The Foreign Service Journal, January 2010

C1-C4_FSJ_0110_COV:proof 12/11/09 9:18 AM Page C1

A HUMAN RIGHTS PIONEER ■ DIPLOMATIC VALUE ADDED ■ THE FS IN 1922

$3.50 / JANUARY 2010 OREIGN ERVICE FJ O U R N A L STHE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS

WHITHER USAID? Signs of Growth After a Long Winter C1-C4_FSJ_0110_COV:proof 12/11/09 9:18 AM Page C2 01-15_FSJ_0110_FRO:first 12/18/09 7:47 AM Page 1 01-15_FSJ_0110_FRO:first 12/18/09 7:47 AM Page 2 01-15_FSJ_0110_FRO:first 12/18/09 7:47 AM Page 3

OREIGN ERVICE FJ O U R N A L S CONTENTS January 2010 Volume 87, No. 1

C OVER S TORY

USAID: SIGNS OF GROWTH / 16 Administrator-designate Rajiv Shah is well-regarded, but his nomination does not resolve lingering doubts about the agency’s future. By Shawn Zeller

F EATURES

HONORING PATT DERIAN / 26 Nearly three decades after leaving office, the first assistant secretary for human rights receives a rare tribute. By Diana Page

Cover and inside illustration THE ROLEOFTHEDIPLOMAT IN THE MODERN ERA / 30 Jeff Kogel There is simply no substitute for the personal touch skillful diplomats bring to their mission. PRESIDENT’S VIEWS / 5 By Yoav J. Tenembaum The State-USAID Relationship: Measure Twice, Cut Once FS HERITAGE By Susan R. Johnson ENTERING THE U.S. DIPLOMATIC AND SPEAKING OUT / 13 CONSULAR SERVICES IN 1922 / 32 The Population Bomb Is Still Ticking See how you would have fared on the entrance exams By Michael Fritz for the State Department nearly a century ago. REFLECTIONS / 64 By Luciano Mangiafico I Remember a Gift By Robert E. Gribbin AFSA NEWS

AFSA 2009-2011 GOVERNING BOARD PRIORITIES / 37 LETTERS / 7 DOES DISSENT HARM YOUR CAREER? / 37 YBERNOTES C / 9 NEWS BRIEFS AND AGGELER / 38 MARKETPLACE / 12 VP STATE: ARBITRARY? WITHOUT A DOUBT! / 39 BOOKS / 53 VP RETIREE: PRIORITIES & SURVEYS / 40 IN MEMORY / 56 AFSA STATEMENT ON POLITICAL AMBASSADORSHIPS / 40 INDEX TO BASRA MEMORIAL PLAQUE / 41 ADVERTISERS / 62 VP FCS: RESOURCES, RESOURCES, RESOURCES / 41 AFSA FINANCIAL AID SCHOLARS / 42 2010 DUES UPDATE / 47 TEN YEARS AT AFSA: ANA LOPEZ / 48 A FOND FAREWELL TO BARBARA BERGER / 48 FOREIGN SERVICE E-MAIL GROUPS / 49 CLASSIFIEDS / 51

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 3 01-15_FSJ_0110_FRO:first 12/18/09 7:47 AM Page 4

A time of service…a time of need OREIGN ERVICE FJ O U R N A L S

Help for Seniors May Editor STEVEN ALAN HONLEY Senior Editor Be Just a Phone Call Away— SUSAN B. MAITRA Associate Editor The Senior Living Foundation may be SHAWN DORMAN able to help you or someone you know. AFSA News Editor Some examples of assistance are: FRANCESCA KELLY Ad & Circulation Manager ED MILTENBERGER N Home Health Care Art Director N Adult Day Care & Respite Care CARYN SUKO SMITH Editorial Intern N Prescription Drug Copayments AMANDA ANDERSON N Transportation to Medical Appointments Advertising Intern LOTTE REIJMER N Durable Medical Equipment EDITORIAL BOARD For more information, please contact the TED WILKINSON SENIOR LIVING FOUNDATION Chairman OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE MAY G. BAPTISTA JOSEPH BRUNS 1716 N Street, NW N Washington, DC 20036-2902 STEPHEN W. B UCK Phone: (202) 887-8170 N Fax: (202) 872-9320 JULIE GIANELLONI CONNOR E-Mail: [email protected] N Web Site: www.SLFoundation.org JEFF GIAUQUE PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION SPONSORED BY THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE MARY E. GLANTZ D. IAN HOPPER GEORGE JONES LYNN W. R OCHE RIMA J. VYDMANTAS

THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN QUESTIONS? Not sure whom to contact? AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), 2101 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is LETTERS TO MEMBERSHIP published monthly with a combined July-August For changes of address and other issue by the American Foreign Service Associa- THE EDITOR tion (AFSA), a private, nonprofit organization. Printed letters may be edited for questions about AFSA membership, Material appearing herein represents the opin- space. E-mail to [email protected] or e-mail [email protected]. ions of the writers and does not necessarily represent the views of the Journal, the Editorial mail to FSJ, 2101 E Street NW, Board or AFSA. Writer queries and submissions

FasTrax Washington DC 20037. are invited, preferably by e-mail. Journal sub- ADVERTISING scription: AFSA members – $13 included in an- For details about placing either nual dues; others – $40. For foreign surface mail, a display or classifed ad, add $18 per year; foreign airmail, $36 per year. E-CLASSIFIEDS Periodical postage paid at Washington, D.C., and www.afsa.org/classifieds e-mail [email protected], at additional mailing offices. Indexed by Public [email protected]. Affairs Information Services (PAIS). The Journal

FSJ is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos or illustrations. Advertising inquiries are invited. The appearance of advertisements COPYRIGHTS & herein does not imply the endorsement of the REPRINTS services or goods offered. To obtain permission to reproduce TELEPHONE: (202) 338-4045 FAX: (202) 338-8244 or (202) 338-6820 FSJ material, e-mail E-MAIL: [email protected] [email protected]. WEB: www.afsa.org; www.fsjournal.org © American Foreign Service Association, 2010. Printed in the U.S.A. Send address changes to: ONLINE AFSA Attn: Address Change www.afsa.org 2101 E Street N.W. www.fsjournal.org Washington DC 20037-2990 Printed on 50-percent recycled paper, of which 10 percent is post-consumer waste.

4 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 01-15_FSJ_0110_FRO:first 12/18/09 7:47 AM Page 5

PRESIDENT’S VIEWS The State-USAID Relationship: Measure Twice, Cut Once BY SUSAN R. JOHNSON

Two welcome recent de- ranks, not just the top policy- U.S. development assistance program velopments have spotlighted makers — and taking con- that has made a real, lasting difference the relationship between the structive advantage of AFSA, on the ground — and that was six Department of State and the which is representative of, decades ago. Despite the dedication U.S. Agency for International and able to collect, member and expertise of countless Foreign Serv- Development. One is the long- perspectives. The Quadren- ice professionals, many U.S. assistance awaited nomination of Rajiv nial Diplomacy and Develop- programs — particularly the ambitious Shah as USAID Administrator. ment Review now under way reconstruction/nationbuilding efforts The other is the progress of the Kerry- offers a timely process to do just this. conducted in Afghanistan and Iraq dur- Lugar bill on foreign assistance reform, We hear a lot about the profound ing recent years — have failed to meet though consensus remains elusive. changes marking the end of the 20th their targets. There are undoubtedly Before we initiate any major over- century and beginning of the 21st. Yet many possible explanations for these haul of development assistance pro- only rarely do we see attempts to ex- shortcomings, many of them involving grams and structures, we need a better plore their impact on diplomacy and de- local factors, but we cannot address understanding of the new global situa- velopment. In particular, the challenges them until we acknowledge them. tion that we face. To put it bluntly, we of climate change, energy and food se- We need more thoughtful and more do not have a firm enough grasp of it to curity, and HIV/AIDS and other health inclusive discourse on these questions, undertake intelligent reform. Getting issues are global in scope, and are not gathered via a process that actively seeks on top of these trends should be our pri- susceptible to unilateral American ac- out as many perspectives from as many ority. Only then can we formulate an ef- tion. This reality impels us to use our stakeholders as possible. Once we have fective foreign policy that makes the resources and leadership to forge re- a consensus on how these changes af- best possible use of the respective roles gional and global multilateral coalitions fect and reshape the respective missions that diplomacy and development play in to address these problems. of State and USAID, we can then de- the global arena. Moreover, the pace of societal fine requirements in terms of struc- Once that conceptual work has been change and the exponential process of tures, processes and training. done, we can focus on repairing the globalization have both become so rapid Toward that end, if you have views fractious organizational relationship be- that our very ability to anticipate prob- to share, particularly on how these two tween State and USAID. Toward that lems and opportunities has decreased agencies can work together most effec- end, the Obama administration needs correspondingly. In response to this tively to promote and protect our long- to pursue a consultative process that is phenomenon, we need to place a pre- term national interests, or how AFSA more inclusive of differing perspectives. mium on flexibility, communications ca- might more efficiently collect and share This means tapping the views of devel- pacity and knowledge — not just the views and recommendations from pro- opment practitioners as well as diplo- gathering of information. fessionals and diplomats in the field, mats — past and present, and from all Equally important is the question of please send them to me (Johnson@ how effective our assistance programs afsa.org) and USAID VP Francisco Susan R. Johnson is the president of the have been. The Marshall Plan still rep- Zamora ([email protected]). We American Foreign Service Association. resents one of the few examples of a look forward to hearing from you. ■

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 5 01-15_FSJ_0110_FRO:first 12/18/09 7:47 AM Page 6 01-15_FSJ_0110_FRO:first 12/18/09 7:47 AM Page 7

LETTERS

Progress Within “T” Foreign Service has the expertise it re- tions in my article, can go a long way In a June 2008 Foreign Service quires: toward equipping the Foreign Service Journal article (“Rewarding Functional 1) It has elevated the Under Secre- to address the problems our nation Policy Expertise”), I outlined steps that tary’s Award for Excellence in Interna- faces. the Office of the Under Secretary for tional Security Affairs to a depart- These changes have the potential to Arms Control and International Secu- ment-level award. This is the first-ever be transformative. At a minimum, rity had implemented to encourage award to recognize the significant con- they constitute an important down and reward functional expertise in the tributions of department personnel to payment on what still remains to be Foreign Service and to make assign- the achievement of the nation’s politi- done to ensure that the Foreign Serv- ments to the T Bureaus a career-en- cal-military, arms control, nonprolifer- ice has the right mix of skills and tal- hancing option. (These measures were ation, and verification and compliance ents to help solve the national security based on input from the “T Family agendas. and foreign policy challenges of the Foreign Service Officer Working 2) It has designated the under sec- 21st century. Group” and consultations with FSOs retary for arms control and interna- Sally K. Horn serving elsewhere in the State Depart- tional security as a permanent mem- Senior Executive Service, ment and the senior leadership of the ber of the Deputy Chief of Mission retired T Bureaus.) Committee. T will now have a voice in McLean, Va. At the same time, I noted that these the selection of individuals to serve in steps alone were not sufficient to en- some of the most senior and important Changing the Culture sure that America has a Foreign Serv- positions in the Foreign Service. After reading Susan Johnson’s No- ice capable of playing a meaningful 3) It has introduced the Consulta- vember President’s Views column on role in solving the national security and tive Staffing Process for selection of how to rebrand the Foreign Service, I foreign policy challenges of the 21st personnel for certain overseas posi- was left with a feeling that we need to century. I therefore outlined structural tions that have direct relevance to the change how Americans perceive “diplo- changes and other actions needed to accomplishment of the department’s macy.” Speaking as an average citizen achieve this end. functional missions. who is very interested in world events, While the T Bureaus continue to This process, which was imple- I could not agree more that the For- implement the ongoing activities de- mented for the 2010 Open Assignment eign Service does not get the recogni- scribed in my article, I’m pleased to re- Cycle, gives T (and other functional tion, respect or funding it deserves. port that during the last year, due to bureaus) an active voice in the assign- Because we are a nation that likes the leadership of Under Secretary for ment process for designated overseas to carry a hammer, every problem Arms Control and International Secu- positions where functional policy ex- looks like a nail. When there is a crisis rity Ellen Tauscher, the department pertise is essential for effective per- somewhere in the world, the first thing has taken a number of important steps formance. In the long run, effective the president usually asks is “Where is to expand, encourage and reward func- implementation of this initiative, which the nearest aircraft carrier?” instead of tional expertise and ensure that the is consistent with the recommenda- “Where are my best diplomats?” Yes,

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 7 01-15_FSJ_0110_FRO:first 12/18/09 7:47 AM Page 8

L ETTERS

the problem is political; but it is also winning a conflict is to “win the hearts Service members who have given their cultural. Americans are impatient. We and minds” of our enemies, not merely lives in the line of duty. Its benches want to see results quickly. Going to to vanquish them on the battlefield. could be engraved with State Depart- war satisfies some sort of need in us. Toward that end, the diplomatic ment and other appropriate symbols, Our media glorify violence, and mock profession must do a better job of pro- and an eternal flame should shine in intellect. moting itself. Have you ever heard the center of the room. Outside, two We must put the hammer back in kids say they want to be diplomats statues of Marines at guard would pay our toolbox, and start wielding diplo- when they grow up? When was the tribute to their commitment to protect macy instead. When that paradigm last time you saw a Hollywood block- us and to risk their life for us all over shift happens, then the State Depart- buster about a helpful U.S. diplomat in the world. ment will get the recognition, respect a far-off country, or a sitcom or drama Hopefully, President Barack Obama and funding it deserves. And perhaps set in an embassy? and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham the world will be a safer place. If diplomacy is to hold a place of re- Clinton will agree that the time has So how do we get there? We need spect in the pantheon of American come for such a memorial and will set to change the American culture, par- ideals, it must start promoting itself. the wheels in motion to create this ticularly how it perceives diplomacy. Good or bad, that’s how America works. honor for those who have given their Negotiations need to be seen as “cool,” The Defense Department already lives in service to their country. Simi- instead of scoffed at. We must collec- does this. Count up all the movies, TV larly, its dedication would be a perfect tively agree that the true definition of shows, video games, books, magazines, venue for our political leadership to ac- etc., celebrating the armed forces. knowledge the sacrifices our diplo- There are a lot of them, and this is no matic and civilian personnel deployed accident. The military has been very abroad make. You Are Our deliberate about promoting itself in the One of the greatest honors I had as American consciousness. a Foreign Service secretary for 21 years Eyes & In conclusion, I agree with Pres. was to work on Secretary of State visits Johnson’s two suggestions, but feel that to post. My second tour was in Malay- Ears! a more comprehensive approach is re- sia, where I served in the Regional Se- quired. Thank you for your work. curity Office. Vince Santilli On the day of my arrival in Kuala Dear Readers: Orlando, Fla. Lumpur in 1977, several Japanese Red Army gunmen overran the consular In order to produce a high- A Monument to Diplomacy section. After seizing the U.S. consul, quality product, the FSJ depends on the revenue it earns from The suggestion in the November the Swedish chargé d’affaires and 50 advertising. You can help President’s Views column (“Rebrand- other hostages, they demanded the re- with this. ing the Foreign Service”) to construct lease of seven members of their group an outside memorial to diplomacy is being held in Japanese jails. Please let us know the names of companies that have provided wonderful and timely. This site, which During this crisis, I worked closely good service to you — a hotel, I suggest calling the Diplomacy for with the RSO and embassy Marine se- insurance company, auto Peace Memorial, should be located in curity guards. A memory I still treas- dealership, or other concern. the vicinity of the Lincoln Memorial or ure is when, on July 1, 1977, the Vietnam Memorial, where thousands Marines surprised me with a certificate A referral from our readers is the best entrée! of visitors will find it each year. I stand signed by the entire regiment at post ready to contribute the first $100 to- proclaiming me an honorary Marine. Ed Miltenberger ward its completion. Catherine I. Postupack Advertising & Circulation Manager I suggest constructing a marble Foreign Service specialist, Tel: (202) 944-5507 gazebo whose inside ribs would be en- retired E-mail: [email protected] graved with the names of Foreign Tamaqua, Pa. ■

8 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 01-15_FSJ_0110_FRO:first 12/18/09 7:47 AM Page 9

CYBERNOTES

Follow the Money: The Shape a growing recognition that key emerg- Taking On Cyberwarfare of the World in 2050 ing-market countries were not ade- At a Nov. 17 hearing, the Senate Ju- Though its September summit in quately represented in the global diciary Committee’s Terrorism and Pittsburgh proved a relatively low-key economic discussion and governance. Homeland Security Subcommittee event, the Group of 20 is steadily The group includes the G-8 plus Ar- heard testimony from public and pri- emerging as the world’s official forum gentina, Australia, Brazil, China, India, vate experts on the state of U.S. cyber- on global economic matters, replacing Indonesia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South security, “one of the most important the Group of Eight (France, Germany, Africa, South Korea, Turkey and the subjects — and frankly one of the most Italy, Japan, Britain, the U.S., Canada European Union. complicated subjects — that Congress and Russia). Over the past decade, the G-20 has and the Obama administration must By most accounts, this is as it should worked through five groups to develop address in the coming months,” as Sub- be. A recent study in the Carnegie En- consensus on a range of issues, includ- committee Chairman Benjamin L. dowment for International Peace’s In- ing setting policies for growth, reduc- Cardin, D-Md., put it in his opening ternational Economics Bulletin pre- ing abuse of the financial system, statement. dicts that by 2032 China will become dealing with financial crises and com- The administration’s “comprehen- the world’s largest economy, growing 20 bating terrorist financing. The group sive, clean-slate review” of the topic in percent larger than the United States also plays a significant role in matters May came to the alarming conclusion by 2050. Over the next 40 years, nearly concerned with reform of the interna- that “the federal government is not or- 60 percent of the world’s growth will tional financial architecture. ganized to address this growing prob- come from Brazil, China, India, Russia The ongoing world economic crisis lem effectively now or in the future.” and Mexico alone. is testing the group’s effectiveness. At Responsibilities for cybersecurity are Though as a group these emerging summits in April and September, the distributed across a wide array of fed- markets will increasingly define eco- G-20 committed themselves to steps to eral departments and agencies, many nomic dynamics, they will not be the restore economic growth, fix the bro- with overlapping jurisdiction, and none world’s richest in per capita terms: their ken regulatory system and introduce have sufficient authority to direct ac- average per capita income in 2050 will reforms to prevent future destabiliza- tions that deal with these complex is- still be some 40 percent below that of tion. The Pittsburgh summit saw adop- sues in a consistent way. A successful the G-8 (minus Russia) today. As the tion of a framework for strong, cyberattack could cripple sectors of our IEB notes, the emergence of the G-20 sustainable and balanced growth, and a government, economy and essential signals the beginning of a more inte- follow-up communiqué from London services. grated and complex economic era. in early November reported continued Over the past several years, inci- The Group of 20 Finance Ministers progress toward implementation of the dents involving Beijing, in particular, and Central Bank Governors was plans. have acted to push cyberwarfare up on founded in 1999 as a response both to The next G-20 meeting, in June, will the national security agenda. At the the financial crises of the late 1990s and take place in Canada. hearing, prominent government and

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 9 01-15_FSJ_0110_FRO:first 12/18/09 7:47 AM Page 10

C YBERNOTES

tion. Every year, billions of dollars in il- tional Integrity System studies and a eople are questioning why he licit assets — equivalent to almost half new annual report tracking trans- Phas not already solved the of all development assistance funds — parency in measures to combat corrup- world’s problems. But the whole flows out of countries desperately in tion at some 500 leading companies. point of [President Barack] need,” states the U.S. chapter of Trans- The group’s latest publication is a re- Obama’s campaign was that the parency International. Calling for “a port on the Organization for Economic power and responsibility to consistent and coherent attack on cor- Cooperation and Development’s anti- change the world is distributed. ruption” by U.S. foreign policy and its bribery convention that finds its en- development assistance programs, the forcement extremely uneven. — British Foreign Secretary organization urges Washington to in- David Miliband, addressing tensify its partnership with foreign gov- Democracy in Decline? the Fabian Society in London, ernments to enhance oversight institu- “Although the number of formal Nov. 7, www.fabians.org.uk/ tions. democracies remains constant world- TI’s 2009 Corruption Perceptions wide, in many cases their quality is Index shows that the practice is as ram- showing a significant decline.” This is private-sector experts, including the pant as ever around the world. “Over- the conclusion reached by the fourth vice-chairman of the U.S.-China Eco- all results in the 2009 index are of great survey of the Transformation Index, a nomic and Security Review Commis- concern because corruption continues study released Dec. 3 by the Bertels- sion, addressed the state of efforts to to lurk where opacity rules, where in- mann Stiftung, Germany’s largest pri- defend against cyberattacks; explored stitutions still need strengthening and vate nonprofit foundation. the appropriate balance between im- where governments have not imple- Among the countries with the most proving cybersecurity and protecting mented anticorruption frameworks,” successful governance over the past few the privacy rights and civil rights of cit- said TI in a statement. years, the survey cites Uruguay, Chile, izens; and discussed the proper role of Somalia is at the bottom of the list, Estonia, South Korea and Brazil. government in setting standards for the ranked most corrupt, with Afghanistan, Those identified as having the worst private sector and taking control of the Myanmar, Sudan and Iraq not far be- political leadership are North Korea, Internet or computer systems in an hind. Conversely, New Zealand, Den- Zimbabwe, Myanmar, Somalia and emergency. mark, Sweden and Singapore — Uzbekistan. Meanwhile, the Arms Control Asso- countries with political stability, long- Though nearly four billion people ciation suggests that it may be time to established conflict of interest regula- live in democracies today, compared consider an international convention on tions and functioning public institutions with only 2.5 billion in autocracies and cyberwarfare. In the November issue — are at the top of the list of the least dictatorships, a cautionary note lies in of Arms Control Today, Stanford Uni- corrupt. The U.S. ranked 19th. the fact that among the democracies versity security expert David Elliott re- But TI cautions the advanced, least social integration and opportunities for views the background to this idea, corrupt countries against complacency, real participation in the political deci- suggests how an agreement might re- pointing out that the practice of bribery sion-making process are, in many cases, strict cyberattacks by one state-party and the facilitation of corruption often increasingly limited. against the critical national infrastruc- involve businesses based in their coun- Of the 76 democracies studied, as ture of another, and examines the pros tries. “Financial secrecy jurisdictions, many as 53 are classified as “defective and cons of such restrictions from a linked to many countries that top the democracies” because, despite rela- U.S. perspective. CPI, severely undermine efforts to tively free and fair elections, they fail to tackle corruption and recover stolen as- adequately protect political and civil Shining a Light in Dark Corners sets,” the survey notes. liberties and lack an effective separa- “Over $1 trillion in bribes are paid That’s why TI complements the tion of powers. Significantly, the share annually, with $1.5 trillion in public index with research and advocacy on of moderately defective democracies purchasing tainted by bribery, fraud, the “supply side” of global corruption, has dropped from 62 percent to about collusion and other forms of corrup- including a Bribe Payers Index, Na- 49 percent over the past four years,

