The Foreign Service Journal, September 2009

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FS KNOW-HOW RETURNS! ■ HONORING SAM NUNN ■ IN THE CLOUDS

$3.50 / SEPTEMBER 2009 OREIGN ERVICE FJ O U R N A L STHE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS

WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS The Role of U.S. Diplomats in Conflict Zones C1-C4_FSJ_0909_COV:proof 8/6/09 11:01 PM Page C2 01-20_FSJ_0909_FRO:first 8/7/09 2:29 PM Page 1 01-20_FSJ_0909_FRO:first 8/7/09 2:29 PM Page 2 01-20_FSJ_0909_FRO:first 8/14/09 1:17 PM Page 3

OREIGN ERVICE FJ O U R N A L S CONTENTS September 2009 Volume 86, No. 9

F OCUS ON Diplomats in Conflict Zones

THE DIPLOMAT AS COUNTERINSURGENT / 21 Civilians must become as conversant with the fundamentals of counterinsurgency warfare as our military counterparts already are. By Kurt Amend

INTERAGENCY COOPERATION: THE JIATF IN IRAQ / 28 The experience of the Joint Interagency Task Force in Iraq offers rich insights into effective strategic cooperation. By Robert M. Birkenes

Cover and inside illustration FROM PINSTRIPES TO KHAKI: GOVERNANCE UNDER FIRE / 35 by Brian Hubble U.S. diplomats must work alongside our military colleagues as full partners to improve conditions in conflict zones. By Paul Folmsbee

PRESIDENT’S VIEWS / 5 F EATURES Challenges and Opportunities By Susan R. Johnson SAM NUNN: NATIONAL SECURITY VISIONARY / 40 SPEAKING OUT / 15 Both as a four-term U.S. senator and a private citizen, Sam Nunn has Strengthen the Process for tirelessly advocated nonproliferation. For those efforts, he is the latest Middle East Diplomacy recipient of AFSA’s Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy Award. By David T. Jones By Steven Alan Honley NOW OW FS K -H / 18 USING CLOUD COMPUTING TO CLOSE THE DEVELOPMENT GAP / 47 ‘Virtually’ There: FS Spouses A paradigm shift now occurring in the information technology industry Build Careers Without Borders offers the possibility of accelerating social and economic development. By Katherine Jacobs By Kenneth I. Juster and Carolyn Ho REFLECTIONS / 80 The Spirituality of Living Abroad By Douglas E. Morris

LETTERS / 7 CYBERNOTES / 11 MARKETPLACE / 13 BOOKS / 51 IN MEMORY / 71 INDEX TO ADVERTISERS / 78

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OREIGN ERVICE CONTENTS FJ O U R N A L S

Editor AFSA NEWS STEVEN ALAN HONLEY Senior Editor AFSA DISSENT AND PERFORMANCE AWARD CEREMONY / 55 SUSAN B. MAITRA Associate Editor NEW GOVERNING BOARD TAKES OFFICE / 55 SHAWN DORMAN AFSA News Editor NEWS BRIEFS / 56 FRANCESCA KELLY Ad & Circulation Manager VP STATE: TOWARD A MORE PERFECT UNION / 57 ED MILTENBERGER Art Director VP USAID: A RUDDERLESS SHIP / 58 CARYN SUKO SMITH Editorial Intern VP RETIREE: OUR STAKE IN AFSA / 59 MARK HAY Advertising Intern VP FCS: BUDGETS, ELECTIONS & THE RUMOR MILL / 60 TYSON HALSETH

VP FAS: MISSION CLEAVAGE / 61 EDITORIAL BOARD TED WILKINSON OPEN HOUSE MARKS REOPENING OF HQ / 64 Chairman JOSEPH BRUNS STEPHEN W. B UCK ONORS RITING WARD INNER AFSA H W A W / 64 JULIE GIANELLONI CONNOR JIM DEHART FOREIGN SERVICE LEGISLATIVE SUCCESSES / 65 JEFF GIAUQUE GEORGE JONES CLASSIFIEDS / 69 LAURIE KASSMAN YVETTE N. MALCIOLN DAVID MCFARLAND AL PESSIN

THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), 2101 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is published monthly with a combined July-August issue by the American Foreign Service Associa- tion (AFSA), a private, nonprofit 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 e-mail. Journal sub- scription: AFSA members – $13 included in annual dues; others – $40. For foreign surface mail, add $18 per year; foreign airmail, $36 per year. Periodical postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mailing offices. Indexed by Public Affairs Information Services (PAIS). The Journal is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos or illustrations. Advertising inquiries are invited. The appearance of advertisements herein does not imply the endorsement of the services or goods offered. TELEPHONE: (202) 338-4045 FAX: (202) 338-8244 or (202) 338-6820 E-MAIL: [email protected] WEB: www.afsa.org; www.fsjournal.org © American Foreign Service Association, 2009. Printed in the U.S.A. Send address changes to: AFSA Attn: Address Change 2101 E Street N.W. Washington DC 20037-2990 Printed on 50-percent recycled paper, of which 10 percent is post-consumer waste.

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PRESIDENT’S VIEWS Challenges and Opportunities BY SUSAN R. JOHNSON

This is my first column as unequivocal support. ing overseas to work closely with your AFSA president, and my first On the broader front, the AFSA post representatives, and hope opportunity to warmly thank change in AFSA’s leadership that all AFSA members will share their all who reposed trust in me to coincides with an important ideas and concerns with their respective carry on AFSA’s tradition of time for the Foreign Service. constituency vice president and repre- working together to advance The new administration has sentatives — and with me (Johnson@ the interests of the Foreign taken up its responsibilities at afsa.org). Such engagement will en- Services of all our member agencies. a time of systemic global crisis. Gov- able us to more fully realize AFSA’s po- My thanks, as well, to all voters who par- ernments and foreign ministries world- tential as a robust professional associat- ticipated in the election for their sup- wide are trying to adjust to new ion and bargaining unit for all our ac- port of AFSA — our collective voice. imperatives of development, which de- tive-duty and retired members. The Within days of taking office, I sought mand diplomacy that delivers visible perspective of our retiree members, a meeting with Under Secretary for and measurable results. reflecting their experience, is especially Management Pat Kennedy to hear what An energetic, creative and united valuable in helping us identify effective he and his team are doing to implement AFSA, focused on constructive part- ways to make all of our agencies the overseas comparability pay and the ex- nership with the Secretary and her premier institutions that they can and panded definition of Eligible Family team, will maximize our ability to get should be. Members/Members of Household. I the resources and the policies necessary The previous AFSA Governing am pleased to report that they have for a high-quality, 21st-century diplo- Board, led by John Naland and Steve moved expeditiously on both fronts. matic service and development pro- Kashkett, has delivered important By the time this column appears, gram. achievements, with overseas compara- those of you overseas should soon see My broad goal as president is to bility pay, staffing increases and ex- the first of three planned annual salary make AFSA a stronger, more effective panded Eligible Family Member bene- adjustments that should move us to- and credible voice of our Foreign Serv- fits at the top of the list. I am sure that ward ending a longstanding inequity. ices, better able to represent, protect I speak for the new board in thanking However, we need to keep Congress fo- and advance our professional interests. them — and AFSA’s dedicated profes- cused on achieving this final objective. To get there, we will focus on modern- sional staff — for their sustained work. Management is also implementing izing the way AFSA does business and As the new AFSA Governing Board changes that will make same-sex partners improving our communications capac- begins its term, we need your support, eligible for most of the benefits that they ity to make full use of new technologies. your suggestions and your constructive have long sought. Both of these break- State Vice President Daniel Hirsch and criticism as we seek to work together throughs are hard-won, historic achieve- I have already met with AFSA staff to to refresh, update and strengthen ments, made possible by AFSA’s establish a working group that will up- AFSA to meet the challenges before diligent work and Secretary Clinton’s date our online presence to make it a us. We want to promote transparent premier site: user-friendly, interactive and collaborative governance for bet- Susan R. Johnson is the president of the and relevant to our membership. ter results, but we need you to make American Foreign Service Association. I also encourage those of you serv- that happen! ■

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LETTERS

Don’t Publish Hate Mail acceptable,” as Mr. Hoover puts it, to icans work side by side to advance I am writing to object to your deci- the apartheid government. When freedom and basic human rights for sion to publish the letter from retired Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. all. FSO Richard Hoover (“Don’t En- Bush and Barack Obama chose their I cannot imagine that any other mi- courage Them!”) that appeared in respective Secretaries of State, they nority group would have to open the your July-August issue. did not fear that sending a woman Foreign Service Journal to see letters When Secretary of State Hillary overseas might “project controversial that call on the department not to hire Rodham Clinton took office in Janu- views.” And last November’s results “greater numbers of those.” I would ary, 2,200 current and former em- show that when we elected our first ask that from this day forward, there ployees of foreign affairs agencies African-American president, most vot- should similarly be no room in the presented her with a letter asking that ers did not think that installing a mi- Journal for such hurtful words towards they be “treated equally and with the nority candidate as head of state would LGBT staff. same respect,” regardless of sexual “serve to undermine our work Selim Ariturk orientation. What made this docu- abroad.” Economic Officer ment truly historic was the gay- Today I woke up to my alarm clock, Embassy Baku straight alliance formed in the work- ate some cereal, drove to work, wrote place: 92 percent of the signatories a report and attended some meetings. Editor’s Note: We respectfully dis- did not have a Member of House- On my way home, I will purchase milk agree with Mr. Ariturk’s assertion that hold, meaning they were either sin- and fruit. Later, I will make a phone we published hate mail. When an gle or married to someone of the call to my partner, who is unable to AFSA member submits a letter re- opposite gender. join me at this post. It is unclear sponding to an item in the FSJ — in Wherever U.S. diplomats are post- which of these are the “habits” that this case, a May Speaking Out column ed overseas, we showcase to host com- Mr. Hoover claims are “unacceptable that strongly advocated fair treatment munities an example of successful in- to most American taxpayers.” for LGBT Foreign Service employees tegration: different races, different The State Department does not re- and their partners — our normal pol- religions, different ages and different spect host-country biases when it as- icy is to publish it (subject to editing, of sexual orientations working together signs lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans- course). effectively. The men and women of gender staff to overseas posts, any Further, as our masthead (p. 4) in our Foreign Service truly believe in the more than it respects host-country bi- each issue states:“Material appearing very American value of “E Pluribus ases concerning gender, race or reli- herein represents the opinions of the Unum.” gion. Today’s Foreign Service shows writers, and does not necessarily rep- Promotion of diversity is not a Re- the diversity of our nation better than resent the views of the Journal, the Ed- publican value or a Democratic value; ever before. From Khartoum to itorial Board or AFSA.” it is an American value. When Presi- Kabul, our LGBT staff are proudly dent Ronald Reagan selected Edward volunteering to serve their country. Through the Looking Glass Perkins as ambassador to South Africa, Wherever they are assigned, they — Thank you for the criticism of the he did not worry that the appointment and their straight colleagues — are Employee Evaluation Review process of an African-American would be “un- showing how diverse groups of Amer- in June’s Speaking Out column,

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“EERs: The Forgotten Front in the the Service are officers. A failure to Afghanistan’s neighbors — China, War for Talent.” Having just wit- understand the categories of FS per- India, Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Turk- nessed the process for the first time, I sonnel should automatically disqualify menistan, Uzbekistan and, by exten- feel like Alice in Wonderland. any generalist or specialist from pro- sion, Russia. All of them have This spring, I proofread many Em- motion, regardless of other sterling concerns about Afghanistan’s poten- ployee Evaluation Reports and did not qualities. tial to become a terrorist base of op- see a single negative statement — Additionally, Mr. Fritz may not be erations. But they also have a direct even in the one for my office’s former aware that, at times, FSOs are the sub- interest in keeping it from becoming a Office Management Specialist, whom ordinates of specialists, and their evalu- destabilizing vacuum in the center of I’ll call “Janet.” Janet was assigned to ations are written by the specialist the region. They probably don’t agree cover the phones in our busy office, supervisor. Therefore, the term “offi- on what a stable Afghanistan should but spent half the day in the hall chat- cer” should not have been universally look like, but with real national secu- ting with friends. When she was at her applied in the article. (In that regard, rity interests involved, they probably desk, surfing the Web was one of her I’d point out that I was misidentified as can find a formula that satisfies each prime activities. She worked with us an FS officer rather than as an FS spe- of their essential needs. until the head of our office told the cialist in my July-August letter to you.) So I suggest that the time has human resources director at post that Ken Yeager come for the U.S. and NATO to sit he never wanted to see her again. HR FS Specialist, retired down for a serious discussion with moved Janet to another office, where Großhansdorf, Germany those countries, making clear to them she has continued to be unmotivated that we share their concern that and uncaring. Stabilizing Afghanistan Afghanistan never again become a Janet’s EER rater joked to me that Why, in 2009, is the United States, safe haven for non-state terrorists. he’d had to include her participation and its NATO allies to a lesser degree, Moreover, given their direct stake in in a local 5K race as an achievement still almost solely responsible for re- the future of their region, we should because it was so difficult to come up solving Afghanistan’s political future? also make clear that we intend to turn with anything good to say about her We live in a multipolar world, and the over responsibility for Afghanistan’s work. Apparently, being nice is much Obama administration appears to be security and political future to local more important than being truthful. committed to the idea that the U.S. leaders at the earliest possible time. After only one year with the For- will accomplish more by working with At the same time, we should also eign Service, I’ve come to a depress- other countries and through interna- commit to playing a supportive role ing conclusion: because FS personnel tional organizations to achieve na- with a reasonable level of financial aren’t actually evaluated, we are just tional objectives than going it alone. and human resources. like Soviet factory workers — lacking Our national security interests in Such a step would imply abandon- any incentive to excel. Afghanistan are essentially limited to ing plans for a long-term U.S. military Name withheld by request preventing that country from once presence in Central Asia. But in light Foreign Service employee again providing a secure base for al- of the concerted opposition of the re- A post in Africa Qaida and its ilk. (The Obama ad- gion’s powers to such a presence, such ministration once claimed it would plans — assuming they exist — are On Officers and Specialists not pursue the broader nationbuild- simply not realistic. Given the limited I recently read the June Speaking ing goals of the Bush administration, tolerance of the American people for Out column by Jonathan Fritz. While but its subsequent actions have been extended military adventures halfway I certainly agree that there are many more ambiguous.) While our NATO around the globe, the most sensible shortcomings in the personnel evalua- partners share that goal, many of course is to leave the region’s prob- tion system, one absolute requirement them remain reluctant to become en- lems primarily in the hands of those for the promotion of Foreign Service gaged in the (hopefully) short-term directly involved. What better way to officers should be the recognition and military phase. do so than by beginning serious dis- understanding that not all members of Contrast that with the interests of cussions right now on handing over

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responsibility for Afghanistan to its neighbors? Michael W. Cotter Ambassador, retired Fearrington Village, N.C.

More on Fort Drum Despite his ordeal of a deep fall into shallow water at Fort Drum, one of the four fortified islands in Manila Bay (“Reprieve on Manila Bay,” June), John J. St. John might have encountered greater misfortune had he pushed further into the interior. El Fraile Island, the geographic name for Fort Drum, was recaptured from the Japanese in April 1945 by a unique method. As was first done at the smaller Fort Hughes on Caballo Island, a Navy landing craft loaded with a mix- ture of diesel fuel and gasoline, and protected by firepower, pulled up to Fort Drum, which was occupied by Japanese defenders. A landing party went aboard to place a discharge hose in an opening, attached igniters and pumped the fuel into Fort Drum. As the landing craft and pro- tecting party backed away, it appeared the plan had failed. But after a short interval the first explosion oc- curred, followed by a series of blasts that lasted all afternoon. In fact, it was five days before American forces could enter what was left of Fort Drum. While a consular officer in Manila from 1981 to 1982, I researched the Manila Bay islands and visited Fort Mills on Corregidor. But I never convinced anyone to take me to Fort Drum as Mr. St. John did. Perhaps I was spared his fate. Fred Donner Former FSO Falls Church, Va.

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MED Exams Save Lives the only gap is between services ren- from 15 percent to 10. It is a city that Further to a letter in the June issue dered and those not rendered. Rather may be advancing rapidly in certain by Marie-Elena van Treeck (respond- than getting hit with a pay cut when creature comforts, but it still poses ing to the March President’s Views we deploy overseas, we receive a pay huge cultural, family and health chal- column, “To Your Health”), I also con- increase for serving in Washington, lenges. One could find dozens of sim- sider my life saved by the medical based on a formula for the city’s ex- ilar cases around the globe. exam performed prior to my transfer pensive housing and cost-of-living bas- If AFSA wanted to take this one from Somalia to Rwanda as agricul- ket. The notion of receiving a step further, it could work on getting tural development officer. Washington cost-of-living adjustment our pension calculated with differen- In January 1983, prior to my de- while not living there strikes me as a tials included the way locality pay is — parture, the doctor who performed huge stretch, as it apparently is for the thereby increasing the incentive for the examination told me that State had many on Capitol Hill who would be not only serving overseas, but serving begun suggesting a colonoscopy for hard-pressed to defend this math to in the most difficult places. FS employees 40 years old or older. their constituents, much less to Lou Keith W. Mines This was not compulsory but was Dobbs. The recent formula may last Director highly recommended, he said. for a year, but I hardly see how it will Narcotics Affairs Section My colonoscopy revealed a malig- be formalized over the long term. Embassy Mexico City ■ nant growth that the doctor removed a Rather than continuing to fight the few days later. That growth would windmill of the “overseas pay gap,” I The Foreign Service Journal wel- have had four more years to spread would feel better if AFSA were fight- comes brief, focused letters from before the exam due on my next home ing the simple issue of differential slip- readers. (In general, 200 to 400 leave. I continue with annual colono- page, arguing for larger differentials words is a good target.) All submis- scopies and, 26 years later, still am for difficult posts and for a more nim- sions are subject to editing, and re- roaming the hills of West Virginia. ble system of calculating and initiating flect the opinions of the writers, not Please do not stop these exams. differentials. While I cannot justify necessarily the views of the Journal, Warren C. Putman getting a Washington differential for the Editorial Board or AFSA. Please ADO, retired serving in my current posting of Mex- send your letters to [email protected]. West Union, W. Va. ico City, I can easily justify hanging on to our current differential of 15 per- Enough about the Pay Gap cent. And in light of the recent two- CORRECTIONS In his May letter, Steven D’Angelo week school closure over the H1N1 In his farewell President’s Views found it “disappointing” that AFSA flu scare, two earthquakes and rising column in the July-August issue, John hadn’t succeeded in gaining support nationwide drug violence, I could see K. Naland referred to “U.S. diplomacy for eliminating the “overseas pay gap;” edging it up a bit — but certainly not in the world’s other 250 nations.” Al- he will presumably be pleased with re- reducing it, as is rumored will soon though the State Department does cent progress on this issue. happen. have that many diplomatic posts, they Am I the only FSO who finds it ob- Ciudad Juarez is another local case are located in just 194 independent scene that in the current budget cli- in point. The epicenter of Mexico’s mate AFSA, representing many FSOs, drug war, it experienced more than countries. presents virtual locality pay as a veri- 2,000 drug-related killings last year. A July-August Cybernotes item, table entitlement? Yet it only qualifies for a 15-percent “Changing Tides for Cuba,” incorrectly I have never understood the notion differential, based on the bizarre logic identified Walter Kendall Myers as a of “virtual” locality pay any more than of being across the border from the former FSO. While Myers did work for I understand the notion of “virtual” U.S. (“Gunshots outside, honey? Not the State Department, he was never a work (we are not, after all, the UAW). a problem; we’ll just mosey across to member of the Foreign Service. While AFSA has cleverly dressed this El Paso for the evening.”) We regret the errors. up as an “overseas pay gap,” in reality Beijing’s differential just slipped

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CYBERNOTES

State Historian Replaced In early June, John Campbell, a for- roviding the personnel and financial resources to manage our diplomacy mer ambassador to Nigeria, replaced Pand development policies is an urgent matter of national security. … Marc Susser as State Department His- Some will say that we cannot afford to support the increase, and we recog- torian (www.washingtonpost.com/ nize the economic crisis facing our country. But the reality is that we can- wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/07/ not afford to fail at this challenge. The costs, which the American Academy AR2009060702164.html). of Diplomacy/Stimson Center estimates at $3.5 billion by the end of a multi- The decision to reassign Susser re- year ramp-up, are less than half of 1 percent of what we spend on the de- sulted from the Office of the Inspector fense budget portion of national security (excluding costs to actually fight General’s May report on the Office of two wars). the Historian. As detailed in the Feb- We, former Secretaries of State of different administrations and different ruary edition of Cybernotes, Secretary political parties, and with differing views on many other issues, are never- of State Condoleezza Rice had ordered theless of one mind on this issue of critical importance to our country’s na- a review panel to investigate claims of tional security. We call on Congress to act accordingly and fund this critical mismanagement made in December need. 2008. At that time, Professor William — Former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger, George Shultz, James Baker, Roger Louis tendered his resignation Lawrence Eagleburger, Warren Christopher, Madeleine Albright, Colin Powell as chairman of the Historical Advisory and Condoleezza Rice, www.politico.com, June 25. Committee to protest alleged mismanagement of the Foreign Relations of the United States series. Examples of mis- All told, according to the report, at disregard for experience, recommend- management Louis and other employ- least 21 historians, many senior em- ing more focus on employee retention, ees cited include the forced retire- ployees, have left the office since the including a proposal to increase morale ment of series editor Dr. Edward issue of mismanagement arose. This by relocating to a better office space. Keefer, and Susser’s assumption of the figure accounts for 20 percent of the For now, though, the replacement of editorial position with no attempts to office’s staff. Susser will have to do. hire a replacement. The report also recommends filling The OIG’s full report may be The OIG report acknowledges the several vacant spots, including that of viewed at http://oig.state.gov/docu claims of Susser, who notably accused the editor, as well as strengthening the ments/organization/124568.pdf. the staff of being overly privileged ac- roles of the Historical Advisory Com- ademics with no regard for security or mittee and Bureau of Public Affairs in Ambassadorial Equations guidelines, but ultimately concludes personnel and timeline issues and in- A year ago, during the presidential that the hemorrhage of talent and creasing communication between all election campaign, the American widespread discontent with Susser parties. It also expresses concern at the Academy of Diplomacy sent a letter to warranted his speedy replacement. loss of personnel due to management’s Senator Barack Obama, urging him to

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break with the old practice of appoint- ico. Additionally, despite an unfortu- that affirmed the stranglehold of au- ing prominent donors as ambassadors. nate joke by White House Press Sec- thoritarian forces over Iran notwith- The letter was not so radical as to de- retary Robert Gibbs that Louis Sus- standing, recent events have revealed mand total elimination of political ap- man is qualified to be the ambassador deep cracks within the Iranian state, pointments, but suggested allocating to the United Kingdom because “he which may be of diplomatic advantage only 10 percent of ambassadorial posi- speaks English,” many of Obama’s to Mir-Hossein Mousavi and the tions to donors, as opposed to the typ- picks are indeed qualified people. United States. ical 30 percent (www.academyofdip Still, qualified as donors may be, Despite their best efforts to crack lomacy.org/media/Ambassadorial_ many worry about the practice of send- down on dissident movements, the Qualifications_Sen_Obama_6_200 ing them to such prominent nations Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps 8.pdf). (www.nytimes.com/2006/06/15/ and its hired Basij militias have only President Obama acknowledged opinion/15ihtedraleigh.1981739. pushed street demonstrators toward that he would give some posts to cam- html?_r=1). Former President Bill civil disobedience and cyberwarfare, paign supporters, but he also implied Clinton, for instance, often relegated with no end in sight. Though the gov- that he might consider following the even his qualified donor appointees to ernment continues to try to limit media AAD proposal. However, a recent more backwater locales (www.wash exposure of the peacefully subversive wave of ambassadorial appointments ingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/ acts of protestors, enough coverage for campaign financiers has led many article/2009/06/09/AR2009060903 reaches the outside world to seriously to fear that Obama will soon exceed a 304.html?nav=emailpage). damage its image of control (http:// 30/70 arrangement — a development But in fact, donors can often capi- schema-root.org/region/middle_ that has irritated not only Foreign talize on their fame, networking skills east/iran/resistance/). Even the pro- Service personnel, but the nations re- and direct access to the president to testers have been able to overcome the ceiving those ambassadors, as well the benefit and advantage of their mis- regime’s Internet regulations and con- (www.washingtontimes.com/news/ sion (www.politico.com/news/stor tinue to stream out live accounts of 2009/jul/10/career-diplomats-save- ies/0609/23362_Page2.html). Like- their actions (www.squidoo.com/iran share-of-postings/). wise, the appointment of a Foreign election). Foreign Service officers voiced Service professional does not neces- Granted, these correspondences their concerns to Secretary Clinton’s sarily ensure competency or accept- must be taken with a grain of salt, but chief of staff, Cheryl Mills; and she, in ance, as may be seen in Mexico’s their importance cannot be dismissed. turn, passed them along to the Secre- resentment at having an expert on Twitter updates, in particular, are im- tary and White House. In response, failed states assigned as its ambassador plicated in helping the dissident move- Obama administration officials have (www.mexidata.info/id2289.html). ments survive initial state crackdowns. indicated that they will at least uphold Check the American Foreign Serv- For this, Iranians give credit to the the 30/70 norm. However, as one ice Association’s list of ambassadors State Department, which is said to French newspaper sarcastically com- for periodic updates on appointees have convinced Twitter staff to delay mented, even that result would mean (www.afsa.org/ambassadors.doc). scheduled maintenance that would “No ‘change you can believe in’ for have broken lines of internal and ex- Obama.” The U.S. and the Sea of Green ternal communication in the infancy With 26 percent of posts given to Few doubts remain that the June 13 of the resistance (www.washington donors and 11 percent vacant as of this Iranian elections, which gave two- post.com/wp-dyn/content/arti writing, Obama still has time to re- thirds of the vote to incumbent Presi- cle/2009/06/16/AR2009061603391. deem himself — even if only to shift to dent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, were html). a 25/75 ratio. It is worth noting that he rigged to some degree. Despite waves Recognizing both the importance of has nominated Foreign Service mem- of protest over the election results, this medium and its potential to misin- bers, former or current, as chiefs of there is also little doubt that he will reform, many Iran watchers have re- mission for many hot spots, including tain his seat for a second term. sponded by creating filtered sites India, China, Brazil, Kosovo and Mex- The extraordinary show of brutality displaying only substantiated, rep-

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C YBERNOTES

50 Years Ago... n the one hand, foreign affairs are judged so important Othat the Secretary of State is the senior member of the president’s Cabinet and was indeed, between 1886 and 1947, second in succession to the presidency. On the other hand, there is recurrent hope that foreign affairs will give so little trouble that the Sec- retary of State will be free to go fishing and the important United States embassies can be staffed with party spoilsmen. — H.G. Nicholas, from “The American Secretary of State,” FSJ, September 1959.

