-5726. Bridge to the Annandale exit. We have over Tel: (202) 625-1800, Fax: (202) 625-1616. E-mail: [email protected] 30 years experience in renting and managing. E-mail: [email protected] We are REALTORS and belong to the Pl aCE a Cl aSSIFIED aD: Northern Virginia Association of REALTORS. $1.25/word (10-word min.) First 3 We manage: single-family homes, town- WIl l /ESTa TE Pl a NNING by attorney words bolded free, add’l bold text houses, condo units, as well as small com- who is a former FSO. Have your will reviewed $2/word, header, box, shading $10 ea. munity associations. We would be honored and updated, or new one prepared: Deadline: 20th of month for pub. to serve as your property manager. Our man- No charge for initial consultation. 5 wks. later. ager has earned and holds the designation of Certified Property Manager and Certified M. Bruce Hirshorn, Boring & Pilger, 307 Ad Mgr: Tel: (202) 944-5507, Maple Ave. W, Suite D, Vienna, VA 22180 Manager of Community Associations. Contact Tel: (703) 281-2161, Fax: (703) 281-9464. Fax: (202) 338-6820. us for more information: Tel: (703) 522-4927, E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] or e-mail: [email protected]

10 AFSA NEWS • JANUARY 2004 CLASSIFIEDS

pROpERTy MANAg EMENT TEMpORARy HOUSINg REAL ESTATE

PRUDENTIa l Ca RRUTHERS REa l - WaSHINGTON, D.C. or NFaTC TOUR? HEa DED TO D.C.? Start planning now TORS: Complete professional dedication to EXECUTIVE HOUSING CONSUl TaNTS for house hunting in Northern Virginia. Let my the management of residential property in offers Metropolitan Washington, D.C.’s finest 16-plus years of experience providing FS per- Northern Virginia. Our professionals will pro- portfolio of short-term, fully-furnished and sonnel with exclusive vide personal attention to your home, care- Buyer Representation equipped apartments, townhomes and single- work for you. My effective strategy for home ful tenant screening, and video inspections family residences in Maryland, D.C. and buying will make the transition easier for you of your property. We are equipped to han- Virginia. and your family! dle all of your property management needs. In Virginia: “River Place’s Finest” is steps Contact , Associate We work 7 days a week! Over 22 years real MaRIl YN CaNTREl l to Rosslyn Metro and Georgetown, and 15 Broker, ABR, CRS, GRI at McEnearney estate experience and Foreign Service over- minutes on Metro bus or State Department Associates, 1320 Old Chain Bridge Rd, seas living experience. JOANN PIEKNEY. shuttle to NFATC. For more info, please call McLean, VA 22101. Tel: (703) 790-9090, ext. Vienna: (301) 951-4111, or visit our Web site: Tel: (703) 938-0909, Fax: (703) 281-9782, 246; Fax: (703) 734-9460. E-mail: [email protected] www.executivehousing.com E-mail: [email protected] a rlington: Tel: (703) 522-5900, www.marilyncantrell.com Fax: (703) 525-4173. E-mail: [email protected]. TEMPORa RY QUa RTERS GEORGE- TOWN: Exquisite, fully furnished accom- modations at the East End of Georgetown. FOR RENT: Close to W. Falls Church WJD Ma Na GEMENT IS competitively Short walk to World Bank and State subway. Newly renovated basement/apt. priced, of course. However, if you are con- Department. Lower two levels of four-level w/full bath. Separate entrance. $650 plus sidering hiring a property management firm, home, private front and rear entrances, eight- utilities. Tel: (703) 237-2706, or e-mail: don’t forget the old saying, “You get what you foot ceilings, three fireplaces, two large mar- [email protected] pay for.” All of us at WJD have worked for other ble bathrooms, granite and stainless steel property management firms in the past, and kitchen, washer and dryer, fenced rear patio we have learned what to do and, more impor- leading to alley. Street parking. Dishes, flat- FLORIDA tantly, what not to do from our experiences