10 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 01-15_FSJ_0110_FRO:first 12/18/09 7:47 AM Page 11

C YBERNOTES

five Rwandan soldiers who were mem- 50 Years Ago... bers of the joint African Union-U.N. et transport has many implications for the Foreign Service. Mission in Darfur were killed in two J… So-called “personal diplomacy” may become increas- separate incidents by unknown gun- ingly attractive. High-ranking diplomats may prefer to “go there themselves” men on Dec. 4 and 5. At the same when no point on the globe is over 20 or 30 smooth hours away by direct time, United Nations Secretary Gen- flight. Large, expensive posts abroad may give way to smaller listening posts eral Ban Ki-moon appointed his special backed up by flying squads of highly-trained diplomats and experts. Further- envoy to Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari, more, why waste time and money on encoding, transmitting and decoding to take over UNAMID, the U.N.’s telegraphic messages when 600-mile-an-hour jets can speed written texts? largest peacekeeping effort, on Dec. 4. Days later, he placed a call to Sudan —– From “The Foreign Service and the Jet Age” by Albert W. Stoffel, President Omar al-Bashir urging his January 1960 FSJ. “direct engagement” in securing the release of two members of UNAMID while highly defective democracies tion countries. The Bertelsmann Found- who were taken hostage in August. now account for more than 20 percent ation and the Center for Applied Polit- The April elections, as well as a ref- — twice the level four years earlier. ical Research at Munich University col- erendum scheduled for January 2011 When it comes to holding free and laborate in its production. on whether the semi-autonomous and fair elections, defective democracies oil-rich south should secede, are a cru- now perform substantially worse than Election 2010 in Sudan: cial test for the Obama administration’s they did four years ago; this is particu- A Testing Time new, comprehensive strategy for Sudan larly true of Kenya and Nicaragua. The April 10 general election in launched in October. The House Similarly, there has been a decline in Sudan, the country’s first multiparty Committee on Foreign Affairs’ hear- respect for freedom of assembly and vote in more than two decades, is a crit- ings on Dec. 3 provided an interim the right to organize in Kenya, Mada- ical benchmark for that country and the progress report on that strategy, which gascar, Niger, South Africa and region. As of early December, as many is focused on three goals: definitively Uganda. Even such advanced democ- as 12 million voters had registered, ending conflict, gross human rights racies as Ghana, Croatia, Serbia and though the opposition claims irregular- abuses and genocide in Darfur; imple- South Korea offer cause for concern, ities and those displaced from Darfur menting the 2005 Comprehensive according to the survey. are refusing to register until peace is re- Peace Agreement between North and According to its authors, the survey stored there. South; and ensuring that Sudan does offers some pointers to policymakers. Authorities in Khartoum have ex- not become a safe haven for interna- Supporters of development and demo- tended the registration deadline and tional terrorists. cratic transformation are advised to balloting to facilitate more participa- By all accounts, Washington is pro- zero in on countries with a high level of tion. But many observers remain con- ceeding on many levels with intensity democratic legitimacy and relatively cerned about the unevenness of repre- and tight coordination of an intera- good governance but that lag in socioe- sentation across constituencies. gency effort. The central conclusion of conomic progress. Targeted economic A rally in Khartoum on Dec. 7, or- the exhaustive review process preced- assistance to such countries can shore ganized by the Sudan People’s Liber- ing the administration’s new policy was up their weak democratic regimes be- ation Movement to demand electoral that success could not be achieved by fore worsening poverty and an in- reform to prevent fraud, was met with focusing exclusively on Darfur or the equitable income distribution under- tear gas, police batons and the arrest CPA implementation. Both goals must mine their legitimacy altogether. of three senior party figures. Indica- be addressed seriously and simultane- The Transformation Index analyzes tions of renewed fighting in southern ously as part of efforts to resolve and and evaluates the quality of democracy, Sudan are also causing serious con- prevent conflict throughout Sudan. the market economy and political man- cern. U.S. diplomacy must be sustained agement in 128 developing and transi- Meanwhile, in the Darfur region, and broad, the review concluded, en-

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 11 01-15_FSJ_0110_FRO:first 12/18/09 7:47 AM Page 12

C YBERNOTES

WWW.FSJOURNAL.ORG Click on the Marketplace tab on the marquee Site of the Month: wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/ If you’re living abroad or contemplating an international trip, don’t leave home AFSA Legacy without the URL for the Center for Disease Control’s Travelers’ Health Web site at www.afsa.org wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/. This straightforward and comprehensive resource covers the health issues travelers may encounter, from A to Z. AKA There you can find reports on disease outbreaks and health-related develop- stay-aka.com ments around the world, specific health information on more than 200 destinations and tips on preparing for a stay abroad. You will also find the 2010 edition of “CDC Clements International Health Information for International Travel,” an authoritative guide known as the clements.com “Yellow Book.” Under the heading “Information for Specific Groups and Settings,” the site of- Cort Furniture fers advice for traveling with children, traveling with pets, travelers who have spe- cort1.com cial needs, disaster relief workers and individuals studying abroad. Under “Vaccinations,” you will find everything you need to know on that topic, including Diplomatic Auto. Sales lists of routine and recommended vaccinations and a checklist to ensure you are diplosales.com covered. And, under “Illness and Injury Abroad,” is information on the steps to take in case of a medical emergency abroad, including links to specific, relevant Fox Hill sections of the Yellow Book. foxhillseniorcondominium.com compassing not just the ruling National help bring peace to Sudan. Our coun- Georgetown Suites Congress Party, the opposition SPLM try must fully utilize all of our instru- georgetownsuites.com and major Darfuri rebel groups, but ments of statecraft in this endeavor,” he also critical regional and international emphasized. Hirshorn Company, The actors. Moreover, progress is to be Testimony was also provided by hirshorn.com measured by verifiable changes in con- Randy Newcomb of Humanity United; ditions on the ground. the former head of the U.N. Panel of “As part of the U.S. Strategy on Experts on the Sudan, Enrico Carish; SDFCU Sudan, senior officials from the intera- and John Prendergast of the Enough sdfcu.org gency will meet in early 2010 for the Project. In addition, Lt. Gen. Nhial first in a series of quarterly interagency Deng Nhial representing an official Strategic Studies Quarterly reviews designed to assess whether delegation from Sudan briefed the au.af.mil/au/ssq progress or backsliding has occurred panel. and agree on whether incentives or For ongoing coverage of develop- Tetra Tech pressures are warranted,” Maj. Gen. ments in Sudan, see http://allafrica. tetratech.com Scott Gration, the U.S. special envoy to com/sudan/. To track military devel- Sudan, explained in his detailed testi- opments, go to www.strategypage. WJD mony to the Subcommittee on Africa com/qnd/sudan/default.aspx. And wjdpm.com and Global Health. for news and background on U.S. pol- “With regard to Darfur and to rela- icy in Sudan, go to www.state.gov/ tions between North and South, we will s/sudan/index.htm. ■ not waste a minute in achieving our objectives for a peaceful and stable Sudan. This edition of Cybernotes was com- We do not have the luxury of time. piled by Senior Editor Susan Brady When contacting an advertiser, kindly What we do have is the determination Maitra, with assistance from Editorial mention the Foreign Service Journal. of the United States and its partners to Intern Amanda Anderson.

12 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 01-15_FSJ_0110_FRO:first 12/18/09 7:47 AM Page 13

SPEAKING OUT The Population Bomb Is Still Ticking

BY MICHAEL FRITZ

aul Ehrlich’s 1968 book, The variation in fertility rates can have huge Population Bomb, hit America’s I call on my fellow implications for the size of the eventual Pcollege campuses with the in- professionals in world population, and taking into ac- tellectual force of a futurist’s impro- development and count the lack of family planning ac- vised explosive device. It challenged diplomacy not just to cess in much of the world, 9.2 billion Americans to consider — many for the may well be a “best case” scenario. first time — the potential for chaos and monitor and report upheaval hidden within unfolding on the population Back to the Future global demographic trends. debate, but to lead Historically, the U.S. conducted a A student at the time, I still vividly the discussion. strong population assistance program recall the power of Ehrlich’s message: that enjoyed consistent bipartisan sup- the explosive growth of the human port through numerous administra- race affects all issues on the global tions. Its longstanding policy objec- agenda, from regional conflict and billion human beings — is equal to the tives have been to enhance the free- habitat loss to depletion of energy, food entire global population in 1950. dom of individuals to choose the num- and water resources. Paradoxically, it will be the poorest, ber and spacing of their children, and That premise is truer today than least developed nations that see the to encourage population growth con- ever before. In fact, it obligates us to greatest growth in population, as their sistent with the growth of economic re- take action. Unless population size is population rises from 5.4 billion to 7.9 sources and productivity. factored into policy decisions, we will billion. Staggering as such numbers There is also a strong rationale for never achieve valid, sustainable solu- are, they are actually quite conserva- population assistance in terms of im- tions to problems like global warming tive, for they assume a rise in contra- proving maternal and child health. and energy independence. So if we ceptive use, coupled with a decline in Various justifications for this have held care about the future of our children, fertility. (The calculations also factor sway at different times, but all are im- then we need to be concerned about in deaths from HIV/AIDS, as well as portant. Many factors lead to people the effects of population growth on projected migration patterns.) having fewer children: female educa- each and every one of those issues. Specifically, the figure assumes that tion, improved child survival, access to fertility will continue to decline in de- contraception, and economic growth The Scope of the Problem veloping countries, from 2.75 children that offers opportunities to women out- There are all sorts of population per woman to 2.05 children per side the home, changing the calculus growth scenarios, but a frequently woman by 2050. (The degree of fertil- for how they most productively spend cited one comes from the United Na- ity reduction projected for the 50 least their time. tions Population Division. It forecasts developed countries is even sharper: Of all of these, access to contracep- that by 2050, the number of humans from 4.63 children per woman in tion is one of the easiest to implement, on the planet will have grown by a 2005-2010 to 2.50 children per woman has the most direct effect, and has had third, from 6.7 billion to 9.2 billion, be- in 2045-2050.) measurable success. Average family fore leveling off. That increase — 2.5 Given the fact that even the tiniest size has fallen by half in the develop-

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 13 01-15_FSJ_0110_FRO:first 12/18/09 7:47 AM Page 14

S PEAKING O UT

ing world since the 1960s, and contra- our host-country government counter- ceptive use has increased from under parts. New Urbanism design princi- 10 percent to over 50 percent. Our status as the largest ples and practices bring together the Yet while all these programs affect ideas and plans to create enjoyable population growth, none has popula- bilateral donor in the places in which to live and work, while tion reduction as an explicit goal. In greatly reducing energy use. fact, over the past decade serious dis- field of population Designing away the need for cars is cussion of these issues has been con- the most important step in creating spicuously lacking in the United States, assistance gives us a sustainable communities. This has the in both the foreign and domestic policy triple effect of lowering our energy use debates. platform to exert (especially imported energy), reducing Al Gore’s 2006 movie, “An Incon- global warming and raising our quality venient Truth,” gave much of the world leadership in how the of life in cities by increasing mobility a wake-up call on global warming. In and convenience. my opinion, however, he missed an op- issue is framed. Yet for most on the cutting edge of portunity to link these problems to New Urbanism, population, which population growth. should be an obvious factor, is not even Take a simple example. Even if half mentioned. The world simply cannot the world switched to hybrid cars, that afford for everyone to consume as we would help only marginally with global unique opportunity, a golden moment have in recent years, even though that warming, urban growth and conges- in which we must rethink the meaning is largely what the rest of the world as- tion, habitat loss, and other key prob- of community and the means to pires to do. lems. This is because rapidly growing achieve this new vision. We in the West are bad role mod- populations in the developing world Fortunately, Washington’s status as els. We must change our own behav- are demanding more and more auto- the largest bilateral donor in the field ior at the same time that we are asking mobiles. (China and India are already of population assistance gives us a plat- others to change theirs. In a March mass-producing large numbers of ve- form to exert global leadership in fram- New York Times column, Thomas hicles for their own needs.) ing the issue. The Obama administra- Friedman suggested that we are all Yes, perhaps the economic crisis has tion’s Fiscal Year 2010 request for State part of a gigantic Ponzi scheme where slowed that process down. But let’s not and USAID’s family planning and re- we are living beyond our financial and believe that the trend won’t resume productive health programs totals $593 economic means. Perhaps, Friedman once economic conditions are more fa- million. opined, in our journey down the road vorable — unless we promote a differ- of continuous growth we have hit the ent perspective. In fact, the global America As a Role Model proverbial wall. economic slowdown presents us with a As Erlich wrote four decades ago, Population growth underscores the addressing population growth is the danger of a worldview that considers State and USAID Funding key to the big-picture issues in the de- continuous growth a worthy goal in for Family Planning and veloping and developed world. We and of itself, without regard to its con- Reproductive Health need to ask ourselves what kind of sequences. communities we want to live in — and FY 2006 $430 million then ask the same question of the citi- Light at the FY 2007 $451 million zens of other countries. End of the Tunnel? FY 2008 $471 million In an era of dwindling oil supplies There are signs that the population FY 2009 $572 million and rising energy costs, the need for bomb is beginning to attract serious at- FY 2010 request $593 million low-energy lifestyles has never been tention again. In 2008, Time magazine Source: Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and Administrator of USAID, Department of State greater. In fact, energy efficiency is published a commentary in which one of the top priorities for many of General Michael Hayden, a former di-

14 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 01-15_FSJ_0110_FRO:first 12/18/09 7:47 AM Page 15

S PEAKING O UT

rector of the Central Intelligence not just to monitor and report on the Agency, warned that the sheer size of debate, but to lead the discussion. the projected increase in population If we care about the A 1969 quote from Richard Nixon could fuel instability and extremism, reminds us that we’ve remained too exacerbate climate change and make future of our children, silent for far too long: “One of the most food and fuel even scarcer. serious challenges to human destiny in Similarly, the December 2009 edi- then we need to be the last third of this century will be the tion of Scientific American includes a growth of population. Whether man’s commentary by Jeffrey D. Sachs titled concerned about response to that challenge will be a “Can We Feed and Save the Planet?”, cause for pride or for despair in the in which he contends that the chal- the effects of year 2000 will depend very much on lenges of population control and food what we do today.” ■ production need to be tackled in tan- population growth. dem. Michael Fritz, a Senior Foreign Serv- And Live Science recently posted a ice officer, joined USAID in 1988. He story titled: “Save the Planet: Have has served in Cote d’Ivoire, Burundi, Fewer Kids.” Op-eds have also ap- Ukraine, Bosnia, Kazakhstan, Bul- peared in various publications arguing essential multiplier for any number of garia and Washington, D.C., and is for more funding for family planning. human ills, I call on my fellow profes- currently mission director in Macedo- Given that population growth is the sionals in development and diplomacy nia.

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 15 16-25_FSJ_0110_FOC:firstlook 12/18/09 7:50 AM Page 16

C OVER S TORY

USAID: SIGNS OF GROWTH Jeff Kogel

ADMINISTRATOR-DESIGNATE RAJIV SHAHISWELL- REGARDED, BUT HIS NOMINATION DOES NOT RESOLVE LINGERING DOUBTS ABOUT THE AGENCY’S FUTURE.

BY SHAWN ZELLER

hen Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited the headquarters of the U.S. Agency for International Development on her second day in office, she told the nearly 1,000 agency employees who turned out for her speechW that the new administration was committed to boosting resources for development. “I wanted to come here today with a very simple message: I believe in development, and I believe with all my heart that it truly is an equal partner, along with defense and diplomacy, in the furtherance of America’s national security,” she

16 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 16-25_FSJ_0110_FOC:firstlook 12/18/09 7:50 AM Page 17

C OVER S TORY

said last January. the leadership drift on an ongoing dispute within the ad- In keeping with that commitment, President Barack ministration over the agency’s relationship with the State Obama’s Fiscal Year 2010 budget called for a doubling of Department. “What’s happened is there is a fight going foreign assistance funding by 2015, along with a doubling on over control of USAID,” says Andrew Natsios, the of USAID’s Foreign Service work force. Congress duly agency’s administrator from 2001 through 2005. “You have approved enough funds for USAID to hire 300 Foreign the National Security Council and the White House on Service officers in FY 09, and the agency plans to add an- one side and Secretary Clinton on the other. Clinton is ar- other 350 this year. USAID obligated more than $16 bil- guing for more absorption into the State Department.” lion in program funds in FY 09, compared with $13 billion To be sure, she has denied any such intentions, blam- in 2007. ing the protracted delay in naming Shah on the arduous Meanwhile, for the first time in years, Congress has vetting process for top-level appointees. Clinton cited that launched an effort to rewrite the law that governs U.S. de- problem when one potential nominee, the renowned velopment aid overseas, the 1961 Foreign Assistance Act. physician and humanitarian Paul Farmer, withdrew his Doing so, USAID’s supporters hope, will provide the name from consideration this past summer. However, nu- agency with the clear direction it needs to succeed and free merous USAID staffers have said the delay was mainly due it from the multitude of mission goals that Congress has to uncertainty about the agency’s future, a limbo that has heaped on it since the last Foreign Assistance Act reau- made the top job unappealing. thorization in 1985. “I know if someone offered me the job, I wouldn’t take Advocates of a strong USAID also detected hopeful it under the current circumstances,” says J. Brian Atwood, signs in some of Pres. Obama’s early appointments. Two USAID administrator during the Clinton administration, key members of his National Security Council staff, Gayle now dean of the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Smith and Michael McFaul, have advocated making Affairs at the University of Minnesota. “Increasingly, USAID a Cabinet agency, which would be a far-reaching USAID is expected to show results for its work, and the way to restore its influence. (Smith was previously a sen- administrator is held accountable for those results. But I ior staffer at the Center for American Progress, while Mc- wouldn’t know what authority I would have, or whether I Faul was director of the Center on Democracy, Develop- would have the independence and budget authority and ment and Rule of Law at Stanford University.) autonomy to reach those results.” Now, a year into President Obama’s first term, with a Shah receives good reviews, both for his work during new administrator finally nominated — Rajiv Shah, a 36- his short tenure at the Agriculture Department — he year-old medical doctor who was previously an executive served as the department’s under secretary for research, with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, was named education and economics and its chief scientist last year in mid-November — many observers cling to the hope — and for his previous work at the Gates Foundation. that the president is still attentive to the need to revitalize There he oversaw agricultural development grants, was the USAID. That commitment is essential, most believe, if foundation’s director of financial services to the poor and the United States is ever to have an effective development led a strategic initiative aimed at recommending new areas program: one that successfully assists the poor and at the for grantmaking. same time burnishes our image in a world deeply skepti- Samuel A. Worthington, president and chief executive of cal of U.S. intentions. InterAction, a coalition of 150 nongovernmental organizations that provide humanitarian and development assis- Hopes Tempered tance, expressed approval of Shah’s enthusiasm and Skeptics, however, cite the extraordinarily long delay in management skills, but said he had a tough task ahead. “It appointing an administrator as evidence that a streamlin- is our hope that he will bring that same energy and man- ing of foreign assistance and resolution of the agency’s ex- agement expertise to an agency that desperately needs istential dilemma will not be quick or easy. Many blame strong and vigorous leadership, especially considering the complexity of issues he’ll find in his in-box,” Worthington Shawn Zeller, a regular contributor to the Journal, is a free- said. Among those, Worthington noted, are the budget lance writer in Washington, D.C. process, development work in Afghanistan and Pakistan,

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 17 16-25_FSJ_0110_FOC:firstlook 12/18/09 7:50 AM Page 18