utable Twitter updates (http://iran. portunity to unite their nation with a robinsloan.com/). dose of nationalist ire. As a result, Reacting to signs of weakness, high- claims Abbas Milani in the Council on level clerical leaders, silent through the Foreign Relations’ continuing analysis early stages of the resistance, have of the situation in Iran, “with a badly started to undermine the position of tarnished domestic and international Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Kham- reputation, and with a sadly failing enei. From their seat in the city of economy in desperate need of foreign Qom, they have issued statements, investments, the triumvirate will be, in even outright fatwas, declaring the spite of its bombast, in desperate need elections void and the tactics of of negotiating with the United States” Khamenei’s supporters reprehensible. (www.cfr.org/region/404/iran.html). Heading up this camp is Grand Ay- The potential clearly exists for sig- atollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri, the nificant changes in American-Iranian man originally intended to hold diplomatic relations. Yet the situation Khamenei’s current position and one in Tehran remains in flux, and the ex- of the most powerful leaders of Shi’a tent to which the Obama administra- Islam. His increasingly frequent con- tion should seek to interact with a demnations of Khamenei and support clearlly troubled regime remains ques- of the protesters reveal the continuing tionable. and destabilizing presence of splits in Recognizing this delicate position, Iranian leadership along lines that first the Center for Strategic and Interna- appeared during the 1979 revolution tional Studies continues to offer de- (http://schema-root.org/region/ tailed background and periodic in- middle_east/iran/people/clerics/ depth analysis on the situation in Iran ayatollahs/montazeri/). (www.csis.org/region/iran). Simi- Additionally, Iranian leadership larly, the United States Institute of cannot transfer the blame to American Peace has opened a dialogue with incitement as they traditionally have Asieh Mir and Soolmaz Abooali, who done. The Obama administration’s in- reported on the initial election results sistence on maintaining a supportive, (www.facebook.com/pages/United- but clearly uninvolved, relationship States-Institute-of-Peace/7560837 with Iranian dissidents deprives Ah- 0019#/topic.php?uid=7560837001 madinejad and Khamenei of the op- 9&topic=9294). And to augment the

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limited and confusing information coming from Iranians evading govern- Site of the Month: wikileaks.org mental censors, some outlets have dar- In introducing their site, the mysterious cabal behind wikileaks.org asserts that ingly established live blog reporters “Wikileaks is the strongest way we have of generating the true democracy and good within the nation (www.huffington governance on which all mankind's dreams depend.” As that claim indicates, the post.com/tag/iran-liveblogging). assortment of anonymous dissidents, journalists, mathematicians, technologists, Many aspects of the unrest in Iran refugees, advocates, lawyers and cryptographers behind the site are a cocky bunch, have been unexpected, but a steady but they have a right to be so. stream of information and analysis Since materializing out of thin air in January 2007, wikileaks.org has collected give us the tools needed to better un- more than 1.2 million secret or suppressed documents from around the world and derstand and engage further shifts in its mission to create a truly free press, open global dissent and discussion, and there. combat corruption has released sensitive information, often provoking powerful Static on the Line foes. As a result, wikileaks.org has faced censorship by the Chinese government The tenuous connections governing and legal action by the Swiss Bank Julius Baer and the Church of Scientology, the order and cohesion of American in- among others. telligence agencies were highlighted on Fortunately, the site simply uses its extraordinary technological know-how of May 19 when Director of National In- encrypted connections and its array of thousands of cover domains to evade filters. telligence Dennis Blair issued a direc- When taken down, it merely shifts or is mirrored until it re-establishes itself. The tive claiming the right — “in rare precautions of the staff ensure that any contributor will have absolute and almost circumstances” — for his office to ap- impenetrable anonymity unless the host should choose to give up his/her identity. point the top American intelligence of- As for the authenticity of the leaked documents made available, the staff exam- ficials at foreign posts. ines all documents forensically and claims not to have made a mistake thus far. In A day later, in what Blair has termed any case, they maintain that the only way for a document to prove itself is to with- an act of insubordination, Central In- stand global public scrutiny — hence the use of an accessible wiki format and com- telligence Agency Director Leon Pan- ment system allowing anyone the world over to examine the evidence before them. etta responded by ordering his agency Wikileaks.org is not only a vital tool for the advancement of a free press and for to disregard Blair’s memo, reasserting serious investigation. It is also of general interest, allowing everyone to peek into the power of the CIA to manage such the documents behind breaking headlines, or maybe even to find out if their bosses appointments (www.nytimes.com/20 and banks are really as fishy as they think they are. 09/06/09/us/politics/09intel.html). Bloggers at the conservative Inter- net broadcast network, Hot Air, point take it over, as Executive Order 13470 of turning to the CIA Chief of Station to what they term “the lack of logic and of July 2008 mandates (http://shadow. to be the DNI’s representative in for- law” in the 2004 structural overhaul of foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/06/11 eign countries, but also recognizes that U.S. intelligence agencies in response /spy_vs_spy_washington_bureau- some locations may give rise to circum- to the 9/11 Commission Report (http:// cratic_knife_fight_edition). stances where that responsibility is best hotair.com/archives/2009/06/09/ In late July, the Senate Select Com- met by an official from another intelli- predictable-turf-war-in-intelli mittee on Intelligence weighed in. Its gence community element, which in gence/). report on the Fiscal Year 2010 intelli- fact is already current practice and is But the issue is complicated, as gence authorization bill endorses Blair’s not disputed by anyone.” Philip Zelikow, former State Depart- directive and “looks forward to the CIA’s Meanwhile, FSOs might wonder ment counselor, explains in a June 11 prompt adherence to his decision” just whom their station is reporting to blog posting. Although the CIA has (http://intelligence.senate.gov/0907 back in D.C., if in fact it’s not Langley. traditionally made these appointments, 22/11155.pdf). there are good reasons for the Office of The Senate committee concluded This edition of Cybernotes was compiled the Director of National Intelligence to that the directive “recognizes the value by Editorial Intern Mark Hay.

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SPEAKING OUT Strengthen the Process for Middle East Diplomacy

BY DAVID T. JONES

he U.S. government’s repeated ing and other identifying information diplomatic excursions into the A key component — the epitome of the “nonpaper.” TMiddle East call to mind the of diplomacy is This systemic failure was com- aphorism that second marriages repre- maintaining pounded by the absence of negotiators’ sent the triumph of hope over experi- notebooks in the State Department’s ence. However, the requirement to complete files on retired files. Nor could we locate the keep trying remains extant — along past negotiating notes of key National Security Council with the obligation to learn from past efforts. Sadly, this officials in the Clinton Presidential Li- mistakes. has not been brary files. Toward that end, it should be obvi- In a further break with previous ous that a key component of diplomacy consistently done. practice, the Arabic translators and in- is maintaining complete files on past terpreters apparently kept none of their negotiating efforts. Former Secretary notes, either. Compare that with the of State George Shultz, speaking at the negotiations for the Intermediate- inauguration of the new National For- part of a team in the State Depart- Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, where eign Affairs Training Center on May 29, ment’s Office of the Historian that con- the interpreters’ notes were invaluable. 2002, made that point clearly when he ducted a systematic review of the work Indeed, they served as the basis for noted: “The conduct of diplomacy re- done during the final two years of the memcons that became part of the offi- quires a clear understanding of what is Clinton administration to advance the cial negotiating record. Those notes happening and the ability to make a Middle East peace process. This study were also available for department clear record of it and report it honestly was intended to compile a comprehen- principals to review as they prepared and in depth. This may seem obvious sive background for the Bush adminis- for subsequent meetings. and easy. It is not. It requires excep- tration, which was considering whether The most egregious gap we found tional intellectual skills and qualities of and how to pursue its own initiatives. was a complete absence of official character and discipline.” To our dismay, we found that there records from the historic July 2000 Or, as Senator Daniel Patrick was no negotiating record comparable Camp David Summit. There was liter- Moynihan once observed: “The true to those kept for other sensitive diplo- ally nothing in the department’s files re- diplomatist [is] aware of how much matic processes (e.g., the Panama porting on individual meetings, agreed subsequently depends on what clearly Canal Treaty, U.S. military basing results, or the sequencing and status of can be established to have taken place. agreements, arms control treaties, etc.). documents and papers exchanged dur- If it seems simple in the archives, try it Between 1999 and 2001, many senior ing those talks. in the maelstrom.” members of the Clinton administra- Instead, we found a hodgepodge of tion’s Middle East peace process team partial notes, sketchy commentary and Yes, We Have No Records wrote neither reporting cables nor self-serving recollections that contained Both men could have been speaking memoranda of conversation. Much of more anecdotes than analysis and were, about U.S. Middle East policy, as I can the material in the files was undated, in any case, often quoted in the subse- attest. Between 2002 and 2004, I was had no classification, and lacked draft- quent memoirs of participants.

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Lessons Not Learned total recall, such skills are not transfer- Ultimately, the intensive effort to able to a new negotiating team; brain keep Middle East peace process plan- The most egregious gap implants are still science fiction, after ning and activities secret — not only all. And giving in to the desire for de- from the media and Congress, but also we found was a complete niability only puts Washington at a se- from other agencies, the State Depart- vere disadvantage compared to those ment’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs absence of official parties that did keep records, forcing us and regional embassies — was feckless. to relearn where the alligators are in the There were constant leaks, often from records from the historic swamp by being bitten again. foreign government sources; the experience was akin to having a bucket with July 2000 Camp Improving the a tight lid and a dozen holes in the bot- Odds of Success tom. David Summit. Fortunately, history need not be Meanwhile, the restrictions gener- destiny. The call for change that Barack ated hostility between those few “in Obama so effectively issued through- the know” and their colleagues. Even out the campaign should be the hall- the most senior State Department fig- mark of Middle East envoy George ures addressing Middle East issues, let George W. Bush’s administration Mitchell and his entire team, and car- alone ambassadors in regional capitals, performed no better, though it repeat- ried out in the following areas. complained that they were systemati- edly proclaimed its intention to ap- Keep complete records. Accurate, cally cut out of the talks. Egregiously, proach the region differently. Yet comprehensive, timely reporting should the most senior career diplomat at during its eight years in office, it did not follow every negotiating exchange. Yes, State, Under Secretary for Political Af- engage there (diplomatically, at least) U.S. policymakers should classify and fairs Thomas Pickering — an individ- with anything approaching the intensity restrict such information as necessary; ual with substantial experience in the of its predecessor. And its much-touted but they still need a comprehensive Middle East — was totally uninvolved “road map” for Middle East progress diplomatic record. After all, we can be in the peace process, even though he proved the diplomatic equivalent of the sure that the other parties have one; so was present in the department Alaskan bridge to nowhere. why should we stumble about myopi- throughout the 1999 to 2001 time- To the extent that it did engage, cally? And even if American brilliance frame. Washington continued its highly secre- fails to illuminate a solution, at least the The tightly knit nature of the tive, keep-no-records approach. For next negotiators will know where light MEPP team meant that it became example, one of our ambassadors ap- has been previously directed. overextended. While it would, on oc- parently went alone to meetings with Make the Middle East peace casion, reach out for specialized assis- Israelis — and never briefed senior process team an integral part of NEA. tance (e.g., to the office of the Legal embassy officials on his exchanges. This is even more important when the Adviser or intelligence officials for And during the recent round of Gaza top U.S. negotiators choose not to maps and territorial estimates), it fighting, State mounted a desperate maintain a direct pipeline to senior de- lacked the depth to do generic studies (and unsuccessful) effort to find some- partment officials. The team should on many special issues. There is also one who knew details of earlier con- also have a dedicated technical sup- reason to believe that the excessive se- flicts, because no records were readily port unit drawn from across the intel- crecy kept team members from ap- available. ligence community to offer advice and preciating identifiable problems that The rationale for this approach is trend analyses of issues relevant to the later blindsided them. And as the twofold: a fear of leaks in politicized cir- negotiations (e.g., public attitudes, do- Clinton administration sputtered to a cumstances and a desire to honor re- mestic politics, etc.) close, the team slowly dissipated, leav- quests, often from foreign government Involve Congress in the process ing little residual expertise — and that officials, that no records be kept. Yet early. As a former Senate majority largely untapped. even if our negotiators are blessed with leader, George Mitchell could set up a

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Giving in to the desire for deniability only puts Washington at a severe disadvantage compared to those parties that did keep records.

congressional Middle East peace process support group. (After all, various senators have long been part of the U.S. arms control establishment, while others have gone on to prestigious diplomatic posts such as Tokyo.) Trying to hide what is happening — or not happening — from public scrutiny only in- vites other actors to go directly to Capitol Hill, without coherent executive-branch rebuttal. Moreover, any final agreement will require U.S. funding and hence congressional authorization. Even if the Obama administration takes all these steps, prospects for a breakthrough are not bright. But fix- ing the process will surely improve the odds of success in the long run. ■

David T. Jones, a retired Senior FSO, participated in a State Department study of the last two years of the Clin- ton administration’s Middle East peace process. He is the co-author with David Kilgour of Uneasy Neighbo(u)rs: Cana- da, the USA and the Dynamics of State, Industry and Culture (Wiley, 2007) and is a frequent contributor to the Journal.

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FS KNOW-HOW ‘Virtually’ There: FS Spouses Build Careers Without Borders

BY KATHERINE JACOBS AND CAROLYN HO

f there is one thing the Foreign teach; have medical, legal or financial Service community does well, it is More than ever backgrounds; or work for companies Iadaptation. We are used to ex- before, Foreign with offices abroad find that they can ploring new countries, setting up new Service spouses continue in their chosen field just as homes, making new friends, learning and partners are easily as they do at home. However, new jobs and sending our children to those with jobs in U.S.-based organiza- new schools every few years. Success- pursuing successful tions, or who want the opportunity to ful Foreign Service families enjoy the careers in their own maintain a consistent career from post thrill and the newness of each assign- right. Here’s how. to post, often find they have few options ment; but even the most seasoned can or resources to draw upon. find change challenging. The good news is that with new As the makeup of the diplomatic technologies and motivated managers, community changes, so, too, do those United States, with or without their sig- some Foreign Service spouses and part- challenges. Today, more than ever be- nificant others, to try to pick up the ners are discovering that their U.S.- fore, highly educated and successful pieces of their careers. based careers are not over. In fact, Foreign Service entrants are married to Acknowledging the importance of there is a burgeoning work force of FS equally high-achieving individuals who this issue and its impact on retention family members that is “flattening” the want their own careers. While some of outstanding employees, the State world as they know it, enabling them to spouses and partners welcome the op- Department is taking steps to address pursue professional careers while living portunity to spend more time raising a it — both by preparing families for the abroad. family, to volunteer internationally, or realities they will face overseas and de- The time for this shift is ripe. Across pursue a personal avocation full-time, veloping programs that can help all sectors in the United States, organi- many seek employment opportunities. spouses and partners find employ- zations facing a new economic reality The Family Liaison Office’s current ment at post. The Global Employ- are looking to retain their talent while spousal employment statistics show a ment Initiative and Strategic Net- increasing the efficiency of doing busi- 37-percent employment rate for Eligi- working Assistance Program, the pro- ness. Technological advancements, in- ble Family Members living overseas, fessional associate program, the Com- cluding increased worldwide Internet compared to 52 percent for two-career munity Liaison Office newsletters access, VoIP Telephony and innova- households in the U.S. advertising Eligible Family Member tions in computer-based information Many Foreign Service spouses and employment opportunities, and the and project management, not only partners seeking employment are frus- recent initiative to expand EFM status make possible telecommuting from trated by what seem to be limited op- to same-sex domestic partners are all home offices in the States, but also portunities. After several years, many important efforts that go a long way to- from home offices while stationed of them give up trying to work, while ward helping spouses and partners overseas. Many Foreign Service others adjust their expectations and find work. However, there is clearly spouses and partners are discovering take part-time or embassy roles as they more to be done. that with some personal initiative, a are available. Still others return to the Some spouses and partners who willing employer and an Internet con-

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nection, they can advance their careers the case for returning to her former job, programs or your company’s virtual while accompanying their diplomatic writing and processing data for the uni- “water cooler” whenever possible. families around the world. versity. Her boss was thrilled at the op- Clarify your real-time availability, your portunity to rehire a proven worker and turnaround time on projects and work Success Stories top talent, and took on a reluctant uni- product responsibilities. And discuss in Take, for example, Beth Ann Adler, versity administration to offer her a pro- advance how performance reviews and a Foreign Service spouse whose hus- motion and a flexible work schedule. supervision need to be adapted to re- band, Jeff Adler, was in the 129th A-100 Stephanie now works successfully from flect your virtual arrangement. class. Beth Ann completed her Ph.D. Yekaterinburg, Russia. Communicate clearly and often. biostatistics program in 2006 with high We could cite many other success Understand and follow the communi- hopes and several offers for a future ca- stories along these lines, and the num- cations norms for your company. Uti- reer. But when she interviewed with bers are growing. It is true that each lize instant message and chat functions, the RAND Corporation for a position situation is different, and there are al- Twitter, e-mail, shared workspace or as a statistician, she was nervous about ways specific challenges to work out other means to help your co-workers breaking the news that her husband with employers in advance. Below are know you are available for consultation had just been accepted into the For- a few key suggestions that supervisors and collaboration. Use and interpret eign Service. and employees can use to structure dis- information carefully and, when in Fortunately, RAND agreed to bring cussions about virtual work arrange- doubt, pick up the phone or use video Beth Ann on as a full-time employee ments — whether negotiating a teleconferencing to hash out difficult issues based in their Washington, D.C., office commuting relationship from an exist- or to help interpret silence. It is critical knowing she would be telecommuting ing position or entering a new one en- to be clear and consistent about your from a home office in Merida, Mexico. tirely — so as to ensure a successful real-time availability and office disrup- Their only condition was that she return working environment for the virtual tions due to local circumstances in to the U.S. once every six weeks for “in- employee, co-workers, supervisors and order to head off problems. person” office time or conference at- the company as a whole. Create a formal workspace. While tendance, travel supported by her Assess your technology. Whether virtual work allows you to operate any- project work. After two years and a new you are a standalone consultant, alter- where and anytime, not all locations are baby, Beth Ann has become a model ing an existing work arrangement, or a optimal. Just as your employer needs employee who helps other telecom- new hire who functions fully or part- to ensure adequate work space if you muters learn tools and techniques to time as a virtual worker, it is important were physically working together, you make their home offices work well. to assess your capacity to work virtually. should assess your home office space. Beth Ann is not alone. Stephanie Will you have adequate Internet and Set a routine that creates an appropri- Van Bebber was a researcher with the telephone connections to complete ate separation between work and home University of California at San Fran- your work requirements? If technical life and establishes boundaries with cisco before her husband entered the issues arise, what local or company re- your family to reduce distractions. Foreign Service in 2007. Stephanie left sources are available to remedy your Anticipate problems and design so- her job to follow her husband first to technical problems? lutions. In order for this new arrange- Washington, D.C., for training and Be aware of the blessings and curses ment to be successful, your employer then to Moscow. One year later, as a of increased autonomy. While virtual will need to make some adjustments, as new mother and new arrival to post in work offers you more autonomy to bal- well. These may include evaluating the Moscow, she regretted her decision to ance your work and family, you may fall capacity and readiness to support your leave the familiar challenge of her for- victim to an “out of sight, out of mind” home office set-up. Your supervisor mer position. Opportunities in Russia mentality vis-a-vis your U.S.-based col- should set clear expectations with you were not as interesting or as flexible as leagues. To mitigate this, set up regu- and your team about real-time avail- she had hoped. lar times to connect with your team and ability, communication structures and After much thought, Stephanie call- supervisor via telephone or videocon- work product, creating and fostering ed her previous employer and made ference. Utilize instant message, chat opportunities for team-building and

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collaboration. “Gotomeeting,” instant messaging, blog spaces, virtual bulletin boards and other online shared spaces can offer managers new and creative tools for overcoming communication barriers and can create spaces to share ideas, brainstorm and build stronger cross-team relationships. Foreign Service spouses and partners, like many workers in need of flexible work arrangements, are learning more and more about the new frontier of virtual business. In many cases, their successes hinge on their ability, and their employer’s, to leave behind old assumptions and adapt to new tools and practices. Those who are bold enough to utilize the virtual workspace are finding not only that it is rewarding profes- sionally and personally, but that it makes good business sense for U.S.-based companies in a global economy. ■

Katherine Jacobs, a Foreign Service spouse, is vice president and chief operating officer of Nonprofit Profes- sionals Advisory Group, an executive search and consulting firm dedicated to building the capacity of the nonprofit, public and academic sectors through a highly tailored, innovative and strategic approach to acquiring and retaining talent. She was a Fulbright Scholar in Austria. Carolyn Ho, a Foreign Service spouse, is a managing associate with NPAG. She holds a master of education degree in student development administration from Seattle University and is the former executive director of a nonprofit organization affiliated with the University of Washington. The two authors met during their families’ first assignments in Moscow. For more information about NPAG, please go to: www.nonprofitprofession als.com.

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F OCUS ON D IPLOMATS IN C ONFLICT Z ONES

THE DIPLOMAT AS COUNTERINSURGENT Brian Hubble

CIVILIANS MUST BECOME AS CONVERSANT WITH THE FUNDAMENTALS OF COUNTERINSURGENCY WARFARE AS OUR MILITARY COUNTERPARTS ALREADY ARE.

BY KURT AMEND

he United States government’s responses to the challenges of Afghanistan and Iraq, and the concomitant resurgence of interest in the nature of insurgencies, have led experts to revisit some of the fundamental precepts of classical counterinsurgency theory. Among the most enduring of these is the principle that an insurgency can only beT defeated through a combination of political and military means. That is, improving the security of the local population and winning its support for the central government is — at its core — a political process.

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The recent proliferation of arti- Improving the security of the cording to local circumstances, cles and monographs on this subject there will be only one approach in military publications suggests that local population and winning governing the broader counterin- the Defense Department’s playbook surgency campaign. overflows with tactical, operational its support for the central A strategic narrative for Afghani- and strategic guidance on how to stan, for example, might read as fol- wage counterinsurgency warfare. government is — at its core lows: No such wealth of doctrine and U.S. forces came to Afghanistan counsel exists for DOD’s civilian — a political process. to evict foreign extremists and help counterparts, however. This is sur- restore the Afghan way of life. Their prising, precisely because primary goal is to help the Afghan people responsibility for achieving political progress in a coun- make their country secure, economically self-sufficient and terinsurgency rests on civilian shoulders. free from interference by external powers. They will re- The purpose of this article is to help fill this gap. In main in Afghanistan as long as the Afghan people welcome proposing a set of guiding principles, I confront a funda- them, and no longer. mental dilemma for the diplomat-counterinsurgent: far On the basis of the strategic narrative, the diplomat outnumbered by the military in the field, lacking adequate should draw up a political strategy detailing the various po- amounts of program funds, and dependent upon col- litical, military and development actions that will help the leagues in uniform for such basics as mobility and security, central government secure, and maintain, the support of how does a diplomat effectively pursue the political track, the population. This plan should contain long-term ob- long seen as the decisive component of a counterinsur- jectives, underlying assumptions and specific measures gency? needed to achieve the objectives. It should be developed in close coordination with the Create a Strategic Narrative U.S. military, development and intelligence agencies, non- The diplomat’s starting point is to craft a strategic nar- governmental organizations, the host government and rative; that is, a compelling storyline that is the foundation multinational partners. Any political strategy lacking the of all actions taken in pursuit of the strategy. Such a nar- contributions and support of key stakeholders is doomed rative will be short and culturally unassailable. It will ex- to failure. plain the purpose of all government plans and programs, The strategy should be integrated and comprehensive. and will be used to interpret events throughout a coun- That is, it should utilize all available tools of power — local, terinsurgency. national and international; military, political, economic and The narrative will appeal directly to the local popula- informational — to achieve its ends. It should identify ob- tion. While the emphasis and application may differ ac- jectives at the village, district and provincial levels. Ob- jectives and actions should be placed against a timeline. Kurt Amend, a Foreign Service officer since 1988, has been Measurements of performance should be defined. Peri- the consul general in Moscow since June 2007. Previous odic reviews of performance should be conducted and the overseas assignments include Afghanistan, India, Kosovo, strategy recalibrated accordingly. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan. In Washington, he has served in the Department of State Operations Center Develop a Political Strategy and on the staffs of the Secretary of Defense and the Na- to Win Local Support tional Security Council. The views expressed herein are This will likely necessitate a systematic analysis, down to his alone and do not reflect Department of State or U.S. the village level, of a host of issues, including the following: government policy. What are the local power structures and on what basis This article was adapted from “Counterinsurgency Prin- (e.g., tribal, ethnic) are they organized? Which groups ciples for the Diplomat,” which appeared on July 19, 2008, within the population are supportive of the government? in Small Wars Journal (http://smallwarsjournal.com/mag/ Which groups are supportive of (or, more likely, are un- docs-temp/75-amend.pdf), and is used with permission. able to challenge) the insurgents? What political, eco-

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nomic or security activities are likely No action should be in 2005 — military operations will to shift support of “the favorable mi- likely be de-emphasized in the po- nority” of the local population to the undertaken unless it supports litical strategy. Conversely, where government’s side? How can con- security is a principal concern — tested areas be made secure? the counterinsurgency’s Afghanistan’s southern Helmand Within the various tiers of leader- province, for example — the com- ship, who are the fence sitters, and overarching political goals. bination of military, political and de- how can they be won over? Who velopmental actions will look quite are the spoilers, and what incentives different. and disincentives can marginalize them? If a political strategy already exists, the diplomat — The diplomat should begin to assemble the principal upon arrival and with the benefit of fresh insight — should components of a political strategy while preparing to as- reappraise the plan. Is there a forceful, underlying narra- sume his or her new responsibilities. Once in the field, tive? Are the working assumptions still valid? Do the diplomats should consult extensively with fellow coun- guiding principles need to be revisited? Should effort be terinsurgents, move as briskly as possible through the an- redirected to reflect a change in resources or the emer- alytical process suggested above, and fill out the strategy gence of new challenges? Is performance being accurately in light of ground realities. measured, and what do the results indicate? In areas where security is not the paramount issue — Perhaps most important of all, the diplomat should for example, in Afghanistan’s Panjshir Valley, where a work to ensure that every activity of every participant in a U.S.-led Provincial Reconstruction Team was established counterinsurgency — military, diplomatic, development,

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intelligence, NGO, host government Combat operations that do forms their judgment on a range of — is in some way linked to achieving issues. This cannot be emphasized political progress. In other words, not contribute to the security forcefully enough. If the diplomat no action should be undertaken in a is successful in this regard, over counterinsurgency if it does not of the population should be time other counterinsurgents — somehow support the campaign’s both civilian and military — will overarching political goals. reconsidered. view that expertise as indispensable For the diplomat, this is the heart to their efforts. They will want her of the matter. In Afghanistan back in 2004, for example, along during a patrol in a remote village where, recent in- U.S. government-funded alternative livelihood programs telligence indicates, insurgent recruitment drives are gain- for poppy farmers employed expatriate consultants in cer- ing traction. Or they will pull him into the room when tain southern provinces. Episodic attacks by insurgent concluding a micro-credit financing scheme for local en- groups forced the consultants to return to Kabul where trepreneurs. But first, the diplomat must learn as much as they would remain, still under contract and earning per possible about the people, history, politics and economics diem, until conditions in the provinces improved. While of the country. the security concerns were real, the negative political im- Possible lines of inquiry to assist in this effort include plications of this yo-yo-like movement of foreign advisers the following: — as a result of which program funds covered restaurant 1. People. What is the population of the province or re- and hotel bills rather than activities to help Afghan farm- gion, and how is it broken down by gender and age? What ers develop licit sources of revenue — were profound. are the population growth, birth and death rates? What Similarly, combat operations that inadvertently alienate are the infant mortality and fertility rates? What are the the local population should be viewed through the prism major infectious diseases? What is the literacy rate? of the political strategy. If operations do not contribute to 2. Religious and ethnic groups, major tribes, clans, sub- the security of the population, they should be reconsid- clans and extended families. What are the relationships ered. This is, to be sure, easier said than done. Bureau- and histories between the groups? What longstanding cratic lanes tend to be sharply demarcated. It is difficult feuds exist, and why? To what extent have groups inter- to imagine any military commander responding warmly to married, and what political affiliations have developed as perceived civilian intrusions into his operational planning a result? What is the history of support of the various process. And intelligence officers, nurtured in a need-to- groups for the central government? Which groups have know environment, may reflexively conclude that the sent their youth to serve in the army or other national se- diplomat indeed has no need to know. curity forces? So it is incumbent upon the diplomat to ensure that 3. Geography. How much land is arable? How much military and civilian colleagues understand his or her mo- is irrigated? What are the natural fresh water sources and tives and the broader goals of the political strategy. By are they disputed? What other natural resources exist in stressing the strategic narrative that informs the political the province or region? Are they capable of extraction for action plan, and through a process of close collaboration, commercial purposes? fellow counterinsurgents should see the desirability of 4. Local leadership and governance. At the village, dis- aligning their activities with the campaign’s political goals. trict and provincial levels, who are the influential leaders The underlying principle of classical counterinsurgency — political, religious, tribal or other? Who are their prin- theory still obtains: politics and security (the civil and mil- cipal constituencies — that is, what are their sources of itary pillars) are inextricably linked and must be consid- power? How effective are they in responding to the needs ered together. of the local population? How might they become more effective? Are local leaders supportive of the central gov- Acquire Expertise ernment? If there is historical antipathy toward the cen- Diplomats’ effectiveness in carrying out counterinsur- tral government, do subnational structures (e.g., tribal gency work is a direct function of how well they know their councils) exist for the purposes of governance or dispute area of responsibility, and how much that knowledge in- resolution?