at ware, towels, linens and light maid service these companies. We invite you to explore our included. Pets case-by-case. Rate com- l ONGBOa T KEY, BRa DENTON/ Web site at www.wjdpm.com for more infor- mensurate with housing allowance. Contact Sa Ra SOTa Area will exceed expectations. mation, or call us at (703) 385-3600. owner at: [email protected] or Tel: (202) 625- Don’t miss owning in Florida. Resales, new 6448. See photos and description at: homes, rental management and vacation www.1229-30th Street.com rentals. Dynamic growing company offering PEa KE Ma Na GEMENT: Looking for a personalized professional service. Contact: great property manager experienced with FS Sharon E. Oper, Realtor (AFSA Member) clients? Call me to set up an appointment, or FURNISHED l UXURY a Pa RTMENTS: Wagner Realty. Tel: (941) 387-7199. to receive our free Landlord Manual. The man- Short/long-term. Best locations: Dupont Circle, E-mail: [email protected] ual clearly explains the rental management Georgetown. Utilities included. All price process no matter which company you ranges/sizes. Parking available. choose. We’re professional, experienced and Tel: (202) 296-4989, E-mail: [email protected] FLORIDA friendly. In business since 1982. Lindsey Peake: 6842 Elm St., McLean, VA 22101. NO STa TE INCOME Ta X enhances gra- Tel: (703) 448-0212. cious living in Sarasota, the cultural capital of E-mail: [email protected] PIED-a -TERRE PROPERTIES, l TD: Florida’s Gulf Coast. Contact former FSO Paul Select from our unique inventory of fully-fur- Byrnes, Coldwell Banker residential sales nished & tastefully decorated apartments & specialist, through e-mail: TEMPORARY HOUSING townhouses all located in D.C.’s best in-town [email protected] or Toll-Free: neighborhoods: Dupont, Georgetown, Foggy (877) 924-9001. SHORT - TERM RENTALS Bottom & The West End. Two-month mini- mum. Mother-Daughter Owned & Operated. CORPORaTE aPaRTMENT SPECIal ISTS: Tel: (202) 462-0200. Fax: (202) 332-1406. BOCa Ra TON, Pa l M BEa CH, FORT Abundant experience working with Foreign Email: [email protected] l a UDERDa l E Gracious living in vibrant S. Service professionals and the locations to best www.piedaterredc.com Florida with many cultural events, universities, serve you: Foggy Bottom, Woodley Park, and sports. The Treasure Coast remains Cleveland Park, Chevy Chase, Rosslyn, affordable w/ condos, villas, waterfront and golf Ballston, Pentagon City. Our office is a short walk communities in all price ranges. Enjoy from NFATC. One-month minimum. All fur- 1768-74 U. ST/ a Da MS MORGa N: EuroMed living as your investment grows. nishings, housewares, utilities, telephone and Unique spacious 2-BR apts w/terrace. In newly FSO (ret.) assists with amenities, and cable included. Tel: (703) 979-2830 or (800) 914- renovated historic bldg. Individual HVAC units, spouse/agent shows range of retirement, 2802; Fax: (703) 979-2813. controlled entry system, hdwd flrs, all new investment and vacation properties. Contact: Web site: www.corporateapartments.com appliances including W/D. Pkg. avail. Tel: (561) 445-9923. E-mail: [email protected] For appt. call: (917) 567-4811. E-mail: [email protected]

JANUARY 2004 • AFSA NEWS 11 CLASSIFIEDS

COME ON DOWN! The Carolinas have VACATION PET TRANSPORTATION it all -- mountains, forests, beach and lakefront living. Exciting cities or country quiet. Retire, Pa RIS, FRa NCE FSO - owned 1 bed- or build a new career among friendly people. room apartment (XVI Arrondissement), fully Great tax advantages for federal retirees. Let furnished, available for weekly or monthly Allen Tate Realtors, the region's number one rental. For more info. e-mail: agency, be your guide. Contact former FSO [email protected] Craig Davidson today for a free relocation or [email protected] package. [email protected]. Tel: (704) 367-7227. BOOKS