C OVER S TORY

and two ongoing studies of USAID’s Despite the increases in up with the growing demand for de- mission and agenda. velopment assistance. The timing of those studies, both funding and staff pledged by Former American Foreign Serv- launched last year, reinforced sus- ice Association President J. Anthony picions that the delay in the ap- Obama, morale at USAID Holmes has gone even further. pointment of an administrator was a Given the 75-percent decline in deliberate power play by State to remains at a low ebb. USAID staffing since the 1970s, the win greater control of USAID. The agency is “simply not able to do its State Department, at Clinton’s di- job” and has “no surge capacity at rection, launched a quadrennial review to set the depart- all,” he wrote in Foreign Affairs (January/February 2009). ment’s diplomatic and development goals moving forward. Holmes believes that to pursue the type of nationbuilding And in August, Pres. Obama signed a Presidential Study activities now expected of it, USAID requires a 150-per- Directive authorizing a governmentwide review of U.S. cent increase in its Foreign Service staffing. global development policy. As Atwood points out, When Pres. Obama stressed his belief in the virtues of USAID’s administrator was supposed to co-chair the State soft power during his inaugural address, retired State De- Department review. “I think that no matter how it comes partment Foreign Service officer Ron Capps was one of out, there may be questions raised because USAID wasn’t many who applauded. Capps had seen the implications of represented at the political level” during the months be- USAID’s staffing crisis in the field. He had begun his 25- fore Shah’s confirmation, he said. year government career in the Army, and his time working Still, the fact that Obama is taking a close look at the with State in Africa, Kosovo and Iraq only reinforced his development mission is a good thing, says Gordon Adams, respect for the military. Yet Capps — like many of his fel- a professor of foreign policy at American University in low FSOs — is skeptical of the growing role the military is Washington and a senior national security official in the playing in development programs overseas, at the expense Clinton administration. “I understand the frustration at of civilian agencies. not having an administrator. That said, the body English When he retired from the Foreign Service in 2008, is right, the desire to make development a more substan- Capps joined the humanitarian relief group Refugees In- tial part of U.S. development seems like more than just lip ternational as its peacekeeping manager. On a trip to in- service, and it’s clear the issue is being addressed seriously.” vestigate the extent of the shift in development dollars toward the Department of Defense, he stopped in Nema, The Gordian Knot a Saharan desert town more than 1,000 kilometers inland But despite the increases in funding and staff pledged by from Mauritania’s coastal capital, Nouakchott. DOD had Obama, morale at USAID remains at a low ebb. Its staff funded the construction of a medical clinic there, so Capps is just over half the size it was 35 years ago, due to a steady was surprised to find that it was not being used. It turned “brain drain” that has left the agency scrambling for tech- out that Mauritania’s government was uninterested in pro- nical experts and people to oversee them. To make do, viding the materials and manpower to operate it. agency officials have been forced to raid the development The problem, as Capps later detailed in a report for his budget to hire contractors to manage the contractors in the new employer, was that the U.S. soldiers coordinating the field. As former USAID Administrators Atwood, Natsios project had turned to their counterparts in the Mauritan- and M. Peter McPherson pointed out in an article in For- ian military to secure a site on land controlled by the Min- eign Affairs (November/December 2008), the agency at istry of Defense. But they hadn’t brought the Ministry of the end of George W. Bush’s presidency employed just six Health into the loop, which might have been able to tell engineers and 16 agricultural experts. them that the site, in a military zone, would be very diffi- In late 2008, the American Academy of Diplomacy and cult for average civilians to reach. the Henry L. Stimson Center recommended an increase Things might have gone better, Capps believes, if the of 1,250 new USAID officers by 2013. Without the in- Pentagon’s new Africa Command, which is overseeing crease, the AAD/Stimson Center report said, USAID such development efforts, had conferred with the USAID would not be able to function effectively, much less keep mission in Nouakchott before undertaking the project.

18 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 16-25_FSJ_0110_FOC:firstlook 12/18/09 7:50 AM Page 19

C OVER S TORY

But then he discovered that there is no USAID office in than a quarter of all foreign assistance funding. Mauritania. It closed in 1995. The war in Iraq provided a perfect opening for the Pen- Such situations constitute further evidence of the press- tagon to encroach on USAID and State’s turf. In the af- ing need to begin rebuilding the leading civilian develop- termath of the fall of Saddam Hussein, the Coalition ment agency in the U.S. government. Starved of staff to Provisional Authority (controlled by the United States) manage an increasing project budget, it has turned to con- granted broad discretion to military leaders to make use tractors, not only to carry out its development work but also of Iraqi Ba’ath Party funds seized during the war. Two to oversee it. That process has not always been smooth or years later, in 2005, the Pentagon issued Directive 3000.05, cost-effective for the taxpayer. Making matters worse, which explicitly named development work as part of the USAID has been asked to change from an infrastructure- military mission. The mandate was broad, directing com- building agency to one that builds democratic institutions. manders to “rebuild indigenous institutions including var- “They can’t do either with the number of people they ious types of security forces, correctional facilities and have,” says Capps. “That’s the Gordian knot around judicial systems” and to “revive or build the private sector, USAID.” including encouraging citizen-driven, bottom-up economic activity and constructing necessary infrastructure” Pentagon Encroachment as well as “representative governmental institutions.” Meanwhile, as Capps found, other government agen- In 2006, Congress included language in its annual de- cies, most prominently the Department of Defense, have fense authorization bill providing explicit funding for such begun managing an increasing number of development work, though it has declined to make the authority perma- projects. In recent years, the Pentagon has managed more nent.

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 19 16-25_FSJ_0110_FOC:firstlook 12/18/09 7:50 AM Page 20

C OVER S TORY

The Bush administration’s lack of Rather than seeking to Republican on the Senate Foreign faith in USAID also manifested it- Relations Committee, Richard Lug- self in the decision to push for cre- fold the Millennium ar of Indiana, wrote to Sec. Clinton ation of the Millennium Challenge and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vil- Corporation, which Congress au- Challenge Corporation sack to ask why the Foreign Agri- thorized in 2004 to provide devel- cultural Service, and not USAID, opment assistance to poor demo- into USAID, Pres. Obama was leading agricultural develop- cracies. The administration swayed ment efforts in Afghanistan. Both a skeptical Congress in part by dis- wants to expand it. secretaries responded that FAS’s paraging USAID. work there was part of Obama’s As the argument went, the MCC “one government approach” to would fund only worthy development efforts in countries dealing with the situation in Afghanistan. that respect the rule of law. By comparison, USAID’s work Yet the result of FAS’s expansion into a development was dismissed as overly politicized and ineffective. At the role, along with two dozen other agencies across the gov- same time, during the Bush years, much of the develop- ernment, is a situation where “little or no coordination” ex- ment focus shifted to the President’s Emergency Plan for ists among foreign development programs, Lugar said. AIDS Relief, which was widely praised but notably placed Indeed, he added, “We do not have adequate knowledge outside the control of the USAID Administrator. of whether programs are complementary or working at And as USAID weakened, other agencies have also cross-purposes.” stepped into the void. Last fall, for instance, the ranking Obama has not moved to reverse this trend. In fact,

20 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 16-25_FSJ_0110_FOC:firstlook 12/18/09 7:50 AM Page 21

C OVER S TORY

rather than seeking to fold the Millennium Challenge Cor- ing development have only encountered steeper resist- poration into USAID, as many development experts have ance, particularly as it competes with the Department of urged, the president has sought to expand the MCC, push- Defense. On the one hand, USAID’s proponents argue ing for a 63-percent increase in its funding in FY 2010. that the agency should be the place for experts in creating and fostering democratic institutions. Those experts will Development at War have a credibility their military counterparts lack, these As development has become recognized as a core ele- USAID backers say, because the agency is made up of ment of foreign policy, some dispersion of resources was civilians who pursue their aims with good will, not by mil- probably inevitable, says Worthington of InterAction. But itary might. that makes it all the more important, he says, for USAID On the other hand, USAID officers in the war zones of to have an administrator with authority over development Iraq and Afghanistan have found it difficult to carry out efforts writ large: “It’s important to recognize that the their jobs precisely because those countries are not yet free United States needs multiple development tools that may of violence. To conduct development work in such places, not fit neatly within one agency.” Giving the USAID Ad- USAID officers are often accompanied by soldiers, rais- ministrator authority to coordinate those efforts would be ing questions in the minds of those they are trying to serve “an important step to align the operational side of devel- about just whom they represent. opment work with strategic policy planning.” A December 2008 Congressional Research Service re- Still, as the concept of development has shifted from port concluded that when military personnel are directly infrastructure projects to nationbuilding activities, involved in providing humanitarian assistance and other USAID’s efforts to regain its pre-eminent role in oversee- humanitarian acts, such aid can be viewed as jeopardizing

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 21 16-25_FSJ_0110_FOC:firstlook 12/18/09 7:50 AM Page 22

C OVER S TORY

the lives and work of aid workers by Many members of Congress when it had the full support of Con- “stigmatizing them as participants gress and the White House, would in a military effort.” Francisco feel they can’t justify a be a stretch. After all, foreign aid has Zamora, AFSA’s USAID vice presi- always been a tough sell to a skepti- dent, says the militarization of de- big foreign aid budget to cal public. velopment work should not be But if such a period ever existed, taken lightly. “The question is, can their constituents, who see it came in the first years after we actually have long-term devel- USAID’s creation in 1961, when the opment when the country we’re little direct benefit from it. Kennedy administration put a pre- working in has not been normal- mium on assistance to developing ized?” nations. In sharp contrast to the cur- An anecdote shared by Phil Christensen, a former as- rent, balkanized state of U.S. development efforts, Pres. sistant USAID administrator, before the House Foreign Af- Kennedy championed USAID as a uniter of then-disparate fairs Committee last March, makes the point plain. He government efforts. Its early programs focused on spurring described the challenge faced by a USAID employee in development in Latin America and on combating commu- Kabul who, when he went to visit an Afghan contact a few nism in Asia, particularly in Vietnam. In 1975, at the end miles from town, was accompanied by guards in an ar- of the Vietnam War, the agency employed 4,300 perma- mored vehicle. They were followed by another car filled nent U.S. staffers and engaged in hands-on infrastructure with armed guards. work, digging wells and building bridges. When they got to the man’s house, Christensen said, the But even by the early 1970s, Congress was losing in- USAID employee was told to stay in the car while the sol- terest in foreign aid, failing repeatedly to pass authorizing diers secured the scene. The guards even pointed their legislation to direct USAID’s mission. Opposition to the guns at the man’s family and dog, Christensen said. Only Vietnam War and concerns that development work was then was the USAID employee allowed to do his job. “This too tied up in military initiatives were to blame. And like is no way to win hearts and minds,” Christensen said. “We today, many members of Congress simply felt they could would have been better off staying at home.” not justify a big foreign aid budget to their constituents, who saw little direct benefit from it. The Struggle for Relevance The need to maintain Cold War allies kept the agency But to leave USAID out of such efforts risks further going until the early 1990s, when — absent the strategic erosion of the agency’s relevancy, says Natsios. “If you are threat posed by the Soviet Union — its funding collapsed. going to run a counterinsurgency campaign, like General That was also when efforts to incorporate USAID into the [Stanley] McChrystal is in Afghanistan, part of that has to State Department gained momentum. In 1994, Republi- be stabilization. You need USAID officers to do that.” cans in Congress (backed by Vice President Al Gore) pro- And speaking last year before the House Appropriations posed merging USAID, the U.S. Information Agency, and Committee, acting USAID Deputy Administrator James the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency into State. Kunder said that the experience of the provincial recon- Four years later, the Foreign Affairs Reform and Re- struction teams in Afghanistan — joint development teams structuring Act of 1998 abolished USIA and ACDA, bring- made up of representatives from the State Department, ing most of their functions into the State Department. USAID and Defense — made it clear that development USAID remained independent but was placed under the experts were needed. authority and guidance of the Secretary of State. Still, he acknowledged, in other ways USAID person- The revival of foreign aid after the Sept. 11, 2001, ter- nel were ill-prepared for the mission and needed to be rorist attacks boosted USAID’s program budget to $13 bil- equipped for their jobs as soldiers are. “We ought to look lion by 2007, up more than 60 percent from a decade at these folks as special forces troops that need to be max- earlier. But the failure of staffing to keep pace left USAID imally equipped with the best technology America has to overburdened. The agency, for instance, would like each offer,” he said. of its contracting officers to manage between $10 million To say that there was ever a golden age for USAID, and $14 million in projects per year; but in 2008, the av-

22 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 16-25_FSJ_0110_FOC:firstlook 12/18/09 7:50 AM Page 23

C OVER S TORY

erage was $57 million per manager. developing country assistance strategies, leaving some Nor did the new project funding end the debate over country plans out of date and creating a great deal of pa- USAID’s role vis-a-vis State. “There is a continuum of perwork for the agency’s already overworked staff. views, with some on one end saying it should be a Cabinet- A USAID official in Jordan said that State had “repeat- level agency, and the other side saying we should be folded edly changed its guidance over a short period of time” and entirely into State,” says AFSA’s Zamora. “The foreign aid that “at times the updated guidance contradicted, instead community and, I believe, Congress would prefer we were of built on, previous guidance.” In Ethiopia, USAID staff more autonomous.” complained that relying on State to issue a long-term country strategy had undermined longstanding protocols by State vs. USAID which USAID and Ethiopian officials had previously un- That has not been the trend, however. In 2006, in an dertaken projects. effort to unify foreign assistance programs at the State De- And in Ukraine, USAID officials described how their partment and USAID, Secretary of State Condoleezza efforts to respond to parliamentary elections had been un- Rice consolidated policy, planning and budget authority dermined by State’s bureaucracy. After requesting some for development programs at State. An April 2009 Gov- advance funds to set up programs to support the elections, ernment Accountability Office report found that while the USAID staff were told that approval would require 10 sig- consolidation had given State a better understanding of natures. The six-week delay that followed crippled the USAID’s work, it hadn’t always worked out well for the mission’s ability to implement its pre-election programs. agency’s staff. USAID officials in Washington and the field Natsios, who departed USAID in advance of the 2006 told the GAO investigators that State dragged its feet on changes, contends that, in some ways, the restructuring

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 23 16-25_FSJ_0110_FOC:firstlook 12/18/09 7:50 AM Page 24

C OVER S TORY

enhanced USAID’s authority. The There has never been a former, he argues, makes good USAID Administrator became a top sense; the latter, less so. “The trend deputy in Foggy Bottom, with a say golden age for USAID, is toward strategic integration, and in all development work at both the question then becomes: What State and USAID. But the Obama when it had the full support does it mean on the operational administration’s decision to place side?” USAID under the authority of Jacob of Congress and the J. Lew, the Deputy Secretary of State Congress to the Rescue? for management and resources, Nat- White House. USAID has not often been able sios says, means that “the independ- to turn to Congress for shelter. ent voice of USAID is simply being Lacking a domestic constituency, systematically abolished.” the agency has never garnered much sympathy on Capitol Speaking last fall at a conference in Washington, Lew Hill. What remains of the 1961 Foreign Assistance Act, ac- said he viewed the boundary between State and USAID as cording to Sheila Herrling, director of the Rethinking U.S. an artificial one. “We’re seeing a lot of the development- Foreign Assistance Program at the Center for Global De- vs.-diplomacy line starting to disappear,” he said. “I think velopment, a Washington nonprofit that supports increased that’s ultimately going to be the path to success.” foreign aid, is “outdated, messy, cumbersome and increas- For his part, Adams of American University says there’s ingly irrelevant.” That’s because during more than 40 years a distinction between bringing USAID and State closer on of congressional micromanagement, “hundreds of amend- the strategic end and doing so on the operational side. The ments have added multiple objectives and priorities that in

24 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 16-25_FSJ_0110_FOC:firstlook 12/18/09 7:50 AM Page 25

C OVER S TORY

some cases conflict with one another.” ning functions that migrated to State in 2006. It would also Speaking to the House Appropriations Committee last designate the USAID mission director in each country as February, acting USAID Administrator James Kunder responsible for coordinating all development and humani- was unusually blunt in criticizing congressional leader- tarian assistance. Furthermore, the agency would manage ship. “I’m not here to insult the committee,” he said. But an independent research arm with responsibility for evalu- “at the end of the day, the very bright officers we send off ating the quality of its projects. to carry out our nation’s foreign policy are torn in 100 dif- Berman’s bill would give the administration more dis- ferent directions” because of congressional microman- cretion to develop a broader, governmentwide foreign as- agement. sistance strategy than Kerry’s approach. It is also less But this year, some in Congress are hoping to change specific about whether the administration should integrate that impression. Both John Kerry, the Massachusetts De- State and USAID, and how it might do so. But, like Kerry, mocrat who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Commit- Berman is deeply skeptical of the military takeover of for- tee, and California Democrat Howard Berman, his eign assistance and eager to restore USAID’s relevancy. counterpart atop the House Foreign Affairs Committee, “DOD’s role erases the distinction between military per- have pledged to do what none of their counterparts have sonnel and civilians carrying out similar development ac- since 1985: reauthorize the 1961 Foreign Assistance Act. tivities; ignores best practices, such as sustainability and Kerry has made it clear he would prefer USAID to be effectiveness; and puts a military face on inherently civilian more independent of State Department control. Toward programs,” Berman says. “Shouldn’t our peacetime en- that end, his bill, which was approved by his committee in gagement efforts be carried out by USAID, our nation’s November, would return to USAID the policy and plan- premier development agency?” ■

AFSA Resource Marketplace Find the Most-Requested Resources from the Overseas Briefing Center Online at www.afsa.org/ads

1. FSI’s Transition Center 2. U.S. Department of State Overseas Briefing Center (OBC) 3. Security Overseas Seminars: PSOS, ASOS, SAA, SOS, SOS 4. Transition Center Training home page for eligible family members and members of household (MOH) 5. International Jobs - Working Overseas 6. Country Information (Bidding Resources) 7. Transition Center Courses 8. Preparing to Go Overseas 9. Pets and International Travel 10. Foreign Service Assignment Notebook: What Do I Do Now? 11. U.S. Department of State Career Transition Center (CTC) 12. Personal Post Insights 13. Elementary School Stuff 14. Arrange Medical Clearance and Immunizations 15. High Stress Assignment Outbrief Program

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 25 26-36_FSJ_0110_FEA:ship 12/18/09 7:59 AM Page 26

HONORING PATT DERIAN

NEARLY THREE DECADES AFTER LEAVING OFFICE, THE FIRST ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS RECEIVES A RARE TRIBUTE.

BY DIANA PAGE

he invitation from Ar- gentina’s ambassador to the United States, Hector Timerman, simply requested “the pleasure of your company at a gathering of friends to honor Patt Derian” on the Tevening of June 22, 2009. There was no title before the guest of honor’s name — nothing to indicate she was a former assistant secretary for human rights, let alone the very first person to Photos courtesy of the Argentine Embassy, Washington, D.C. Washington, Photos courtesy of the Argentine Embassy, hold that office. The invitation assumed Argentine Ambassador to the U.S. Hector Timerman and former Assistant Sec- the guests already knew Ms. Derian, who retary for Human Rights Patt Derian. left the U.S. government in 1981. But if a reminder were needed about why the Argentine ambassador searching for more than three decades for their grandchil- might be hosting this event, it was found in the following dren, the children of the “desaparecidos” (disappeared). words: “We will also be screening a short documentary, ‘Abue- The Grandmothers las 30 Años’ (Grandmothers, 30 Years).” This documentary During Argentina’s military dictatorship from 1976 until (which was not shown commercially in the United States) 1983, as many as 30,000 people were seized and sent to secret had won a journalism award from Argentina’s government detention centers, which few left. Sometimes children were news agency, Telam. The 15-minute film mixes news abducted with their parents; sometimes pregnant women footage and interviews with elderly women who have been were taken who may have given birth to children in the pris- ons. The fate of the children was kept secret, but rumors per- Diana Page is a media relations officer at the State Depart- sisted about adoptions by prospective parents who did not ask ment Foreign Press Center. Prior to joining the Foreign Serv- too many questions. ice in 1990, she worked as a journalist covering Latin In contrast to the frightened silence prevailing in Argentina America. She was a United Press International correspon- during that time, a few brave women in white headscarves dent in Argentina from 1972 to 1979. marched in the streets, with photos pinned to their lapels, ask-

26 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 26-36_FSJ_0110_FEA:ship 12/18/09 7:59 AM Page 27

ing the military government where presidential palace — have spent 30 their disappeared loved ones were. years demanding justice. Despite What began as a risky crusade to find Assistant Secretary for threats, amnesty laws and legal ma- missing children became a civic move- neuvering, nine military leaders were ment that was vindicated by the return Human Rights Patricia eventually brought to trial, though not to democracy. The mothers of the dis- all the convictions were upheld. The appeared, the grandmothers of lost Derian was not what the group’s courage was recognized inter- children, never gave up their quest. nationally when they received the U.N. Now, with the help of DNA, dozens Argentine generals expected Human Rights Prize on Dec. 10, 2003. of adopted Argentines have found their grandparents and learned who their when she arrived in Buenos The Ambassador parents were. This was the subject of Human rights is not just a political the documentary shown at the em- Aires in August 1977. concept to Ambassador Timerman. bassy. His father, Jacobo, the publisher of La The “Mothers and Grandmothers Opinion newspaper, was kidnapped of the Plaza de Mayo” — named for from his Buenos Aires apartment in the plaza in front of the Casa Rosada April 1977 by men in civilian clothes. Two years later, after his release and exile from Argentina, Jacobo Timerman wrote a book: Prisoner Without a Name, Cell Without a Number. In it he described his torture and that of other “disappeared” victims. Three decades after that, his son, the ambassador, wanted to acknowledge the U.S. government official who had demanded information from the military rulers about his father. That U.S. official was Patricia M. Der- ian, a nurse by training, a veteran of the civil rights movement in Mississippi and President Jimmy Carter’s choice to head a Patt Derian, in a white suit, is seated with her back to the camera. Her husband, new division in the State Department: the Hodding Carter, sits next to her. Assistant Secretary for Human Rights Michael Bureau for Human Rights and Humani- Posner is at the podium, with Amb. Timerman standing to his right. tarian Affairs. She became the State De- partment’s first assistant secretary for human rights in 1977. She was not what the Argentine generals expected when she arrived in Buenos Aires in August of that year. She asked blunt questions about those arrested and disappeared, asking to see them. Patt Derian did not get many answers to her questions from the military government. But the Timerman family — and many other Argentines — credit her with sav- ing lives and preventing worse abuses by her challenge to the junta.