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5. Local economy. What are the principal sources of in- supporters — will help the diplomat-counterinsurgent come — legal and illegal — for the local population? What calibrate a comprehensive political strategy. With this are the main agricultural products grown in the province? knowledge, it will be possible to identify political actions Do small-scale industries exist? What is the local unem- that will exploit fissures within a group and induce deployment rate? What percentage of the working popula- fections to the government. A nuanced appreciation of tion goes abroad to find employment? How much do they the enemy should facilitate the disarmament and recon- remit home each year? ciliation process and, over time, help reduce the violence 6. Public services. What percentage of the population levels. has reliable electricity and potable water? Do certain By steeping themselves in the history, politics and groups receive preferential access to such services? How everyday life of a province, diplomats will develop insights is garbage picked up? How is sewage removed? Where that will contribute positively to the counterinsurgency do people obtain medical services? What is the quality of campaign. In this sense, and to borrow a military term, the health care? What percentages of school-age children, the diplomat’s deep knowledge and sound judgment will broken down by gender (and ethnicity, if applicable), at- become powerful “force multipliers” in the overall effort. tend school? The diplomat’s expertise should extend to knowledge Become a Catalyst for Political Progress about the enemy, as well. A clear understanding of which To succeed in counterinsurgency warfare, diplomats will insurgent groups are operating in a given province — in- need to undertake a fundamental reappraisal of how to op- cluding information about their leadership, goals, power erate and, concurrently, be prepared to assume a variety of base, means of recruitment, financing sources and foreign new roles, some unlike any they have ever taken on before.

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Consistent with the political The diplomat’s starting point ing hour with local leaders, officials strategy, the diplomat will need to and residents. In many traditional mentor host-government officials is to craft a strategic narrative societies, personal relationships on ways to enhance the efficiency of hold the key to getting business their administration. He may be explaining the purpose of all done. Making the effort to build asked about longstanding property relationships — sitting for long disputes between tribes that have U.S. government plans and hours drinking green tea or coffee, delayed agreement on a proposed and simply listening — will make a development scheme. She will re- programs in the country. profound difference in the working view project proposals with devel- relationships that the diplomat will opment officers and may help need to succeed. negotiate the terms with local contractors. He will assess At the same time, it is a question of numbers. In a the strengths and weaknesses of local security and intelli- given district or province there will likely be thousands of gence officials, and make recommendations to senior gov- troops, but only a few diplomats. So to make progress on ernment figures about personnel changes that are the political track, the diplomat will need to circulate supportive of the overall political strategy. She will receive widely and aggressively. He or she will need to be in many petitions from villagers seeking the release of a fellow places at once. tribesman they feel is being unjustly held by government On occasion, the imperative to maximize contact with security forces. the local population will conflict with a bureaucratic pre- Thus, in a counterinsurgency the diplomat will be disposition to secure the diplomat in hardened facilities, called to act as mentor, tribal affairs adviser, program offi- well away from threats. Yet the diplomat-counterinsur- cer, negotiator, analytic reporting officer and, not least, gent who remains ensconced in a small fortress, relying on envoy. The challenge of assuming multiple, new roles is el- regularly scheduled meetings “outside the wire,” will never evated to an altogether higher level in counterinsurgency reach his or her full potential within the broader coun- since it occurs in the middle of a live, lethal conflict. Far terinsurgency campaign. from pursuing post-conflict reconstruction and stability (a Instead, diplomats should make every effort to take misnomer, to this author’s way of thinking, in the context overnight, circuit-riding trips through districts. The goal of a counterinsurgency), the diplomat-counterinsurgent should be to capitalize on the military presence in remote will conduct mid-conflict mentoring, program formulation, areas to reach groups important to the political strategy. negotiation, reporting and advocacy. The diplomat’s tra- District administrators, local religious leaders and village ditional approach to preventing or resolving conflict will elders — whose support is vital to successful counterin- necessarily evolve into a focus on securing the population, surgency warfare — should know the diplomat and wel- reducing levels of violence and winning the war. come his or her arrival. At no point during an insurgency will the diplomat have the luxury of waiting for security conditions to improve. Time to Build a Cadre The need to identify and mobilize the local population Some readers may say that this article posits the cre- against the insurgents will be immediate and constant. To ation of a hybrid diplomat-warrior, a mythical figure who increase chances for success, diplomats must adopt an ac- simply does not exist. Such criticism would fall wide of the tive approach that empowers provincial administrators and mark. Forty years ago, American diplomats were integral local leaders. members of combined civilian-military teams that pursued rural pacification and development in Vietnam. While his- Maximize Contact with torians will continue to dispute the overall success of the the Local Population Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support Armed with a comprehensive political strategy, fluent in program and its effect on the outcome of the Vietnam War, the history and workings of a province, and inclined to help few contest the proposition that, where effectively imple- shape desired political outcomes, the diplomat will be- mented, the CORDS program led to a diminution in come even more effective by spending every possible wak- insurgent violence. So there is precedent for successful

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application of the principles sug- Diplomats’ effectiveness the scope of this article. The guide- gested in this article. lines set forth here are meant as in- The diplomat with a sound strat- in carrying out counter- struments in a toolbox from which egy, thoroughly versed on the peo- the diplomat may choose. They are ple and politics of a province, and in insurgency work is a direct approaches to enhance a diplomat’s constant contact with the local pop- effectiveness, approaches that can ulation, can make significant contri- function of how well they be embraced now and with little butions to a combined counterinsur- cost. gency campaign through linguistic, know their area of If the United States is to achieve professional and area-specific ex- lasting, durable victories in Afghani- pertise acquired over many years. responsibility. stan, Iraq and future conflict zones, These hard-won skills include the it is essential that civilians become ability to operate effectively in a dif- as conversant with the fundamen- ficult, foreign environment; powers of persuasion and ne- tals of counterinsurgency warfare as our military counter- gotiation; the capacity to decipher the various shadings of parts already are. Failure to undertake this admittedly meanings conveyed by interlocutors; and a facility for ad- difficult task will reduce the diplomat’s effectiveness as a vancing governmental policies and programs. foreign affairs professional and diminish the likelihood that Systematic development of such a seasoned cadre the United States government will achieve its long-term of diplomat-counterinsurgents will take time and, more national security objectives. As diplomats, we can afford importantly, require key policy decisions that fall outside neither outcome. ■

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INTERAGENCY COOPERATION: THE JIATF IN IRAQ

THE EXPERIENCE OF THE JOINT INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE IN IRAQ OFFERS RICH INSIGHTS INTO EFFECTIVE STRATEGIC COOPERATION. . BY ROBERT M. BIRKENES

idden in a classi- government into a “smart power” planning team to bal- fied Strategic Operations Center deep inside Baghdad’s ance the top two threats to Iraq’s stability: al-Qaida’s op- Republican Palace, the Joint Interagency Task Force staff erations in Iraq, and Iran. strategizedH to counter an enemy they would never meet. Similar organizations exist elsewhere. For the past 20 Overhead, TV screens displayed live video feeds of situa- years, JIATF-South has integrated military and civilian tions on the ground, surveilled by unmanned Predator air- counternarcotics operations in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf craft miles away. OPSEC [Operational Security] screen- of Mexico and the Eastern Pacific. JIATF-S is credited savers reminded users that “The Threat Is Out There — with disrupting hundreds of metric tons of cocaine ship- Remain Vigilant” and “In Order to Set the Trap, the ments each year, and has been called “the epitome of in- Enemy Needs to Know Where the Vulnerability Is — teragency cooperation.” Similarly, JIATF-West has de- Protect Your Vulnerabilities.” tected, disrupted and dismantled drug-related transna- Ambassador Ryan Crocker and General David Pe- tional threats in Asia and the Pacific since 1989, by pro- traeus agreed in April 2008 to create the JIATF to counter viding interagency intelligence fusion, supporting U.S. law complex, interrelated strategic threats in Iraq. Initially a enforcement and developing partner-nation capacity. targeting cell to capture or kill “bad guys,” the arrival of However, JIATF-I is different from these earlier units fulltime representatives from USAID, the State Depart- because of the urgent and complex nature of the threats ment, the Department of Energy and the Department of to Iraq’s stability, as well as the level of attention that the Homeland Security allowed the Joint InterAgency Task United States demonstrated by staffing it from an un- Force to morph into a hybrid group that — for the first precedentedly wide range of civilian agencies to comple- time in Iraq — brought together all elements of the U.S. ment the substantial military cadre.

Robert M. Birkenes is the U.S. Agency for International De- Interagency Cooperation: A Brief History velopment representative to the Joint Interagency Task The U.S. government had not always taken a holistic Force in Iraq. A career FSO since 2000, he has served pre- approach to solving strategic problems in Iraq. Indeed, viously with USAID in Russia, Kazakhstan, Egypt and Ja- with a thousand staff members in Embassy Baghdad, an maica. additional 500 or so on the Provincial Reconstruction

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Teams, more than 130,000 troops, Before 2008, the U.S. introduced a Country Assistance and a parallel civilian-military Strategy approach to unify all U.S. structure where neither the am- government had only assistance in support of host-coun- bassador nor commanding general try priorities and American foreign leads, the organization chart for limited interagency strategic policy goals. This program was pi- Iraq is extremely complicated. loted in 10 countries, and rolled out And before 2008, the government cooperation mechanisms worldwide in 2009 — with one glar- had only limited interagency ing omission: Iraq. There, the U.S. strategic cooperation mechanisms that it could use in Iraq. government did not formulate an that it could use there. operational plan, did not coordinate Civilian and military experts foreign assistance through F, and have worked together for several years on PRTs, but not did not apply the S/CRS model or develop an interagency at a strategic level. The Multinational Force–Iraq and country assistance strategy. As a result, none of these new Embassy Baghdad do coordinate at the more senior lev- approaches improved interagency planning in Iraq. els, but strategies and operations are typically designed at the mid-level. Lieutenant colonels and majors needed to Establishing JIATF work more closely with civilian counterparts on strategy In February 2008, the Defense Department’s Special design and implementation. Investigator General for Iraq Reconstruction assessed For years, embassies have drafted mission strategic U.S. assistance as “characterized by a continuing and dis- plans describing strategic, management and performance abling lack of coordination among the government agen- goals for each country. Different agencies write goal pa- cies, contractors and other organizations involved. As pers to identify their highest-priority goals, set forth how much as any other factor, this lack of coordination — aris- the U.S. will advance these goals, and list performance ing from weak integration — has kept the U.S. program measures. But none of these plans motivated true inter- from achieving its objectives.” Only by improving collab- agency strategic planning; rather, they were a collection of oration could the United States move toward the “joint- inputs from government agencies that had little contact ness” necessary for successful operations. even though their work often overlapped. An interagency staffing request, endorsed by the com- Around the world, U.S. interagency cooperation on na- manding general and chief of mission in April 2008, cre- tionbuilding was minimal until then-Secretary of State ated the task force to synchronize the efforts of the Condoleezza Rice introduced “Transformational Diplo- interagency community and military in Iraq. Within macy” in 2005. The Director of Foreign Assistance posi- weeks, the Deputies Committee of the National Security tion at the State Department was created shortly Council approved the request, with a goal of full opera- thereafter to ensure that U.S. foreign assistance is unified tions by August 2008. Even before that deadline, civilian and supports foreign policy and national security objec- and military representatives were providing expertise on tives. The F Bureau’s Operational Plan brought together counterinsurgency and stabilization operations, and reach- all aid flows into one document, but it did not bring all ac- ing back to colleagues in Baghdad and Washington. JIATF tors into one room for strategic or even operational plan- analyzed the problems, developed a course of action and ning. proposed strategies to be included in the Joint Campaign National Security Presidential Directive 44, promul- Plan for approval by the commanding general and the am- gated in 2005, authorized the State Department to estab- bassador. lish an Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and The JCP for Iraq was the first interagency attempt to Stabilization to lead the interagency response to interna- define all priorities, objectives and approaches to be taken tional crises. S/CRS developed interagency planning pro- by all U.S. agencies in Iraq, and represented the U.S. gov- cedures; but three years after its creation, it still lacked ernment’s holistic strategy for achieving foreign policy and the resources, credibility and experience to apply the national security goals there. Approved by Amb. Crocker model to real-world scenarios. and General Raymond Odierno in December 2008, the Then in May 2008, the State Department and USAID JCP represented a landmark agreement on military and

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civilian roles and contributions to- The JCP for Iraq represented The interagency members of the ward an integrated strategy. JIATF helped to turn this strategy Following its approval, the team a landmark agreement on into reality by identifying soft- began to monitor status and ensure power means and objectives, main- actors were fulfilling their tasks dur- military and civilian roles ly in the area of diplomatic engage- ing its implementation. With access ment, border security, Iraqi gover- to intelligence, knowledge of U.S. and contributions toward nance and provision of essential programs in Iraq and reachback to services, jobs and economic growth. most American agencies, the JIATF an integrated strategy. Representatives from the State worked with Embassy Baghdad and Department, the Department of MNF-I to report on progress in Homeland Security, the Depart- achieving the national security goals expressed in classified ment of Energy and USAID tracked and assessed the annexes of the JCP. The team also provided data from the progress of their agencies’ contributions to the strategy and field that contributed to revision of the strategy. identified for interagency leadership any obstacles or problems in implementation. Countering Focused Threats: Iran. As early as 2006, the Bush administration de- Al-Qaida –Iraq and Iran scribed Tehran as a “profound threat to U.S. national se- JIATF-I was assigned the ambitious task of neutraliz- curity” due to its nuclear program and a regional strategy ing strategic threats to Iraq’s security, including foreign ter- that included lethal aid to militants in Iraq, Lebanon and rorists and facilitators and Iranian influence. The team Israel. Iran provided Iraqi insurgents with training, funds analyzed these threats and led the military and civilian and materiel for improvised explosive devices and armor- agencies to design whole-of-government strategies to meet piercing, explosively formed penetrators, according to re- them. ports from the Congressional Research Service. Al-Qaida–Iraq. Gen. Petraeus characterized AQI’s Meanwhile, Iran was increasing its own emphasis on le- threat succinctly in his April 2008 report to Congress on gitimate levers of influence, such as trade. JIATF’s analy- the situation in Iraq: “Al-Qaida’s senior leaders, who still sis and tracking of Iranian influence yielded greater view Iraq as the central front in their global strategy, send understanding that Tehran’s actions were evolving away funding, direction and foreign fighters to Iraq. Actions by from lethal aid and more toward legitimate soft-power en- neighboring states compound Iraq’s challenges. Syria has gagement. Yet even some of Iran’s investment and char- taken some steps to reduce the flow of foreign fighters ity organizations in Iraq may serve as front organizations through its territory, but not enough to shut down the key for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Qods Force, network that supports AQI.” used as a foothold to carry out nefarious activities. Gen. Petraeus’ Anaconda Strategy, on which he briefed As evidence of Tehran’s role in Iraq continued to accu- the Senate Armed Services Committee in the spring of mulate, the need for a broader approach to countering that 2008, describes the whole-of-government plan to counter influence came into focus. By 2008 there was growing AQI. The image that best describes the strategy can be recognition that U.S. strategy should, in the words of a re- simply stated: “squeeze and keep squeezing” to cut off port from the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, AQI from what it needs — money, popular support, safe “counter Iran’s overarching Iraq strategy, not just its sup- havens, foreign fighters and weapons — using all dimen- port for militias” and “use all forms of national power, in- sions of soft and hard power. cluding diplomacy, to counter negative Iranian influence in Anaconda identifies six means of countering AQI: ki- Iraq.” These concepts, reinforced by observations on the netics (combat operations); politics (promoting Iraqi po- ground, led the task force to design a new U.S. approach. litical reconciliation and countering ethno-sectarian The JIATF’s new whole-of-government strategy to bal- pressures); intelligence (including air reconnaissance); ance Iranian influence — based on parameters set by the detainee operations (counterinsurgency in detention fa- National Security Council and White House, rooted in the cilities); non-kinetics (education, jobs programs); and in- actual programs and actors on the ground in Iraq, and ex- teragency cooperation. pressed in the JCP — describes goals and tasks along five

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lines of operation: diplomatic, economic, security, politi- yar Zebari has acknowledged: “The absence of Arabs from cal and rule of law. Some illustrative tasks in the strategy Iraq was a big mistake. It is not right and it is not accept- include: able.” He vowed to increase regional diplomatic ties in • Building the Iraqi government’s capacity to budget order to promote his country’s stability. for and provide essential services, in order to increase its By mid-2009, Iraq’s trade links with Germany, France, responsiveness and accountability to the Iraqi citizens; Turkey, Kuwait, Qatar, China and many other countries • Strengthening indigenous microfinance and small- were growing from week to week. Improved security en- and medium-size lending institutions, in order to develop abled Baghdad to strengthen diplomatic ties with other the private sector and decrease dependence on imports Arab countries, another element that balances Iran’s in- and aid from Iran; fluence in Iraq. Heads of state and top ministers from sev- • Increasing the Iraqi government’s ability to track and eral Arab and European countries recently visited Iraq for shut down flows and facilitators of lethal aid; and the first time, each carrying promises to increase trade and • Encouraging and enabling Baghdad to strengthen investment and to establish embassies and consulates. diplomatic and trade ties with other regional partners. Many Arab and Western countries have recently desig- This last task is particularly exemplary. It is based on nated ambassadors to Iraq. the JIATF team’s recognition that Tehran posed a threat in Today, Iran and Iraq are increasing cooperation on part because of Iraq’s relatively insignificant relations with security, transportation, tourism and trade. The maturing other neighbors: Arab countries had limited trade with, relationship reflects Tehran’s realization that legitimate ties and minimal diplomatic representation in, Iraq, mainly with a stable and sovereign Iraq are more in Iran’s interest due to security concerns. As Iraqi Foreign Minister Hosh- than intervention in an unstable and occupied neighbor.

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Measuring Success Ultimately, JIATF’s million to this program. This mir- It is hard to measure JIATF-I’s rors an overall funding concern success in countering these two short-term interagency monitored by the task force: As the complex strategic threats, espe- U.S. military reduces its footprint, cially compared with JIATF-W or coordination fix will be funding on the civilian side should JIATF-S, where “tons of illicit drug increase to maintain support for shipments disrupted” might be a replaced by the embassy, Iraq’s government and nascent pri- realistic indicator of progress. Sis- vate sector. Interagency teams can ter organizations in Baghdad, in- with the country team identify shortfalls or overlaps and cluding the Iraq Threat Finance shift resources to meet strategic Cell and the Energy Fusion Cell, overseeing that process. priorities. also deserve a big share of the Ultimately, JIATF’s short-term credit for countering AQI. interagency coordination fix will be However, after just one year of solid JIATF-I intera- replaced by the embassy, with the country team oversee- gency strategy design and implementation, one can already ing that process while its Iran Task Force focuses on bal- see results. Weakening of violent extremists has led to a ancing the threat posed by Iran. 40-percent decrease in weekly attacks against coalition forces. Since JIATF began operations, Iraqis finally feel The Way Forward: more upbeat about their future and less concerned about From Coordination to Integration violence and insecurity. Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton recently Bolani reports less Iranian interference and support to launched a Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Re- militias than three years ago. And today Iraq is considered view to improve the efficiency and level of cooperation more free than at any time in its history. among State, USAID and other civilian foreign affairs JIATF representatives created and managed the whole- agencies. Based on the JIATF’s experience synchronizing of-government strategy expressed in the Joint Campaign different agencies on focused strategies to counter threats Plan (and thus supported by all American agencies in in Iraq, here are some observations from the field on how Iraq), even without direct authority over resources. And to improve interagency coordination and integration. by maintaining communication and tracking agency con- Collaboration technology is necessary, but not sufficient. tributions to U.S. security goals, they identified missing or Human relations and behavior — not the technology and overlapping pieces and brought them to the attention of organizational mechanics of coordination — are the real the chain of command. barriers to interagency integration. In 2006, Ambassador The result has been greater effectiveness, as the fol- Randall Tobias, then-USAID Administrator and director lowing example dramatically illustrates. The Iraqi gov- of foreign assistance, introduced reforms to centralize de- ernment’s capacity to provide essential services, manage cision-making within the F Bureau, which relied on big the budget and develop infrastructure is a pillar of the U.S. databases such as the Operational Plan to get civilian agen- strategy to counter AQI and balance Iranian influence, ac- cies to share information. This resulted in parallel pipes of cording to the JCP. Yet USAID’s Local Governance Pro- data flowing upward into F, with little substantive intera- gram, building capacity within Iraqi provincial govern- gency cooperation. ments, had closed out in several provinces due to insuffi- USAID’s weak communications systems and informa- cient funds. tion management technology continue to constrain our JIATF identified the strategic importance of civil ca- ability to share information with other agency partners. pacity and highlighted to senior interagency leaders the Secure video teleconferencing is still relatively unknown; impact of the gap in diminished USAID support in that geographic information systems remain an unfulfilled sector. News of the shortfall and reduced footprint promise; foreign assistance reporting systems are nascent reached strategic planners in CENTCOM and the Na- and awkward; and classified e-mail connectivity with the tional Security Council, and their support helped gain mo- rest of the government does not exist. These areas need to mentum for a joint USAID/State decision to reallocate $33 be strengthened, certainly, but they are less important than

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our training, promotion and as- Human relations and behavior our business.” signment policies — which are al- Such fears are based on experi- most completely agnostic on the — not the technology and ence and cost-benefit analysis: the issue of interagency cooperation. cost of interagency cooperation is Even with more supportive organizational mechanics clear and tangible, but the benefits technology, interagency task forces are unknown and immeasurable. and liaison officers will continue to of coordination — are the Clearly, the home agencies have encounter resistance to their at- failed to set up incentives to moti- tempts to build bridges between real barriers to interagency vate staff to participate, and failed agencies without changes in moti- to train staff on how to minimize vation, training and beliefs. All too integration. the costs and maximize the bene- often, core agency staff say to fits. their interagency-embedded col- Require interagency assign- leagues: “We don’t want to share that with the military, ments and training for promotion to the Senior Foreign because their appetite is insatiable and they would only Service. The George W. Bush administration created lit- ask for more.” Or, “We don’t see any value coming out of tle pockets of interagency cooperation — including PRTs, high-level interagency discussions, since nothing is ever JIATF-I and LNOs — scattered here and there within decided there.” Or, “That agency should stay out of our critical nerve centers such as CENTCOM, forward oper- lane; if we brief them, then they will just get further into ating bases and USAID/Baghdad. But this tentative ap-

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proach did not change home agency The impetus for interagency would diminish the perceived costs and core staff behavior and attitudes; of interagency cooperation. S/CRS accordingly, cross-fertilization and coordination and integration pioneered this approach in 2008, whole-of-government solutions re- and the cadre of civilian officers main severely constrained. This must come from the top; trained on interagency planning for stovepipe model, established by Sec. reconstruction and crisis response Rice and Amb. Tobias, persists today. otherwise, good ideas at has slowly grown ever since. At his presentation to MNF-I in With additional training, the March, Special Investigator General the field level will never get downsides and costs of interagency for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart integration can be further reduced. Bowen proposed that “a well-coor- off the ground. In our experience, targeted presen- dinated management structure is tations with understandable lan- necessary to integrate interagency guage and appropriate messages reconstruction efforts.” Bowen described the existing delivered to interagency leaders will satisfy outside re- JIATF and PRTs in Iraq as a band-aid approach, and ex- quests for information better than an off-the-shelf generic plained that “success in integration comes from doctrine presentation, and may forestall further requests down- and training. We need a new approach: In order to effect stream. jointness, it must be essential for career growth.” Define the role and identity of each agency. Another The Iraq Study Group had recommended in the spring obstacle to interagency cooperation is a lack of clearly de- of 2006 that to “improve how [U.S. government] con- fined identities and roles, especially for USAID. In com- stituent agencies — Defense, State, Agency for Interna- plex environments like Iraq, it is unclear which govern- tional Development, Treasury, Justice, the intelligence ment agency has the lead on any given objective, such as community and others — respond to complex stability op- supporting elections, strengthening the health sector or erations … they need to train for, and conduct, joint oper- advancing the rule of law. This promotes competition ations across agency boundaries, following the among agencies more than cooperation, and is counter- Goldwater-Nichols model that has proved so successful in productive in such activities as “key leader engagements,” the U.S. armed services.” which need to be synchronized. The 1986 Goldwater-Nichols Act increased military ef- Achieving unity of command in any multiagency op- fectiveness and overcame interservice rivalry and stovepip- eration is a difficult conundrum. As SIGIR points out: ing by enhancing joint training for officers in the different “When unity of command is missing and unity of purpose military branches; ensuring that officers were not disad- does not foster unity of effort, a solution can only be im- vantaged by joint service; and requiring that officers serve plemented at the top.” If USAID is to assume the global in joint duty assignments as a prerequisite for promotion leadership role in the delivery of development assistance beyond O6 (colonels and Navy captains, equivalent to FS- that Sec. Clinton describes, then agency staff must be al- 1 and GS-15, respectively). lowed to lead in their areas of expertise. Out in the field, Goldwater-Nichols produced a mili- The impetus for interagency coordination and inte- tary in which members of different branches are motivated gration must come from the top; otherwise, good ideas at and trained to work together to design and execute strat- the field level will never get off the ground. With support egy. Military doctrine has become very joint- and intera- from above, civilian staff involved in counterinsurgency gency-focused; two excellent recent examples include the and reconstruction operations can move beyond the fear of field manuals dealing with counterinsurgency and stability sharing information to engage in joint problem-solving and operations. strategic planning. The Quadrennial Diplomacy and De- It may not be the perfect solution, but Goldwater- velopment Review gives the State Department and Nichols has largely succeeded. Better training along those USAID a perfect opportunity to plot a course forward that lines for senior USAID and State Department officers on draws from past successes, corrects weaknesses and how to navigate the challenges of interagency integration strengthens our ability to synchronize defense, diplomacy would lead to greater understanding, and quite possibly and development. ■

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F OCUS ON D IPLOMATS IN C ONFLICT Z ONES

FROM PINSTRIPES TO KHAKI: GOVERNANCE UNDER FIRE

U.S. DIPLOMATS MUST WORK ALONGSIDE OUR MILITARY COLLEAGUES AS FULL PARTNERS TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS IN CONFLICT ZONES.