Wa SHINGTON STa TE ISl a NDS: Ol D a SIa /ORIENT BOOKS BOUGHT DOMESTIC / WORl DWIDE SHIPPING: Spectacular views, wonderful community, cli- Asian rare books. Fax: (212) 316-3408, Tel: (304) 274-6859, (888) 234-5028 mate, boating, hiking. Access Seattle & E-mail: [email protected] www.actionpetexpress.com Vancouver, B.C. Former FSO Jan Zehner, E-mail: [email protected] Windermere Real Estate/ Orcas Island, DIPl OMa TIC a FFa IRS: Robert G. (800) 842-5770; www.orcas-island.com Morris’ third novel, now available from: MISCELLANEOUS E-mail: [email protected] www.thebookden.com VACATION W.W. GENERa l CONSTRUCTION MORTGAGE Serving VA, MD & DC BETHaNY BEaCH: Watch golfers on the Licensed and Bonded 15th tee from your bedroom window and then BUYING OR REFINa NCING a HOME? Complete Home Remodeling & Repair grab your clubs and join them! Three-year-old Save money with some of the lowest rates Total Renovations townhouse in Bethany's prized Salt Pond com- in 40 years. Jeff Stoddard specializes in work- Kitchens, Bathrooms and Basements munity is available for rent for a winter ing with the Foreign Service community over- Ceramic Tile and Hardwood Floors escape...or plan now for the summer of 2004. seas and in the U.S. Call today and experi- Painting and Drywall Sleeps six; 10-minute drive to the ence the Power of Yes! ® Tel: (703) 299-8625, For more information visit our Web site beach. Salt Pond has an 18-hole golf course; E-mail: [email protected] www.1stcarpenter.com natural mini-golf course; basketball, tennis, and or e-mail us at: [email protected] shuffleboard courts. Plus swimming pool (sum- BUSINESS CARDS or call us at (301) 330-9806 mer only). Bethany Beach is between Ocean Quality Work and Reasonable Prices City and Rehoboth on the Delaware Coast. BUSINESS Ca RDS Printed to State References upon Request Off-season rentals, $300/weekend; in season Department specifications and delivered in 5 rentals, $800 to $1500/week. For more info. working days. 500 cards for as little as $37.00! Thank you for calling Herron Printing & contact Carol: (202) 310-5491, SHIp p INg e-mail: [email protected] Graphics at (301) 990-3100; or e-mail: [email protected] BEa UTIFUl a VENTURa CONDO: 2/2 Pl a NNING TO MOVE OVERSEa S? For Rent N. Miami Beach. Breathtaking SHOPPING Need a rate to ship your car, household goods, Intracoastal/Ocean views from 40' balcony; or other cargo going abroad? Contact pool; jacuzzi. 110 - 220 VOl T STORE SEFCO-Export Management Company for E-mail: [email protected] MUl TI-SYSTEM El ECTRONICS rates and advice. Tel: (718) 268-6233, Fax: (718) 268-0505. Contact Joseph T. Quinn. Na Pl ES, Fl ORIDa CONDO, monthly Visit our Web site at www.sefco-export.com Pa l -SECa M-NTSC TVs, rental, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths. E-mail: [email protected] VCRs, AUDIO, CAMCORDER, E-mail: [email protected] ADAPTOR, TRANSFORMERS, KITCHEN APPLIANCES COTTa GE FOR RENT: September/ GMS WORl D WIDE PHONES NEED CaR PaRTS? EFM with vast expe- October Cottage on a hill in the woods between rience in car parts and accessories can locate Lake Michigan and Crystal Lake - 35 miles west EPORT WORl D El ECTRONICS the right item for your needs at the best price of Traverse City, Michigan. Sleeps eight. 1719 Connecticut Ave NW and ship to you via APO or pouch. Contact Complete relaxation. Short walk to Crystal Lake. (Dupont Circle Metro. Btwn. R & S Sts.) me at: www.rodacointernational.com or send Ten minute walk to Lake Michigan. Sun deck. TEl (202) 232-2244 (800) 513-3907 me an e-mail at: Screened in porch. Fireplace. Modern conve- E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]. niences. Lake swimming. Great hiking. Tennis URL:www.220AV.TV courts. Golf course- adjacent property. NEW l OCa TION Salmon/Lake Trout fishing charters- nearby 1030 19TH ST.NW (between K & L Sts.) Frankfort. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park- Washington, D.C. 20009, INDEPENDENT SCHOOl OPTIONS: 15 minute drive. $400 per week. Contact: Tom TEl (202) 464-7600. Finding the best school placement for each Johnson, INQUIRE a BOUT OUR PROMOTIONS child in the Washington Metro area. Tel: (703) 425-7705 or e-mail: Government & Diplomat discounts www.independentschooloptions.org [email protected]. Tel: (703) 671-8316.

12 AFSA NEWS • JANUARY 2004 FSJ79-C4JAN2004Realescopy_FSJ79-C4JAN2004Realescopy11/10/111:04PMPagec4