The Guests Many of the guests at the embassy last June had played a role in U.S. policy toward Latin America during the Carter Amb. Timerman holds up a poster that shows a news photo administration, along with Ms. Derian. One was former Rep- of Patt Derian during her August 1977 visit to Argentina. resentative Benjamin Gilman, R-N.Y., who for 30 years was a

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 27 26-36_FSJ_0110_FEA:ship 12/18/09 7:59 AM Page 28

key figure on the House Foreign Af- fairs Committee. Amb. Timerman credited him with teaching the lesson that “not only Democrats defend human rights.” There were several former diplomats: Ambassador Robert White, Wayne Smith and F. Allen (“Tex”) Har- ris. As a young political officer in Buenos Aires, Harris became Derian’s man-on-the-street, bringing hope to families of the disappeared. In fact, one of the families he knew well was represented at the gathering: Isabel Mignone, whose sister was among the disappeared and whose father, Emilio Mignone, founded an organization to document the cases of disappearances. Another courageous person at the Former Rep. Benjamin Gilman, R-N.Y., with Patt Derian. event was Robert Cox, former editor of the Buenos Aires Herald. The Jacobo Timerman wrote in his book the Cox family to flee Buenos Aires. newspaper printed the stories of dis- that he and Cox alone battled for the While the human rights careers of appearances when families were will- freedom to publish such accounts, and many at the Argentine Embassy that ing to publicly denounce those cases. he described the threats that forced night reflected the past, at least one

28 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 26-36_FSJ_0110_FEA:ship 12/18/09 7:59 AM Page 29

guest was about to play a greater role Enrique, both spent seven years in in the future: Michael Posner. He at- prison, until the end of the military gov- tended the gathering as president of The Mothers and ernment.) the organization Human Rights First. The Argentine government recently A few months later, he was sworn into Grandmothers of the decided to give special recognition to the position first held by Patt Derian, those abroad who had supported the becoming assistant secretary of State Plaza de Mayo have human rights movement against the for democracy, human rights and labor junta. Amb. Timerman noted that he on Sept. 23, 2009. spent 30 years had been a vigorous advocate for Patt Derian while other embassies in Eu- The Foreign Minister demanding justice. rope were proposing their own candi- Amb. Timerman spoke from his dates for recognition. heart about the achievements of Patt But one fact made Ms. Derian dif- Derian. But in so doing, he also repre- ferent from the others, he said. “She sented others who could not be pres- human rights in my country and all over was the only one who represented a ent. One of them was Argentine Latin America, and for your stern crit- government willing to make the de- Foreign Minister Jorge Enrique Ta- icism of the cruel policies of the Ar- fense of human rights a priority,” Amb. iana. gentine dictatorship. On a personal Timerman declared. The ambassador read a letter to Ms. note, I wish to express my gratitude for The guests then raised their glasses Derian from the foreign minister: “We your kind support to my mother, your for toasts to Patt Derian, to former very much value your efforts as assis- advocacy for my father and me while President Jimmy Carter and the United tant secretary for human rights and hu- we were imprisoned...” (Dr. Jorge Al- States of America. Both individuals en- manitarian affairs during the Carter berto Taiana, a minister in the govern- dure in the memory of Argentines administration to foster respect of ment of Juan Peron, and his son, Jorge today, a generation later. ■

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 29 26-36_FSJ_0110_FEA:ship 12/18/09 7:59 AM Page 30

THE ROLE OF THE DIPLOMAT IN THE MODERN ERA

THERE IS SIMPLY NO SUBSTITUTE FOR THE PERSONAL TOUCH SKILLFUL DIPLOMATS BRING TO THEIR MISSION.

BY YOAV J. TENEMBAUM

t is in vogue to say that in the 21st century, diplo- time and energy required for such a task. mats are a relic of a distant past that is no longer Take, for example, the case of the late George Kennan and relevant to the way that international relations are his “Long Telegram” of February 1946. Drawing on his many conducted. After all, heads of government and years spent representing the United States government in other top officials can deliver messages without re- Moscow, Kennan cogently explained the nature of the com- course to diplomatic messengers. And decision- munist system in the Soviet Union and assessed how it would makers can rely on summit meetings, direct tele- evolve as it expanded beyond its frontiers. On that basis, he phone conversations and video conferences, and other com- urged a policy of containment, which became the basis of U.S. Imunication technologies. policy towards the Soviet Union for decades to come. Those espousing this view contend that a short flight or an e-mail message constitutes the bridge linking states — a func- The Value of the Long View tion once performed by diplomats accredited to foreign gov- Admittedly, the timing of the document — generated less ernments or working in their own foreign ministries. than a year after the end of World War II removed the prin- Even those who defend the relevance of traditional diplo- cipal basis for cooperation between Washington and Moscow macy concede that its practice has to be modified. For in- — made the Truman administration receptive to its recom- stance, what was once a politically centered profession has mendations. However, the sheer intellectual force of Ken- steadily become more oriented to commerce and economics, nan’s analysis was rooted in years of hard-won insights into as globalization and growing economic interdependence re- Soviet society and thorough study, conducted by a diplomat quire deeper knowledge of such issues, both on the bilateral with a creatively analytical mind. and multilateral levels. Further, a diplomat can enhance the image of his country Still, no matter how advanced the means of communica- in the state to which he or she is accredited and avert a crisis tion, or how often heads of government and foreign ministers by his or her force of personality and engaging diplomacy. talk to each other, the input of individual diplomats at a con- Think of U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Josephus Daniels, who ceptual, intellectual level cannot be replaced. was appointed by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in Spending years in a certain country, or following develop- 1933 at a particularly sensitive moment in bilateral relations. ments there, confers invaluable knowledge of the intricacies of Perhaps his greatest test was the nationalization of the for- its political system, the various dimensions of its domestic base eign-owned oil industry by the Mexican government in 1938. prompting the decisions of its leaders, and the richness of its The prospect of a major diplomatic crisis between Mexico City social structures. No single decision-maker can devote all the and Washington loomed on the horizon. Amb. Daniels op- posed a drastic response, contending that the Mexican move Yoav J. Tenembaum lectures in the Diplomacy Program at Tel was not motivated by any radical social ideology, but by patri- Aviv University. He has published numerous articles on diplo- otic, nationalistic ideals. He counseled patience, predicting matic, political, historical and philosophical topics in journals, that in the long run, allowing a proud Mexico to improve its newspapers and magazines around the world. A selection of economic lot would benefit the United States. his poems is due to be published in book form in the U.S. soon. Throughout his tenure, Amb. Daniels played an active role

30 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 26-36_FSJ_0110_FEA:ship 12/18/09 7:59 AM Page 31

in stabilizing the fragile bilateral relationship, going so far as to Today, successful diplomats still cultivate personal rela- influence the content and timing of official U.S. demarches tionships with various persons of influence in the country to that might otherwise have brought the bilateral relationship which they are accredited. These connections can then be to the breaking point. The Mexican undersecretary for for- nurtured to the benefit of their government. In skillful hands, eign affairs is reported as confirming that had it not been for modern technology is a tool toward this end, allowing the Daniels’ vital role in this regard, his government would have diplomat to become a patient forger of valuable relationships, cut off diplomatic relations with the United States. a meticulous observer of political and social phenomena, a Certainly Daniels’ friendship with FDR enhanced his clout shaper of images through the force of personality, and a de- with his counterparts. But had it not been for his adeptness at finer of conceptual frameworks. explaining the position of each country to the other, always This dimension of a diplomat’s work also applies to those bearing in mind the historically emotional background, U.S.- working in a foreign ministry. The cumulative wisdom of the Mexican relations might well have evolved differently. professional who handles a specific geographical area or functional issue on a daily basis for years represents a unique con- Only Connect tribution to the decision-making process. Finally, an ambassador’s style may add an important layer Another example comes from diplomats involved in policy of confidence to the bilateral relations with another country planning. The new technological developments in communi- in times of unpredictable change. Samuel Lewis became U.S. cations have hardly affected the significance of this particular ambassador to Israel in 1977, just as the Likud Party under aspect of diplomatic work. If such work is, from time to time, Menachem Begin came to power, following 29 years of Labor belittled by policymakers, this has precious little to do with the Party rule. Ambassador Lewis’s engaging personality, his un- way new technology has evolved. derstanding of the Israeli political system, and his unique sen- By all means, the role of the diplomat has to be considered sitivity towards the Israeli public all made him a singularly anew. However, this has to be done not with the goal of un- admired figure in Israel. This standing, in turn, had positive dercutting the irreplaceable function of the diplomat abroad repercussions for the entire bilateral relationship at a sensitive and at home, or confining it principally to commercial activity, juncture. but with the aim of enhancing it intellectually and politically. ■

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 31 26-36_FSJ_0110_FEA:ship 12/18/09 7:59 AM Page 32

FS HERITAGE THE U.S. DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR SERVICES IN 1922

SEE HOW YOU WOULD HAVE FARED ON THE ENTRANCE EXAMS FOR THE STATE DEPARTMENT NEARLY A CENTURY AGO.

BY LUCIANO MANGIAFICO

t is a pleasurable adventure to imagine ourselves Class I mission to about $2,500 for a third secretary. In the living in the past and to test the extent of our parallel Consular Service, salaries ranged from $12,000 for a knowledge against that of our predecessors in the consul general at a large prestigious post to $2,500 for a career Foreign Service. For example, how would you junior vice consul. (By way of comparison, the average salary fare on the Diplomatic Service or Consular Serv- of teachers was $1,150 per annum.) ice examinations that candidates took in 1922? You can try your hand at some sample questions (see The Long Path to Reform sidebars, p. 34), excerpted from the May 1, 1922, Register of The U.S. Diplomatic Service had only recently been Ithe Department of State. brought under merit rules comparable to those established That book is a fascinating glimpse into a long-gone world. in the Civil Service by the Pendleton Act of 1883. Up to that Warren G. Harding was president and the Secretary of State point, it had been staffed strictly on the basis of patronage, was Charles Evans Hughes. Later that year, Benito Mussolini not merit. And while candidates for the Consular Service would march on Rome and become prime minister and dic- were required to pass an examination, the president selected tator. Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon had just discov- those allowed to take the exam. ered the royal tomb of King Tutankhamen. Earlier that year, Moreover, under President William McKinley the exami- the Washington Conference on Disarmament had concluded, nation had been watered down to the point that only one of and former President William Howard Taft had inaugurated 112 candidates invited to take it failed. Shortly after becom- the Lincoln Memorial. ing Secretary of State in 1905, Elihu Root stated: “It has ev- In 1922, pay ranged from $17,500 for an ambassador at a idently come to be regarded as cruel and inhuman treatment not to pass a man [author’s italics]. In view of the character Luciano Mangiafico, a Foreign Service officer from 1970 to of the examination, a rejection would practically be an impu- 1991, served in Milan, Palermo, Bucharest, Manila and tation of idiocy.” Bridgetown, among many other assignments. Since his re- In November 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt cre- tirement from the Service, he has continued to work as an in- ated a program of competitive entry exams, for both the spector for the State Department. The author of two books, diplomatic and the consular services, by executive order. The Contemporary American Immigrants (Praeger, 1988) and following year, Congress set up a grade system and pay scales Italy’s Most Wanted (Potomac Books, 2007), he has written for the Consular Service and established a consular inspection on foreign policy, business, and the arts for various publica- service composed of roving consuls general. tions. President William Howard Taft advanced these reforms

32 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 26-36_FSJ_0110_FEA:ship 12/18/09 7:59 AM Page 33

four years later by setting up semi-independent boards of ex- professional Foreign Service open to all those qualified on aminers for both services, establishing the system of efficiency the basis of merit, Ambassador Hugh Gibson (1863-1954) is reports, and making career diplomats eligible to be ministers reported to have said that the best picture of a sweating man and ambassadors. In fact, he appointed 18 of them to such was a consul at a diplomatic dinner. posts. It is also worth recalling that consular officers — not to mention those who did not happen to be from the right prep The Father of the Foreign Service schools and universities, or were female or Jewish — did not For many years, a major moving force behind these series qualify for admission into the diplomatic Olympus. But the of reforms was Wilbur J. Carr (1870-1942). His efforts would Rogers Act would take care of the Diplomatic Service’s cav- pave the way for passage in 1924 of the Rogers Act, uniting alier attitude, at least in theory, and Consul General Robert and professionalizing the Diplomatic Service and the Con- Piet Kisner became its first beneficiary when, in November sular Service, creating the United States Foreign Service. For 1926, he was appointed as Minister to Athens. this reason, Carr has often been called “the father of the For- eign Service.” The Foreign Service Entry Exam A farm boy from Ohio who had attended a commercial Entry into the career service, both for secretaries in the college in Kentucky, Carr began his career in the State De- Diplomatic Service and officers in the Consular Service, was partment as a consular clerk in 1892, became director of the by rank on a roster based on grades obtained in written and Consular Service in 1909, and was later oral examinations. The exams were dif- assistant secretary for consular affairs, ferent for the two specialties, so there from 1924 to 1937. He would serve as were two boards of examiners, each of minister to Prague before retiring from which certified the names of those eli- the Foreign Service in 1939. The 1924 Rogers Act gible for appointment to the respective When Carr went abroad for the first ranks. The Secretary of State then sub- time to the U.S. embassy in London in would take care of the mitted the list to the president for ap- 1916, he was surprised and shocked at pointment as the needs of the Service how many officers in the Diplomatic Diplomatic Service’s required. Service had come down with “localitis,” The examination for the Diplomatic aping their foreign colleagues and cavalier attitude — Service was graded on a scale of 100; a openly displaying airs of superiority to minimum of 80 was required to pass officers in the Consular Service. Mu- at least in theory. and have one’s name placed on the eli- tual distrust and professional jealousy gible roster. (The written and oral were rampant. The administrators at exams each counted for 50 percent of overseas posts and within the State De- the grade.) The names of those eligible partment generally came from the Con- for appointment remained on the ros- sular Service, which had more experience in dealing with ter for two years. people, budgets and the practicalities of running operations Essays on the written exam covered the subjects of inter- — all skills held in low regard by the Diplomatic Service’s national law; diplomatic usage; modern languages; modern “policymakers.” history (since 1850); American history, government and in- One diplomat scathingly put down his “nonsubstantive” stitutions; and natural, industrial and commercial resources colleagues, referring to “administrative types who inflate and activities of the United States. themselves with all sorts of rich and resonant titles like ‘Ca- The Consular Service test covered the subjects of inter- reer Evaluators’ and ‘General Services Specialists’ and even national, maritime and commercial law; political and com- ‘Ministers of Embassy for Administrative Affairs.’ These glo- mercial geography; arithmetic; modern languages; the rified janitors, supply clerks and pants-pressers yearn to get resources and commerce of the United States; political econ- their fingers in the foreign affairs pie; and when they do, the omy; American history, government and institutions; and diplomatic furniture often gets marked with gummy modern history (since 1850). thumbprints.” The Consular Service included in its ranks those who are While the relatively small Diplomatic Service was mostly now economic/commercial officers, and they had their own staffed by wealthy graduates from a limited number of elite modified exam. Candidates for the “Corps of Consuls for schools, and was frequently likened to a “chummy club,” the Economic Investigational Work” — i.e., economic/commer- Consular Service was plagued with political appointees. Al- cial officers — took an exam covering economics, research though he was a superb diplomat and a lifelong advocate of a and investigation methods for promotion of commerce and

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 33 26-36_FSJ_0110_FEA:ship 12/18/09 7:59 AM Page 34

CHANGE OF ADDRESS The Diplomatic Service Entry Exam, 1922 Here are sample questions from each of the areas covered. 1. Upon the execution of Louis XVI, the British government refused to receive the French diplomatic agent and send him his passport. Was the action of the British gov- Moving? ernment correct? 2. Give your understanding of the difference between a chargé d’affaires, a chargé d’affaires ad interim, and a chargé des affaires. 3. Translate an official document from one of the following languages (French, Take AFSA German or Spanish) into English, and from English into the chosen foreign language. 4. With which countries and events do you associate the following: Alexander I; Bismarck; Marquis Ito; Dom Pedro; Cecil Rhodes; Garibaldi; Maximilian? With You! 5. Name the executive departments of the federal government, and state the prin- cipal functions of each. 6. Name five important groups of manufacturing industries in the United States, Change your address and two states leading in each. online at: www.afsa.org/comment.cfm modern languages. They also wrote a Here are some other observations thesis on an economic/commercial about the pre-Rogers Act Foreign subject. Service that one can safely deduce Or from the tests. For one, it appears that Times Have Changed secretaries of embassy were engaged Send change of address to: The exams were definitely not easy! only in political reporting, negotiations AFSA Membership They are at least as difficult as the ones and representation. Officers in the Department I took in 1968. Consular Service performed the duties 2101 E Street NW Washington, DC 20037 Consular Service and Economic/Commercial Exams, 1922 Here are a few sample questions from the Consular Service exam. 1. Distinguish between citizen and domicile and name three ways in which citi- zenship can be terminated. 2. Name eight bodies of water through which a ship would pass on a direct voy- age from Baltimore to Odessa. 3. A merchant bought goods for $2,058. For how much money must they be 1 2 marked to sell in order that he may give a discount of 12 /2 percent, lose 16 /3 per- 2 cent by bad debts, and still make a gain of 14 /7 percent of the cost? 4. Translate a commercial letter from English into a modern language and vice versa. 5. State the three main factors of production and briefly discuss their relation to each other. 6. What was the Ordinance of 1787? To what territory did it apply? 7. Discuss the Boxer War and its causes and results.

Sample questions appearing on the econ/commercial consuls’ exams include: 1. Give reasons from an economic standpoint for or against government owner- ship of railroads. 2. Formulate a plan for securing statistics of wholesale prices for an industry, such as the steel or textile industries in the United States. State briefly the necessary methods to secure accuracy and definiteness. 3. Write a short thesis on the effect of the World War on the economic life and industries of Japan.