BY PAUL FOLMSBEE

uring my 21-year diplo- ing access to education, strengthening the rule of law and matic career, I’ve served in Haiti at its worst moments, instilling economic hope for the future — in addition to led a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Sadr City, Iraq, addressing security concerns. Resolving those issues is and workedD as a country director for counternarcotics fundamental to a winning strategy. and law enforcement in Pakistan, among many other assignments in the developing world. So I can attest to the Not Present As Conquerors fact that there is absolutely nothing new about Foreign During the initial phase of any conflict, the military Service personnel working in conflict zones. role is primary. However, that period is relatively short. In recent years, the term “Expeditionary Foreign Consider Iraq, where the conventional fighting was over Service” has come into common usage to describe this within weeks; or Haiti, where a U.S. Marine expedi- role in quasi-military terms. I am not an advocate of that tionary force gained control of Port-au-Prince within days mindset, however. Instead, I believe the Department of after President Jean-Bertrand Aristide fled the country State and the U.S. Agency for International Develop- in 2004. Afghanistan has followed a similar pattern, albeit ment must be full partners with our uniformed col- over a longer period of time. In all three cases, the con- leagues in these environments. If anything, in a sustained flict continued to heat up as soon as the military goal was conflict greater emphasis must be placed on civilian roles achieved. and leadership. To a large extent, success in conflict zones is defined To be successful, U.S. diplomats must work alongside by promoting successful local governance — not replac- our military colleagues to improve conditions in conflict ing it with American military leadership. Especially zones — addressing food and nutrition needs, facilitat- when a conflict drags on for years, soldiers are not equipped to provide basic services to the population on Paul Folmsbee, an FSO since 1987, has served in Geneva, a sustainable basis. These crucial tasks can only be per- Nairobi, Libreville, Colombo, La Paz, Dar es Salaam, Port- formed by the host government and the local popula- au-Prince, Sadr City, Baghdad and Washington, D.C. He tion, in conjunction with nongovernmental organizations is currently principal officer and consul general in Mum- and donors. Putting the Pentagon in charge of such ef- bai. forts is a mistake we initially made in Iraq and continue

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to make in Afghanistan, where many Success in conflict zones the right direction, and observed Provincial Reconstruction Team many achievements that made a leaders are military officers, not comes largely from local real, lasting difference. So imag- civilians. ine how much more we could have While building roads, other in- governance — not American accomplished if only we’d had frastructure and development proj- more qualified civilian personnel ects like hospitals might have mili- military leadership. with the requisite experience in tary or strategic significance, they development. are also complicated political decisions. Who gets the contract and employment for building the new road? Who Strengthen Civilian Capacity decides in what direction it will go and why? Whose That said, the problem isn’t just a lack of people. It is apple orchard is going to be cut down to make room for a matter of getting the right people with the proper train- the road? Who is going to pave and maintain it? Sol- ing to where they are needed. Sadly, that capability does diers can’t make those decisions, and it is unfair to ask not yet exist within the United States government. So them to. This is not because civilians necessarily know before civilians can step up to bear their share of the re- better, but because they can more easily and effectively sponsibility, Washington will need to develop the requi- empower local communities to solve problems. And it is site organizational tools and expertise. within that context that diplomats must step up and op- In Iraq, for example, civilian agencies literally had no erate. capacity to keep up with the military surge in 2007. De- Two years ago, the Bush administration supple- fense Secretary Robert Gates, a strong public supporter mented the military “surge” in Iraq by expanding the of civilian roles in conflict zones, was reportedly surprised number of Provincial Reconstruction Teams and aug- when he discovered that the State Department could not menting their responsibilities. Appropriately, these even come up with a few hundred people to staff the em- teams were led by diplomats, with a corresponding embedded Provincial Reconstruction Teams. phasis on the civilian role and responsibility to the local To be sure, State and USAID officers are fully engaged population in resolving conflict. This approach helped all over the world on the diplomatic basics: visa adjudica- consolidate the military gains and made a real difference tion, HIV/AIDS programs, economic development, trade on the ground. Iraq certainly continues to face chal- promotion and countless bilateral and multilateral issues. lenges, but the situation there has improved significantly. Yet both agencies are tiny. It is frequently asserted that And that success comes from putting civilians in posi- the Department of Defense has more military musicians tions of authority, which sends a strong message that we than State has diplomats, or that State’s budget is smaller are not present as conquerors. than some fraction of the operating cost of one battleship. The familiar saying, “all politics is local,” has a corol- Whatever the truth of those claims, it is indisputable that lary: Development is localized, too. Imagine you’re a both State and USAID are grossly underfunded and un- Foreign Service officer in Sadr City, with a development derstaffed. As it stands, they are simply unable to take on goal of reopening Iraqi businesses. If you succeed in the mandates of a civilian organization that is a partner partnering with local leadership and achieve economic with the military in a modern conflict zone. growth that matches or even exceeds the levels prior to When I took over as PRT leader for Sadr City and the invasion, that represents tangible success. Moreover, Adhamiya, I selected reservist officers to cover various you have given the population a sense that things are im- areas. “Regular” civilians came later. The reservists were proving, that there is hope. In such a situation, civilian heroic, highly capable and dedicated; but they had no ex- leadership has done as much to resolve the larger con- perience promoting economic development in a foreign flict as military action, and quite possibly more. country. Even those few who had arguably relevant back- I witnessed such efforts succeed in Adhamiya, part of grounds were too mired in the military culture of urgency Baghdad, in 2007 and 2008. Yes, I saw plenty of mis- to be able to give development goals much attention. They takes and failures during my tenure in Iraq. But I also often did not realize that establishing the process for build- saw a genuine desire to move economic development in ing a road was often more central to stabilizing an area

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than the actual construction. We should have all learned Take Care of the Basics Over the longer term, another In a combat zone, it’s easy to major problem was finding fully by now that waiting until forget that not every moment is qualified civilians to do the neces- about military action. If you hap- sary work. The recruitment pro- the army has won the pen to be a native living in such an cess was controlled by well-mean- environment, then it’s home to ing stateside staff with no under- day to address the you. Of course, your thinking is standing of what we faced. I was dominated by the possibility of frequently offered good people need for good governance death or serious injury. But you without any relevant expertise, also care deeply about lots of other such as Pentagon contract special- does not work. issues — health care and education ists when what I needed was ex- for your children, for example — perts on economic development and you are furious that the au- — individuals with serious civilian business credentials, thorities aren’t providing any services. So you probably preferably with some first-hand idea of how to operate won’t stop picking up a gun until someone alleviates in a developing economy. Similarly, I was looking for those concerns. medical professionals who knew how to set up health Even in Sadr City, a division of Baghdad and certainly care in the developing world, not combat medics (who, a hot spot by most definitions, most of the time people in any case, were badly needed down the street to work went quietly about their business instead of shooting in with my military colleagues). the streets. Babies were born, mothers took children to

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a dentist or doctor, families pur- The problem isn’t just a Short-Term vs. Long-Term chased groceries. Such daily needs Good governance and develop- must be addressed within a gover- lack of people. It is a matter ment are long-term objectives, but nance and developmental frame- they still need to receive priority in work by civilians who are inherently of getting the right people U.S. policy. The military is all about part of the resolution of the con- making something happen right flict. with the proper training to now — whether that means blow- State, USAID and other U.S. ing something up, taking a hill or government agencies already have where they are needed. seizing a port. They focus single- some of this expertise, but not mindedly on accomplishing the ob- nearly to the extent required. We jective, so everyone else better get need many more diplomats with practical experience out of the way. who also know how to manage programs. How does one Development does not work that way at all. It’s not get the water system back on in some district in the about what “we” do, but about strengthening the local Congo where people are being killed? How does one ad- government and setting up a cooperative process. The minister a microfinance program in central Afghanistan? civilian role is one of mentor, trainer and partner, even if Even if we have technical experts on staff, Foreign that means the local road (or school or dam) gets built on Service personnel still have to go out into the field. An a slower schedule than if we did it ourselves. engineer from Colorado certainly knows how to get a Over the last few years, Pakistan and the United States dam to produce electricity. But he probably does not have pursued a joint developmental approach to reduc- know how to help the local governing body raise money, ing poppy cultivation in the Federally Administered hire engineers and create a tax base or corporation to Tribal Areas. Local officials built a road up to Tora Bora make it all sustainable in a cross-cultural environment. with help from the State Department’s International Nar- That requires a well-trained economic development or cotics and Law Enforcement Bureau. This was a long, la- governance officer. Most State and USAID employees borious effort but, along with other development don’t possess the combined skills needed either, so we projects, it empowered the local government and pro- have to acquire them through training or recruit people vided alternative employment for the population. who already have them. Local leaders decided who would crush the rock, Some of this knowledge already exists within USAID, where the road would go, whose apple orchard would be but not exclusively so. In a conflict zone, development is cut down to make room for the roadbed, who would cut directly tied to governance, so the job descriptions of the the stone, who would get the contract for paving opera- political officer at State and of the governance officer at tions, etc. The success of these kinds of projects helped USAID overlap. We need to build up both agencies at reduce poppy growth to the point where the United Na- the institutional level to take on that role in a coopera- tions Development Program actually considered declar- tive fashion. ing the country poppy-free. To be successful, State and USAID must also build a much stronger institutional partnership, with political of- Expand Civilian Reach ficers serving in USAID governance positions and vice In Iraq, I often found that my Defense Department versa, as part of each group’s career path. This is crucial colleagues understood the idea of development, but were experience that both sets of employees will need before unable to work patiently with a weak government strug- entering a conflict zone. gling to find its legs. DOD’s emphasis on being opera- We also need mandatory crossover assignments in tionally effective was so great that local governance was other cones within both organizations — particularly be- squeezed out. Instead, the military found it easier to do tween economic officers in State and economic develop- things itself and then give the credit to local officials. ment functions of USAID — to expand the practical However, because most of them either did nothing or ac- knowledge and experience of our core diplomatic com- tively hindered U.S. efforts, this approach was counter- petencies. productive.

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I will concede that there are The Foreign Service should conflict zones” a new core compe- critical conditions in every conflict tency, for both USAID and State zone that always need to be con- make “governance in officers. In addition to working sidered, whether military or civil- with each country’s political lead- ian officials lead the effort. For conflict zones” a new core ership, we need to figure out how example, the one area in Iraq on to make local governments work at which I wish we had focused more competency, for both the micro-level: distributing water quickly was the electric grid. We and other resources, turning the needed to get the lights back on, USAID and State officers. lights and power back on, and re- and we failed. True or not, most of viving the business sector. the population in my area of Bagh- Let me be clear: I am not ar- dad believed Saddam Hussein was better than the Amer- guing in favor of abandoning traditional diplomacy or icans at providing electricity. This failure did more harm shifting all State and USAID’s energies completely over to our cause than all the rockets fired by Shia extremists. to conflict resolution. Managing the complex relation- Tangible progress on a quality-of-life issue (more ships we have with France, Russia, India, China, etc. hours of electricity, more water, more honest cops on the will always remain a priority. However, there is no street) would have made a big difference. Instead, be- denying that development operations in conflict zones cause the U.S. military was in charge, the Iraqi popula- constitute a growth industry, one that is increasingly tion saw us as failing. relevant to modern diplomacy. We need our best and I urge the Foreign Service to make “governance in brightest in Haiti just as much as in Moscow. ■

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SAM NUNN: NATIONAL SECURITY VISIONARY

BOTH AS A FOUR-TERM U.S. SENATOR AND A PRIVATE CITIZEN, SAM NUNN HAS TIRELESSLY ADVOCATED NONPROLIFERATION. FOR THOSE EFFORTS, HE IS THE LATEST RECIPIENT OF AFSA’S LIFETIME CONTRIBUTIONS TO AMERICAN DIPLOMACY AWARD.

BY STEVEN ALAN HONLEY

ormer Senator Sam Nunn of Georgia, the submarines and other launch vehicles. The program also originator and co-author of the 1991 Nunn- facilitated the safe removal of all nuclear weapons from Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Pro- Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus, thereby turning the coun- gram (better known as the Nunn-Lugar tries with the third-, fourth- and eighth-largest nuclear ar- Act), has provided American diplomats senals, respectively, into nuclear weapons–free nations. And with an indispensable tool in their efforts thousands of Soviet scientists formerly engaged in research to eliminate or secure nuclear and fissile on weapons of mass destruction have turned to cooperative materials in the former Soviet Union. Building on that suc- pursuits. Fcess, the 2004 Nunn-Lugar Expansion Act has facilitated De- No less a figure than President Barack Obama has hailed fense Department nonproliferation projects in other parts of Sen. Nunn for upholding the tradition of a bipartisan for- the world. eign policy. Writing in The Audacity of Hope, then-Senator In recognition of that enduring achievement, and for his Obama describes him and Sen. Lugar as “two men who un- lifetime of public service, on June 18 the American Foreign derstood the need to nurture coalitions before crises strike, Service Association conferred its 2009 award for Lifetime and who applied this knowledge to the critical problem of Contributions to American Diplomacy on Sen. Nunn. (See nuclear proliferation.” p. 55 for full coverage of the AFSA awards ceremony.) A meeting in Moscow with Soviet Premier Mikhail Gor- An Early Commitment to Public Service bachev shortly after the August 1991 coup attempt inspired Samuel Augustus Nunn was born in Macon, Ga., on the senator to introduce his legislation. Even before the So- Sept. 8, 1938, and raised in nearby Perry. A grandnephew viet Union collapsed, he recognized the grave proliferation of Representative Carl Vinson, he grew up with a family risk posed by its vast arsenal of nuclear, chemical and bio- connection to politics. logical weapons. Working with the ranking Republican Nunn entered Georgia Tech in 1956, transferring to member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Intelligence Emory University the next year, where he earned his un- Committee, Richard Lugar (who also received the lifetime dergraduate degree in 1960 and a law degree in 1962. After contributions award from AFSA, in 2005), Sen. Nunn per- active-duty service in the United States Coast Guard, he suaded reluctant congressional leaders and the administra- spent six years in the Coast Guard Reserve, and also served tion of President George H.W. Bush that the need to for a short time as a congressional staffer. respond was critical and urgent. The future senator returned to Perry to practice law and For nearly 20 years now, Nunn-Lugar has provided cru- manage the family farm before entering politics as a mem- cial funding to dismantle a huge array of bombers, missiles, ber of the Georgia House of Representatives in 1968. Four years later, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, serving four Steven Alan Honley is the editor of the Journal. consecutive terms. As chairman of the Senate Committee

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on Armed Services, he worked with Sen. Barry Goldwater ian Peace Prize for his commitment to promoting nuclear to draft the landmark Department of Defense Reorganiza- disarmament and combating nuclear terrorism. tion Act. He also chaired the Permanent Subcommittee As a past chairman of the board of the Center for Strate- on Investigations and served on the gic and International Studies, Nunn Intelligence and Small Business and his former Senate colleague (and Committees. former Defense Secretary) William In September 1994, President Cohen joined together in 1999 for a Bill Clinton dispatched Sen. Nunn, series of public roundtable discus- former President Jimmy Carter and sions to focus Americans on the sem- former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs inal issues that the United States of Staff Colin Powell to Haiti to ne- faces around the globe. The Cohen- gotiate the departure of Lieutenant Nunn Dialogues featured top lead- General Raoul Cedras. Days later, ers, public policy experts, prominent American forces escorted the coun- journalists and leading scholars. try’s elected president, Jean-Ber- The former senator is a distin- trand Aristide, into the capital. guished professor at the Sam Nunn Afterwards, Pres. Clinton lavished School of International Affairs at praise on Nunn’s delegation: “As all Georgia Tech, the only professional of you know, at my request, Presi- school of international affairs at a dent Carter, Gen. Colin Powell and Sen. major American technical institu- Sen. Sam Nunn went to Haiti to Sam Nunn tion. That institution offers overseas facilitate the dictator’s departure. programs in Europe, Asia, and Latin I have been in constant contact with America, and hosts the Center for them for the last two days. They have International Strategy, Technology and worked tirelessly, almost around the President Barack Obama Policy, as well as the European Union clock, and I want to thank them for un- Center of Excellence, a scholarly re- dertaking this crucial mission on behalf has hailed former search and outreach organization. The of all Americans,” Clinton said. school also hosts the annual Sam Nunn Upon his exit from the Senate, Nunn Sen. Nunn for upholding Policy Forum, a meeting that brings to- was the recipient of bipartisan praise from gether noted academic, governmental his colleagues. Senator John Warner, R- the tradition of a and private-sector experts on technol- Va., commented: “Senator Nunn quickly ogy, public policy and international af- established himself as one of the leading bipartisan foreign policy. fairs to address issues of immediate experts in the Congress and, indeed, all importance to the nation. of the United States on national security In 2005, Nunn teamed up with former and foreign policy. He gained a reputa- Senator Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., to tion in our country and, indeed, world- promote “Last Best Chance,” a film dram- wide as a global thinker, and that is where I think he will atizing the dangers of unsecured nuclear weapons and materi- make his greatest contribution in the years to come. … His als that aired on Home Box Office in October of that year. approach to national security issues has been guided by one Nunn — along with former Secretaries of State Henry fundamental criterion: What Sam Nunn believes is in the Kissinger and George Shultz, and former Secretary of De- best interest of the United States of America.” fense William Perry — has repeatedly called upon all governments to embrace the vision of a world free of nuclear Post-Senate Career weapons. The four leaders have created the Nuclear Se- After retiring from Congress in 1996, Sen. Nunn be- curity Project to advance this agenda. came co-chairman and chief executive officer of the Nu- Speaking at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of clear Threat Initiative, a charitable organization working to Government on Oct. 21, 2008, Nunn explained what drives reduce the global threats from nuclear, biological and his commitment to the NSP: “I’m much more concerned chemical weapons. His work to strengthen global security about a terrorist without a return address that cannot be de- has resulted in nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize in terred than I am about deliberate war between nuclear pow- 2000, 2002 and 2005. And in 2008, he received the Hess- ers. You can’t deter a group who is willing to commit

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suicide. We are in a different era. nuclear war and how skillful diplo- You have to understand the world has macy helped prevent it. changed.” Even before the So that was the beginning. I also A retired partner in the law firm of worked a lot during my time on Capi- King & Spalding, Sen. Nunn is also an Soviet Union collapsed, tol Hill on the relationship between advisory board member for the Part- nuclear issues and other dangers we nership for a Secure America, a non- Sen. Nunn recognized the faced in our NATO and Korean force profit organization dedicated to re- postures. After the Vietnam War, I creating the bipartisan center in grave proliferation risk came to see how dangerous a demor- American national security and for- alized military could be in its impact eign policy. posed by its vast arsenal on critical missions — for example, Nunn is married to the former the deployment of our tactical nuclear Colleen O’Brien and has two chil- of nuclear, chemical and weapons in Europe. dren, Michelle and Brian. When I went to the Soviet Union Foreign Service Journal Editor biological weapons. in 1991, I saw the problems they had Steven Alan Honley interviewed Sen. with safeguarding nuclear weapons Nunn by phone on May 28. and materiel, and biological and chemical weapons, all spread over 11 time zones. It was pretty clear to me that we had to step up to the plate and deal with this huge problem of nuclear weapons potentially falling into the wrong hands. It was something that could have caused catastrophe, both in that area of the world and elsewhere, including the United States. All of those things combined in my mind, particularly as the Soviet Union Senators Sam Nunn and began collapsing. In fact, when I met Richard Lugar leaving the with Soviet Premier Mikhail Gor- White House in November bachev right after he was released 1991 after briefing President from house arrest in August 1991, that George H.W. Bush on the was one of the concerns we discussed. Sen. Nunn promotes the Nuclear Threat Initiative. Nunn-Lugar legislation. I then began working with Sen. Lugar on legislation to address the problem. FSJ: Your award from AFSA for both human rights and international FSJ: How have you continued to lifetime contributions to American law. pursue those efforts since leaving the diplomacy places you in the same FSJ: The Nunn-Lugar Act has Senate? company as President George H. W. been a landmark foreign policy pro- SN: Sen. Lugar is still serving Bush, Secretaries of State George gram ever since its passage in 1991. there, of course, but I’m working with Shultz, Cyrus Vance and Larry Ea- What was its genesis? a nongovernmental organization call- gleburger, Senator Richard Lugar and SN: Several things combined to ed the Nuclear Threat Initiative. In Representative Lee Hamilton, among make that initiative possible. My in- addition to dealing with nuclear mat- others. What is it about foreign policy terest in this whole subject, and my ters, NTI focuses on biosecurity and that has held your interest for so long? awareness of nuclear dangers, started global health threats. SN: I think diplomacy gives our with the Cuban Missile Crisis. I was I’ve also joined with former Secre- nation, and the world, an opportunity working for the House Armed Serv- taries of State Henry Kissinger and to avoid catastrophes, resolve conflicts ices Committee, right out of law George Shultz, and former Defense and head off wars. We are required to school, and was on an Air Force trip Secretary William Perry, on what we build alliances and coalitions that fur- to Europe during that whole crisis. I call the Nuclear Security Project. The ther American interests and strengthen saw firsthand how close we came to NSP is taking the lead in getting our

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government, and other governments dress the regional issues that impel around the world, to understand the countries to believe that they must importance of the vision of a world Nunn’s work to strengthen possess nuclear weapons — whether free of nuclear weapons and the steps it’s North Korea, India and Pakistan, needed to get there. To get interna- global security has or others in Northeast Asia, South tional cooperation, people around the Asia and the Middle East. Then there world need to perceive that the resulted in nominations is the continuing challenge of secur- United States is not only leading on ing nuclear weapons and nuclear ma- this initiative, but views it as realistic for the Nobel Peace Prize terials all over the globe. All these and possible. That is absolutely es- things take cooperation. sential if we’re going to achieve the in 2000, 2002 and 2005. FSJ: Who are some diplomats you goal of eliminating nuclear weapons. have known and worked with that While NTI has a very specific particularly stand out in your estima- agenda in terms of concrete steps, the tion? NSP has a much broader vision. SN: I could make a long list, Nonetheless, both organizations are SN: Well, I think we’re in a short- starting with the Secretaries of State I very heavily involved in diplomacy term, medium-term and long-term worked with during my time in the and work both inside and outside of race between cooperation and catas- Senate and am still working with. Of governments. trophe. And I believe that both the those, I would single out George FSJ: Are you hopeful that the goal and the vision become even more Shultz and Henry Kissinger. In addi- news coming out of North Korea important in situations like this one. tion, while he is not affiliated with about recent nuclear tests and missile Obviously, we have to deal with the State, Bill Perry has been outstanding launches might give new impetus to North Koreans and the Iranians on in his preventive diplomacy. these efforts? nuclear issues, but we also have to ad- In terms of career diplomats, I had

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a person working for me by the name are needed to ensure that the Foreign of Dick Combs. Dick would not be a Service has the abilities, outlook and household name, but I met him when “We’re in a short-term, organizational structure to effectively he was deputy chief of mission in discharge its role in the active promo- Moscow and got him to join on the medium-term and tion of U.S. interests abroad? Armed Services Committee staff after SN: I think the Foreign Service he left the Foreign Service. Dick, long-term race between does a superb job. These people are probably more than anyone on my out there every day putting their lives staff, was responsible for creating the cooperation and on the line. They are exposed to ter- linkage between concept and legisla- rorist attacks more than our military tion, working closely with Sen. Lugar’s catastrophe.” is, yet they don’t have the defensive staff, that resulted in the Nunn-Lugar mechanisms that the military does. program. So I salute the Foreign Service mem- I would also list Mort Abramowitz, bers who serve our country every day Mike Armacost, Rich Armitage, Bob around the globe. Gallucci, Jim Kelly, Don McHenry weren’t professional diplomats but did In terms of support back home, I and Ed Perkins. Though Dean Rusk a superb job representing the United think we’ve got a duty to step up to was before my time, I knew and ad- States abroad, such as Mike Mansfield, the plate with resources for the For- mired him very much, as well. And Howard Baker, Anne Armstrong, eign Service, which is woefully un- going even further back, I was a great Pamela Harriman and James Baker. derfunded and understaffed. The admirer of the tremendous historic They weren’t Foreign Service mem- best spokesman for doing that, for roles that George Marshall and Ralph bers, but they were very skillful diplo- years now, has been Defense Secre- Bunche played. matic representatives for our country. tary Robert Gates, who is absolutely Finally, I’d cite some people who FSJ: What changes do you think right. I think that when you realize

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that the increases in the military trip Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., budget in recent years have been took to Africa. I was happy to see that more than the entire State Depart- “I think the Foreign the reporter treated it as a legitimate ment budget, that tells you some- and important mission, which it is, of thing. Service does a superb job. course. We need a lot more of that; The Foreign Service not only but as it is, nearly every time a mem- needs more people, but it needs to These people are out there ber of Congress takes an overseas trip, offer a whole lot more training in for- someone in the media takes potshots eign languages and in economics and every day putting their at them for it. The result is that sen- business affairs. In fact, when I asked ators and representatives don’t travel General John Shalikashvili, who had lives on the line.” as much as they used to — so not only just retired as Chairman of the Joint are they not as well informed about Chiefs of Staff, to identify the biggest foreign policy, but it’s harder for them problem the military faces, he replied, to educate their constituents about “We don’t have the rest of the gov- those concerns. ernment organized and funded in a prevent as many wars as possible. This constituency-building is a way where it can deal with the recon- Having more businesspeople tes- long-term project. But I hope that struction of failed countries.” tify before Congress on how Foreign Secretary Clinton, who I know recog- The problem has only grown since Service personnel have assisted them nizes its importance, will take it on. then, of course. While we’re begin- would help. Business leaders travel Her staff can come up with innovative ning to put together a corps of people more often than most members of ways to involve the American people to address it, it’s going to take time Congress. Having those people who in understanding the role of diplo- and resources. And it’s going to take really are spending significant time macy. Perhaps the current conflicts specialized skills from a lot of people abroad come back and speak about our country is involved in will remind throughout the government, in Agri- their experiences to the Congress us of the importance of international culture and Commerce and Health & would be very helpful. cooperation. If you name the major Human Services and other agencies, I also think it would be helpful for issues we face — terrorism; prolifera- under the guidance of our diplomatic the combatant commanders all over tion; disarmament; the environment; corps. That’s going to be a huge chal- the world to testify every so often be- the global economic structure, partic- lenge. Frankly, on a scale from one to fore the Foreign Relations commit- ularly in the financial sector; and 10, we’re a long way from 10 in terms tees in both houses, not just the global warming — progress on every of our ability to meet it. Armed Services committees. Those one of them requires cooperation, FSJ: What advice would you give people understand the importance of and that requires some form of diplo- the Foreign Service about how it can diplomacy, and appreciate the value macy. And that, in turn, has to be present itself more effectively, both to of a State Department office to assist based on understanding back home in Congress and to the American people? with the reconstruction of countries America, and a sustainable commit- SN: The Foreign Service and the that have both security problems and ment. This is the challenge of the era State Department urgently need to development problems. We’ve got a we’re in. build a domestic constituency. Every number of those now, starting with FSJ: It’s still early, obviously, but other federal department I know of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq. are you encouraged by how the has that, but State doesn’t. There are It’s more important than ever for Obama administration has approach- foreign policy associations around the members of Congress to get out and ed U.S. foreign policy so far? country that do a tremendous job, and travel abroad, and to report back to SN: I think the early signs are we’ve got organizations that support their constituents. And in this con- very good. They’ve got a good team the United Nations. But in terms of nection, the news media have an obli- in place, and the president himself gaining public understanding and gation to distinguish between “junk- understands the importance of deal- support, we’re a long way from that in ets” and legitimate congressional trips, ing with these issues on an interna- this country. And that work will be but they don’t usually do a very good tional basis, through the use of diplo- the key to closing the funding and job of that. macy and cooperation. I believe there staffing gaps the Foreign Service faces Sometimes they do, though: Just will be continuity with some of the in its ongoing efforts to head off as this morning, I read an article in the policies of the Bush administration many catastrophes as possible and Atlanta Journal-Constitution about a that worked reasonably well, such as