34 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 26-36_FSJ_0110_FEA:ship 12/18/09 7:59 AM Page 35

Wilbur J. Carr’s efforts paved the way for passage in 1924 of the Rogers Act. For this reason, Carr has often been called “the father of the Foreign Service.”

now handled by consular, economic and commercial officers. Neither the language of the executive orders bringing the diplomatic and consular services under the merit system, nor the staffing of various posts, ever acknowledges the existence of administrative officers. Pre- sumably, such duties were also performed by consular officers and by other clerical staff. Lastly, it appears that the diplomatic (i.e., political) officer corps was rather small in comparison with that of the Consular Service. This may have been because of the many duties assigned to consular officers, or because the State Department staffed many more consular posts than it does now. For example, in 1900 the department had 42 missions abroad with fewer than 100 diplomatic officers each, but staffed 291 consulates and consulates general and 395 consular agencies. Consider Italy. In 1922, the U.S. had posts in Rome, Catania, Florence, Genoa, Leghorn, Messina, Milan, Naples, Palermo, Trieste, Turin and Venice. Today — in addition to the embassy in Rome — we operate consulates only in Milan, Florence and Naples. Quite a change! ■

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 35 26-36_FSJ_0110_FEA:ship 12/18/09 7:59 AM Page 36 37-52_FSJ_0110_AN:firstlook 12/18/09 8:00 AM Page 37

AFSAAmerican Foreign ServiceNEWS Association • January 2010

AFSA 2009-2011 Governing Board Priorities

ission: To promote excellence in diplomacy and affecting the Foreign Service, from the influx of new en- development and to be an effective voice for the trants, chronic understaffing, mid-level staffing gaps, MForeign Service at the State Department, the training and professional development, and the assign- U.S. Agency for International Development, the Foreign ment/evaluation/promotion system to more fundamental Commercial Service, the Foreign Agricultural Service and issues such as the future of the Foreign Service, the State- the International Broadcasting Bureau. USAID relationship, and the roles of diplomacy, development, defense, trade and public diplomacy in advancing Securing Resources, Improving Operations, the interests of the nation. Protecting Benefits for the Foreign Service • Lock in Overseas Comparability Pay (OCP) for all agencies Improving Image and Expanding Outreach • Appropriate adequate funding for personnel and operations of the Foreign Service • Protect pension and health benefits • Redesign and upgrade the AFSA Web site • Suspend or eliminate WAE hour and salary caps • Improve internal and external communications • Achieve parity with military on post-retirement employment with the federal government, including full annuity Streamlining Internal AFSA Operations benefits while employed • Reform election process • Promote family and quality-of-life issues • Upgrade IT infrastructure and security; get e-business capacity Increasing Cooperation with Management and • Raise revenue through increased membership and other Broadening Presence in Policy Development sources (advertising, donations, publications) • Get AFSA a “seat at the table” and increase the responsive- • Achieve better budget transparency ness of management at all member agencies on all issues • Review staffing ❏

Does Dissent Harm Your Career? BY FRANCESCA KELLY he Obama administration blew into Yet many individuals may still be wary. Washington a year ago, and some say a One senior FSO recently recalled, “Some Tnew atmosphere in the federal gov- years ago, I wanted to protest a depart- ernment came with it. Coincidentally or mental restructuring that I felt was coun- not, after several years of a decrease in terproductive to our long-term relation- nominations for constructive dissent ships with foreign nationals overseas. At awards, AFSA is seeing signs that dissent- that time, my supervisor advised me not ing voices are on the rise, and are being to use the Dissent Channel, but to find heard in a more effective way. other ways to dissent that would not, as The Office of Policy Planning at the De- he put it, ‘mark me as a troublemaker.’” partment of State reports that a steady That brings up a key question: Does stream of messages has come in through the constructive dissent really put your career Open Forum and Dissent Channel on a at risk?

wide variety of issues. JOSH Continued on page 48

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 37 37-52_FSJ_0110_AN:firstlook 12/18/09 8:00 AM Page 38

A F S A AFSANEWSBRIEFS N E W Apply Now for AFSA College Scholarships Last Chance to Apply for S for FS Youth FAWCO Scholarships Eligible Foreign Service high school seniors and undergraduate college The Federation of American Women’s Clubs Over- students are invited to apply for AFSA scholarships ranging from $1,000 to seas Foundation offers education awards that may be of $3,500. Please go to www.afsa.org/scholar to read the scholarship application interest to some Foreign Service families. The awards, which range from $3,000 to $5,000, are open to the criteria and to download instructions/forms. Deadline is Feb. 6. children of FAWCO members and are offered for arts, If you have questions, sciences, humanities, special challenges and dual cul- please contact ture. Applications are due on Jan. 16. More informa- Lori Dec at tion is available at www.fawcofoundation.org/. (202) 944-5504 or at [email protected]. New Facebook Page for Tandem Couples Foreign Service tandem couples, take heart: there’s a new Facebook group just for you, started by FSO Elisa Greene. When Greene’s husband became a security tech- Life in the Foreign Service nical specialist last summer, the couple began dealing ■ BY BRIAN AGGELER with, as Greene explains, “a myriad of issues such as having different personnel technicians and career development officers, dealing with separation, trying to get items - out of storage, etc.” Greene wanted to create “one loca- tion where tandem couples could go to get answers to their many questions.” The group, entitled “Foreign Service Tandem Couples,” can be used as a forum to ask questions regarding bidding, benefits and other issues, and to connect with other tandem couples. The group welcomes same-sex and opposite-sex tandem couples, couples who were once tandems and future tandem couples. “My hope is to use the group as a clearinghouse for tandem-related issues,” says Greene. “At the moment, topics of discussion include relevant Foreign Affairs Man- ual references, available assistance for separated tandems from the Family Liaison Office, useful contacts at State on tandem issues and links to various helpful Web sites.” If you’d like to take part in this group, make a request to join directly from the Facebook group, “Foreign Service Tandem Couples.”

AFSA HEADQUARTERS: Staff: Governing Board: Executive Director Ian Houston: [email protected] (202) 338-4045; Fax: (202) 338-6820 PRESIDENT: Susan R. Johnson Business Department STATE DEPARTMENT AFSA OFFICE: Controller Kalpna Srimal: [email protected] STATE VP: Daniel Hirsch (202) 647-8160; Fax: (202) 647-0265 Accounting Assistant Cory Nishi: [email protected] USAID VP: Francisco Zamora USAID AFSA OFFICE: Accounting and Administration Assistant Alicia Campi: [email protected] FAS VP: Henry Schmick (202) 712-1941; Fax: (202) 216-3710 Labor Management FCS VP: Keith Curtis FCS AFSA OFFICE: General Counsel Sharon Papp: [email protected] (202) 482-9088; Fax: (202) 482-9087 Deputy General Counsel Zlatana Badrich: [email protected] RETIREE VP: Robert Houdek Labor Management Specialist James Yorke: [email protected] AFSA WEB SITE: www.afsa.org SECRETARY: F.A. “Tex” Harris Senior Staff Attorney Neera Parikh: [email protected] FSJ: [email protected] Staff Attorney Michael Willats: [email protected] TREASURER: Andrew Winter PRESIDENT: [email protected] Office Manager Christine Warren: [email protected] STATE REPS: Carleton Bulkin, Jorge Delfin, STATE VP: [email protected] USAID Senior Labor Management Adviser Douglas Broome: [email protected] Mary Glantz, Les Hickman, Joyce Namde, RETIREE VP: [email protected] Member Services Julia Stewart, Mike Unglesbee, Sharon White, USAID VP: [email protected] Member Services Director Janet Hedrick: [email protected] FAS VP: [email protected] Member Services Representative Michael Laiacona: [email protected] Teresa Yata FCS VP: [email protected] Web Site & Database Associate Geron Pleasant: [email protected] USAID REPS: Michael Henning, Glenn Rogers Administrative Assistant Ana Lopez: [email protected] FCS REP: Rebecca Balogh Communications, Marketing and Outreach AFSA News Retiree Liaison Bonnie Brown: [email protected] FAS REP: Melinda Sallyards Editor Francesca Kelly: [email protected] Director of Communications Thomas Switzer: [email protected] IBB REP: Al Pessin (202) 338-4045, ext. 516; Legislative Director Casey Frary: [email protected] RETIREE REPS: Executive Assistant to the President Austin Tracy: [email protected] Fax: (202) 338-8244 Janice Bay, Robert (Bill) Farrand, On the Web: Scholarship Director Lori Dec: [email protected] Exploritas Administrator Bernard Alter: [email protected] David Passage, Molly Williamson

How to Contact Us: to Contact How www.afsa.org/fsj and www.fsjournal.org Marketing & Outreach Manager Asgeir Sigfusson: [email protected]

38 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 37-52_FSJ_0110_AN:firstlook 12/18/09 8:00 AM Page 39

A F V.P. VOICE: STATE ■ BY DANIEL HIRSCH S A N E Clearance Adjudication: Arbitrary? W Without a Doubt! S

n January 2006, AFSA wrote to management expressing The dictionary defines “arbitrary” as “based on or deter- concern that department decisions in adverse-action se- mined by individual preference or convenience rather than by Icurity clearance cases lacked objectivity. The department the intrinsic nature of something.” In other words, an arbi- responded with the briefest of notes, asserting that it followed trary decision is one made in the absence of an objective stan- governmentwide guidelines for adjudication. AFSA dis- dard. Absent an evidentiary standard, the current adjudica- agreed and wrote again in 2007, noting, among other things, tive procedures used by the department are, by definition, ar- that unlike the Office of Personnel Management and the De- bitrary. partment of Defense, which collectively adjudicate more that With reference to the concept that all doubt must be re- 94 percent of U.S. government security clearance cases, the solved in favor of national security, that is also very different department applies no standard of evidence to the deroga- for 94 percent of cleared government employees than it is for tory information used as a basis for clearance suspensions those employed by State. Here again, OPM and DOD apply and revocations. The department responded in 2008 that a Supreme Court- and DOHA-supported definition, in Executive Order 12968 did not establish a specific standard of which the word “doubt” is defined as “reliable, relevant, evidence and, in essence, that the derogatory information that is not laws were vague and subject to in- Absent an evidentiary standard, the cur- mitigated by other information ei- terpretation. In both responses, the ther supplied by the subject or oth- department asserted that “all doubt” rent adjudicative procedures used by the erwise available.” By that definition, in a security clearance matter must department are, by definition, arbitrary. if one cannot determine the relia- be resolved in favor of national se- bility of information, one cannot curity. have the kind of legally-defined It is rare that a dispute with management takes so long to doubt that should form the basis of a security clearance de- resolve, but AFSA is again pursuing this issue. The executive termination. order is indeed vague, but it is crystal-clear on three points: AFSA does not ask that State Department employees be information used as the basis for a security clearance action treated more leniently than anyone else. However, Foreign must be reliable; the adjudicative process must involve a Service members should not have fewer rights than the 94 “whole person” review; and security clearance decisions must percent of cleared government employees whose clearances involve an investigation conducted for that purpose. AFSA are adjudicated by DOD and OPM. If their evidence-based feels that since the law is vague, and since the department’s procedures are good enough to protect military informa- share of adjudications is a tiny portion of the whole govern- tion in a time of war, they should be good enough to pro- ment’s, it is reasonable for the department to follow the in- tect State Department information, as well. terpretation used by the vast majority. Moreover, we feel that given a mandated government- In the 94 percent of security clearance cases adjudicated by wide trend toward interagency standardization and reci- OPM and DOD, the “reliability” of derogatory information procity of clearances, State should not continue to forge its is subject to a standard of “substantial evidence.” That is not own interpretations of law, but should join other agencies the highest evidentiary standard — in fact, it is a very low of government by accepting the standards used in the vast standard — but it is one that benefits the vast majority of majority of security clearance adjudications. This includes cleared government employees. Yet it is denied to the 1 per- not only the standard of evidence mentioned above, but cent or so of employees whose cases are decided by the Bu- also written procedures documenting a whole-person re- reau of Diplomatic Security. view, and clear and rebuttable statements of reasons for de- That standard does not come from the executive order. It nial of a clearance. derives from decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court and those Let doubt be resolved in favor of national security, by all of the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals, which pro- means. But let that doubt, and all decisions related to it, be vide most of the case-law precedents used by the security based on the same evidentiary standard that protects 94 clearance community as a way of avoiding arbitrary and percent of cleared government employees from arbitrary capricious determinations contrary to law. decisions and abuse. ❏

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 39 37-52_FSJ_0110_AN:firstlook 12/18/09 8:00 AM Page 40

A F S V.P. VOICE: RETIREE ■ BY ROBERT G. HOUDEK A

N Priorities and Surveys E he AFSA Governing Board held a Saturday “offsite” on vey. (We are still accepting paper and W Nov. 7 to discuss priorities for the coming year. The re- electronic submissions – go to www. S Ttired board members caucused separately several days zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB229 before the retreat and quickly came to the unanimous con- H983SUFX.) The response so far clusion that the following three priorities had to head the re- shows a remarkable level of retiree en- tiree list: gagement with AFSA, something that we have happily come 1. Protect the earned retirement benefits and health insur- to expect. I will report the survey results to you in our retiree ance of our members. newsletter and in an upcoming column in AFSA News. 2. Lift the WAE caps on hours worked and Although we are still analyzing the re- money earned. We are delighted by the sponses, there are two statistics that stand out 3. Achieve parity with the military on post- tremendous response to already. One is that 98 percent of respondents retirement federal employment, including read our retiree newsletter; and the other is that full annuity benefits. the 2009 Retiree Survey. 33 percent use the retiree Web page. AFSA re- The full Governing Board concurred in that tirees are also technologically literate, with 90 list, noting that protecting retirement and health insurance percent of respondents reporting that they use e-mail and the benefits was a top priority for both active-duty and retired Internet. members. The next retiree newsletter will contain an analysis of sur- We are able to prioritize our members’ concerns in this way vey responses and will provide a basis for improving our re- because we hear from members like you on a regular basis. In tiree services and communications. As AFSA upgrades its fact, we are delighted by the tremendous response to the 2009 Web site and makes it more user-friendly, I look forward to Retiree Survey. As of publication date, 1,674 retirees — or 43 more immediate communication with the membership. percent of our retiree membership — had completed the sur- Thanks for your interest in AFSA. ❏

AFSA Statement on Political Ambassadorships resident Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rod- edgeable career officers fill all positions in our career diplomatic ham Clinton, along with congressional leaders from both service. No other major democracy routinely appoints non- Pparties, have called for strengthening the Department of diplomats to serve as envoys to other countries. State, our premier foreign policy institution. They join those America deserves the best ambassadors, men and women who have long argued that diplomacy is a major instrument of with a track record of achievement in diplomacy, to represent national security. our nation around the world — just as we do for our military, To play that role the Foreign Service must be able to attract, development and intelligence professionals. Now is the time to train, deploy and retain a professional cadre. This objective, end the spoils system. ❏ however, is undermined when the majority of key senior diplomatic positions at home and abroad are reserved for political TRANSITION CENTER SCHEDULE OF COURSES for January-February 2010 appointees. Jan. 4-5 MQ911 Security Overseas Seminar Jan. 8 MQ950 High-Stress Assignment The Foreign Service Act of 1980 states that ambassadorial Out-Brief Jan. 9 MQ116 Protocol nominees “should possess … useful knowledge of the language Jan. 13 MQ853 Managing Rental Property from Overseas Jan. 15 MQ803 Realities of Foreign Service Life … and understanding of the history, the culture, the economic Jan. 25-26 MQ911 Security Overseas Seminar and political institutions, and the interests of that country.” Fur- Jan. 26-29 RV105 Mid-Career Retirement Planning Seminar Jan. 27 MQ203 Singles in the Foreign Service thermore, it declares, “Contributions to political campaigns Feb. 1-2 MQ911 Security Overseas Seminar Feb. 5 MQ950 High-Stress Assignment should not be a factor” in appointments. Out-Brief Feb. 6 MQ914 Youth Security Overseas Seminar Yet over the last three decades, 85 percent of ambassadorial Feb. 6 MQ802 Communicating Across Cultures Feb. 8-9 MQ911 Security Overseas Seminar appointments to major European countries and Japan, and Feb. 11 MQ703 Post Options for Employment and Training nearly 60 percent of appointments to a wider group of emerg- Feb. 17 MQ117 Tax Seminar Feb. 20 MQ116 Protocol ing global powers such as Brazil, Russia, India and China, have Feb. 22-25 RV101 Retirement Planning Seminar Feb. 24 MQ220 Going Overseas Logistics for Adults been political. Feb. 25-26 MQ104 Regulations, Allowances and Finances To register or for further information, e-mail the FSI Transition Center at AFSA believes that America is best served — as in the case of [email protected]. its uniformed military — by having experienced and knowl-

40 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 37-52_FSJ_0110_AN:firstlook 12/18/09 8:00 AM Page 41

A F HONORING FALLEN COLLEAGUES V.P. VOICE: FCS ■ BY KEITH CURTIS S Former AFSA A President N Organizes Plaque E Resources, Resources, W Ceremony in Basra S uring two terms as AFSA presi- Resources dent, John Naland presided at Dfour annual ceremonies inscrib- ing the names of fallen career Foreign Service members on the AFSA Memo- n Sat., Nov. 7, your AFSA Governing Board put in a full day of pro bono rial Plaques in the C Street Lobby of the work at a special strategy meeting. I was impressed by both the wide range Harry S Truman Building. Oof issues that the board deals with and the deep experience, knowledge and passion that board members brought to the discussion. In fact, passions ran so high that the best we could manage after a day of work was to narrow down our list of priorities to just short of a dozen — and even that included an internal management category with another five priorities. The good news is that the board cares about your issues and did not want to dismiss any that are im- Everyone seems to be portant to the membership. The bad doing his or her part to help. news is that, despite a real desire to How about you? Left: PRT Leader John Naland speaks at Basra identify concrete “deliverables” for each plaque dedication ceremony, October 2009. Basra Memorial Plaque, right. priority, we may have spread ourselves Supporting these too thin. multiple priorities does Now serving as the Provincial Recon- The priorities that FCS identified struction Team leader in Basra, Iraq, Na- were no surprise: 1) resources, 2) re- not come without cost. land organized a ceremony this past sources and 3) resources. Other im- October to honor seven U.S.-citizen con- portant issues are full implementation tract employees who died in heroic or of locality pay, senior pay, the seven- other inspirational circumstances while year rule and the creation of a WAE program at Commerce. But the sine qua working for the Department of State in non remains the fiscal health of the Foreign Commercial Service. Basra. At the board retreat, we stressed the need for AFSA to focus its legislative and Six of those named on the plaque public affairs capabilities on strengthening FCS (as well as the Foreign Agricul- were former members of the military or tural Service and the International Broadcasting Bureau). We had a very positive police who were working as contractors reception to his position. A number of our State colleagues voiced the importance for either Triple Canopy or Dynecorp: of supporting us in this time of need. This was all very heartening, as it coin- Ronald Hyatt, Robert McCoy, Robert cided with a strong effort that our District Export Council friends had put in ear- Pole, Ryan Brandt Young, Roland C. lier that same week on the Hill, when some 100 members in town for the DEC’s Barvels and Richard T. Hickman. These annual conference pressed legislators for more FCS resources. men were killed in two separate roadside Everyone seems to be doing his or her part to help. How about you? Sup- bomb attacks in 2005 and 2006. The porting these multiple priorities does not come without cost. At the last board seventh name is that of an Information meeting we voted down an attempt to raise the annual membership dues. Yet I sin- Management Officer, Julio Garcia, who cerely believe that with the substantial value AFSA has returned to its membership, was killed in a rocket attack in 2006. the time is right to ask more from you. The locality pay increase alone will put an The highlight of the ceremony was the additional $999, on average, into the typical member’s pocket annually. unveiling of a privately-funded bronze Now is the time to consider giving more to AFSA. The CFC account for the memorial plaque to commemorate their Fund for American Diplomacy is 10646; to donate to that fund, please visit us on service and sacrifice. The plaque bears an the Web at www.afsa.org/CFCFAD.cfm. Or you can make a donation to the Leg- inscription quoting Abraham Lincoln: “I islative Action Fund at www.afsa.org/lafform.cfm. When you do give a little extra, do the very best that I know how, the very I would appreciate it if you would let me know with a follow-up e-mail to Keith. best I can, and I mean to keep on doing [email protected], so that I can make a point of it as we continue to push for so until the end.” ❏ resources. Thanks for your support. ❏

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 41 37-52_FSJ_0110_AN:firstlook 12/18/09 8:00 AM Page 42

A F S 2009-2010 Financial Aid Scholars A

FSA is proud to award $156,300 in undergraduate The winners of the AFSA Merit Awards, a separate N need-based scholarships for the 2009-2010 aca- award category, were recognized in the July-August issue E Ademic year to 74 children of Foreign Service em- of the Foreign Service Journal; AFSA provided $35,700 in W ployees. In addition to the AFSA Financial Aid Scholar- Academic and Art Merit Awards to these 25 students in S ships listed, AFSA administers the DACOR Bacon House May 2009. These one-time-only awards reward the aca- Scholarships and also awards scholarships in cooperation demic and artistic accomplishments of Foreign Service with other organizations such as the Associates of the high school seniors. In summary, AFSA has provided aid American Foreign Service Worldwide and the Public to 99 students totaling $192,000 during the current aca- Members Association of the Foreign Service. These or- demic year. ganizations, along with past and present individual donors, Financial aid winners are listed below in alphabetical provide valuable support to the scholarship program. order. Each listing includes the name of the university

Financial Aid Scholarship Recipients

Paul Armstrong – Lovinda Badinga – Jourdan Ball – attending Jonathan Bates – attending the University of attending California the College of Charleston. attending Central Connecti- St. Thomas. Recipient of State University-East Bay. Recipient of the AFSA cut State University. Recipi- the DACOR Bacon House Recipient of the AFSA Robert Woods Bliss ent of the AFSA John and Foundation Heyward G. Hill Rose Marie Asch Memorial Memorial Scholarship, the Hope Bastek Memorial Memorial Scholarship. Scholarship, the AFSA AFSA Cameron C. Turner Scholarship, the AFSA Arthur B. Emmons Memorial Scholarship and Landreth M. Harrison Memorial Scholarship and the AFSA Lawsuit over the Memorial Scholarship and the AFSA Harry A. Havens Movie “Missing” the AFSA Ruth Frost Hoyt Memorial Scholarship. Scholarship. Memorial Scholarship.

Zachary Charles – Catherine Christensen – Jonathan Christensen – Alexandra Christoff – Christine Chung – attending the University attending Brigham Young attending Brigham Young attending Seton Hill attending the University of Pennsylvania. Recipient University. Recipient of University. Recipient of University. Recipient of the of Wisconsin. Recipient of the DACOR Bacon the AFSA Beirut the AFSA Norton W. Bell AFSA David K.E. Bruce of the AFSA Barbara House Foundation Virginia Scholarship. Scholarship. Memorial Scholarship and Bell Black Memorial Thurgood Bingham the AFSA Albert E. Carter Scholarship and the AFSA Memorial Scholarship. Memorial Scholarship. Robert and Evelyn Curtis Memorial Scholarship.

42 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 37-52_FSJ_0110_AN:firstlook 12/18/09 8:00 AM Page 43

A F S A the student attends and the name of the scholarship(s) credits per semester, maintain at least a cumulative 2.0 N the student is receiving. The remaining section lists the grade point average and demonstrate financial need by students who did not provide photos. completing the College Scholarship Service PROFILE. E It’s not too late to apply for a 2010-2011 AFSA Finan- Unfortunately, grandchildren of Foreign Service em- W cial Aid Scholarship or a Merit Award. Applications for ployees are not eligible for the program. S the coming academic year will be accepted until Feb. 6. Visit www.afsa.org/scholar/ for the complete program Financial Aid Scholarships range from $1,000 to $3,500. details and to download an application. If you have any To be eligible for an AFSA Financial Aid Scholarship, stu- questions or are interested in establishing a scholarship in dents must be tax dependents of Foreign Service em- your name, contact AFSA Scholarship Director Lori Dec ployees, attend an accredited two- or four-year college/ at (202) 944-5504 or 1 (800) 704-2372, ext. 504, or at university in the U.S. or overseas, take at least 12 course [email protected].