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relations with China, Japan and India. FSJ: Any final thoughts? But I foresee much more outreach to SN: I’d like to reiterate my appre- places where diplomacy didn’t work “There is a keen ciation for the professional Foreign well during the past several years, Service. For many years they have such as Russia and the Middle East. appreciation among done a tremendous job; I’d call them The perception of the United the unsung heroes of our federal gov- States around the world is more im- military leaders — ernment, who don’t get the credit portant than ever, especially when they deserve. you consider the amount of money probably more than in Dean Acheson was once asked his we’re currently borrowing. If foreign definition of foreign policy. He governments don’t have confidence any other branch of the thought for awhile before replying, in the strength of the U.S. economy “It’s one damn thing after another!” I and the dollar, then our finances will government — of the think that’s the challenge we face be in some jeopardy. The reason today: a long agenda of action items. we’re able to undertake these large importance of skillful Our diplomats already work closely fiscal stimulus programs, whether or with their military colleagues and, not you agree with them, is because diplomats.” speaking as someone who has been there is still a residual confidence close to a lot of military people over overseas in the U.S. dollar and finan- the years, I think there is a keen ap- cial system. And increasing that con- preciation among military leaders — fidence is part of the charge not only I’m also encouraged that the image probably more than in any other of the Treasury Department and the of President Obama is so positive branch of the government — of the Federal Reserve, but also the State around the world. That has greatly importance of skillful diplomats. Department. strengthened U.S. diplomacy. FSJ: Thank you very much. ■

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USING CLOUD COMPUTING TO CLOSE THE DEVELOPMENT GAP

A PARADIGM SHIFT NOW OCCURRING IN THE IT INDUSTRY OFFERS THE POSSIBILITY OF ACCELERATING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

BY KENNETH I. JUSTER

espite tremendous global growth over into computing power over the Internet — that is, over the the last few decades, social and eco- “cloud.” This creates enormous economies of scale, sub- nomic development has eluded huge stantially lowering the cost and eliminating the technical swaths of the world. In recognition of complexities and the long deployment cycles of planning, in- this imbalance, the United Nations stalling, maintaining and upgrading IT systems. adopted a set of eight Millennium De- Although ubiquitous, affordable Internet access — or velopment Goals — including eradicat- even reliable electricity — is not yet a reality, there are many ing extreme poverty, achieving universal primary education pockets of the developing world that are equipped to take Dand reducing child mortality — at its Millennium Summit in advantage of this new approach to delivering and consuming 2000. More than midway through the 15-year timeframe set information technology. to realize the MDGs, however, progress continues to be un- even at best. The current financial meltdown and the world- The Rise of Cloud Computing wide economic recession are only exacerbating this situation, The Internet has made possible a new, “utility” model of as there will be even fewer resources available to close the information technology. Instead of having to buy and set up development gap. IT systems — the servers, the storage devices, the network- Historically, development agencies and nongovernmen- ing, the software and the databases — users can tap into ca- tal organizations, especially in developing countries, have not pabilities and solutions over the Internet, regardless of where been able to take full advantage of information technology, they are located in the world, simply by going to a Web site primarily because of the significant cost and complexities in and logging in. deploying and managing it. Because IT systems have tradi- The actual computing — the processing and storage of tionally been run on an “ownership” model, they require in- data — does not take place on an individual’s computer or at vestment in all the underlying infrastructure, ongoing a company’s own IT facilities. Rather, it is done remotely, maintenance of systems and, every few years, expensive and often thousands of miles away, in large data centers that time-consuming upgrades. process and hold data for thousands of companies or millions Now, however, a new development in the information of users. This shift in how IT is delivered and consumed is technology industry offers the possibility of accelerating so- analogous to the evolution in electricity use a century ago, cial and economic development, even in this time of limited when businesses began purchasing electricity as a service resources. Cloud computing, as it’s called, involves tapping from utility companies, rather than owning and running their own power generators. Kenneth I. Juster is executive vice president of Salesforce.com Cloud computing was first pioneered in the consumer and a former under secretary of Commerce. world by companies such as Google, Yahoo! and Ama-

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zon.com. More recently, Web sites services to manage their business op- such as Facebook, MySpace, You- erations, development organizations Tube, Wikipedia and Twitter have This new model involves can improve the efficiency of their in- given rise to the phenomenon of so- ternal operations by using software social networking, communities and simply tapping into lutions offered as a service over the user-generated content. No techni- Internet. cal skill or expertise is required to use computing power over In addition to using prebuilt soft- these services. They are easy to per- ware over the Internet, development sonalize and, in fact, so simple to use the Internet — that is, agencies and NGOs can use online that consumers do not even think of services to design Web-based software what they are doing as “computing.” over the “cloud.” programs for their own specialized It is no surprise that this model is needs — ranging from fundraising and catching on in the business world. grant management to volunteer pro- Companies are using Web-based grams and project management — services to manage operations as di- with little coding or technical resources, verse as finance, logistics, customer tions, including agencies and NGOs in similar to the way individuals create relations and human resources. The developing countries. These organiza- personalized Web pages on Google and software for these services resides in tions already use the Internet by hav- Yahoo! with point-and-click ease. remote data centers, not on each em- ing Web sites that provide information Just as mobile phones enabled com- ployee’s computer or on company on their activities and programs. munities with no access to landline servers. Recently, companies have Rural communities are also using phones to become connected to the also started using Facebook-like social the Internet to advance their economic rest of the world, cloud computing can networks on the Web for their cus- prospects. A case in point is an initia- enable disadvantaged communities to tomers, business partners and em- tive in India called “e-choupal,” which leapfrog into the next generation of in- ployees. provides vital information on crop formation technology. But in order to In addition, companies are chang- prices, weather conditions and scien- fully exploit the benefits of this new IT ing the way in which they buy and uti- tific farming practices to 3.5 million model, the development sector must lize hardware and IT equipment. farmers across 31,000 villages. It also invest in training local stakeholders Instead of purchasing or leasing racks allows them to use an e-trading service with the skills and expertise to take ad- of servers or data-storage equipment, to get the best prices in selling their vantage of it. This will also have a pos- companies can now buy computing crops over the Internet. itive impact on the broader knowledge power — server and storage capacity More recently, the Internet has also base in developing countries. — as a service that can be used over become a communication channel to Health Care. Advancing the qual- the Internet. deliver higher-quality social services to ity of health care is a key development In this way, a company pays only people in rural areas. Telemedicine, objective. In fact, three of the eight for the amount of capacity it uses and which allows people to connect over MDGs adopted by the U.N. pertain to can expand or shrink usage, on the fly, the Internet to receive medical advice health care — combating HIV/AIDS, as its needs change. Of course, under from specialists thousands of miles malaria and other diseases; improving this “utility” model, companies need away, is just one example. While laud- maternal health; and reducing child to be comfortable with the notion that able, such efforts are still largely rooted mortality. their data will not reside within their in the “ownership” model of informa- One objective of health-care NGOs own four walls but on remote infra- tion technology. in developing countries is to improve structure shared with others. In fact, the level of expertise among medical however, these mega data centers Cloud Computing professionals serving these communi- generally have more sophisticated, for Development ties. While it is common practice for state-of-the-art security, disaster re- By contrast, cloud computing en- doctors in developing countries and covery and service reliability capabil- ables development organizations to de- rural areas to refer to health informa- ities than any individual company is ploy sophisticated information tech- tion Web sites, these doctors also re- able to deploy. nology solutions without the cost and quire a knowledge-sharing service in As with consumers and businesses, complexities of purchasing and setting order to tap into the expertise of their cloud computing holds tremendous up IT systems. In the same way that peers and top medical professionals. potential for development organiza- companies are now using Web-based This would take the practice of tele-

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medicine beyond current one-to-one, wound could instantly correspond with tral location where patients are moni- patient-to-doctor or doctor-to-doctor other doctors within the region and be- tored for resistance to the drugs. The interactions. yond who may have more experience system also gives clinicians reminders As an open, global communications with such a case. for patient care. network, the Internet provides a Another challenge in the health- With cloud computing, it is possible mechanism to facilitate such ex- care sphere in rural areas is ongoing to set up patient care systems similar changes. But without IT solutions and patient services. This was a major to the one funded by the International systems — such as a database of ex- roadblock in South Africa in 2004, Development Research Center in perts categorized by medical specialty, when the government decided to ad- South Africa in rural areas throughout a communication forum to post in- minister antiretroviral drugs to all HIV the developing world — without re- quiries and address questions to spe- patients who had developed AIDS. quiring clinics to buy and manage all cific experts, and a searchable reposi- Implementing this policy required the hardware and software. tory of previous inquiries — this can- health authorities to be able to track Microfinance. Development or- not happen. drug regimens and monitor the effect ganizations have long recognized that These are not trivial tools or solu- of the drugs on each patient. an effective way to help alleviate ex- tions to develop. But with cloud com- To do this, the International Devel- treme poverty — another one of the puting services, a development agency opment Research Center, in partner- goals adopted by the United Nations can put together all the pieces neces- ship with local organizations, funded — is to inject a business mindset into sary to get a system of this nature up the deployment of an information local communities. Over the last and running in relatively short order technology system. Using this system, decade, microfinance has proven to be and with a relatively modest initial in- clinic staff can now enter patient data a great catalyst for small-business en- vestment. In this way, a medical pro- on computers or hand-held devices. trepreneurs in developing countries. fessional in a village in Bangladesh with These electronic medical records are Yet despite the buzz, there are sig- a patient suffering from an infectious sent daily, over the Internet, to a cen- nificant challenges in scaling this fi-

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nancing model. Given the nature of efforts were able to leverage the power lending small amounts, the adminis- of Web-based services to get up and trative cost relative to the size of each What were scattered, running quickly and with minimal re- loan is often quite high. And the sources. process of screening potential clients grassroots efforts One such initiative was the creation and processing loans is a cumbersome of an online database, KatrinaList — task. Moreover, it is difficult for mi- following Hurricane running entirely on shared infrastruc- crofinance institutions to follow con- ture — for evacuee and survivor track- sistent standards in granting loans, Katrina should become a ing. Another grassroots initiative, the which has a direct impact on the suc- Broadmoor Project, was initiated by cess of their programs. And once loans regular and routine part the neighborhood association of the are made, microfinance institutions low-lying Broadmoor section of New have a hard time managing their port- of evacuation and disaster Orleans. folio — tracking collections, monitor- The Broadmoor Project set up a ing overdue accounts and making sure recovery operations. database of more than 2,400 homes lo- loans are used appropriately. cated in the neighborhood, with the Though microfinance works largely purpose of matching available re- on personal connections and relation- sources and volunteers to houses that ships in local communities, loan offi- needed repair. Using this service, the cers still need a way to administer their private undertaking, not controlled by community was able to effectively tap operations and report back to their any one organization, it would be in the into the thousands of volunteers who sponsors, such as NGOs, credit unions interest of microfinance associations came to New Orleans with a commit- and financial institutions. Currently, and development agencies to build and ment to help rebuild the city. the technology employed by many mi- promote IT solutions based on cloud These initiatives were extremely crofinance institutions, especially computing that could be adopted more effective. What were scattered, smaller ones, is limited primarily to broadly. grassroots efforts following Hurricane spreadsheet programs. Again, cloud Disaster recovery. While disaster Katrina should become a regular and computing can enable microfinance response is not explicitly one of the routine part of evacuation and disas- institutions to utilize more sophisti- United Nation’s Millennium Develop- ter recovery operations — not just in cated, yet easy-to-deploy, IT solutions ment Goals or even a development ob- the United States, but wherever nat- that create efficiencies and lend trans- jective, hurricanes, earthquakes, wild- ural disasters hit. A number of NGOs parency to their financial management fires, floods and other disasters con- involved in disaster recovery, includ- and performance. tinue to displace communities and ing the Red Cross and the United Imagine, for example, a loan officer cause tremendous damage throughout Nations World Food Program, are al- at a small microfinance agency in the world. The aftermath of Hurricane ready piloting IT solutions running Africa simply going to the Internet and Katrina in the United States four years on cloud-computing infrastructure to logging onto a Web site to screen loan ago was a reminder that no commu- help with mission-critical activities, applications, manage existing loans and nity, even those in wealthy nations with such as procurement and distribution track collections. And imagine the ex- substantial resources at their disposal, of food and supplies during natural ecutive director or sponsor of the mi- is immune to the logistical nightmare disasters. crofinance agency going to the same of major evacuation and recovery op- As cloud computing takes shape, Web site and logging into his or her erations. Information technology can this new Internet-based IT model own account to view the agency’s ag- serve as a critical tool, but there is little should be an important lever in accel- gregate loan performance, as well as time to develop and deploy systems in erating social and economic develop- the performance of each region, office the wake of a disaster. ment. Governments, development or loan officer. A few microfinance in- Cloud computing can make a sig- agencies and NGOs — in partnership stitutions in Ecuador, Nicaragua, Hon- nificant difference in mobilizing re- with the private sector — should all duras and India have already begun to sources in emergencies. In fact, when seize the opportunity to promote inno- experiment with some of these IT con- the official response to Hurricane Ka- vation in the developing sector by uti- cepts in their day-to-day operations trina proved sorely insufficient, a num- lizing this new approach to the delivery with encouraging results. ber of grassroots and community- and consumption of information tech- Though microfinance is largely a organized initiatives sprang up. These nology. ■

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It’s the People, ally made collectively, by families, Stupid! Kilcullen clans, tribes or key traditional leaders emphasizes the lesson — not by individuals. The way to pre- Washington keeps vail over insurgents operating among The Accidental Guerrilla them is to win over traditional leaders David Kilcullen, Oxford University forgetting: for a and protect them and their people. Press, 2009, $27.95, hardcover, government we back That is precisely what (then-Major 301 pages. to be successful, General) David Petraeus did while REVIEWED BY DAVID PASSAGE it has to have commanding the 101st Division during his first tour in Iraq between 2003 Although The Accidental Guerrilla the support of its and 2005, and what the Marines did to is not an attack on American engage- own people. turn the tide in al-Anbar province from ment in Iraq or Afghanistan, it is a dev- 2006 to 2008. astating litany of mistakes the United Kilcullen emphasizes the lesson the States initially made in both of these United States learned too late in Viet- countries and in Pakistan. It is also the nam, only to forget it by the time we best book on contemporary insurgent even unwilling — participants in con- began planning for what he describes warfare I have ever read. flicts against us. As he points out, they as our “catastrophically unnecessary” David Kilcullen is a former Aus- fight us “because we are in [their] invasion of Iraq: In order for a govern- tralian Army officer with wide-ranging space, not because [they] wish to in- ment Washington backs to be success- experience with insurgent conflicts in vade us.” Many are villagers whose sole ful, it has to have the active — not Southeast and Southwest Asia. He was preoccupation is with survival — their merely passive — support of its own initially seconded to the U.S. Defense own and that of their families, commu- people. Department in 2005, to General David nities and clans. Their misfortune is to Insurgents have it easy. Their task is Petraeus in Iraq in 2007, and later to live where conflict is perpetrated by a to attack an easily identifiable, even if Defense and State as a strategic adviser very small number of people who are much more powerful, enemy: the gov- on counterterrorism. He now serves our enemies, and who use the larger ernment. Counterinsurgents (govern- as a consultant and adviser in strategic uninvolved population as “the sea” in ment forces) have a much more approaches to “lawlessness” (whether which they swim — to cite Chairman difficult task: to find and identify their committed by insurgents or terrorists) Mao Tse-Tung’s famous metaphor. enemies among the people. Destroy- around the world. Chief among the book’s many in- ing insurgents is far easier than finding Kilcullen convincingly argues that sights is the fact that in wartorn coun- them. most of the people the United States tries like Iraq and Afghanistan, “It’s the To be successful in Iraq, Afghani- government has chosen to describe as people, stupid!” (my phrase, not his). stan, Pakistan and similar environ- “enemies” are, in fact, accidental — In traditional societies, choices are usu- ments, Washington needs to focus on

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providing security and basic services to The Three E’s “the people,” largely through civilian development programs. We also need The Global Deal: to press host governments and our al- Climate Change and the lies to do likewise. Creation of a New Era of In that regard, Kilcullen describes Progress and Prosperity a telling meeting between American Nicholas Stern, Public Affairs, 2009, advisers and Iraqi national security of- $26.95, hardcover, 256 pages. ficials. The U.S. PowerPoint presentation focused almost exclusively on REVIEWED BY HARRY C. BLANEY III identifying and destroying “the enemy.” The Iraqi officials’ eyes glazed This volume is likely to be among over until their turn came to speak; the most important books of the 21st when they focused their briefing on century, both for its trenchant analysis “the people,” the Americans’ minds of the impact of climate change on our then wandered off into the ether. planet and for its outline of the best Given that state-on-state conflict is way to address this tremendous threat. decreasing, non-state actors are in- Following up on his previous study, creasingly likely to provide the most The Economics of Climate Change: The important challenges to our national Stern Report (Cambridge University security for the foreseeable future. We Press, 2007), Stern marshals an im- “got that” by the end of the Vietnam pressive body of new data to calculate War and used those lessons to turn what it would take to reach atmos- around a losing situation in El Sal- pheric carbon dioxide levels that might vador. We are still using them suc- be sustainable without catastrophic cessfully today in Colombia. And consequences to the planet. although it took several catastrophic The book’s middle section focuses years to relearn those insights in Iraq on how national and local govern- and Afghanistan, they will be the secret ments, individuals, companies and to any success we may be able to communities can address the issue. As achieve there. Stern explains, energy conservation, The Accidental Guerrilla is a book higher efficiency levels, and new ap- that every American diplomat, military proaches to buildings and infrastruc- officer, legislator and person con- ture are among the most cost-effective cerned with our national security policies we can adopt. The key here is needs to read and comprehend. We the power of example, which can rein- simply cannot afford to continue rein- force willingness to move forward on a venting the wheel. global scale. In the final part of the book, Stern David Passage, a former ambassador, advocates new and strengthened inter- served with the CORDS program in national structures to cope with this Vietnam and dealt with insurgencies in threat and other global challenges. As Latin America and Africa for much of he acknowledges, this will require col- his career. Since retiring from the For- laboration between developed and de- eign Service in 1998, he has been a lec- veloping nations on an unprecedented turer and mentor at U.S. military scale. schools and training facilities. Speaking as someone who once

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worked on the similarly complex and but Stern believes that they will. In his difficult issues posed by the Law of the view, global targets, country-specific Sea Treaty, I concur in the three prin- Stern identifies three ceilings and trading regimens are all in- ciples Stern identifies as crucial to his timately linked and necessary. titular “global deal”: effectiveness, ef- principles as crucial to Funding: Resources would come ficiency and equity. from cap-and-trade and added devel- Targets and trade: There must be at his titular “global deal”: opment assistance, while private/pub- least a 50-percent cut in global CO2 lic investments would finance research emissions by 2050 from 1990 levels, effectiveness, efficiency and development of new technologies. with developed countries taking on a Governments would provide initial larger share of the burden. The devel- and equity. “deployment support” to speed the oping world would participate in the flow of technologies to the developing necessary reductions at a somewhat world, at a cost Stern estimates at slower pace as part of a cap-and-trade about $60 billion per year for 20 years; system, which Stern advocates as a way consumers would ultimately cover to finance and induce their early par- low-cost, carbon-saving mechanism. most of this. (By comparison, the pro- ticipation. By spending $15 billion a year, we jection for annual new investment in Integral to Stern’s trading system could halve deforestation worldwide. the traditional energy sector is roughly are strong initiatives with public fund- Many observers may doubt that devel- $1 trillion.) Stern also calls on rich ing to halt deforestation — an early, oped countries will accept this burden, countries to deliver on their develop-

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ment commitments. their emissions. But developing na- read by every U.S. decision-maker. ■ Even without the current economic tions (especially China and India) are downturn, the unprecedented addi- rapidly catching up on CO2 emissions Harry C. Blaney III, a retired FSO, is tional commitments required would be and thus need to make major changes currently a senior fellow at the Center difficult, but they are still less costly as early as possible. They are also likely for International Policy. He spent six than the alternative. There is also a to pay the largest cost for inaction. years on the Secretary of State’s Policy chicken-and-egg aspect: Stern doubts Technology sharing: Early sharing Planning Staff covering global issues, that poorer nations will agree to bind- of advanced energy technologies is ad- and also worked on international envi- ing actions without firm early commit- vantageous to all parties and will act as ronmental policy as a special assistant ments from the richer countries, an accelerator toward a low-carbon to the chairman of the Council on En- whereas some critics in developed world. vironmental Quality. countries say the developing world As the global community prepares must step up at the same time in order for the next climate change confer- to bring the major industrial nations on ence, which will be held in Copen- Watch for the November board. hagen in December, Stern’s path FSJ’s annual round-up Here the moral issues and the prac- toward agreement and all its integral of books by current and tical necessities of an agreement col- parts constitutes the most persuasive former members of the lide. The rich countries have up until outline yet of a lasting “grand bargain.” Foreign Service and now caused most of the problem and This book should be in the hands of their families. have the most means to cut back on every delegate to that meeting and

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AFSAAmerican Foreign ServiceNEWS Association • September 2009

SENATOR SAM NUNN ACCEPTS LIFETIME CONTRIBUTIONS AWARD AFSA Presents Awards for Dissent and Performance BY FRANCESCA KELLY

he annual AFSA awards ceremony took place on June 18 in the Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Reception Room at Tthe State Department. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was slated to take part, but fractured her elbow on the eve of the event, forcing the cancellation of her schedule the following day and beyond. It took two people to replace Sec. Clinton: Senator Richard Lugar, R-Ind., who stepped in to con-

fer the Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy Award WARREN CHRISTINE in her stead, and Deputy Secretary Jacob Lew, who took her Tex Harris Award winner Bar-

MIKKELA THOMPSON ron Rosen addresses the au- place in welcoming the guests and awardees. Director General Senator Richard Lugar, R-Ind., right, pres- dience at the annual AFSA Harry K. Thomas Jr. was also on hand as official co-host with ents the Lifetime Contributions to Ameri- awards ceremony at the can Diplomacy Award to Senator Samuel State Department, June 18. AFSA leadership. Nunn. Although all of AFSA’s awards are given to outstanding individuals, it is the constructive dissent awards that are unique as well as leaders from all branches of government, academia, in the U.S. government. Under portraits of Franklin, George nongovernmental organizations and private industry. Washington and others who comprised America’s original con- AFSA Interim President Steve Kashkett welcomed the structive dissenters, the awardees took their seats in front of a awardees, their families and other audience members, and capacity crowd that included current and former ambassadors, Continued on page 62

2009 ELECTION RESULTS AFSA ballot counting is and always has been a transparent procedure, open AFSA Members Elect to all candidates and their representa- New Governing Board tives, and this year we were privileged to have many visitors observing the BY FRANCESCA KELLY process. fter an intense election season in Workers took a quick break for pizza which two slates of candidates, as at noon. The election process is taken Awell as numerous independents, very seriously at AFSA, so after just competed for spots on the Governing enough time to down a slice and a soda, Board, AFSA staff gathered at head- and exchange a few friendly words with quarters on June 12 to count ballots. fellow workers, the ballot counters dili- Bolstered by a handful of college student gently resumed their work. hires, it was “all hands on deck” as em- By close of business, unofficial results

ployees seated themselves in the main WARREN CHRISTINE were available. Within a few days, the conference room. The protocol was as it AFSA staff sorting ballots. outcome was officially posted on the has always been: sitting in groups of ple recorded the votes. After each ballot AFSA Web site and sent out to all mem- three, one person read names off each was recorded, the totals were cross- bers via AFSAnet. individual ballot, while two other peo- checked. Continued on page 66

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A F S A AFSANEWSBRIEFS N E W AFSA Scores Legal Victory on S Behalf of Senior FSOs In an unequivocal, strongly worded decision, the Foreign Service Grievance AFSA Welcomes New Board has determined that the director general of the Foreign Service was in error in denying a large number of Senior Foreign Service employees considera- Legislative Director tion for senior performance pay in 2007. The board has ordered the depart- Casey Frary, AFSA’s new legisla- ment to undertake a review of the files of all those affected and to set up a tive director, arrives with a wealth of reconstituted SFS Performance Pay Board within 60 days, using the same standards as would have applied in 2007. Hill experience. She has worked as a This important determination is a firm rebuke to recent decision-making at senior legislative assistant for Repre- the department. It means that, based on the statistical average, some 60 per- sentatives Phil Hare, D-Ill., and Steve cent of the affected group should be getting the performance-pay salary increase; a smaller percentage might also be eligible for lump-sum performance Kagen, D-Wis., and as a legislative pay bonuses. For those who get the salary adjustment, it will be paid retroac- correspondent and systems adminis- tively to cover the past two years. The basis trator for Representative Jan Scha- for the Grievance Board’s decision is applicable to those Senior Foreign Service employees AFSA Makes Internal kowsky, D-Ill. In addition, she was who were not considered for senior perform- Staff Changes the campaign manager for Rep. ance pay in 2008. AFSA therefore expects the AFSA has made some internal changes department to hold reconstituted promotion Kagen’s successful re-election cam- designed to optimize operations. AFSA staff boards for this group of employees, as well. paign in 2008. Originally from members Barbara Berger, Tom Switzer and The State Department has six months to ap- Asgeir Sigfusson have linked into a new team Rockford, Ill., and holding dual Irish- peal the board’s decision, but is not expected to do so. “Given the strength of the grievants’ structure called Communications, Market- U.S. citizenship, Ms. Frary graduated case and the soundness of the board’s deci- ing and Outreach. “AFSA is placing greater from Marquette University in 2004 emphasis on forging deeper links with the sion,” explains AFSA General Counsel Sharon with a degree in communications. Papp, who represented the grievants, “we private sector, public policy decision-makers would be surprised if the government agrees and the media, and this team was created to Her hobbies include golf, music, rock to appeal the case.” advance these goals,” says Executive Director climbing, travel and cheering for the For more information, take a look at the Ian Houston. Additionally, Alicia Campi, Marquette basketball team. FSGB Web site at www.fsgb.org and reference previously of the FSJ staff, has joined the ac- the Record of Proceedings number, which is counting department to enhance this critical FSGB Case No. 2008-040. AFSA function.

AFSA HEADQUARTERS: Staff: Executive Director Ian Houston: [email protected] (202) 338-4045; Fax: (202) 338-6820 Governing Board: Business Department STATE DEPARTMENT AFSA OFFICE: Controller Kalpna Srimal: [email protected] PRESIDENT: Susan R. Johnson (202) 647-8160; Fax: (202) 647-0265 Accounting Assistant Cory Nishi: [email protected] STATE VP: Daniel Hirsch USAID AFSA OFFICE: Accounting and Administration Assistant Alicia Campi: [email protected] USAID VP: Francisco Zamora (202) 712-1941; Fax: (202) 216-3710 Labor Management FAS VP: Henry Schmick FCS AFSA OFFICE: General Counsel Sharon Papp: [email protected] (202) 482-9088; Fax: (202) 482-9087 Labor Management Attorney Zlatana Badrich: [email protected] FCS VP: Keith Curtis Labor Management Specialist James Yorke: [email protected] AFSA WEB SITE: www.afsa.org RETIREE VP: Robert Houdek Grievance Attorneys Neera Parikh: [email protected] and SECRETARY: F.A. “Tex” Harris FSJ: [email protected] Holly Rich: [email protected] PRESIDENT: [email protected] Office Manager Christine Warren: [email protected] TREASURER: Andrew Winter STATE VP: [email protected] USAID Senior Labor Management Adviser Douglas Broome: [email protected] STATE REPS: Carleton Bulkin, Jorge Delfin, RETIREE VP: [email protected] Member Services Mary Glantz, Les Hickman, Joyce Namde, USAID VP: [email protected] Member Services Director Janet Hedrick: [email protected] FAS VP: [email protected] Member Services Representative Michael Laiacona: [email protected] Julia Stewart, Mike Unglesbee, Sharon White, FCS VP: [email protected] Web Site & Database Associate Geron Pleasant: [email protected] Teresa Yata Administrative Assistant Ana Lopez: [email protected] USAID REP: Michael Henning Communications, Marketing and Outreach AFSA News Retiree Liaison Bonnie Brown: [email protected] FCS REP: Rebecca Balogh Editor Francesca Kelly: [email protected] Director of Communications Thomas Switzer: [email protected] FAS REP: Melinda Sallyards (202) 338-4045, ext. 516; Legislative Director Casey Frary: [email protected] IBB REP: Al Pessin Executive Assistant to the President Austin Tracy: [email protected] Fax: (202) 338-6820 RETIREE REPS: On the Web: Scholarship Director Lori Dec: [email protected] Professional Issues Coordinator Barbara Berger: [email protected] Janice Bay, Robert (Bill) Farrand,

How to Contact Us: to Contact How www.afsa.org/fsj and www.fsjournal.org Elderhostel Administrator Bernard Alter: [email protected] David Passage, Molly Williamson Marketing & Outreach Manager Asgeir Sigfusson: [email protected]

56 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/SEPTEMBER 2009 55-70_FSJ_0909_AN:firstlook 8/7/09 2:41 PM Page 57

A F V.P. VOICE: STATE ■ BY DANIEL HIRSCH S A N E W S Toward a More Perfect Union

FSA has a new board, and the dramatic recent suc- of an overseas nation, in another agency, in Congress or in cesses regarding overseas comparability pay and do- the White House. Amestic partner benefits remind us that the State And if we are distracted — if beneath our outward and Department, and our nation, have a new, more supportive legitimate pride of service there is an inner nagging sense leadership. That leadership has made it clear that it values that somehow, in some way, we are being wronged — then our mission, and has demonstrated its willingness to in- we, the tools through which the State Department’s mission crease support for the people essential to perform that mis- is performed, will not operate as we should. A happier, sion. The air is pregnant with potential. more effective Foreign Service will be better able to repre- Our task is to realize that potential and develop it into a sent our country to the world, and our agency to the Amer- relationship with management ican people and to Congress. that will serve the Foreign Service This does not mean that we not only in the good times, but in should be coddled, or that we the bad. As in strengthening any The State Department is not the should expect the department to relationship, this requires us to give in to every individual desire. look hard at who we are, what we Foreign Service. We are. But it does mean that we should want and what we bring to the insist that the department follow table. its own rules and procedures, hold The Foreign Service is a selfless itself as accountable as it holds us, group. Ours is a profession of national service. We serve and review or revise procedures that yield biased or unfair our country, and in serving one’s country, one does not results. think of oneself. So when a matter arises that we perceive AFSA should hold itself accountable, as well, and make as unfair to our interests, we tend to suffer in silence. itself more responsive to its membership. We are perceived That is as it should be in our relationship to our nation. by some as elitist, unresponsive and irrelevant. My imme- But it is not the basis for a healthy relationship with man- diate goal as State VP is to make AFSA more responsive to agement. Our willingness to subjugate our needs, in an ef- you: to make our activities and decisions more transparent. fort to stress our readiness to serve, allowed the past I intend to provide you with a greater opportunity to com- administration to develop procedures and practices preju- municate directly to me and to the State representatives on dicial to the members of the Service, and even to make po- the board, to place agenda items before AFSA’s board, and litical hay at our expense. to serve (by e-mail if necessary) on advisory committees It is therefore important to redefine our relationship dealing with issues of interest to you. with management: to abandon old taboos, to establish bet- Toward this end, I have redesigned the State vice presi- ter patterns of communication and to make it clear that we dent’s page on AFSA’s Web site. It is a work-in-progress that know the value of our own skills. We must build a rela- will be updated continually; but I want it to serve as a means tionship with management in which both sides, including of two-way communication, as a resource for information our own, understand the one thing that we must under- and as a bulletin board for AFSA members. On it you will stand in order to interact on a more equal basis: find ways to contact your State representatives, links to use- The State Department is not the Foreign Service. We are. ful information and even a space to post messages to other We, the people of the Foreign Service (and our col- AFSA members. leagues in the Civil Service), are not merely the State De- In the coming weeks and months, I will be reaching out partment’s greatest resource; but in a very real sense, we are to you to ask for your thoughts and your participation as we its only unique resource. Our abilities, our skills and our work on issues important to you. experiences are what the State Department brings to the Together, we will make AFSA a more responsive, more ef- table, whether that table is in the ministry of foreign affairs fective representative of the State Foreign Service. ❏

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A F S V.P. VOICE: USAID ■ BY FRANCISCO ZAMORA Briefs • Continued from page 56 A Seeking AFSA Post Reps N USAID: A Rudderless Ship Help serve your community by volun- E teering to be the AFSA representative for W your post. Post reps help keep headquar- S am honored that you have re-elected me to represent ters connected to the 70 percent of AFSA you and your interests for an additional term. Thank membership who are overseas. The au- Iyou for your confidence in me and support for the work thority and responsibilities of a post rep that AFSA is doing on your behalf. are spelled out in the AFSA Chapter Man- We are proud of recent victories, such as the success- ual (www.afsa.org/postreps/manual.cfm). ful passage of overseas comparability pay, benefits for same-sex couples, better For more information, or if you’d like to starting salaries for untenured officers and numerous successful interventions in know if your post currently has an AFSA personnel matters for our members. However, the work never ends, and we cannot rest on our laurels. There are still many goals that we need to accomplish rep, check with the AFSA Membership during the next two years. Two that come to mind are increased telecommut- Department at [email protected]. ing opportunities and comparability with State on benefits and incentives overseas. There are also other issues of considerable concern. As of this writing, USAID still has no Administrator and likely will not have one in place until sometime in the fall. The situation is made worse because we are facing enormous challenges in staffing our critical priority countries. That sucking sound you hear is primarily from Afghanistan, where hundreds of all The agency is in crisis mode, types of employees are needed every year, more than 200 of which are a and we need a permanent mix of Foreign Service and Foreign leader to help us navigate Service Limited officers. through this period — Afghanistan represents a prime case of “nationbuilding,” so we have sooner rather than later. little choice but to support this national priority. And although in three years we are poised to double the number of USAID FSOs, from AAFSW Art & Book Fair about 1,000 to 2,000, that is not The 49th annual Art & Book Fair of enough to meet the needs of Afghanistan and other critical priority countries, the Associates of the American Foreign in addition to the 80 regular missions we must staff worldwide. It is a constant Service Worldwide will open its doors on game of catch-up. Nearly half of our cadre of FSOs has already served in a critical-priority coun- Friday, Oct. 16, from 2 to 5 p.m. for em- try. A certain number of on-staff FSOs are not medically cleared for these coun- ployees, spouses and escorted guests. tries, and others are single parents or caretakers who cannot serve at this time. The fair continues from Oct. 19 through Furthermore, it would be unwise to indiscriminately assign brand-new officers to CPCs as their first posting. 23 for this same group. During two What to do? USAID is running out of options. Already we have incentives weekends, Oct. 17-18 and 24-25, the sale for CPC service such as “priority consideration” for onward assignments, time- is open to the general public from 10 in-class extensions and generous financial inducements, now including over- a.m. to 4 p.m. The event takes place in seas comparability pay. On the other side of the coin, there are also new requirements, such as mandatory CPC bids and restrictions on tour extensions the Exhibit Hall of the Harry S Truman in Washington and the field. However, you can’t squeeze blood out of a turnip. Building. Access is through the C Street The agency is in crisis mode, and we need a permanent leader to help us nav- entrance. Visa, Mastercard and personal igate through this period — sooner rather than later. AFSA is a partner in this journey, and I hope that we can continue to be an instrument to better serve checks are accepted. Please call (202) our country and our members. ❏ 223-5796 with any questions.

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A F AFSA Confers V.P. VOICE: RETIREE ■ BY ROBERT HOUDEK S Nearly $160,000 A in College Scholarship Aid Our Stake in AFSA N AFSA has awarded E need-based under- W y participation in the recently concluded AFSA S graduate scholarships Governing Board election was an eye-opener. I for the 2009-2010 Mwas dumbfounded by the low voter turnout school year, totaling among active, dues-paying members in the State con- $158,800, to 73 stituency, despite a lively campaign by two slates and a number of independent candidates. A similarly anemic retiree vote was less sur- children of Foreign prising; but what did shock me was the number of distinguished retired col- Service employees. leagues and friends who did not vote. Why not? When I asked, they sheepishly Of this amount, explained that they were no longer members of AFSA. With all due respect, they $78,900 was sent to need to re-engage not only in their own self-interest, but for the sake of the career in which they spent their working lives and in recognition of the importance colleges in August to cover students’ of diplomacy in the pursuit of our national security. 2009 fall semester expenses. As your new vice president Nineteen of these scholarships, total- for retired members, let me tell ing $40,000, were funded by the you where I am coming from. A little more than 40 years ago, DACOR Bacon House Foundation; and Today we are, incontestably, during my first tour in Wash- four, totaling $8,000, were funded by a hybrid organization, ington, I joined the AFSA Gov- the Associates of the American Foreign simultaneously pursuing erning Board. At that time we Service Worldwide. A complete listing bread-and-butter issues made the decision to seek ex- clusive recognition for AFSA as of students and their awards will be along with professional the bargaining agent for our posted on AFSA’s Web site at concerns. membership with manage- www.afsa.org/scholar and in the ment. Some termed it union- January 2010 issue of the Foreign ization. I prefer to think of it as the broadening of our profes- Service Journal. AFSA also thanks many sional association to incorpo- other individuals and organizations for rate powers requiring management to work with us on issues and policies their scholarship support under this essential to the health of the Foreign Service. program. Today we are, incontestably, a hybrid organization, simultaneously pursuing bread-and-butter issues along with professional concerns. The recent policy Awards range from $1,000 to $3,500, changes on locality pay and equity for same-sex partners are testaments to the im- depending on the family’s financial situ- portance of the union role and the tenacity and skill of the outgoing board. More ation. Tax-dependent children of active work will be needed in the months ahead to solidify these achievements. Health- duty, retired and/or deceased Foreign care reform — and the need for additional resources to finance it — will more than likely present challenges to existing benefits. For retirees, this includes in- Service parents are eligible. Beginning creases in Medicare payments. Nov. 15, you may visit www.afsa.org/ The surge of political appointees as ambassadors in the new administration scholar to download the application underlines the dubious regard of many for the Foreign Service as a profession. instructions and forms to apply for an AFSA today needs to be more vigorously engaged in strengthening and promoting the Service. The American Academy for Diplomacy has done exemplary work AFSA merit award and/or financial aid in making the case for more resources for the Department of State and the For- scholarship for the 2010-2011 school eign Service, in particular. Changing attitudes in Congress and the realization of year. Applications are due by Feb. 6, our Defense Department brethren — uniformed and civilian — that they need 2010. For more details, contact us more than ever, require immediate exploitation. I and the other board members representing the retired community want Scholarship Director Lori Dec at your feedback. My e-mail address is [email protected]. I look forward to [email protected]. hearing from you. ❏

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A F S V.P. VOICE: FCS ■ BY KEITH CURTIS Briefs • Continued from page 58 A Historic Consulates in Ireland N Looking Forward Embassy Dublin is seeking information E on former consulates in Ireland, located in towns such as Cobh and Foynes, for a W project commemorating the U.S. presence S in Ireland. If you have any information his column should probably be about all the exciting on these consulates, or know of someone new things we will do this year, but we are still pretty who does, please send an e-mail to Tmuch where we have been over the last six months Asgeir Sigfusson at [email protected]. — stuck in a budget crisis. Here’s the bad news: The House actually cut the president’s request for our Fiscal Year 2010 budget by AFSA and about $5 million. The good news, however, is that the Senate was more gener- Ambassadorial ous and allocated $6 million over the president’s request. As of this writing, we Statistics are awaiting the decision of the conference committee scheduled for Septem- AFSA has kept a close eye on ambas- ber. If we can somehow manage to persuade the House of the wisdom of the Senate’s judgment and not end up with the usual split baby, we may have a lit- sadorial appointments for a number of tle extra money to hobble through the coming fiscal year. At least there is more years. With a new administration taking hope for FY 2011, if we can just hold on. the reins in Washington, we have up- However, a more interesting question has recently been circulating unoffi- dated our statistics on these appoint- cially in the rumor and policy mills: “Will there be some movement to bring the ments, which you may find at Commercial Service back into the State Department?” How would we feel www.afsa.org/ambassadors.cfm. about it? It seems that our priorities and the larger role we play might receive That page includes a link to our running more resources and attention if we were back in the main foreign policy fold, tally, which is updated on the first day rather than lost in the belly of the $7 billion Commerce Department behemoth. The two biggest concerns for officers would be the adjustment between the of each month. Please send nomination “can do” business culture of the FCS and the think-tank/cable-ridden culture news to Marketing and Outreach of State, and the prioritization of commercial issues within that culture. Manager Asgeir Sigfusson at This is a problem that deserves close examination. After all, it was because [email protected]. commercial issues did not get proper attention that FCS was moved out in the first place. Still, I heard someone say this week that the State Department is currently in such flux between new priorities, war-zone staffing and the biggest TRANSITION CENTER influx of officers ever, that the culture is “up for grabs.” Maybe that means there SCHEDULE OF is a chance for something really new and interesting: a truly integrated foreign operations establishment. Isn’t this the time of “Yes, we can”? COURSES FOR Speaking of rumors, probably you already know that the latest AFSA Gov- SEPTEMBER 2009 erning Board elections may have been the most contentious ever. Fortunately Sept. 9 MQ704 Targeting the I’ve been largely above the fray because of the dubious distinction of having run Job Market completely unopposed. It is therefore doubly ironic that I received the highest Sept. 11 MQ950 High Stress percentage of votes among the VP constituencies. Thank you for supporting Assignment Out-Brief me. I believe there is a strong will on both sides to have an active and produc- Sept. 12 MQ116 Protocol tive board. This may well be one of the good direct benefits of the controver- Sept. 19 MQ115 Explaining America sial nature of the election. Sept. MQ104 Regulations, Allowances I am pleased and impressed with new Governing Board President Susan 24-25 and Finances in Johnson’s attention, activity and determination to give all agencies equal voice FS Context in AFSA issues. We have already met with her several times and briefed her Sept. 26 MQ302 Transition to fully on our issues; and she has already taken action to help us with lobbying Washington for on the Hill. We also met at length with Daniel Hirsch, the new AFSA State Foreign-Born Spouses vice president, and he has expressed his strong commitment to the priorities of the smaller agencies. He also has laid out a number of good ideas for im- Sept. 30 MQ803 Realities of Foreign proving the openness and transparency of the organization. These meetings Service Life have left me with the feeling that the combination of these two slates may, in To register or for further information, the end, be the best thing for AFSA. Who knows? Maybe there really is change please e-mail the FSI Transition Center at ❏ in the air. ❏ [email protected].

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A F V.P. VOICE: FAS ■ BY HENRY SCHMICK S A N E W S Mission Cleavage

n the midst of our current “re-envisioning” exercise, it is directly contributed to food-related analysis during World useful to reflect on the mission adjustments FAS has War II and the recovery period. In the 1930s and 1940s, FAS Imade over the past 80 years. While it is normal for dif- followed Sec. Wallace into more involvement in global agri- ferent mission objectives to be highlighted at different cultural development by working to create the Inter-Amer- times, it now appears we are going “forward to the past” to ican Institute of Agricultural Science, supporting the highlight mission areas that were important to FAS decades Rockefeller Foundation’s “green revolution” projects with ago, but haven’t been too prominent in recent years. Norman Borlaug in Mexico, and helping to create the Food Our semi-resident historian, Allan Mustard, has identi- and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. To fied several FAS subcultures, each one tied to a point in our quote the Wikipedia article that Allan Mustard penned on history. Each has been cleaved (in the FAS, “By 1953, [FAS] had roughly 400 sense of split) into other agencies, while agricultural specialists working on devel- FAS retains some of the policy initiatives opment programs in 27 foreign coun- — and baggage — from each. tries.” • Analysis & Trade Policy. FAS was es- With the creation of the International tablished in 1930 to “acquire information Cleave can mean Cooperation Administration (now regarding world competition and de- “to split or separate,” USAID) in 1954, the role of USDA mand.” However, detailed analysis was changed from being the lead agency to shifted to the Department of Agricul- but it can also mean being a source of technical assistance. ture’s World Board and Economic Re- “to adhere or cling.” However, since 2003, when we began co- search Service, so FAS now focuses on ordinating agricultural reconstruction real-time analysis of current market con- and stabilization activities in Iraq, and ditions. In 1934, to undo the damage later Afghanistan and Pakistan, that role caused by the Smoot-Hawley tariffs, is again mutating. USDA Secretary Henry A. Wallace di- • Agricultural Export Promotion. In rected FAS to negotiate reciprocal agri- 1954, Congress directed FAS to undertake cultural tariff reductions with key trading partners. But agricultural export development activities, which led to the while FAS still provides the work force for agricultural ne- market promotion programs that we administer today. gotiations, the chief agricultural negotiator is housed However, our role vis-a-vis the commodity cooperators within the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. (nonprofit commodity or region-specific groups) has greatly • Surplus Disposal (Food Aid and Export Credits). changed. In the early days of the programs, FAS approved During World War II, FAS ran bilateral food-aid programs every expenditure at a very detailed level; now the coopera- and worked on the creation of the International Wheat tors receive their funds and provide a results report at the Council to coordinate multilateral donations. Currently, end of the fiscal year. That independence has also eroded FAS coordinates the Food for Progress and McGovern- support for FAS in Congress. Dole food-aid programs, as well as the GSM-102 short- Cleave is a very interesting word, one with two completely term credit guarantee program. Since the formal creation opposite meanings. Cleave can mean “to split or separate,” of USAID in 1961, emergency food-aid programs have but it can also mean “to adhere or cling.” been coordinated outside of USDA, although the depart- Over the years, FAS has clung to some central missions, ment handles the commodity procurement. while it has also been separated from other missions. Buckle • Development & National Security Issues. While in- up as we re-envision another set of FAS core missions — directly supporting national security issues since 1930, FAS hopefully with full funding to support them. ❏

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A F AFSA Awards • Continued from page 55 S introduced Deputy Secretary Lew, who, A in turn, introduced Sen. Lugar. To- gether with Senator Sam Nunn, Sen. Lugar drafted the Nunn-Lugar Cooper- N ative Threat Reduction Program in the E early 1990s. He spoke of his high regard W for Sen. Nunn before conferring on him S the AFSA Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy Award.

Award for Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy In accepting the award, Sen. Nunn made clear his high regard for America’s diplomats, pointing to “the patience,

perseverance, courage, skill, experience MIKKELA THOMPSON and wisdom required to be a successful The awardees get to know each other before the ceremony. Left to right: Ken Kero-Mentz, Lily High- tower, Megan Gallardo, Barron Rosen, Jeff Collins and Michael Gonzales. member of our Foreign Service.” Hu- morously citing possible “suspicion in the diplomatic community to see this lifetime diplomacy award go to the former chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee,” he reassured the audience that he does not share Will Rogers’ definition of diplomacy as “the CHRISTINE WARREN CHRISTINE art of saying ‘nice doggie’ until you can MIKKELA THOMPSON find a rock.” Quick-witted, self-depre- Kenneth Kero-Mentz, right, receives the AFSA Megan Gallardo (right), winner of the Delavan Rep of the Year Award from Interim President Award, with AFSA’s Professional Issues Coordi- cating and, one might even say, disarm- Steve Kashkett. nator Barbara Berger. ing, Sen. Nunn received a warm ovation. (Please see p. 40 for an interview and helping displaced and traumatized Zim- profile of Sen. Nunn.) babweans in the wake of government- sanctioned attacks on members of the AFSA Post Representative opposition party. of the Year Jon B. Clements, president of Mr. Kashkett then introduced Ken- Clements International and son of M. neth Kero-Mentz, who was named the Juanita Guess, presented the award in AFSA Post Representative of the Year for his mother’s name to Juliana G. (Lily) his intensive role in supporting AFSA Hightower of Embassy Addis Ababa. members on a wide variety of issues at The M. Juanita Guess Award recognizes Embassy Berlin. Mr. Kero-Mentz took a community liaison officer who has the opportunity to introduce his hus- demonstrated outstanding dedication, band, David, and to express his elation energy and imagination in assisting the on the breaking news that same-sex do- families of Americans serving at an mestic partners of Foreign Service em- overseas post. Ms. Hightower’s focus ployees posted abroad would now be MIKKELA THOMPSON has been not only on supporting Amer- Guess Award winner Lily Hightower displays receiving tangible benefits. (Please see her award, accompanied by her sons Khalil icans at post, but also in encouraging a p. 65 for more on this topic.) (left) and Robert. deeper understanding between local employees and the FS community. Awards for Outstanding The Delavan Award was established Performance at post have done the most to advance to honor a Foreign Service office man- Erica Krug (Embassy Harare) won American interests. Ms. Krug was un- agement specialist who has made ex- the Avis Bohlen Award, bestowed on an able to attend the ceremony, but Am- traordinary contributions to effective- eligible family member of a Foreign bassador Avis T. Bohlen, daughter of ness, professionalism and morale. This Service employee whose relations with Avis Bohlen, read a statement from Ms. year’s winner, Megan Gallardo, is the the American and foreign communities Krug in which she spoke of her work first front-office OMS assigned to Em-

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A F bassy Podgorica. Ms. Gallardo has taken dor Rivkin valued and nurtured. S her responsibilities at post far beyond Like many who ultimately choose to A her job description, revamping operat- voice their dissent, Michael C. Gonza- ing systems, arranging for staff training, les (Embassy Addis Ababa) found him- N creating a new financial system for the self between a rock and a hard place ambassadorial residence and even teach- when the U.S. administration was will- E ing English to the local guard force. ing to overlook human rights violations W Caldwell Harrop, representing members in Ethiopia because of that country’s S of the Harrop family, who administer role as a peacekeeper in the region. Mr. both the Delavan and the Harris awards, Gonzales doggedly reported on the sti- MIKKELA THOMPSON presented the award to Ms. Gallardo. Rivkin Award winner Jeffrey Collins is flanked fling of political dissent as well as a by Robert Rivkin (left) and Charles Rivkin (right) growing economic instability that was at the AFSA annual awards ceremony, June 18. Awards for Constructive Dissent leading to hyperinflation and food Barron I. Rosen strenuously ob- shortages, and urged the State Depart- jected to a liability waiver that Miami- ment to rethink its policy toward based couriers were forced to sign before Ethiopia. He was also instrumental in taking flights on old cargo planes. His opening the way for humanitarian as- persistence in questioning the legality of sistance in Ethiopia’s Ogaden region. the waiver continued even after it was Despite his concern and dedication to met with fierce resistance from manage- this issue, or perhaps because of it, Mr. ment. Ultimately the waiver practice Gonzales encountered opposition from was discontinued, the U.S. government some senior U.S. officials, to the point replaced travel on old cargo planes with MIKKELA THOMPSON of risking his career. DCM Addis Ababa Deborah Malac, right, con- commercial airliners and the situation gratulates Rivkin Award winner Michael Gon- In accepting the award, Mr. Gonza- was vastly improved for Miami couriers. zales after the ceremony, June 18. les pulled no punches in addressing the The Tex Harris Award (established with importance of dissent, and objective re- the support of the Delavan Foundation) Jeffrey Collins (Embassy Ankara) porting, declaring that the Rivkin honors FS specialists like Mr. Rosen for immersed himself in human rights is- Award “highlights a vulnerability that speaking out and challenging the status sues during his tour in Turkey, creating our foreign policymaking institutions quo at risk to their career. a large and effective network of human face.” He continued, “Throughout my After receiving the award from Mr. rights activists, embassy colleagues, gov- decade in the department, I have ob- Harrop, Mr. Rosen spoke eloquently on ernment officials, local citizens and served officials with an agenda attempt the merits of dissent, quoting Senator J. counterparts from other diplomatic to suppress information to perpetuate William Fulbright: “In a democracy, dis- missions. Through interaction with this a particular narrative within the U.S. sent is an act of faith.” Rosen went on network, Mr. Collins was able to raise government. These practices under- to explain, “After all, at the time that we awareness of human rights deficiencies mine U.S. interests by denying the in- dissent, we cannot know the outcome. and even successfully urge the govern- teragency access to complete informa- That is why I’m pleased that AFSA and ment to provide police protection for at- tion upon which to make decisions.” the Delavan Foundation find it worthy risk activists following the assassination Mr. Gonzales concluded his remarks to recognize those who have the courage of human rights defender Hrant Dink. with his belief “that American diplo- to speak out and the moral clarity to be Mr. Collins also worked hard to macy should be mythic — demon- right.” change the way the U.S. government re- strating U.S. values, integrity and leader- The William R. Rivkin Award, ports on human rights. He pointed out ship — not mythical.” named for the late ambassador to Lux- the weaknesses and redundancies in the For individual profiles of each award embourg, Senegal and The Gambia, is current process of producing an array of winner, please see the July-August issue awarded to a mid-level Foreign Service congressionally mandated human rights of AFSA News, available in print or on- officer who has exhibited extraordinary reports, made concrete proposals to line at www.fsjournal.org. accomplishment involving initiative, in- streamline the process, and then lobbied The AFSA Awards and Plaques tegrity, intellectual courage and con- the State Department at various levels to Committee will soon begin soliciting structive dissent. This year, the Rivkin adopt his proposals. During his accept- nominations for the 2010 year. For family and other members of the award ance speech, Mr. Collins highlighted the more information on the awards, in- committee felt there were two highly declining amount of dissent in the de- cluding how to submit a nomination, qualified candidates for this recognition. partment during recent times, and urged please contact Barbara Berger at Charles and Robert Rivkin, sons of senior leaders to take steps to reinvigo- [email protected], or visit the Web site William R. Rivkin, presented the awards. rate the culture of dissent that Ambassa- at www.afsa.org/awards/index.cfm. ❏

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A F S Open House The renovation of A AFSA headquarters Marks Official took about 17 months N to complete. Staff Reopening of HQ were relocated to tem- E porary quarters in W ith tables swathed in moss- Rosslyn, only to lose S green embroidered Chinese their temporary space Wsilk and paper lanterns hang- there in December ing over a bountiful buffet, AFSA offi- 2008 when the renova- cially reopened its doors on May 28 for tion took longer than CHRISTINE WARREN CHRISTINE an afternoon reception for its members, expected. After several Left to right: AFSA President John Naland, former President Tony Holmes, friends and supporters. The décor, set months of telecom- Executive Director Ian Houston, Treasurer Andrew Winter and former President John Limbert cut the ribbon to officially mark AFSA Head- off by tea-light candles around the muting, AFSA em- quarters’ reopening, May 28. room, transformed what is usually a ployees are glad to be utilitarian space into a decidedly luxu- back in a revamped building with com- and organized an impromptu cheer rious environment with an Asian feel. fortable meeting rooms and convenient for outgoing AFSA President John Na- AFSA staff and board were on hand kitchens and bathrooms. land, who would soon depart for Iraq. to welcome guests at 4 p.m., and within Executive Director Ian Houston Naland’s farewell remarks focused on minutes the large reception room was warmly welcomed guests, hailing the the hard work that the board and staff filled with people enjoying conversation, many people who made the renovation had put in over recent months, citing drinks and hors d’oeuvres. The guests a success: the governing board, archi- Houston, in particular, not only for included former and current AFSA tects, designers and contractors, staff handling the last part of the renova- board members and staff, as well as and members. He saluted Catering So- tion, but also for his tireless legislative many retired ambassadors. AFSA was lutions, which not only provided the af- work. also pleased to welcome Under Secretary ternoon’s tasty repast, but also decorated The event succeeded on all fronts for Management Patrick Kennedy and the reception room. and officially affirmed that AFSA folks other top department officials. AFSA Secretary Tex Harris stood up were home again. ❏

AFSA Honors Writing Award Winner BY ASGEIR SIGFUSSON

n the morning of June 5, the George Kennan Writing Award, given given in 1992, when AFSA agreed to National War College awarded each year in honor of the best paper by sponsor an Excellence in Writing Award Oits annual writing awards to a a State Department employee. This at the National War College. The prize small group of graduating students. Of year, AFSA President John Naland was money is specifically designated for the these awards, AFSA sponsors the on hand in the War College’s Lincoln purchase of professional books. The Auditorium to present a college determines the criteria for the $250 check to the 2009 award and selects the winner. The win- winner, Patricia Ma- ning essay is chosen without regard to honey. the particular service or department of Ms. Mahoney wrote the student author, and without regard a paper titled “The Ser- to a particular theme. AFSA is proud to bian Orthodox Church participate in a ceremony that recog- and Serb Identity.” She nizes outstanding effort and accom- was nominated for the plishment in writing, research and aca- award by Professor Roy demic endeavors.