Luke Carpenter – Michael Cassilly – Anthony Charles – Russell Charles – Shandani Charles – attending Virginia Tech. attending the University attending the University attending the College attending Saint Joseph’s Recipient of the AFSA of Kentucky. Recipient of of Virginia. Recipient of of the Atlantic. Recipient College of Maine. Anthony G. Freeman the DACOR Bacon House the AFSA Dalton V. Killion of the Associates of the Recipient of the AFSA Memorial Scholarship. Foundation Heyward G. Memorial Scholarship and American Foreign Service Gertrude Stewart Hill Memorial Scholarship. the AFSA Robert E. and Worldwide Scholarship. Memorial Scholarship. Florence L. Macauley Memorial Scholarship.

Elliot Consigny – attending Andrew Curry – attending Fiona Davidson – Daniel Deulus – attending Alexandra Dubel – the University of Indiana University. attending the National George Mason University. attending Florida State Wisconsin. Recipient of Recipient of the AFSA University of Ireland at Recipient of the DACOR University. Recipient of the Public Members Dorothy Osborne and Galway. Recipient of the Bacon House Foundation the AFSA Susan Lowe Modi Association of the Foreign Theodore Xanthaky AFSA Suzanne Marie Heyward G. Hill Memorial Memorial Scholarship. Service Scholarship. Memorial Scholarship. Collins Memorial Scholarship. Scholarship.

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 43 37-52_FSJ_0110_AN:firstlook 12/18/09 8:00 AM Page 44

A Financial Aid Scholarship Recipients F S A

N E W S

Zachary Dubel – attending Alexandra Einhorn – Elizabeth Einhorn – Erin Einhorn – attending Daniel Friedheim – Florida State University. attending Washington attending the University of Washington University in attending the University of Recipient of the DACOR University in St. Louis. Notre Dame. Recipient of St. Louis. Recipient of the Virginia. Recipient of the Bacon House Foundation Recipient of the AFSA the AFSA Gertrude Stewart AFSA Harriet P. Culley AFSA Gertrude Stewart Heyward G. Hill Memorial Oliver Bishop Harriman Memorial Scholarship. Memorial Scholarship and Memorial Scholarship. Scholarship. Memorial Scholarship. the AFSA Colonel Richard R. Hallock Memorial Scholarship.

Marilyn Herrera– Katherine Holtrop – Yun–A Johnson – Anthony Jones Kerr – Jeremy Keaveny – Swenarski – attending attending Calvin College. attending American attending Ohio State attending Fordham Lewis and Clark College. Recipient of the AFSA University. Recipient of University. Recipient of the University. Recipient of the Recipient of the AFSA Dorothy Osborne and the DACOR Bacon House DACOR Bacon House DACOR Bacon House Adolph Dubs Memorial Theodore Xanthaky Foundation Heyward G. Foundation Heyward G. Hill Foundation Harriet P. Scholarship. Memorial Scholarship. Hill Memorial Scholarship. Memorial Scholarship. Thurgood Memorial Schoalrship.

Alexandra Kula – Brandt Lanzet – attending Garrett Lanzet – attending Camila Liotti – attending Ayele McCarthy – attending American Virginia Tech. Recipient of New York University. Pennsylvania State attending Prince George’s University. Recipient of the AFSA William P. and Recipient of the AFSA University. Recipient of the Community College. the AFSA Charles W. Adele Langston Rogers George Shultz Memorial AAFSW Scholarship and Recipient of the AFSA Grover Memorial Memorial Scholarship. Scholarship. the AFSA John M. and Howard Fyfe Memorial Scholarship, the AFSA Anna B. Steeves Memorial Scholarship. Selden Chapin Memorial Scholarship. Scholarship and the AFSA Francesca Bufano Lapinski Memorial Scholarship.

44 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 37-52_FSJ_0110_AN:firstlook 12/18/09 8:00 AM Page 45

A F S A N E W S

Daniel Fritz – attending Evan Fritz – attending Emma Garrison – Jordan Gilbert – Peter Harmon – attending Bucknell University. the University of Mary attending Ithaca College. attending Northern James Madison University. Recipient of the AFSA Washington. Recipient Recipient of the AAFSW Virginia Community Recipient of the AFSA Marc Grossman and of the AFSA Naomi Scholarship. College. Recipient of the Gertrude Stewart Memorial Mildred Patterson Pekmezian Memorial AFSA Charles B. Hosmer Scholarship. Scholarship. Scholarship. Memorial Scholarship and the AFSA John Campbell White Memorial Scholarship.

Patrick Keaveny – Nathan Keesling – Nova Kennett – attending Natalie Kirkham – Rebecca Konschak – attending Creighton attending Brigham Young the University of New attending Simmons attending the University University. Recipient of the University. Recipient of the Mexico. Recipient of the College. Recipient of the of South Florida-St. Peters- AFSA Elizabeth M. and AFSA Betty Carp Memorial AFSA Dorothy Osborne and AFSA Louis C. Boochever burg. Recipient of the William A. Cole Memorial Scholarship and the AFSA Theodore Xanthaky Memorial Scholarship. DACOR Bacon House Scholarship. Brockman M. Moore Memorial Scholarship. Foundation Heyward G. Memorial Scholarship. Hill Memorial Scholarship.

James McKnight – Joshua McMackle – Natalie McNeill – Jonathan Mines – Kara Murray – attending attending Rollins College. attending Texas Southern attending the University attending Edinburgh the University of Guelph. Recipient of the DACOR University. Recipient of the of Delaware. Recipient of University. Recipient of the Recipient of the AFSA Bacon House Foundation AAFSW Scholarship. the AFSA Stephen Hubler AFSA Evelyn K. and Horace Ernest V. Siracusa Harriet P. Thurgood Scholarship and the J. Nickles Memorial Memorial Scholarship. Memorial Scholarship. AFSA Jefferson Patterson Scholarship. Memorial Scholarship.

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 45 37-52_FSJ_0110_AN:firstlook 12/18/09 8:01 AM Page 46

A Financial Aid Scholarship Recipients F S A

N E W S

Daniela Naldoken – Caitlin O’Dowd – Fallon O’Dowd – Irene Pedraza – attending Dzifa Penty – attending attending Northern attending Hamilton attending Harvard College. Saint Mary’s University of Knox College. Recipient of Virginia Community College. Recipient of the Recipient of the DACOR San Antonio. Recipient of the AFSA Everett K. and College. Recipient of AFSA Wilbur J. Carr Bacon House Foundation the AFSA Arthur R. Clara C. Melby Memorial the AFSA George and Memorial Scholarship. Harriet P. Thurgood Dornheim Memorial Scholarship. Mattie Newman Memorial Memorial Scholarship. Scholarship and the AFSA Scholarship and the Harriet Winsar Isom AFSA Clarke Winship Slade Scholarship. Memorial Scholarship.

Caroline Perkinson – Philip Perkinson – Victoria Ratermanis – Simone Ruiz Smith – Stephanie Ruse – attending Davidson attending the University of attending Pace University. attending the University of attending Washington College. Recipient of Virginia. Recipient of the Recipient of the AFSA Iowa. Recipient of the University in St. Louis. the AFSA David D. Newsom DACOR Bacon House David K.E. Bruce Memorial AFSA Vietnam Scholarship. Recipient of the AFSA Memorial Scholarship Foundation Heyward G. Scholarship. Foreign Service Retirees and the AFSA Lowell C. Hill Memorial Scholarship. Association of Florida Pinkerton Memorial Scholarship, the AFSA Paris Scholarship. Scholarship and the AFSA Jacq Bachman Siracusa Scholarship.

Nick Settje – attending Sean Skinner – attending Brendan Ternus – Christian Ternus – Marion Tilghman – Cornell University. Virginia Tech. Recipient of attending Yale University. attending the Massachu- attending American Recipient of the AFSA the AFSA Philip C. Habib Recipient of the AFSA setts Institute of Technology. University. Recipient of the William Benton Memorial Memorial Scholarship, the Elbert G. and Naomi M. Recipient of the AFSA AFSA Prabhi G. Kavaler Scholarship. AFSA Louise Holscher Mathews Memorial Julius C. Holmes Memorial Memorial Scholarship. Memorial Scholarship and Scholarship and the AFSA Scholarship and the the AFSA Elizabeth N. Marcia Martin Moore AFSA James Bolard More Landeau Memorial Memorial Scholarship. Memorial Scholarship. Scholarship.

46 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 37-52_FSJ_0110_AN:firstlook 12/18/09 8:01 AM Page 47

A F Not Pictured: S (Alphabetical by Last Name) A

Ryan Abbadi – attending Villanova Andrew McNeill – attending Old Dominion University. Recipient of the AFSA Martin G. University. Recipient of the AFSA Walter K. N Patterson Memorial Scholarship and the Schwinn Memorial Scholarship and the AFSA Edward T. Wailes Memorial AFSA John C. Whitehead Scholarship. E Scholarship. Kristine Romero – attending George W Alexandria Aguasvivas – attending Mason University. Recipient of the DACOR S Northeastern University. Recipient of the Bacon House Foundation Harriet P. DACOR Bacon House Foundation Heyward Thurgood Memorial Scholarship. G. Hill Memorial Scholarship. Paul VanKoughnett – Madeline Wilson – Jack Settje – attending East Carolina attending Harvard College. attending Sacramento Ashley Huyett – attending Schiller University. Recipient of the AFSA William Recipient of the AFSA John City College. Recipient International University. Recipient of the Leonhart Memorial Scholarship. Foster Dulles Memorial of the DACOR Bacon DACOR Bacon House Foundation Virginia Scholarship and the AFSA Thurgood Bingham Memorial Scholarship. Peter Tilghman – attending Dickinson House Foundation College. Recipient of the AFSA Janet K. Sheldon Whitehouse Heyward G. Hill Memorial Scholarship. Ashley Kula – attending American and Charles C. Stelle Memorial Scholarship Memorial Scholarship. University. Recipient of the DACOR Bacon and the AFSA Clare H. Timberlake House Foundation Heyward G. Hill Memorial Scholarship. Memorial Scholarship.

AAFSA 2010 Dues Update: No Increase in Membership Dues Good news for AFSA members: The AFSA Governing Board has decided not to raise membership dues in 2010. Because the Consumer Price Index, determined by the Department of Labor, did not increase during the third quarter of 2009, board members wanted to pass these “savings,” so to speak, on to AFSA members. However, we encourage members to consider the many ways they can contribute to the organization. Donations become even more important during those years when we do not increase dues revenue. We hope you will consider contributing to one of the AFSA funds listed below. The numbers listed apply to the latest campaign for each fund.

Fund # of Average Goal of the fund Contact person donations donation

Fund for 394 $55.20 Conducting outreach, minority Tom Switzer, [email protected] American intern program, Exploritas, Inside Diplomacy a U.S. Embassy, memorial plaques, essay contest, AFSA awards, speakers bureau

Legal Defense Fund 249 $55.40 Assisting AFSA members in cases Sharon Papp, [email protected] involving issues of significant institutional importance to the Foreign Service

Legislative Action 550 $53.00 Enabling AFSA to advocate on Casey Frary, [email protected] Fund behalf of the Foreign Service in Congress

Scholarship Fund 267 $72.68 Providing scholarships for Lori Dec, [email protected] Foreign Service children

Political Action 346 $60.30 Making political donations to Ian Houston, [email protected] Committee key lawmakers; donations are divided exactly 50/50 between Republicans and Democrats

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 47 37-52_FSJ_0110_AN:firstlook 12/18/09 8:01 AM Page 48

A F S MILESTONES: TEN YEARS AT AFSA A Fond Farewell to A Ana Lopez Barbara Berger

N n Jan. 3, 2000, Ana Lopez came into AFSA headquarters for a two-month as- FSA bids a very fond farewell to E signment as administrative assistant. Ana had been told about the temporary Special Awards and Outreach W Ojob — to fill in for another employee on leave — by Membership Director Janet A Coordinator Barbara Berger, who S Hedrick, for whom Ana’s mother used to babysit. has been at AFSA for nine years. Bar- Ten years later, Ana is still here. The other employee never returned, and Ana found bara has been responsible for many of herself in a very different job setting than she was used to in her previous work for the AFSA’s most important programs, in- Fairfax County school district. cluding the annual awards, the memo- “The first year wasn’t easy,” admits Ana now. rial plaques and the board elections, “I was somewhat tentative about this new expe- among other tasks. An FS spouse for 25 Executive Director rience, but I also like a challenge.” Now Ana is a years, Barbara has lived in Uganda, permanent fixture at AFSA, and hers is the first Ethiopia, Brazil, Israel and The Nether- Ian Houston lauds Ana’s face staff and visitors see upon entering head- lands, and has served as the Community flexibility and “willingness quarters. And it’s a face that is almost always Liaison Officer in Tel Aviv and The smiling. Hague. She is looking forward to to take on projects at the “For 10 years Ana has provided AFSA visitors spending as much time as possible with drop of a hat.” and phone callers with a friendly greeting and ex- her two young granddaughters until the cellent service,” says Hedrick. “She also serves as summer, when her son, Jonathan Berger, office manager for the AFSA headquarters build- who is an FSO, will be posted to Vilnius, ing and processes hundreds of payments each month without missing a step, a testa- Lithuania. We will miss Barbara, and we ment to her warm professionalism and steady dedication.” wish her all the best. ❏ In her decade at AFSA, Ana has seen quite a few AFSA Governing Boards and staff members come and go. She remembers AFSA President John Limbert with particular appreciation. “He would make a point of saying good Dissent • Continued from page 37 morning to every one of us.” Ana attributes her longe- Why not ask Ambassador Jeffrey vity at AFSA to “the atmos- Feltman, currently Assistant Secretary of phere and the people.” And State for Near Eastern Affairs, who won “the people” feel the same the Herter Award for Constructive Dis- way about Ana. Executive sent by a Senior FSO in 2008? Ask Am- Director Ian Houston lauds bassador Thomas Boyatt, who won the her flexibility and “willing- Rivkin Award in 1970 and the Herter ness to take on projects at Award in 1979 and is now, in retirement, the drop of a hat.” president of the Foreign Affairs Coun- Ana lives in Manassas, cil. Or Ryan Crocker, recipient of the Va., with her 12-year-old Rivkin Award in 1985, who went on to son, Gerson. Although she become ambassador to Lebanon, Syria, doesn’t play golf herself, Ana Pakistan and Iraq — and was recently frequently spends her week- awarded the Presidential Medal of Free- ends taking Gerson golfing. dom. Like her son, Ana is a pro- Take a look at the awards section of

lific reader, and because she KELLY FRANCESCA our Web site (www.afsa.org/awards) for is bilingual, she often finds more names of past AFSA award-win- herself, as she explains, ners. You will see names that you recog- “reading a book in Spanish one day, and one in English the next.” nize — and some that may surprise you. Houston points to Ana’s “quiet, behind-the-scenes role that was invaluable during The nomination deadline of Feb. 26 the renovation of our building.” But her soft-spoken demeanor hides a very well-kept is fast approaching. To nominate a col- secret: she loves to dance. Whether it’s just around the house or out on the town, league for the AFSA dissent (and per- wherever she is, Ana loves to move to the music. All those who come into contact with formance) awards, or for more in- Ana are warmed by her sunny disposition and agree with Houston when he calls her formation, please visit our Web site at “a joy to work with.” ❏ the URL above. ❏

48 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 37-52_FSJ_0110_AN:firstlook 12/18/09 8:01 AM Page 49

A F FOREIGN SERVICE E-MAIL GROUPS S Finding Support and Community While Far from Home A BY FRANCESCA KELLY N n mid-November, a newly minted reer. Some would even argue that the enting. She started FSSpecialneeds be- E FSO logged onto Livelines, a Foreign- pain of leaving posts and friendships cause of her own difficulties in finding W IService e-mail group that has more every few years is mitigated through the support and much-needed information S than 3,000 members, and asked for ease of maintaining e-mail contact. and resources for her severely disabled some advice about shipping her beloved Livelines, sponsored by the Associ- son, Christopher. “E-mail groups can old Mazda to her new assignment in ates of the American Foreign Service help smooth the way to a new post,” says Cairo. It wasn’t long before Betty Snow, Worldwide, was one of the very first e- O’Connor, recalling an e-mail message a veteran FS spouse, responded. She ad- mail groups geared solely to Foreign from an online friend offering to help vised the new officer not to ship the car, Service members. Its utility and con- her get services for her son in Dublin but to consider ordering a new one venience helped it catch on quickly and after his medical clearance was re- from Europe or Japan, and to check become one of the most active listservs scinded. “My husband was able to get a with the Community Liaison Officer at job in Dublin at the last minute, so here post for current regulations. Soon after, we are, all thanks to this wonderful Irish someone else who had recently lived in E-mail and the Internet friend I first met through an e-mail Cairo chimed in, suggesting sending a have not only changed the way group.” new SUV, for which she could get a very FSO John Dinkelman, also a mem- good price when selling it upon depar- FS personnel and their family ber of FSSpecialneeds, adds, “Just know- ture. An added bonus, she said, is that members receive support and ing that there were others out there the price of filling one’s tank in Egypt is desperately trying to cobble together a low. It didn’t take long before the new information. They have also life that balances a Foreign Service career officer began to rethink the wisdom of changed the nature of with a child’s complicated special needs bringing an old car to post. has given me great hope and resolve at This now-common way of getting relationships and friendships times when it all seemed impossible.” information didn’t exist a generation over the course of an FS career. Here is an annotated directory of ago. It wasn’t until the late 1990s that e- some of the more popular e-mail mail groups, generally known as list- groups available to FS community servs, began to gain popularity. Now, in existence. It is considered by many to members. All of them have been set up members of the Foreign Service have an be an invaluable source of FS-related in- under Yahoogroups, so you can also array of e-mail groups to choose from, formation, especially because quite a search for groups at www.yahoogroups. where users can send a message out and few department officials are also mem- com. get information or support within min- bers, such as the Overseas Briefing Cen- Livelines (sponsored by the Associ- utes. A simple query about how to en- ter’s “pet shipping maven” Maureen ates of the American Foreign Service tertain a child on long-haul flights will Johnston and the State Department’s Worldwide): Active-duty and retired usually net many different answers and award-winning travel expert, Mette FSOs and their family members may opinions. Beecroft. These and other officials will join. Join on the Web at http://groups. Sometimes users just need someone often take the time to speak up and pa- yahoo.com/group/livelines/ or by send- to listen as they navigate a rocky transi- tiently answer queries about regula- ing an e-mail to livelines-subscribe@ tion period at a new post, or try to help tions. yahoogroups.com. You may also e-mail a special-needs child get a complete ed- Other e-mail groups have sprung up [email protected] for more informa- ucation far from home. In fact, many in recent years to support more special- tion. smaller e-mail groups have become vir- ized communities within the Foreign A-100-2002 (and later years): For tual communities, where members feel Service. Groups for officers posted to people who have passed both the writ- close to one another even though they Iraq, for those who are homeschooling ten and oral FS assessments. Join on the have never met in person. their children, and for people preparing Web at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ E-mail and the Internet have not for the Foreign Service exam are among A-100-2002/ or by sending an e-mail to only changed the way FS personnel and the groups available. A-100-2002-subscribe@yahoogroups. their family members receive support Foreign Service spouse Mari O’Con- com. and information. They have also nor, currently posted in Ireland, has been FSWE: For those preparing to take changed the nature of relationships and the founder or moderator of at least two the FS written assessment. Join on the friendships over the course of an FS ca- of these — FSSpecialneeds and FSPar- Continued on page 50

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 49 37-52_FSJ_0110_AN:firstlook 12/18/09 8:01 AM Page 50