NATIONAL DEFENSE UNIVERSITY NATIONAL Stafford, a faculty mem- AFSA also congratulates the eight AFSA President John Naland (left) presents check to Patricia Mahoney, ber. other students who were recognized at the George Kennan Writing Award winner. Major General Robert Steel, USAF (at right), the commandant of the National War College, offici- The George Kennan the ceremony, in addition to Ms. Ma- ated at the ceremony. Writing Award was first honey. ❏

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A F OVERSEAS PAY GAP, DOMESTIC PARTNERS AND PARENTAL LEAVE ADDRESSED S AFSA Plays Key Role in Legislative Successes A N ew administration, new priori- pleased to announce that the Depart- ployment at posts abroad E ties? AFSA recently helped move ment of State is extending the full range • Use of medical facilities at posts W Nforward three key issues that have of legally available benefits and al- abroad S plagued FSOs for years. Legislative Di- lowances to same-sex domestic partners • Medical evacuation from posts rector Casey Frary explains: of members of the Foreign Service sent abroad to serve abroad.” • Emergency travel for partners to Pay Gap Issue Because FSOs have particularly uni- visit gravely ill or injured employees and In March of this year, Congress que demands being stationed abroad, relatives passed the Fiscal Year 2009 Omnibus the State Department will be extending • Inclusion as family members for Appropriations bill, appropriating $41 some key benefits to their domestic emergency evacuation from posts million to close the pay disparity cur- abroad rently affecting Foreign Service officers. • Subsistence payments related to However, it lacked language that actu- emergency evacuation from posts ally authorized the State Department to This bill is a great step in the abroad use the monies for that purpose. • Inclusion in calculations of pay- right direction to bring the This problem was solved when the ments of overseas allowances (e.g., pay- FY 09 Supplemental Appropriations bill federal work force up to the ment for quarters, cost of living and was passed by the House and Senate in same standard as 75 percent other allowances) mid-June and signed by President • Representation expenses Obama on June 24. This version of the of the Forbes 500 companies, • Training at the Foreign Service In- bill included the necessary authoriza- when it comes to family- stitute. tion language to allow State to actually “The department also will work with spend the money to close the pay gap. friendliness and parental leave. foreign governments to provide same- This is historic and unprecedented. As sex domestic partners, to the extent pos- of this writing, AFSA understands that sible, with diplomatic visas, privileges State will move swiftly to close approx- and immunities, and authorization to imately one-third of the current 23.1- partners and children of domestic part- work in the local economy.” percent gap, most likely beginning in ners. August. Secretary Clinton’s release on this Parental Leave for While this an extremely positive de- topic includes the following: Federal Employees velopment, this slight closure of the pay “To qualify for these benefits and al- The House of Representatives has gap is only for FY 09, and thus ends on lowances on behalf of a same-sex do- passed H.R. 626, the Federal Employees Sept. 30. The House Foreign Affairs mestic partner, an employee must file an Paid Parental Leave Act of 2009. The Committee recently passed H.R. 2410, affidavit identifying his or her same-sex legislation provides that of the 12 weeks the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, domestic partner and certifying to cer- of unpaid leave guaranteed by the Fam- which includes language that would tain eligibility requirements that will be ily and Medical Leave Act, federal em- permanently close the pay gap in incre- set forth in the Foreign Affairs Manual. ployees be allowed to substitute four ments over the next two years. This bill “The Department of State intends to weeks of paid leave, as well as any ac- still has a long way to travel through the provide the following additional bene- crued annual or sick leave, for the birth legislative process, but is a strong start fits and allowances for declared same- or adoption of a child. to resolving this issue. sex domestic partners of eligible em- AFSA joins with other organizations, ployees serving overseas: such as the National Active and Retired Domestic Partner Benefits • Diplomatic passports Federal Employees Association, that After President Obama signed a • Inclusion on employee travel or- have hailed this bill as a great step in the presidential memo granting certain ders to and from posts abroad right direction to bring the federal work benefits to domestic partners of federal • Shipment of household effects force up to the same standard as 75 per- employees, Secretary of State Hillary • Inclusion in family-size calcula- cent of the Forbes 500 companies, as Rodham Clinton was quick to point to tions for the purpose of making hous- well as most Western societies, when it the meaning this memo will have for ing allocations comes to family-friendliness and par- members of the Foreign Service: “I am • Family member preference for em- ental leave. ❏

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A F AFSA Election • Continued from page 55 S The new board formally took office A on July 15, after a transitional, “ice- breaking” luncheon the day before for all AFSA Governing Board members, N both old and new. At this event, outgo- E ing Interim President Steve Kashkett W looked back over the hurdles and victo- S ries of the past two years and paid trib- ute to former President John Naland, currently posted to Iraq. Incoming President Susan Johnson spoke of the importance of communication, not only among board and staff but also in FRANCESCA KELLY FRANCESCA reaching out to AFSA current and po- Above: July 14 luncheon. Below: Incoming AFSA President Susan R. Johnson addresses attendees. tential membership. She urged the board to move forward as a “united tired Senior FSO who served twice as team.” AFSA president, twice as State VP and as This year, 3,326 regular ballots were secretary since 2001. In 1984, he received cast in the election. A comprehensive the Rivkin Constructive Dissent Award breakdown of the election results can be for his reporting on “the disappeared” in viewed online at www.afsa.org/elec Argentina. He is most proud to have had tions/results.pdf. The Elections Com- the AFSA constructive dissent award for mittee thanks all of the candidates and an FS specialist named for him. members who participated in this important process. Likewise, AFSA thanks Treasurer: Andrew Winter* the Elections Committee members for Andrew Winter has served as AFSA their hard work in a challenging election treasurer for the past four years. Dur- FRANCESCA KELLY FRANCESCA year. ing his 30 years in the Foreign Service, served outside the department as a Pear- he served as ambassador to The Gambia; son Fellow and foreign policy legislative deputy assistant secretary for Informa- assistant to Senator Bill Bradley, D-N.J.; tion Resource Management; executive Your New AFSA on detail to the National Endowment director of Western Hemisphere Af- for Democracy as senior program offi- fairs and the Africa Bureaus; manage- Governing Board, cer for the Islamic world; and as regional ment chief in Pretoria, Taipei, Helsinki, director of the International Executive New York (USUN) and Rio de Janiero; 2009-2011 Service Corps in Central Asia. and has managed budgets in excess of (* denotes incumbent who has retained Before joining the Foreign Service in $300 million. Mr. Winter is now retired a position on the new board) 1979 (continuing a family tradition), and working as an IT consultant. He she worked in the private sector as a holds an MBA in finance from Colum- President: Susan R. Johnson consultant in joint venture negotiations bia University. Susan R. Johnson has served in a and strategic planning. Ms. Johnson broad range of bilateral and multilateral holds an M.A. in international relations State VP: Daniel Hirsch posts and has extensive interagency, pol- from the Johns Hopkins School of In- As a Foreign Service “brat” who be- icy and program implementation expe- ternational Studies. came an FSO in 1985, FS-1 manage- rience. She most recently served as ment officer Daniel Hirsch has been deputy high representative and supervi- Secretary: Tex Harris* associated with the Foreign Service for sor of Brcko District with the Office of Tex Harris, once the youngest of the nearly 50 years. In 10 overseas postings the High Representative in Bosnia and “Young Turks,” is now AFSA’s institu- (Mali, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Herzegovina. Prior to that, she was a tional memory and sounding board. He Guinea Bissau, Uzbekistan, Nigeria, senior adviser to the Iraqi Foreign Min- took leave without pay to work full-time India, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia and Turk- istry with the Coalition Provisional Au- for AFSA in the 1970s, drafting and ne- menistan), he helped open, close and thority, deputy chief of mission and gotiating unique labor-management move embassies and established new chargé d’affaires in Bucharest and di- and grievance systems for the Foreign employee associations, schools and rector of the Ambassador’s Assistance Service and guiding the legal transition medical clinics. He is currently in the A Coordination Unit in Moscow. She has of AFSA into a union. Mr. Harris is a re- Bureau, where he directs the depart-

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A F ment’s overseas motor vehicle pro- Retiree VP: Robert Houdek Les Hickman S gram. He has been an active AFSA During a 35-year Foreign Service ca- Les Hickman has more than 25 years A member since 1985. Mr. Hirsch is reer, Bob Houdek served as chief of of Foreign Service experience with con- married to Rolanda de Fatima Spencer mission in Uganda, Ethiopia and Er- sular tours in Manila, Bombay (Mum- N Hirsch and is a proud father to Aleks itrea; as deputy chief of mission in bai), Dharhan, Washington and Am- (26) and Hannah (13). Kenya and Sierra Leone; and in Wash- man, as well as other assignments in the E ington, D.C., as deputy assistant secre- Multinational Force and Observers- W USAID VP: Francisco Zamora* tary in the Africa Bureau and as special Sinai, and the Bureaus of Near Eastern S Francisco Zamora began his career assistant to National Security Adviser Affairs, Intelligence and Research, and with USAID in December 1980 as an Henry Kissinger. He is a native Oceans and International Environmen- international development intern and Chicagoan, a graduate of Beloit College tal and Scientific Affairs. An AFSA was assigned in 1982 to Bamako. and The Fletcher School of Law and member since 1982, Mr. Hickman was Other overseas assignments were in Diplomacy, and was a midcareer fellow an AFSA post representative in India and Liberia, Honduras and Egypt. Upon at the Woodrow Wilson School of Saudi Arabia. his return to Washington, he worked as Princeton University. an assignment and performance coun- Joyce Namde selor in the Human Resources Office, A consular officer by cone, Joyce as a health officer in the Infectious Dis- Winchel Namde has served as post rep- ease division of the Global Health Bu- State Reps: resentative in two locations and on the reau and as chief of the Maternal and Carleton Bulkin AFSA Governing and Editorial Boards Child Health Division. Mr. Zamora A Foreign Service officer since 1998 from 2005-2007. Her overseas tours in- was appointed USAID representative and formerly a Fascell Fellow, Carleton clude London, Lagos, Manila, Ciudad in 2006 and elected AFSA vice presi- Bulkin is a political officer who has Juarez and Port-au-Prince. In Washing- dent for USAID in July 2007. served in Prague, Havana, Moscow, Bu- ton, Ms. Namde served in the Bureaus of dapest and Kabul. He is currently the Oceans and International Environmen- FAS VP: Henry Schmick* deputy director for NATO operations in tal and Scientific Affairs and Interna- Henry Schmick, after many long the Office of European Security and Po- tional Organization Affairs, and is and tedious summers working on the litical Affairs. Mr. Bulkin was an AFSA currently in the Africa Bureau. She will family farm, fled the production side of representative in Moscow and Budapest. use her understanding of both profes- agriculture to teach math in the Peace sional and personal FS challenges to Corps (working in Zaire, which doesn’t Jorge Delfin serve all AFSA members. exist any longer). He then taught about As a security technical specialist with software for a computer company the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Jorge Julia (Julie) Stewart (DEC, which also doesn’t exist any Delfin has served in Tunis, Mexico City A human resources expert with prior longer) and is now a member of the and Washington. He is a member of the experience in government contracting Foreign Agricultural Service (which, he Security Technology/Computer Mainte- and information technology companies, notes thankfully, does still exist — albeit nance Management System Steering as well as with adult ESL/EFL training in with a budget crunch). During his 25- Committee. Mr. Delfin is firmly com- the U.S. and Italy, Julie Stewart is cur- year career with FAS, Mr. Schmick has mitted to providing community service, rently a post management officer in the been assigned to Argentina, Kenya, Viet- as evidenced by his involvement with the Joint Executive Office, supporting both nam and the World Trade Organization Miner Elementary-Department of State the Bureau of European and Eurasian in Switzerland (also known as “Virtual initiative. As a State representative, he is Affairs and the Bureau of International Switzerland” or WTO-Land). particularly interested in supporting Organization Affairs. She also served as Foreign Service specialists. a financial management officer in Kabul, FCS VP: Keith Curtis* GSO in Brussels and a consular officer in Keith Curtis, a Senior FSO, has Mary Glantz Islamabad. Ms. Stewart is a strong ad- served with the Foreign Commercial Mary Glantz, a political officer, joined vocate of matching resources to respon- Service for 20 years, working in Japan, the Foreign Service in 2002. Since then sibilities and will endeavor to secure the Washington, Brazil and Sweden. Pre- she has served in Baku, Jerusalem and attention needed to focus on our goals. viously he was employed for 10 years Washington, D.C. She is currently the with the McDonnell Douglas Corpo- Poland desk officer. Ms. Glantz has Mike Unglesbee ration. Mr. Curtis is an expert in en- served as an AFSA post representative in A general services officer specialist, ergy issues and is currently serving as Baku and in Jerusalem. She holds a doc- Mike Unglesbee has served as GSO in an adviser to the deputy assistant sec- torate in diplomatic history from Tem- Taipei and Beijing, management officer retary for international operations. ple University. in the Central African Republic, and

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A F S senior State Department representative FAS Rep: Melinda Sallyards Retiree Reps: A to the Provincial Reconstruction Team Melinda Sallyards is a 22-year vet- Janice Bay in Asadabad, Afghanistan. Prior to eran of the Foreign Agricultural Serv- Janice Friesen Bay entered the For- joining the Foreign Service in 2001, Mr. ice. Raised in Ohio, she attended eign Service in 1967 and has served in N Unglesbee served as an architect for college and graduate school in Ohio Cape Town, Pretoria, Berlin, Tel Aviv, E Overseas Buildings Operations, where and North Carolina. A two-year stint Jeddah, Cairo, Paris and Bonn. In W he is currently an area management of- out of college with the Peace Corps in Washington, her assignments included S ficer. He is a recipient of the depart- Costa Rica gave her the international principal deputy assistant secretary in ment’s Post Occupational Safety Health “ag” bug. Ms. Sallyards has served in the Office of the Director General of the Officer of the Year Award. Mr. Ungles- Mexico City, Brussels and Lima, and is Foreign Service and deputy assistant sec- bee holds a master’s degree in architec- currently director of the Office of Ne- retary for international finance and de- ture from Virginia Tech. gotiations and Agreements, Regional velopment. A native of California, Ms. and Bilateral Division. Bay received a B.A. in social science from Sharon White Fresno State University and an M.A. in A Foreign Service officer since 1983, FCS Rep: Rebecca Balogh* international relations from UCLA. Sharon White has served as deputy Rebecca Balogh is the U.S. com- chief of mission in Tashkent; deputy mercial service liaison to the National Robert (Bill) Farrand* principal officer in Ho Chi Minh City; Association of Manufacturers. She has Bill Farrand retired in 1998 after serv- and in political, public diplomacy and previously served as a senior commer- ing 34 years in the Foreign Service. His consular positions in Washington, cial officer in West Africa, a commer- overseas postings included Kuala Lum- Abidjan, Vienna, Brussels, Paris, Mex- cial officer in Mexico, an FSO with pur, Moscow (twice), Prague (twice), ico City, and Washington, D.C. Ms. USAID and as an associate Peace Port Moresby and Brcko (Bosnia-Herze- White holds a doctorate in American Corps director. Ms. Balogh has govina). He was chief of mission in history from Yale University. worked as an agricultural economist Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands for USDA and as a firefighter with the and Vanuatu. Ambassador Farrand was Teresa Yata U.S. Forest Service. In addition, she AFSA’s Retiree VP from 2007-2009. Teresa Yata is an FS office manage- was director of a USAID-funded de- ment specialist with nearly seven years velopment program in Albania for David Passage* in the department. She served as Land O’Lakes, where she taught small A 33-year veteran of the Foreign AFSA representative at each of her business management and dairy tech- Service, David Passage served in Europe, overseas posts (Morocco, Senegal and niques to 5,000 rural women. Africa, Central and South America and Pakistan) prior to her current assign- the Far East, as well as on the National ment in the Bureau of Consular Af- IBB Rep: Al Pessin* Security Council staff, as political ad- fairs. Originally from Oregon, Ms. Al Pessin has been the International viser to the Special Operations Com- Yata holds a B.S. in criminology from Broadcasting Bureau representative on mand and ambassador to Botswana. He Southern Oregon University and an the AFSA Governing Board for three now lectures in U.S. military schools MBA from Golden Gate University. years. For the last two years, he has also and is a senior mentor in military train- Her entire work history has been in the served as the Governing Board’s liaison ing exercises. public sector, including a career in the to the FSJ Editorial Board. Mr. Pessin U.S. Air Force and several years as a is a career Voice of America foreign cor- Molly Williamson police officer. respondent who has served in Hong Molly Williamson retired from the Kong, Islamabad, Beijing, Jerusalem Foreign Service with the rank of career USAID Rep: Michael Henning* and London, as well as in Washington, minister. She has served as deputy as- Michael Henning joined USAID in D.C., and New York. He is currently at sistant secretary in the departments of 1994. He has been chief of the Elec- the Pentagon. Expelled from China State, Defense and Commerce, and was tions & Political Processes Division in under martial law regulations after the the senior foreign policy adviser to the the Office of Democracy and Gover- 1989 Tiananmen massacre, he went on Secretary of Energy. She has had several nance since August 2007. Previously, to win a Gold Medal at the Interna- postings in the Middle East and was he served as director of the Democracy tional Radio Festival of New York and chief of mission in Jerusalem during the Office in Bosnia from 2002 to 2006 and numerous other awards. Mr. Pessin Madrid peace process. Ms. Williamson in the Philippines from 1997 to 2000. also teaches “Covering Conflicts, Ter- is a lifetime member of AFSA. Mr. Henning has an M.A. in interna- rorism and National Security,” a grad- tional relations from the Maxwell uate course at the Washington campus Note: Due to her recent retirement, School at Syracuse University and a of Northwestern University’s Medill candidate Anne Aguilera is ineligible to B.A. from Georgetown University. School of Journalism, his alma mater. serve as a State representative. ❏

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E-mail: [email protected] PROFESSIONAL TAX RETURN PREP- FURNISHED LUXURY APARTMENTS: Free initial telephone consultation. ARATION: Forty years in public tax practice. Short/long-term. Best locations: Dupont Arthur A. Granberg, EA, ATA, ATP. Our Circle, Georgetown. Utilities included. All WILLS/ESTATE PLANNING by attorney charges are $95 per hour. Most FS returns price ranges/sizes. Parking available. who is a former FSO. Have your will re- take 3 to 4 hours. Our office is 100 feet from Tel: (202) 296-4989. viewed and updated, or new one prepared: Virginia Square Metro Station. Tax Matters E-mail: [email protected] No charge for initial consultation. Associates PC, 3601 North Fairfax Dr., Ar- M. Bruce Hirshorn, Boring & Pilger, P.C. lington, VA 22201. Tel: (703) 522-3828. 307 Maple Ave. W, Suite D, Vienna, VA Fax: (703) 522-5726. 22180. Tel: (703) 281-2161. E-mail: [email protected] CAPITOL HILL, FURNISHED housing: Fax: (703) 281-9464. 1-3 blocks to Capitol. Nice places, great lo- E-mail: [email protected] MORTGAGE cation. Well below per diem. Short term OK. GSA small business and veteran- EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS REPRE- owned. Tel: (202) 544-4419. SENTING FS officers in grievances, per- BUYING OR REFINANCING A HOME? formance, promotion and tenure, financial Jeff Stoddard has specialized in home fi- Web site: www.capitolhillstay.com claims, discrimination and disciplinary ac- nance for FSOs for over seven years. tions. We represent FS officers at all stages Working with Chevy Chase Bank, he is of the proceedings from an investigation, is- able to provide FSO-specific financing. suance of proposed discipline or the initiation Contact him at (703) 725-2455 or via e-mail of a grievance, through to a hearing before at [email protected]. FIND PERFECT HOUSING by using the FSGB. We provide experienced, timely the free Reservation Service Agency, Ac- and knowledgeable advice to employees COLLEGE APPLICANTS commodations 4 U. Tel: (843) 238-2490. from junior untenured officers through the E-mail: [email protected] HS JUNIORS & SENIORS: Writer/for- Senior FS, and often work closely with AFSA. Web site: www.accommodations4u.net Kalijarvi, Chuzi & Newman. Tel: (202) 331- mer guidance counselor provides profes- 9260. E-mail: [email protected] sional & ethical college application essay coaching and editing. From brainstorming to TAX & FINANCIAL SERVICES polishing, I have helped overseas students get into top colleges. Reasonable rates. PIED-A-TERRE PROPERTIES, LTD: FREE TAX CONSULTATION for over- E-mail Francesca Kelly at [email protected] Select from our unique inventory of com- seas personnel. We process returns as re- or call (301) 718-1994. pletely furnished & tastefully decorated ceived, without delay. Preparation and apartments & townhouses, all located in representation by Enrolled Agents. Federal D.C.’s best in-town neighborhoods: Dupont, TEMPORARY HOUSING and all states prepared. Includes “TAX Georgetown, Foggy Bottom & the West TRAX” unique mini-financial planning review SHORT-TERM RENTALS End. Two-month minimum. Mother-Daugh- with recommendations. Full planning avail- ter Owned and Operated. able. Get the most from your financial dollar! TEMPORARY HOUSING Tel: (202) 462-0200. Fax: (202) 332-1406. Financial Forecasts Inc., Barry B. De Marr, E-mail: [email protected] CFP, EA, 3918 Prosperity Ave. #230, Fairfax, WASHINGTON, D.C. or NFATC Web site: www.piedaterredc.com VA 22031. Tel: (703) 289-1167. TOUR? EXECUTIVE HOUSING CON- Fax: (703) 289-1178. E-mail: [email protected] SULTANTS offers Metropolitan Washing- ton, D.C.’s finest portfolio of short-term, ATTORNEY, FORMER FOREIGN SER- fully furnished and equipped apartments, SERVING FOREIGN SERVICE person- VICE OFFICER: Extensive experience with townhomes and single-family residences nel for 23 years, especially those with PETS. tax problems unique to the Foreign Service. in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia. Selection of condos, townhouses and sin- Available for consultation, tax planning and In Virginia: “River Place’s Finest” is gle-family homes accommodates most preparation of returns: breeds and sizes. All within a short walk of M. Bruce Hirshorn, Boring & Pilger, P.C. steps to Rosslyn Metro and Georgetown, Metro in Arlington. Fully furnished and 307 Maple Ave. W, Suite D, Vienna, VA and 15 minutes on Metro bus or State De- equipped 1-4 bedrooms, within per diem 22180. Tel: (703) 281-2161. partment shuttle to NFATC. For more info, rates. EXECUTIVE LODGING ALTERNA- Fax: (703) 281-9464. please call (301) 951-4111, or visit our Web site at www.executivehousing.com. TIVES. E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]