F FS E-mail Groups • Continued from page 49 S companying spouses, not limited to the groups.yahoo.com/group/fsgifted/ or A Web at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ Foreign Service, sponsored by Tales from send an e-mail to fsgifted-subscribe@ fswe/ or by sending an e-mail to fswe- a Small Planet. Join on the Web at yahoogroups.com. [email protected]. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Spouses FSAdoptiveParents: For FS commu- N FSOA: For those who have passed view/ or via e-mail to spousesview-sub nity members who have adopted chil- E the FS written exam and are preparing [email protected]. dren. Join on the Web at http://groups. W for the oral exam. Join on the Web at DSSspouse: For spouses of diplo- yahoo.com/group/FSAdoptiveParents/ S http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fsoa/ matic security agents, sponsored by the or via e-mail to FSAdoptiveParents- or send an e-mail to fsoa-subscribe@ [email protected] yahoogroups.com. FSPets: A group for FS pet owners, FSSCareers: For anyone interested in to discuss regulations, procedures and pursuing a career as an FS specialist. “Just knowing that there were experiences. Join on the Web at http:// Join on the Web at http://groups. others out there desperately groups.yahoo.com/group/FSPets/ or yahoo.com/group/FSSCareers/ or via send an e-mail to FSPets-subscribe@ e-mail to FSSCareers-subscribe@yahoo trying to cobble together a life yahoogroups.com. groups.com. that balances a Foreign Service (If you know of an FS-related e-mail OMSHopefuls: For people interested career with a child’s complicated group that has been left off this list, in the process of becoming office man- please send an e-mail to [email protected].) agement specialists. Join on the Web at special needs has given me The author wishes to thank Kelly http://groups.yahoo.com/group/oms great hope and resolve.” Midura and Mari O’Connor for their hopefuls/ or by sending an e-mail to help in researching these groups. ❏ omshopefuls-subscribe@yahoogroups. — FSO John Dinkelman com. FSIraq: A forum for members of the FS community to exchange information Diplomatic Security Agents Spouse As- AFSANEWSBRIEFS about service in Iraq. Join on the Web at sociation. Join on the Web at http:// http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FSIraq/ groups.yahoo.com/group/dsspouse/ or Hospital Bills Overseas or via e-mail at FSIraq-subscribe@ by e-mail to dsspouse-subscribe@yahoo — Don’t Assume yahoogroups.com. groups.com. They’ve Been Paid FSAfghanistan: A forum for mem- MOH_Network: For members of An important reminder from the Labor Management Office: Please remember that bers of the FS community to exchange household, as defined by the Foreign Af- if you are hospitalized overseas, you will information about service in Afghani- fairs Manual. Join on the Web at http:// need to obtain the hospital bill to submit to stan. Join on the Web at http://groups. groups.yahoo.com/group/MOH_Net your insurance company, and then turn yahoo.com/group/FSAfghanistan/ or work/ or via e-mail to MOH_Network- over the reimbursement from the insurance via e-mail to FSAfghanistan-subscribe@ [email protected]. company to the embassy cashier. The department will act as a secondary payer, but yahoogroups.com. FSParent: Discussion and advice only when the insurance company is the HomeFrontUS: A support group for group for FS parents. Join on the Web primary payer. family members of U.S. government athttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/FS In recent months we have heard from sev- employees serving overseas at unac- Parent/ or by sending an e-mail message eral members who have discovered they companied posts. Join on the Web at to FSParent-subscribe@yahoogroups. owe the department thousands of dollars in http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Home com. medical bills. This has generally occurred because the hospitalization took place ei- FrontUS/ or via e-mail to Homefront FSSpecialneeds: For parents of spe- ther at an overseas medevac site, or just be- [email protected]. cial needs children in the Foreign Serv- fore the member left post — perhaps when Statetandems: For State Department ice. Join on the Web at http://groups. being evacuated to the United States. In tandem couples. Join on the Web at yahoo.com/group/FSspecialneeds/ or by such cases, the bill often does not follow http://groups.yahoo.com/group/state e-mail to FSspecialneeds-subscribe@ the member back to post or back to the U.S., so you have to take proactive steps to tandems/ or by e-mail to statetandems- yahoogroups.com. track it down. [email protected]. FSHomeschool: For those interested As a reminder, what should happen is Abroadview: Sponsored by Tales in or already homeschooling their FS this: Once you are hospitalized, the post’s from a Small Planet for all expatriates, children. Join on the Web at http:// health unit gets a fund citation from not just FS members. Join on the Web groups.yahoo.com/group/fshome M/MED. Generally the post pays the hospi- at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ school/ or via e-mail to FShomeschool- tal with this, and will then send you the bill, which you then send to your insurance abroadview/ or via e-mail to abroad [email protected]. company. When you get the money back [email protected]. FSGifted: For FS parents of gifted from the insurance company, you owe that Spousesview: A group for all ac- children. Join on the Web at http:// money to the department. ❏

50 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 37-52_FSJ_0110_AN:firstlook 12/18/09 8:01 AM Page 51

A F S A CLASSIFIEDS N E LEGAL SERVICES TAX & FINANCIAL SERVICES TEMPORARY HOUSING W ATTORNEY WITH 30 years’ successful COMFORTABLE GUEST ROOMS S ROLAND S. HEARD, CPA experience SPECIALIZING FULL-TIME IN • U.S. income tax services rented to DACOR members for FS GRIEVANCES will more than double • Practiced before the IRS $99/night/single or $109/night/double, all your chance of winning: 30% of grievants FIRST CONSULTATION FREE taxes and continental breakfast included. win before the Grievance Board; 85% of my 1091 Chaddwyck Dr. Contact: Tel. (202) 682-0500, ext. 11. clients win. Only a private attorney can ad- Athens, GA 30606 E-mail: [email protected] equately develop and present your case, in- Cell: (706) 207-8300. Web site: www.dacorbacon.org cluding necessary regs, arcane legal E-mail: [email protected] doctrines, precedents and rules. WWW.ROLANDSHEARDCPA.COM Call Bridget R. Mugane at Tel: (301) 596-0175 or (202) 387-4383. CAPITOL HILL, FURNISHED housing: E-mail: [email protected] PROFESSIONAL TAX RETURN PREP- 1-3 blocks to Capitol. Nice places, great lo- Free initial telephone consultation. ARATION: Forty years in public tax practice. cation. Well below per diem. Short term Arthur A. Granberg, EA, ATA, ATP. Our OK. GSA small business and veteran- WILLS/ESTATE PLANNING by attorney charges are $95 per hour. Most FS returns owned. Tel: (202) 544-4419. who is a former FSO. Have your will re- take 3 to 4 hours. Our office is 100 feet from Web site: www.capitolhillstay.com viewed and updated, or new one prepared: Virginia Square Metro Station. Tax Matters 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. FIND PERFECT HOUSING by using 307 Maple Ave. W, Suite D, Vienna, VA Fax: (703) 522-5726. the free Reservation Service Agency, Ac- 22180. Tel: (703) 281-2161. E-mail: [email protected] commodations 4 U. Tel: (843) 238-2490. Fax: (703) 281-9464. E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.accommodations4u.net MORTGAGE EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS REPRE- SENTING FS officers in grievances, per- PIED-A-TERRE PROPERTIES, LTD: formance, promotion and tenure, financial BUYING OR REFINANCING A HOME? claims, discrimination and disciplinary ac- Jeff Stoddard has specialized in home Select from our unique inventory of com- tions. We represent FS officers at all stages finance for FSOs for over seven years. pletely furnished & tastefully decorated of the proceedings from an investigation, is- “Working with various lenders, he is able apartments & townhouses, all located in suance of proposed discipline or the initiation to provide FSO-specific financing in all 50 D.C.’s best in-town neighborhoods: Dupont, of a grievance, through to a hearing before states.” Contact him at (703) 725-2455 or Georgetown, Foggy Bottom & the West the FSGB. We provide experienced, timely via e-mail at [email protected] End. Two-month minimum. Mother-Daugh- and knowledgeable advice to employees ter Owned and Operated. from junior untenured officers through the Tel: (202) 462-0200. Fax: (202) 332-1406. Senior FS, and often work closely with AFSA. TEMPORARY HOUSING E-mail: [email protected] Kalijarvi, Chuzi & Newman. Tel: (202) 331- Web site: www.piedaterredc.com 9260. E-mail: [email protected] SHORT-TERM RENTALS

TAX & FINANCIAL SERVICES TEMPORARY HOUSING SERVING FOREIGN SERVICE person- FREE TAX CONSULTATION for over- nel for 23 years, especially those with PETS. Selection of condos, townhouses and sin- seas personnel. We process returns as re- WASHINGTON, D.C. or NFATC ceived, without delay. Preparation and gle-family homes accommodates most TOUR? EXECUTIVE HOUSING CON- breeds and sizes. All within a short walk of representation by Enrolled Agents. Federal SULTANTS offers Metropolitan Washing- and all states prepared. Includes “TAX Metro stations in Arlington. Fully furnished ton, D.C.’s finest portfolio of short-term, TRAX” unique mini-financial planning review and equipped 1-4 bedrooms, within per fully furnished and equipped apartments, with recommendations. Full planning avail- diem rates. EXECUTIVE LODGING ALTER- townhomes and single-family residences able. Get the most from your financial dollar! NATIVES. in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia. Financial Forecasts Inc., Barry B. De Marr, [email protected] In Virginia: “River Place’s Finest” is CFP, EA, 3918 Prosperity Ave. #230, Fairfax, VA 22031. Tel: (703) 289-1167. steps to Rosslyn Metro and Georgetown, and 15 minutes on Metro bus or State De- Fax: (703) 289-1178. E-mail: [email protected] ARLINGTON FLATS: 2-Bedroom, 1- partment shuttle to NFATC. For more info, bath and 4-bedroom, 3-bath flats in a beau- please call (301) 951-4111, or visit our ATTORNEY, FORMER FOREIGN SER- tiful duplex, 3 blks from Clarendon Metro. Web site at www.executivehousing.com. VICE OFFICER: Extensive experience with Newly renovated, completely furnished, in- tax problems unique to the Foreign Service. cluding all utilities, Internet, HDTV w/DVR. Available for consultation, tax planning and Parking, maid service, gym and rental car preparation of returns: FURNISHED LUXURY APARTMENTS: Short/long-term. Best locations: Dupont available. Rates start at $3,450/month (2- M. Bruce Hirshorn, Boring & Pilger, P.C. BR) and $5,500/month (4-BR). Per diem 307 Maple Ave. W, Suite D, Vienna, VA Circle, Georgetown. Utilities included. All price ranges/sizes. Parking available. OK. Min. 30-day stay. Tel: (571) 235-4289. 22180. Tel: (703) 281-2161. E-mail: [email protected] Fax: (703) 281-9464. Tel: (202) 296-4989. E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.postlets.com/rts/1909065 or E-mail: [email protected] www.postlets.com/rts/1908526

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 51 37-52_FSJ_0110_AN:firstlook 12/18/09 8:01 AM Page 52

A F S A CLASSIFIEDS N E W TEMPORARY HOUSING REAL ESTATE SHOPPING S DC FURNISHED EXTENDED STAY in Get The MOST HOME For Your $$$ SELLING YOUR VEHICLE? Penn Quarter/Chinatown. The Lansburgh, Take advantage of the Real Estate Market. BUYING A VEHICLE? 425 8th Street, NW. 1BR and 2BR apart- Now Is The Time To Buy! Utilize my Since 1979, Steve Hart has been assist- ments w/fully equipped kitchens, CAC & knowledge and expertise to find your ing members of the Foreign Service with heat, high-speed Internet, digital cable TV home in Northern Virginia. Get The Facts. their automotive needs. w/ HBO, fitness center w/indoor pool, resi- TONY FEIJOO Realtor® Weichert Realtors AUTO BUYING SERVICE dent business center, 24-hour reception Tel: (571) 246-2406. BUYS and SELLS desk, full concierge service, secure parking E-Mail: [email protected] ALL MAKES AND MODELS Steve Hart, Auto Buying Service available, controlled-entry building, 30-day Web site: www.usgovrelo.com minimum stay. Walk to Metro, FBI, DOJ, 2971 Prosperity Ave, Fairfax, VA 22031 EPA, IRS, DOE, DHH, U.S. Capitol. Rates Tel: (703) 849-0080. Fax: (703) 849-9248. within government per diem. Discount for E-mail: [email protected] PROFESSIONAL REAL ESTATE serv- Reduce your stress; use the best. government, diplomats. Visit our Web site ices provided by John Kozyn of Coldwell at: www.TheLansburgh.com or call the leas- Banker Residential Brokerage in Arlington. ing office at (888) 313-6240. Need to buy, sell or rent? My expertise will serve your specific needs and time frame. FSO references gladly provided. Licensed in VA and DC. Phone: (202) 288-6026. HOUSING IS AVAILABLE in a remod- E-mail: [email protected]. eled 4-unit townhouse, about a block and a Web site: www.cbmove.com/johnkozyn half from the Dupont Circle Metro station U.S. AUTOMOBILE PARTS WORLD- (Red Line). Each unit is furnished with a full- WIDE: Express Parts has over 30 years’ ex- size washer and dryer, fully equipped FLORIDA’S FIRST COAST perience shipping original and aftermarket kitchen with cherry cabinets, granite counter Real Estate, Relocation, Residency parts for U.S. specification vehicles. Give us and stainless steel appliances, cable, wire- Expert Counselor Consultant (SFSO, ret.) the year, make, model and serial number of less Internet, security system and a shared, [email protected] your car and we will supply the parts you private, enclosed backyard. Utilities in- Tel: (904) 207-8199. need. cluded. Garage parking available. Special- Web site: www.FirstCoastRealtor.com Tel: (440) 234-8381. Fax: (440) 234-2660. ized in renting to government employees on E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.expresspartsinc.com detail, we work with per diem. Contact CELEBRATING 10 YEARS IN REAL [email protected]. ESTATE. With special thanks to my Foreign CRAVING GROCERIES FROM HOME? Service friends and clients. If you are inter- We ship non-perishable groceries to you ested in buying, selling or renting property in via the Dulles mail-sorting facility or your Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church or Fairfax choice of U.S. shipping facility. HOME REPAIR County, this former FSO knows the market www.lowesfoodstogo.com and can help. Dave Olinger, GRI Long and • Choose the Reynolda Rd store in Foster, Realtors®. Phone: (703) 864-3196. SPRING IS THE perfect time to get your Winston-Salem, NC E-mail: [email protected] home in NORTHERN VIRGINIA ready to • Choose Delivery Web site: www.davidolinger.lnfre.com occupy or put on the market. Whether it’s a • Pay through PayPal fresh coat of paint or a bathroom and/or kitchen renovation, Door2Door Designs can SHOPPING TRANSPORTATION do the work for you while you're away. We specialize in working with Foreign Service SHOP IN AN AMERICAN PET MOVING MADE EASY. Club Pet and military families living abroad. For more DRUG STORE BY MAIL! International is a full-service animal shipper information, contact Nancy Sheehy at (703) Morgan Pharmacy specializing in domestic and international 244-3843 or [email protected]. Or 3001 P St NW trips. Club Pet is the ultimate pet-care visit us at Washington, DC 20007 boarding facility in the Washington Metro- WWW.DOOR2DOORDESIGNS.COM Tel: (202) 337-4100. Fax: (202) 337-4102. politan area. E-mail: [email protected] Tel: (703) 471-7818 or (800) 871-2535. www.carepharmacies.com E-mail: [email protected] REAL ESTATE EMBASSY 220 VOLT PRODUCTS PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD: SARASOTA, FL. PAUL BYRNES, FSO TRANSFORMERS, OFFICE SUPPLIES & $1.40/word (10-word minimum). First retired, and Loretta Friedman, Coldwell FURNITURE 3 words bolded free, additional bold text Banker, offer vast real estate experience in 85¢/ word. Header or box-shading $12 assisting diplomats. Enjoy gracious living, 5810 Seminary Road each. Deadline for text: 5 weeks ahead no state income tax, and a current “buyer’s Falls Church, VA 22041 of publication date. market.” Tel: (941) 377-8181. Tel: (703) 845-0800. Adv. Mgr. Tel: (202) 944-5507. E-mail: [email protected] (Paul) E-mail: [email protected] Fax: (202) 338-8244. or [email protected] (Loretta). www.shopembassy.com E-mail: [email protected]

52 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 53-55_FSJ_0110_BKS:ship 12/18/09 8:05 AM Page 53

BOOKS

The Business sector entities have their headquarters Stanger calls in various congressional districts. To of Governing for retrieving take just one example: Lockheed Mar- “the conduct of tin gets more federal money each year One Nation Under Contract: than the Department of Justice or En- The Outsourcing of American international affairs ergy. Power and the Future from the grasp of Some of her fixes for the pitfalls of Foreign Policy caused by the privatization of foreign Allison Stanger, Yale University the private sector.” Press, 2009, $29, hardcover, policy are simplistic, such as a unified 242 pages. national security budget that would include defense, diplomacy and home- REVIEWED BY PETER F. S PALDING with a staggeringly large shadow gov- land security. Her overriding recom- ernment. In this new world, the pri- mendation, however, is well worth pur- Thomas Friedman recently sug- vate sector increasingly handles the suing: complete transparency in all gested in his New York Times column everyday business of governing.” government financial transactions, es- that as Americans debate new troop The book devotes chapters to the pecially those involving the private sec- levels in Afghanistan, they would be impact of outsourcing on the so-called tor. Toward that end, Stanger recom- wise to consider the extent to which we “three Ds” of government: diplomacy, mends the Web site USAspending.gov already outsource jobs that the State defense and development. The titles (the result of legislation sponsored by Department and other agencies once aptly reflect the tenor of her argu- Senators Barack Obama, D-Ill., and did on their own. He went on to rec- ments: The discussion of State is titled Tom Coburn, R-Okla.), which tracks ommend this book. “The End of Statesmanship.” For the all government spending, including Allison Stanger, director of the Ro- Pentagon, the headline is “The Priva- contracts, though it remains very much hatyn Center for International Affairs tization of Defense.” And the chap- a work in progress. at Middlebury College, has given us a ter about the U.S. Agency for Inter- Stanger sums up: “What we need is timely, thought-provoking examination national Development mourns “The capitalism with a human face, [which] of the transformative effect outsourc- Slow Death of USAID.” (Another is about fairness and choice, not privi- ing has had on the conduct of Ameri- chapter, “Laissez-Faire Homeland Se- lege and coercion. But we will never can foreign policy. She writes, “Knock curity,” is a fierce indictment of DHS’s have capitalism with a human face on the door of the federal government record to date.) while laissez-faire government outsourc- in 2009, and chances are that you will As Stanger documents, 83 percent ing drives our foreign policy. Unless find nobody home. The U.S. govern- of State’s budget in Fiscal Year 2008, government provides the appropriate ment’s impulse to exploit the compar- and 82 percent of the Pentagon bud- incentives, business will always choose ative advantage of the private sector, get, were outsourced as contracts and short-term profitability over the com- and the private sector’s responsiveness grants. The hands that open the flood mon good. And so long as their re- to the demand for its services, have gates to contractors are often found in election demands perpetual fund- combined to replace big government Congress, because so many private- raising, our elected officials will always

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 53 53-55_FSJ_0110_BKS:ship 12/18/09 8:05 AM Page 54

BOOKS

favor the wealthiest individuals and cation came with the Nixon adminis- companies.” tration’s dramatic opening to Commu- Elsewhere in the book, she pro- Unafraid to draw nist China in 1971. claims that “We don’t need a new pre- At a luncheon AFSA hosted to scription; we need a new eye chart.” In conclusions from his honor Service and the “old China that spirit, Stanger’s prescription is for hands” on Jan. 30, 1973, historian Bar- a radical transformation of American observations, Service bara Tuchman pointed to the acute foreign policy, one that will retrieve the sense of irony Service and his col- conduct of international affairs from pleaded for a policy leagues must have felt watching the the grasp of the private sector. Nixon-Mao Zedong meeting. “Why more in tune with were these individuals not listened to Peter F. Spalding is a retired Senior even before they were persecuted?” Foreign Service officer who served in realities in China. she asked. “Why is there a persistent the Middle East, Africa and Asia. gap between observers in the field and policymakers in the capital?” In Honorable Survivor, all of the an- Being On the Ground swers Tuchman offered to those ques- and culture of its cities, towns and tions are on display, in detail and Honorable Survivor: countryside. As an FSO posted to Technicolor — the preconceptions and Mao’s China, McCarthy’s Chunking in 1941, when China was long-implanted biases of the particular America, and the Persecution under siege by Imperial Japan, Service policymaker; psychological factors at of John S. Service reported prolifically on what was hap- the receiving end, such as tempera- Lynne Joiner, Naval Institute Press, pening on the ground: in particular, the ment or private ambitions and fears; 2009, $37.95, hardcover, 402 pages. rise of the Maoist movement and the and national myths, such as the myth of machinations of Chiang Kai-shek’s the communist monolith, which Tuch- REVIEWED BY SUSAN BRADY MAITRA Kuomintang — collecting vital infor- man judged “the costliest of our time.” mation that Washington had no access Yet the value of quality reporting en- Honorable Survivor, the remarkable to otherwise. Unafraid to draw conclu- dures, Tuchman noted. “Fortunately story of John Service’s life and Foreign sions from his observations, he pleaded for the record and the reputation of the Service career by Lynne Joiner, is not for a policy more in tune with realities Foreign Service, the reports of Service just a fascinating read. It recounts the in China, one that would optimize and his colleagues from China in the adventures of a courageous and tal- America’s position in this vital region. 1940s are now where anyone can con- ented individual who was at the center Yet Service’s reports and analysis sult them — in the published volumes of momentous historical developments. were dismissed. And as the Cold War of U.S. Foreign Relations, China Series. It also offers breathtaking insights, deepened and the era of anti-commu- Under the inflexible verdict of history, for diplomats and students of history nist witch-hunting unfolded, his loyalty they stand up.” alike, into the realities of the process of was called into question and his diplo- John Service, the guest of honor that national policymaking, including the matic career destroyed. Accused of day, devoted his own remarks to the terrible toll exacted by egotism, mis- “losing China,” John Service was per- topic of Foreign Service reporting. communication, prejudice, turf warfare secuted for the next decade. “Confucius seems not to have said: and plain ignorance. As such, the book Throughout the ordeal, he main- ‘One picture is worth a thousand is full of timely lessons — not the least tained the courage, integrity, modesty words,’” Service told the gathering. being the critical value of quality For- and good humor that were the hall- “But perhaps one can coin another eign Service political reporting. marks of his character. His 1951 dis- phrase: ‘One close look is worth a thou- The son of American missionaries, missal from the Foreign Service was sand distant guesses.’ There is no real John Service was born and raised in finally overturned by the U.S. Supreme substitute for being on the ground.” China, becoming fluent in the language Court in 1957. Another kind of vindi- There were still parts of the world

54 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 53-55_FSJ_0110_BKS:ship 12/18/09 8:05 AM Page 55

BOOKS

where the situation was not unlike that in China during the 1940s, Service ob- served, issuing a cautionary notice that remains valid today: “If we keep ourselves in ignorance and out of touch with new popular movements and po- tentially revolutionary situations, we may find ourselves again missing the boat. The proper measure of such reporting should not be popular senti- ment in the United States as reflected in some segments of the press, or by some congressional committees not charged with foreign relations. … The legacy of Senator Joe McCarthy still needs, in some respects, to be shed.” Reading Honorable Survivor, one cannot help but reflect on more recent foreign policy challenges — Vietnam, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan — where a genuine comprehension of developments in a distant land could make all the difference for effective policymaking. Lynne Joiner, an award-winning broadcast journalist, news anchor and documentary filmmaker, is currently a media consultant for Shanghai Inter- national TV Channel. She was first introduced to the story of John Service in a Chinese political science class at Cor- nell University. As a young broadcast journalist during the 1970s, she had the opportunity to visit China with a congressional delegation and made a documentary film about the trip. Months later, at a Stanford Univer- sity conference on U.S.-China relations, she met Service and his wife. Their shared professional interest in China developed into a decades-long personal friendship, whose warmth and spirit animates this lively and extensively documented work. ■

Susan Brady Maitra is the Journal’s senior editor.