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A F S A CLASSIFIEDS N E W TEMPORARY HOUSING REAL ESTATE SHOPPING S DC FURNISHED EXTENDED STAY in GREAT TIME TO BUY! Looking to buy, SELLING YOUR VEHICLE? Penn Quarter/Chinatown. The Lansburgh, sell or rent property in Northern Virginia? BUYING A VEHICLE? 425 8th Street, NW. 1BR and 2BR apart- This former FSO knows the market and Since 1979, Steve Hart has been helping ments w/fully equipped kitchens, CAC & can help. Dave Olinger, GRI Long and Fos- Foreign Service members with their auto- heat, high-speed Internet, digital cable TV ter, Realtors® Tel: (703) 864-3196. motive buying and selling needs. w/ HBO, fitness center w/indoor pool, resi- E-mail: [email protected] AUTO BUYING SERVICE dent business center, 24-hour reception Web site: www.davidolinger.lnfre.com BUYS and SELLS desk, full concierge service, secure parking ALL MAKES AND MODELS available, controlled-entry building, 30-day SARASOTA, FL. PAUL BYRNES, FSO Steve Hart, Auto Buying Service 2971 minimum stay. Walk to Metro, FBI, DOJ, retired, and Loretta Friedman, Coldwell Prosperity Ave, Fairfax, VA 22031 EPA, IRS, DOE, DHH, U.S. Capitol. Rates Banker, offer vast real estate experience in Tel: (703) 849-0080. Fax: (703) 849-9248. within government per diem. Discount for assisting diplomats. Enjoy gracious living, E-mail: [email protected] government, diplomats. Visit our Web site no state income tax, and a current “buyer’s at: www.TheLansburgh.com or call the leas- market.” Tel: (941) 377-8181. ing office at (888) 313-6240. E-mail: [email protected] (Paul) or [email protected] (Loretta). HOUSING IS AVAILABLE in a remod- eled 4-unit townhouse, about a block and a SERENE EQUESTRIAN HOME half from the Dupont Circle Metro station GREAT FALLS, VIRGINIA, near DC. Re- (Red Line). Each unit is furnished with a full- laxing casual contemporary home with U.S. AUTOMOBILE PARTS WORLD- size washer and dryer, fully equipped soaring ceilings. 5.5 acres; pool, barn, WIDE: Express Parts has over 30 years’ ex- kitchen with cherry cabinets, granite counter great pastures. Realtor.com - FX7095368. perience shipping original and aftermarket and stainless steel appliances, cable, wire- $1,990,000. Owner Broker. E-mail: sandy parts for U.S. specification vehicles. Give us less Internet, security system and a shared, [email protected] Tel: (703) 509-5253. the year, make, model and serial number of private, enclosed backyard. Utilities in- your car and we will supply the parts you need. cluded. Garage parking available. Special- BOOKS ized in renting to government employees on Tel: (440) 234-8381. Fax: (440) 234-2660. detail, we work with per diem. Contact THE 49TH ANNUAL ART & BOOKFAIR E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]. of the Associates of the American Foreign Web site: www.expresspartsinc.com Service Worldwide will open its doors on CORPORATE APARTMENT SPECIAL- Friday, Oct. 16, from 2 to 5 p.m., for em- CRAVING GROCERIES FROM ISTS: Abundant experience working with ployees, spouses and escorted guests. It HOME? We ship non-perishable groceries Foreign Service professionals and the loca- continues from Oct. 19-23 for this same to you via the Dulles mail-sorting facility or tions to best serve you: Foggy Bottom, group. your choice of U.S. shipping facility. Woodley Park, Cleveland Park, Chevy During two weekends, Oct. 17-18 and www.lowesfoodstogo.com Chase, Rosslyn, Ballston, Pentagon City. Oct. 24-25, the sale is open to everyone, Choose the store listed under the “Over- Our office is a short walk from NFATC. One- the public included, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. seas” heading, then choose “pickup” with month minimum. All furnishings, house- The event takes place in the Exhibit Hall of a note providing the mailing address and wares, utilities, telephone and cable the Harry S. Truman Building. Access is via shipping restrictions. You will receive a included. Tel: (703) 979-2830 or the C Street Entrance. VISA, MASTER- confirmation e-mail from your Personal (800) 914-2802. Fax: (703) 979-2813. CARD and personal checks accepted. Shopper. E-mail: [email protected] Please call (202) 223-5796 with questions. Web site: www.corporateapartments.com TRANSPORTATION CLASSIFIEDS ONLINE SHOPPING PET MOVING MADE EASY. Club Pet NOW ONLINE: E-CLASSIFIEDS! SHOP IN AN AMERICAN International is a full-service animal shipper www.afsa.org/classifieds DRUG STORE BY MAIL! specializing in domestic and international AFSA members can go directly to our Morgan Pharmacy trips. Club Pet is the ultimate pet-care Web site and post their ads safely and se- 3001 P St NW boarding facility in the Washington Metro- curely. The ad placement is for two Washington, DC 20007 politan area. weeks. The E-Classifieds are posted al- Tel: (202) 337-4100. Fax: (202) 337-4102. Tel: (703) 471-7818 or (800) 871-2535. most immediately, especially helpful for E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] FSOs who are always on the go. www.carepharmacies.com DACOR ANNUAL CONFERENCE PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD: 110 / 220 VOLT $1.40/word (10-word minimum). First DACOR Bacon House Foundation’s An- TRANSFORMERS, MULTI-SYSTEM TV, 3 words bolded free, additional bold text nual Conference will be held on Friday, Oct. ETC. 85¢/ word. Header or box-shading $12 9, at 1801 F Street NW, Washington, D.C. each. Deadline for text: 5 weeks ahead VISIT EMBASSY SHOWROOM The topic is “The International Financial of publication date. 5810 Seminary Road Crisis.” Speakers include Bob Woodward Adv. Mgr. Tel: (202) 577-3588. Falls Church, VA 22041 of the Washington Post and the Honorable Fax: (202) 647-0265. Tel: (703) 845-0800 Alan Larson of Covington & Burling. E-mail: [email protected] Contact: [email protected]. E-mail: [email protected]

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James J. Blake, 87, a retired FSO War in 1967, Mr. Blake coordinated wife, of 22 years, Brenda M. Dawson and former ambassador, died on April the evacuation of approximately 4,000 of Glamorgan, Wales, and four step- 25 at The Washington Home in Wash- American citizens by air due to the children from her former marriage: ington, D.C., from complications fol- widespread Libyan hostility toward Anthony, Gillian, Sarah and Catherine, lowing a broken hip. American policies in the Middle East. all of whom reside in Great Britain. Mr. Blake was a cum laude gradu- As ambassador in Iceland, his primary ate of Queens College in New York, responsibility was to ensure continued where he received his bachelor’s de- use of a large U.S.-NATO Air Force gree in 1946 with departmental honors base outside Reykjavik. When he left, Camilla “Memo” Copenhaver, in history. He was also the recipient of Iceland conferred on him the Knight 92, mother of retired FSO Barry the Rachel Pinsen Award for Excel- Grand Cross of the Order of the Fal- Copenhaver, died on Jan. 17 in Cuero, lence in History. He graduated from con. Texas, her home since the early 1950s. the Industrial College of the Armed Amb. Blake retired from the For- “Memo,” as she was known to her Forces in 1961 and earned a master’s eign Service in 1981, after serving as many Foreign Service friends, had vis- degree from The George Washington coordinator of the Senior Seminar. ited her son and daughter-in-law in University in 1963. Following retirement, he volunteered Panama, Bonn, Lahore, Mexico, Mon- Prior to graduating from Queens for more than 19 years at The Wash- rovia, Islamabad, Kinshasa and Braz- College, Mr. Blake had served for ington Home. He served as a Eu- zaville. She also visited her grand- three years in the Army, participating charistic minister for 20 years at St. daughter Jill Copenhaver, then work- as a combat infantryman in the Rhine- Ann’s Parish in Tenleytown, Md., ing for the State Department in land and Ruhr campaigns, for which he where he was also a chief usher. He Conakry. was awarded the Bronze Star. was a life member of the New York Born in Corpus Christi, Texas, on In 1947, Mr. Blake joined the For- Historical Society, a member of the Ari- Jan. 27, 1917, Mrs. Copenhaver was eign Service. His overseas assign- mathea Society and a member of the adventurous throughout her life. She ments included Brussels, Calcutta and American Foreign Service Association. rode the Eurorail with her grandchil- Tripoli, as well as Reykjavik, where he Amb. Blake’s first wife, Dolores A. dren and relearned how to ride a bike served as ambassador. In Washington, Quaid, died in 1977, while they were in Germany at the age of 72. Later, he served as director for North African assigned to Iceland. He is survived by she hailed rickshaws in Lahore to go affairs and was later appointed deputy their four children: Stephen, a career shopping, saw the Khyber Pass and assistant secretary for African affairs. FSO currently assigned to Washing- rode the train to Peshawar. And on He also served on the Army staff in ton, D.C.; Kathleen, a cardiologist in her 80th birthday, she was honored the Pentagon as a political military of- Albuquerque, N.M.; David, a trade with a celebration in the Marine ficer concerned with strategic plan- union representative in New York, House garden in Monrovia, Liberia. ning. N.Y.; and Robert, a financial services Her last trip was to Kinshasa, at the While deputy chief of mission in director in New York, N.Y. Amb. age of 88, where she traveled into the Tripoli, during the Arab-Israeli June Blake is also survived by his second hinterlands to see the bonobos and

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crossed the Congo River to visit Braz- Benjamin M. Lowe, 52, a former human rights officer in the Bureau of zaville. Her foreign travels stopped Foreign Service officer, died on May African Affairs and as a deputy division then only because her son Barry re- 12 in Atlanta, Ga. chief of coordination, as well as a polit- tired from the Foreign Service. Born on Jan. 14, 1957, into an ical analyst for El Salvador and Nicara- Mrs. Copenhaver was preceded in Army chaplain’s family at Fort Jack- gua in the Visa Office. death by a son, Mickey Copenhaver, son, S.C., Mr. Lowe graduated from Because of the diversity of his ca- and, in 1988, by her husband of 53 Bordentown Military Institute College reer, he transferred from the consular years, Walter E. Copenhaver. She is Prep School in Bordentown, N.J., in cone to the multifunctionality cone, survived by her son Barry, a retired 1972. In 1977, he graduated with which came into existence in the 1980s. FSO, and retired Foreign Service honors in both history and political sci- He assisted with many projects in the daughter-in-law, Judy, both of Cuero, ence from Washington and Lee Uni- political, administration and economic Texas; her son Walter of Crockett, versity, where he was a member of sections at each posting. Everywhere Texas; several grandchildren, including Sigma Phi Epsilon and the campus he served, he was assigned to write bi- granddaughter Jill Copenhaver, with Republican Party. ographies for the State Department of the State Department, and grand- After college, Mr. Lowe took a the dignitaries he met during his post- son Scott of Washington, D.C.; and commission in the Army, serving as a ing. Mr. Lowe was fluent in German several great-grandchildren, nieces Nike Hercules officer and an Air De- and Spanish, spoke and read Afrikaans and nephews. fense Artillery officer at Stuttgart and and Bahasa Malaysia, and dabbled in Rodenkirchen in Germany and at Fort Vietnamese. Bliss in El Paso, Texas. He continued Upon leaving the Foreign Service in the Army Reserves for 16 years, in 1996, Mr. Lowe pursued a lifelong Samuel A. Keller, 78, a retired serving in Texas and Japan (Camp dream to get a law degree. He gradu- FSO, died on Sept. 27, 2008, in Ar- Zama), at the U.S. Southern Com- ated suma cum laude from the Florida lington, Va., of pneumonia. mand in Panama and in the Washing- Coastal School of Law, where he also Born in Sioux Falls, S.D., Mr. ton, D.C., area, including at Bowling edited the Law Review, in 2004 and Keller attended Iowa State College Air Force Base, Fort Belvoir and the became a member of the Florida State and then went to work at the Boeing Defense Intelligence Agency, where Bar in 2006. He spent time with the Corp. He enlisted in the Navy during he also served as a language instructor. International Foundation for Election the Korean War and served on active He retired in 1988 as a major. Systems in Monrovia, founding the duty until 1957. After graduating from Mr. Lowe joined the Foreign Serv- Liberian Democracy Resource Cen- Thunderbird Graduate School of Man- ice in 1982 as a consular officer. His ter, and worked with various law firms agement, he went into international first overseas posting was to Ciudad in Jacksonville, Fla., Chicago, Ill., and banking in San Francisco and remained Juarez (1982-1984). He was then sent Atlanta, Ga. in the Naval Reserves, achieving the to Cape Town (1984-1986) where, in Shortly before his death, Mr. Lowe rank of lieutenant commander before addition to serving as the consular of- opened his own firm, the Immigration joining the Foreign Service in 1972. ficer, he was a part-time political offi- Law Firm of Benjamin M. Lowe, serv- During a 20-year diplomatic career, cer and foreign aid officer, as well as a ing northeastern Florida and the great- Mr. Keller served in Kinshasa, Madras, representative to the American Inter- er metropolitan area of Atlanta, Ga. New Delhi and Washington, D.C., re- national School Board. In Kuala Lum- In his free time, Mr. Lowe enjoyed tiring in 1991. pur (1986-1989) he was one of the last American Motors antique cars, model Mr. Keller’s wife, Flora Canales deputy assistant refugee program offi- railroading, collecting old coins and Keller, died in 2006. He is survived by cers for Vietnamese and Filipino travel (he was also a pilot). He sang his daughter, Beverly Kilmer; son-in- refugees in northern Borneo. And in with several barbershop groups, in- law, Jerome; and grandchildren Sam- Santo Domingo (1993-1995) he serv- cluding “The Big Orange” in Jack- uel, Elizabeth and Joseph, of Arling- ed as the anti-fraud officer, with par- sonville, Fla., and English-language ton, Va.; and a sister, Elisabeth Keller tial duty in Puerto Rico. choruses overseas. He was a member of San Francisco, Calif. Stateside tours included service as a of the Church of Christ and the Asso-

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ciation of Christian Lawyers. pany in Marshall, Mo. mocratize Germany (1950-1952). He Mr. Lowe is survived by his first In 1942, he married Anita Ruth then served in Manila (1952-1954), wife, Debbie, and their daughter, Mel- Price and was drafted into the U.S. Madrid (1954-1956) and Washington, issa, of Vienna, Va.; his wife Teresa, and Army that same year; he subsequently D.C. (1956-1961), where he worked his stepdaughters and their families of served in the U.S. Army Reserve until on Latin American affairs and the Jacksonville, Fla.; and his sister, Sally his retirement in 1972 as a lieutenant Antarctic Treaty. Mangham, and her family of Jack- colonel. From then on, all of his foreign post- sonville. His mother, Nell Lowe, pre- Mr. Lubensky received bachelor’s ings were in Latin America. He served ceded him in death in 2008. degrees from Missouri Valley College as political officer in Quito (1961-1966) in 1948 and the Georgetown School of and in Bogotá (1967-1971); as consul Foreign Service in 1949. He later re- general in Guayaquil (1971-1973); and ceived a master’s degree from The as deputy chief of mission in San Sal- Earl H. Lubensky, 88, a retired George Washington University and a vador (1976-1978). He attended the FSO, died of a heart attack at his diploma from the National War Col- National War College from 1966 to home in Columbia, Mo., on May 1. lege in 1967. 1967; was a diplomat-in-residence at Mr. Lubensky was born in Mar- In 1949, Mr. Lubensky joined the Olivet, Albion and Adrian Colleges in shall, Mo., on March 31, 1921. After Foreign Service. He was first posted, Michigan (1973-1974); and served as a graduating from Marshall High School along with 26 others in what became senior staff member of the Interna- in 1937, he worked for several years as known as the Group of 27, as a resi- tional Council on Environmental Qual- manager of the Tavern Supply Com- dent officer in the program to rede- ity (1974-1976).

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Upon retiring from the Foreign versity in 1954, and a doctorate in Mr. Spencer’s wife, Elois (Wiren) Service in 1978, Mr. Lubensky settled English from Stanford University in Spencer, died in 1971. He is survived in Columbia, Mo. A charter member 1957. Mr. Spencer then taught at the by his son Geoffrey of Ironwood, of the Missouri Archeological Society, University of Wisconsin (Madison), Mich., daughter Katherine (Dell) he had an abiding interest in archeol- University of Notre Dame, The Hodges of Webster, N.Y., and grand- ogy, running amateur digs in Ecuador Catholic University of America, Roch- daughter Sarah Hodges of Delmar, and El Salvador. In retirement, he en- ester Institute of Technology, The Na- N.Y. rolled in the graduate program in the tional University of Zaire and King anthropology department at the Uni- Saud University. versity of Missouri, receiving a doctor- A World War II and Korean War ate degree in 1991. Army veteran, he also served the gov- David Leander Stratmon Sr., 84, He was an active member of the ernment as an independent consultant a retired FSO, died on May 1 in Holly Columbia community, serving as for Project Upward Bound, as a Peace Springs, Miss. treasurer of the Missouri Archeology Corps Volunteer and as a Foreign Mr. Stratmon was educated in the Society (1983-1991), as a member Service officer, living and working public schools of North Carolina and (1980-2009) and president (1995) of around the world. at North Carolina Agricultural and the Muleskinners (Columbia booster From 1979 through 1981, Mr. Technical State University. He re- club for the Democratic Party), and as Spencer was a Peace Corps Volunteer ceived a bachelor’s degree from Ho- treasurer (1983-1999) of The Theatre in Zaire. As a Foreign Service officer ward University, a master’s degree and Society of Columbia Entertainment with USIA from 1986 to 1992, he was Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, Company. posted to Canberra, Port Moresby and and an LLD from Georgetown Uni- Mr. Lubensky’s wife of 50 years, Seoul. He also visited China, Antarc- versity Law Center. During World War Anita, died in 1992. In 1994, he mar- tica and the Galapagos Islands and II, Mr. Stratmon served in Europe with ried Margot Truman Patterson, who traveled extensively in Europe, Cana- the 3128th Quartermaster Service died in 2008. He then married Mar- da and the United States. Company. ian Reed, of Columbia, Mo., who sur- As part of a lifelong interest in the- After a two-year assignment with vives him. ater and the arts, Mr. Spencer served in the U.S. Public Health Service in He is also survived by his three 1970 as the executive producer of Saint Liberia, Mr. Stratmon joined the For- sons: Tom of Philadelphia, Pa., Jerry Albans Repertory Theatre in Washing- eign Service in 1956, accepting an offer of Lawrence, Kan., and Chris of ton, D.C. His own play, “Jonah,” was from the U.S. Information Agency that Quito, Ecuador; six grandchildren; produced off-Broadway in 1967. allowed him to serve in the Gold and three great-grandchildren. After retirement, he served as Coast, as Ghana was then known, trustee/executive director of the when independence from Great Bri- Wayne County Historical Society and tain was celebrated in 1957. Other trustee/president of the Pultneyville postings included Morocco, Chad, Terence James Spencer, 79, a Historical Society. He contributed so- Congo, Jordan, France, Tunisia and playwright, professor and former FSO cial-political, drama and travel col- Washington, D.C. with USIA, died on April 1, 2008, in umns to the Wayne Weekly, the New- Following retirement from the For- Pultneyville, N.Y., after a long illness. ark Courier-Gazette and the William- eign Service, Mr. Stratmon became Mr. Spencer was born on Oct. 10, son Sun and Record. chair of the department of political sci- 1928, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the only Most recently, he served as a ence at Rust College in Holly Springs. child of James Allen Spencer and trustee for the Williamson Public Li- Besides working with charitable groups Kathryn (Duffey) Spencer. brary. He was also active in local pol- and writing his memoirs (From a Small He received his B.A. in English itics and a member of the Williamson Town to the World, Xlibris, 2008), he from Loras College in Dubuque, American Legion Post 394 and the served as a lector, Eucharistic minister Iowa, in 1950, a master’s degree in Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6778 in and choir member at St. Joseph speech and drama from Catholic Uni- Palmyra, N.Y. Catholic Church for 23 years.

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Mr. Stratmon was predeceased by Alzheimer’s disease. After studying Japanese at Yale his first wife, of 50 years, Freddie Mae Mr. Swayne was born in 1920 on University, he worked in Washington Stratmon. He is survived by his wife, the campus of the Quaker George and in Japan from 1953 to 1963. As Lillian, whom he married in 1999, of School in Newtown Township, Pa., the Walter F. Naedele reported in the Holly Springs; two daughters, Rev. son of two teachers there. He gradu- Philadelphia Inquirer, the high point Laurice Stewart and Wisilla Jordan of ated from the school in 1937 and of this period was a Kennedy White Washington, D.C.; two sons, David earned his bachelor’s degree cum laude House luncheon at which Mr. Swayne Stratmon of Atwater, Calif., and James at Harvard University in 1941. He then was translator for the Japanese prime Stratmon of Durham, N.C.; two served in the Army during World War minister and, he wrote, for “the two stepchildren, Lorenzo Guerrero of II, rising to infantry captain with the ladies he sat between — Jackie Memphis, Tenn., and Jeanne Gerrero Third Army of Gen. George Patton and Kennedy and Mamie Eisenhower.” of Lousiville, Ky.; eight grandchildren earning a Bronze Star. Mr. Swayne left the Foreign Serv- and six great-grandchildren. In 1946, Mr. Swayne began a 20- ice in 1966 after serving as head of the year career with the Foreign Service. political-economic section of Embassy His first assignment was in London, is- Rangoon. suing “immigration visas to the thou- In 1967, he settled in his home- Kingdon W. Swayne, 88, a teacher, sands of GI brides waiting to join their town of Newtown, Pa., earned a mas- mayor and former FSO, died on April husbands,” he later wrote. From 1949 ter’s degree from Lehigh University 22 at Sunrise at Flora Vale, an assisted to 1951, he served in China as a con- and began a second 20-year career as living community in Yardley, Pa., of sular officer. a history and political science teacher

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at Bucks County Community College. board member of the American In 1969, he was elected the first Dem- Friends Service Committee in Phila- ocratic mayor of Newtown and served delphia from 1973 to 1980 and presid- until 1972. He then served as Bucks ing clerk of the annual assembly of County treasurer until 1976. Quakers (known as the Philadelphia He also served on the George Yearly Meeting) from 1984 to 1986, School’s governing board from 1974 to according to the Inquirer’s obituary. 1988 and as presiding officer of that Mr. Swayne is survived by 10 nieces board from 1976 to 1984. He was the and nephews. ■ school’s historian from 1988 to 1992 and its archivist from 1992 to 2006, E-mail your during which time he wrote the school’s history for its 1993 centennial. “In Memory” Mr. Swayne also wrote the centen- submission to the nial history (1897-1997) of Friends Foreign Service Journal Home, the retirement community in at [email protected], or Newtown where he lived, as well as the 50-year history of Newtown fax it to (202) 338-8244. Friends School, where his mother was No photos, please. founding principal in 1948. He was a

76 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/SEPTEMBER 2009 77-80_FSJ_0909_RE:proof 8/6/09 10:55 PM Page 77

REAL ESTATE

Leasing and Management of Exceptional properties in upper Northwest DC, Chevy Chase, Bethesda, Potomac, McLean and Great Falls

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FINANCIAL, LEGAL Suite America / 39 REAL ESTATE & ANNOUNCEMENTS AND TAX SERVICES Virginian Suites, The / 17 PROPERTY AAFSW Bookfair / 49 MCG Financial MANAGEMENT AFSA Legacy / Inside Planning / 46 INSURANCE Cabell Reid, LLC / 78 Back Cover State Department Federal AFSPA / 9 Executive Housing AFSA Marketplace Credit Union / 31 Clements International / 1 Consultants / 77 Online / 20 Hirshorn Company, The / McEnearney AFSA Reading List / 53 HOUSING Outside Back Cover Associates / 79 Change of Address / 52 Accommodations 4 U / 37 Meyerson Group Inc., Foreign Service Youth AKA / Inside Front Cover MISCELLANEOUS The / 79 Foundation / 54, 75 Attaché Property Cort Furniture / 2 Peake Management, Marketplace / 13 Management LLC / 43 Georgetown Journal / 76 Inc. / 79 Retiree Directory / 17 Bridgestreet Middle East Journal / 73 Property Specialists, Worldwide / 27 Shaw, Bransford, Veilleux Inc. / 79 POST SECONDARY Capitol Hill Stay / 44 and Roth, PC Attorneys Stuart & Maury, Inc. / 77 EDUCATION AND CAS/Corporate Apartment at Law / 44 Washington Management DISTANCE LEARNING Specialists / 43 St. Andrew’s School / 9 Services / 78 American Public Fearrington / 39 Strategic Studies WJD Management / 77 University / 23 Georgetown Suites / 25 Quarterly / 33 St. Mary’s University / 20 Pied à Terre Properties, Tetra Tech / 6 Woodrow Wilson Ltd. / 46 United States Institute School / 4 Remington, The / 76 for Peace / 37

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REAL ESTATE

u REGULAR INSPECTIONS u ENJOY PEACE OF MIND u u u RENTAL SERVICES Who’s taking care of your home while you’re away? REGULAR REPORTS REGULAR REPORTS u

u No one takes care of your home like we do! 24 HOUR ON-CALL SUPPORT

While you’re overseas, we’ll help you manage your home without the hassles. No panicky messages, just regular reports. No unexpected surprises, Property Specialists, Inc. just peace of mind. A professional and personal service tailored to meet your needs in: rson G Property management is • Property Management ye rou our full time business. • Tenant Placement OVER 24 YEARS EXPERIENCE 24 OVER e p, M I Let us take care • Tax-deferred Exchange u e n h c. of the details. • Real Estate Investment Counseling u T

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Call us today! MANAGEMENT (301) 657-3210 4600-D Lee Highway Arlington, Virginia 22207 (703) 525-7010 (703) 247-3350 E-mail: [email protected] 6923 Fairfax Road u Bethesda, MD 20814 COORDINATE MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE COORDINATE email: [email protected] Web address: propertyspecialistsinc.com u

u Serving Virginia, Maryland and D.C. u PROPERTY MANAGEMENT FOR FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS u

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REFLECTIONS

The Spirituality of Living Abroad

BY DOUGLAS E. MORRIS

ife overseas has a reputation for selves and bring us crashing back down being libidinous, debauched All of these new to earth. Land bacchanalian. Certainly it experiences push us Immense strength can come from can be all of those things, and in my beyond our comfort this position of vulnerability. It removes many years as an expatriate I have pur- zone, knock us off the defenses that have built up over the sued all those possibilities. years, giving us the opportunity to view However, life abroad can also be a whatever pedestal we the world and ourselves from a differ- path to spiritual enlightenment. created for ourselves. ent perspective, allowing us to develop Being in another culture removes us the confidence to grow, evolve and from the familiar, expands our com- change. fort zone and pushes us toward our Living overseas is also about letting growing edge, while offering a mirror go. Being in another country can help in which to gaze upon our true selves. months in retreat, bending themselves us learn to accept what is and discard Take the most basic experience: talk- into pretzels on the yoga mat or sitting unrealistic expectations. Being able to ing with someone. If you are in a coun- for hours in meditation — just by the live contentedly in any country is about try where English is not the official process of living overseas — learn to lis- accepting whatever happens for what it language, communication is an intense ten in the present moment, intently is, and not judging it or getting frus- activity. Your mind cannot wander; you aware of what is going on around them. trated with it for what it is not — in cannot think about what you are going They learn to be mindful. short, letting go of preconceived notions to say next or listen with half your brain As they navigate the uncharted wa- about how things should be done. and plan your day with the other. You ters of a different culture, expats also Though a life overseas does not have to focus intently on the person tend to acquire patience. For only by guarantee the development of an talking, so that you can understand the moving slowly, without expectations, open-minded spirituality, the poten- accented English they are speaking or can they achieve their goals. tial is infinitely increased simply by decipher their native language. Being humble is also a bedrock of virtue of being in new and interesting Active listening, the cornerstone of most spiritual practices, and living over- places on a more frequent basis. any spiritual practice, can get rather tir- seas is a perfect way to acquire that dis- Managed properly, approached ing, which is probably why we don’t do cipline. Everything is different there — thoughtfully, explored meaningfully, it as often as we should at home. In our unusual foods, unfamiliar ways to get living overseas is probably the most native tongue, it is easy to pick up the from one place to another, diverse types mind-expanding and soul-enriching thread of the conversation and ease of stores and unfamiliar social mores, experience to be found outside of an back into the flow. In fact, many of us values and cultural expressions. ashram. ■ have developed exterior manifestations Moreover, we suddenly find that we of good listening skills — gazing intently are functionally illiterate: people talk to Douglas E. Morris is the author of into someone’s eyes, nodding our heads us, but we do not understand them; we Open Road’s Best of Italy and other periodically, making appreciative noises, open our mouths, but no one can deci- books. He has lived in Italy for more etc. — but in reality, we are somewhere pher what we are saying. than 10 years, currently residing in else, not really listening at all. All of these new experiences push us Viterbo, where he awaits the end of his Expatriates, however, without the beyond our comfort zone, knock us off FSO partner’s yearlong assignment in help of gurus or swamis, spending whatever pedestal we created for our- Afghanistan in September.

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