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 55 56-60_FSJ_0110_MEM:ship 12/18/09 8:06 AM Page 56

IN MEMORY

Alice Dorothy Trunk Botterud, 93, years, spent four years in Iran and four Madeleine Byron-Maguire, 82, a wife of the late FSO Keith Botterud, years in Pakistan before returning to retired Foreign Service officer, died on died on May 11, 2009, in Bozeman, Washington, D.C. In 1972, the couple Oct. 8 in Gresham, Ore. Mont. retired to Montana, settling in Boze- Mrs. Byron-Maguire was born in Al- Mrs. Botterud was born on April 9, man. giers and raised in France. One of the 1916, in Forsyth, Mont., the daughter Mrs. Botterud lived an adventurous first war brides, she married Robert of Frank J. and Oona Fay (Gasaway) life as a diplomat’s wife. Family mem- Byron in Paris in 1945. The couple set- Trunk. Her family moved to Missoula, bers recall that she always felt her most tled in Chicago, Robert’s hometown, where she attended the Sacred Heart productive years were spent in Iran, for a few years. Academy, and then to Bozeman, where she rubbed elbows with some of Following the birth of their daugh- where she graduated from Gallatin the wealthiest and the poorest people ters, Pat and Cathleen, they returned County High School. She attended in the world. Her greatest satisfaction, to France, and then Morocco, until Montana State College for a year be- she always said, came from working in 1960, when they returned to Chicago. fore going to Columbus Nursing the health care clinics that served the There Mrs. Byron-Maguire worked School in Great Falls, Mont. She then poverty-stricken in Iran. with the U.S. Naval Research Office joined Consolidated Freight, working In Bozeman, Mrs. Botterud was until she joined the Foreign Service in in Miles City, Bozeman, Glendive and very active in Resurrection Parish, as 1967, after the death of her husband. Livingston. well as several book clubs and bridge Mrs. Byron-Maguire’s first post was In Livingston, she met Keith Bot- clubs. She also enjoyed traveling to the Monrovia (1967-1969). She was sub- terud. The couple married on St. West Coast for salmon fishing. sequently appointed to Conakry (1969- Patrick’s Day in 1942 in Washington, Alice Botterud was preceded in 1972), Prague (1972-1974), Tunis D.C., at the time of Mr. Botterud’s en- death by her husband Keith, her (1974-1976) and Nairobi (1976-1979). listment into the U.S. Navy, and lived brother Frank J. Trunk Jr., and younger After finishing her career in Yaoundé there for many years while he finished sister Betty Ann Todd. Survivors in- (1979-1981), she retired to Oregon, his education at the Georgetown Uni- clude her two daughters, Karen Bot- where she taught French conversation versity School of Foreign Service and terud of Chicago, Ill., and Anne at Mount Hood Community College in joined the Department of State. Botterud of Denver, Colo.; a step- Gresham for several years. Following World War II, Mrs. Bot- daughter, Diane Lovett of Cottonwood, Mrs. Byron-Maguire was preceded terud accompanied her husband and Ariz.; a sister, Margaret Waltari of Mis- in death by her second husband, Ed- their new baby, Karen, to his posting in soula, Mont.; and several nieces and ward Maguire, also a Foreign Service Holland for two years. They returned nephews. officer. to Virginia for several years and were Memorials may be made in her She is survived by her two daugh- then sent to Norway for four years, name to Resurrection Parish, 1725 S. ters, Pat and her husband Jean-Do- where their second daughter, Anne, 11th Ave., Bozeman MT. Condolences minique Leullier of Rots, France; and was born. With the State Department, and memories may be shared with the Cathy and her husband Tom Jupille of they also lived in Honduras for two family at www.dahlcares.com. Alamo, Calif.; and five grandchildren

56 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 56-60_FSJ_0110_MEM:ship 12/18/09 8:06 AM Page 57

I N M EMORY

and nine great-grandchildren, in desh, Haiti, Djibouti, Mauritania, Sene- parents moved the family to Winter France and the United States. gal, St. Lucia, Upper Volta (now Burk- Park, Fla., where they launched and ina Faso) and other Sahel countries. ran the Emery Institute, a pioneering In 1980, Mr. Clary retired from the correspondence program for stutterers, Foreign Service. He continued to available in multiple languages. Robert B. Clary, 89, a retired FSO, enjoy travel, as well as golfing on exotic Mr. Emery was drafted into the U.S. died of renal failure on June 4, 2009, at courses in places such as Egypt, Malawi Army in 1943 and tested into the Army his residence in Peoria, Ill. and South Africa, while his wife com- Specialized Training Program at Texas Born on Aug. 14, 1919, in Cass pleted her Foreign Service career. A&M University. He served with the County, Indiana, Mr. Clary completed In 1993, the couple returned to U.S. Army’s 12th Armored Division high school at the age of 17 and went Peoria. There Mr. Clary volunteered at (the “Mystery Division” responsible for to the Chicago area to see the world the American Red Cross and the Corn liberating 11 concentration camps) in and begin his quest for adventure. He Stock Theater, and marshaled on the Europe during World War II. He re- was teaching photography at Hull Peoria Municipal golf courses. He was ceived a Combat Infantryman’s badge, House in 1941, when his U.S. Army re- a member of the Knights of Columbus Bronze Star medal with oak leaf clus- serve unit was activated. He spent the Bishop Rosati Council 5034 and an ters, Certificate of Merit as a combat next four years in the European theater usher at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic radio operator, European African Mid- and was discharged in 1945 with the Church. dle Eastern Campaign medal and the rank of first lieutenant, having been Friends and family members recall Croix de Guerre. awarded the Bronze Star Medal with the pride he felt in having accom- Mr. Emery received his bachelor’s two clusters and the ETO Ribbon with plished more in his life than he had degree from Rollins College in 1948 five battle stars. ever imagined he could. And they re- and pursued graduate degrees at Bos- Mr. Clary graduated from Kansas call how highly he valued the satisfac- ton University and Université de Gren- State University in 1950 with degrees tion he gained from helping to solve the oble. At Rollins he was president of the in engineering and public administra- problems of those less fortunate. Delta Chi Fraternity and later received tion, which he put to use, first, as an en- Mr. Clary is survived by his wife of the school’s Alumni Achievement gineer with the American Salt Comp- 40 years, Barbara Clary of Peoria; his Award in Military History. any, and then as engineer and city man- former spouse, Maxine Meyer; a son, After several years in the private sec- ager of Newton, Kan. Robert (and wife, Inge) of Chicopee, tor, including experience in Laos, Mr. In 1964, as the Vietnam War was in- Mass.; a daughter, Marcia McVay (and Emery joined USAID in 1959 and was tensifying, Mr. Clary joined the Foreign husband, Richard) of Topeka, Kan.; five posted to Tunis as a procurement offi- Service as an officer in the Public Ad- grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; cer. Subsequent postings included ministration Division of the USAID nine sisters-in-law; and five brothers-in- Tegucigalpa, Quito, Asuncion and Saigon mission. This assignment was law. Washington, D.C., where he served in followed by a tour in Bangladesh, the Office of Foreign Disaster Assis- where he met and married fellow FSO tance. Mr. Emergy was fluent in Barbara Gensler on April 4, 1969. He French and Spanish. He retired from then served as a program analyst on the Weston Lewis Emery, 85, a retired USAID in 1986. Operations Appraisal Staff of the Foreign Service officer, died at his Having been passionate about fam- USAID Auditor General. home in McLean, Va., on Sept. 13 from ily roots throughout his life, Mr. Emery Mr. Clary’s favorite assignment was complications caused by Alzheimer’s. took genealogy courses during retire- as the senior operations officer in the Mr. Emery was born on Jan. 7, 1924, ment and recorded 400 years of family Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, in Gardiner, Maine. His grandfather ancestry. He also wrote C-66: A World a position he held from 1972 to 1980. was president and co-owner of the nar- War II Chronicle of an Armored In- Major assessment/survey field assign- row-gauge Kennebec Central Railroad fantry Company (1992), which was ac- ments included Ethiopia, Uganda, Su- and the Sandy River & Rangely Lakes claimed by numerous historians, both dan, Kenya, Italy, Honduras, Bangla- Railroad in Maine. In the 1930s, his military and civilian.

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 57 56-60_FSJ_0110_MEM:ship 12/18/09 8:06 AM Page 58

I N M EMORY

Mr. Emery is survived by his wife of signed to New Delhi, where he estab- John Brayton “Bray” Redecker, 55 years, Brigitte LeMaire Emery of lished the South Asia Bureau of the 76, a retired FSO, died on Oct. 8 in McLean; two daughters, Christine Voice of America. In 1974, he entered Washington, D.C., after a brief illness. Emery of Washington, D.C., and Car- the Foreign Service, serving two tours The son of a Foreign Service officer oline Emery of Jacksonville, Fla.; one in India and one in Germany as a USIA and a gifted linguist, Mr. Redecker de- son, Eric (and his wife, Wendy) Emery officer. He retired in 1985 and settled voted his career to various forms of and two grandsons, Benjamin and in Northern Virginia. service abroad. After graduating from Christian Emery, of Westerville, Ohio. During retirement Mr. Mennard Williams College with a B.A. in 1955, was a consultant on Yugoslav issues and he served as a naval intelligence officer contributed op-ed articles to newspa- in Germany and an employee of Alcoa pers and publications about the break- in its Geneva office. He entered the Michael Mennard, 86, a retired up of that country. State Department Foreign Service in FSO, died at his home in Potomac His first marriage, to Nancy Men- 1964. Falls, Va., on Oct. 24. He had been in nard, ended in divorce. A daughter Mr. Redecker’s overseas postings in- failing health for several years. from that marriage, Tracy Mennard, cluded Berlin, the U.S. Mission to Mr. Mennard was born Miodrag died in infancy in 1961. NATO in Brussels, Rabat and Madrid. Ugrinovic to a Serbian Orthodox family Mr. Mennard is survived by his wife He retired in 1991 as deputy consul in Yugoslavia. He came to the United of 40 years, Mildred Stewart Mennard general in Frankfurt, where he made States in 1946 as a displaced person of Potomac Falls; his son, Jason Men- important strides in strengthening U.S.- sponsored by the American Friends nard (and wife Erin) of Winchester, Va.; German commercial relations. During Service Committee, which provided a two stepchildren, Roger Coleman of domestic tours, he attended postgradu- scholarship for him to Ripon College in Asheville, N.C., and Christian Coleman ate training at the Massachusetts Insti- Appleton, Wis. He studied there be- of Orlando, Fla.; and six grandchildren. tute of Technology (1967-1968). fore joining the U.S. Army in 1948. A leader in applying systems analy- He was sent to the Army Language sis principles to the State Department’s School in Monterey, where he became domestic and overseas operations, Mr. an instructor in Serbo-Croatian. Later Albert F. Papa, 90, a retired For- Redecker pioneered the use of game he was assigned to Helmstedt, West eign Service staff officer, died on Aug. theory to illuminate foreign policy is- Germany, where he accompanied the 19 at his home in Bridgewater, N.J. sues. trains that transited East Germany to Mr. Papa was born in Fairview, N.J. Following his retirement from the Berlin. He was discharged as a ser- During World War II he served in Foreign Service, he served in Egypt geant in September 1952 and returned Africa, Italy and France with the U.S. and the Philippines as a development to the U.S., where he received his citi- Army. He joined the State Depart- specialist with the Louis Berger Group. zenship in December of that year. At ment in 1950. During a 30-year career, He continued to be active as a diplo- that time he legally changed his name he served in Berlin, Coblenz, Dhahran, matic courier, remaining on the rolls of to Michael Mennard. Rio de Janeiro, Ankara, Rome and that service until his death. Mr. Mennard graduated in 1953 Geneva. He received two Distinguish- Mr. Redecker is survived by his wife, from the University of California at ed Service Awards. Jul Patino Redecker; his son, Robert; Berkeley, where he also earned a mas- Mr. Papa was predeceased by his his daughter, Cynthia; and a grand- ter’s degree in history in 1954. He re- daughter, Lee Ann Papa. He is sur- daughter, Tanaquil. ceived a doctorate in history from vived by his wife, Clara (Carrie), of Georgetown University in 1964. Bridgewater; a daughter, Jo Anne; and In 1955, he joined the Voice of three grandchildren. America where he broadcast in Serbo- Memorial donations may be made Colleen Ann Wardlaw, 51, a retired Croatian to Yugoslavia. He served as to St. Ann RC Church, 45 Anderson Foreign Service nurse practitioner, an information officer in Stuttgart in Street, Raritan NJ 08869, or to the died at her home in McKinleyville, the mid-1950s. In 1964, he was as- American Heart Association. Calif., on Sept. 9.

58 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 56-60_FSJ_0110_MEM:ship 12/18/09 8:06 AM Page 59

I N M EMORY

Ms. Wardlaw was born on March went to China for a two-week bicycle she spent a year in China teaching Eng- 10, 1958, in Sheridan, Wyo., the daugh- tour to see the Great Wall and the Terra lish to students at a medical school in ter of Kenneth Wardlaw and Joyce Cotta Soldiers in Xian. Changchung. Montgomery Wardlaw Morrison. A In 1986, Ms. Wardlaw joined the Ms. Wardlaw was predeceased by 1976 graduate of Wheatland High State Department as a nurse practi- her father and her grandparents. She is School, she won a scholarship and trip tioner and served in Malawi, Russia and survived by her mother, Joyce Morri- to Washington, D.C., as the Wyoming Morocco. During her career in the son of Tucson, Ariz.; her stepmother, Betty Crocker Family Leader of To- Foreign Service, she spent time in Lon- Hilary Wardlaw of Casper, Wyo.; a morrow. don and Paris and traveled extensively brother, Keith Wardlaw of Laramie, As a National Merit finalist, she re- in Africa, Russia and Morocco. Wyo.; a sister, Connie Lemcke of ceived a four-year Superior Student Ms. Wardlaw left the Foreign Serv- Brighton, Colo.; five nieces and Scholarship to the University of Wyo- ice in 1996 and moved back to Lara- nephews; and four aunts and an uncle. ming, where she received her B.S. de- mie, Wyo., where she volunteered at gree in nursing with honors in 1980. Laramie County Community College After receiving her adult nurse practi- teaching English to foreign students. A tioner degree from Metropolitan State creative educator, she used a variety of Samuel Shelton Westgate III, 64, a College in Denver, Colo., in 1984, she methods, including board games she retired FSO, passed away surrounded worked at the Denver General Hospi- developed, to help students engage in by family and friends on Oct. 13, 2008, tal walk-in clinic for two years. She was conversational English. in Arlington, Va. an avid traveler and, during that time, After relocating to McKinleyville, A graduate of Bismarck High School

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 59 56-60_FSJ_0110_MEM:ship 12/18/09 8:07 AM Page 60

I N M EMORY

in 1962, Mr. Westgate received a B.A. Master in bridge. Italy (with assignments to Palermo, from Stanford University and a Ph.D. Mr. Westgate is survived by his wife Milan and Rome, where he was minis- from the University of California- of 26 years, Pummarie Westgate of Ar- ter-counselor for economic affairs), Bo- Berkeley. He taught at King Faisal lington, Va.; their two sons, Guy and livia, Yugoslavia and Washington, D.C. University in Saudi Arabia before join- Geoffrey; three sisters, Leanne, Lorin- After the breakup of Yugoslavia, Mr. ing the U.S. Information Agency. Mr. da and Jenette, and a brother, Bill. Whitman served in Macedonia as head Westgate met his wife, Pummarie Sum- Memorial contributions may be di- of mission, with the title of ambassador, mondis Westgate, when she was a jour- rected to The American Red Cross, for for the Organization for Security and nalist with the Bangkok Post and he was Hurricane Katrina reconstruction. Cooperation in Europe. He was also a cultural attaché. special assistant to former Secretary of During a 22-year career with USIA, State Cyrus Vance, who headed the In- Mr. Westgate served in Thailand, ternational Commission on Missing Switzerland, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia William B. Whitman, 73, a retired Persons after the Balkan War. and Germany, where he was consul Foreign Service officer, died on Oct. 30 After retiring from the Foreign general in Stuttgart. His last foreign in Washington, D.C. Service, Mr. Whitman worked part- posting, without his family, was in Born on Nov. 28, 1935, in East Or- time as a Senior Foreign Service in- Ethiopia. He retired as acting deputy ange, N.J., Mr. Whitman was a 1957 spector in Burkina Faso, Germany, director of public affairs for Africa. Mr. graduate of Northwestern University. Mexico, Madagascar, Niger and Wash- Westgate spoke seven languages, was a In 1960, he was commissioned as a ington, D.C. He also became a prolific member of Mensa and was a Silver Foreign Service officer. He served in travel writer. More than 200 of his articles appeared in a wide range of publications including Business Jet Travel- er, Capitol File, Forbes-Life Magazine, Hemispheres Magazine, National Geo- graphic Traveler, the New York Times and the Washington Post. Mr. Whitman was also the author of six books. Of these, Washington, D.C.: Off the Beaten Path — A Guide to Unique Places (Globe Pequot Press, 2001), an insider’s guide to the District’s hidden corners, is now in its fifth edition. His Literary Cities of Italy (Starr- hill Press, 1991) takes readers to the literary haunts of great writers in Rome, Florence and Venice. He also wrote Virginia Wine Country (Casco Com- munications, 1997), a comprehensive guide to Virginia wine and winemakers, and The Quotable Politician (The Lyons Press, 2003), a compendium of political sayings. Mr. Whitman is survived by his wife of 43 years, Cameron DeCamp Whit- man of Washington, D.C., and his daughter, Ellis Whitman, a writer and editor in New York City. ■

60 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 61-64_FSJ_0110_RE:proof 12/18/09 8:09 AM Page 61

REAL ESTATE

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

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 61 61-64_FSJ_0110_RE:proof 12/18/09 8:10 AM Page 62

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, just peace of mind. rson G Property management is ye rou our full time business. OVER 24 YEARS EXPERIENCE 24 OVER e p, M I Let us take care u e n h c. of the details. u T EXCELLENT REFERENCES

Call us today! (301) 657-3210

6923 Fairfax Road u Bethesda, MD 20814 COORDINATE MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE COORDINATE email: [email protected] u u u PROPERTY MANAGEMENT FOR FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS u

ADVERTISING INDEX When contacting one of our advertisers, kindly mention you saw their advertisement in the Foreign Service Journal.

AUTOMOBILES CAS/Corporate Apartment St. Andrew’s School / 35 Washington Management Diplomatic Automobile / Specialists / 25 Strategic Studies Services / 63 Outside Back Cover Georgetown Suites / 15 Quarterly / 21 WJD Management / 61 Pied-à-Terre Properties, Tetra Tech / 6 FINANCIAL, LEGAL Ltd. / 24 ANNOUNCEMENTS AND TAX SERVICES Remington, The / 23 REAL ESTATE & AFSA Legacy / Inside Luxenburg, Johnson & Suite America / 20 PROPERTY Back Cover Dickens, PC / 29 MANAGEMENT AFSA Resource MCG Financial INSURANCE Cabell Reid, LLC / 62 Marketplace / 25 Planning / 23 AFSPA / 4 Executive Housing AFSA Scholarship Shaw, Bransford & Clements International / 1 Consultants, Inc. / 61 Fund / 60 Roth, P.C. / 20 Hirshorn Company, McEnearney AFSA Tax & Financial State Department Federal The / 36 Associates / 61 Services / 63 Credit Union / 19 Meyerson Group Inc., Change of Address / 34 MISCELLANEOUS The / 62 Summer Fiction HOUSING Barrie School / 24 Peake Management, Contest / 35 AKA / Inside Front Cover Cort Furniture / 2 Inc. / 63 Attaché Property Fearrington Village / 29 ProMax / 59 Management LLC / 28 Fox Hill Club and Property Specialists, Capitol Hill Stay / 28 Residences / 31 Inc. / 63

62 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 61-64_FSJ_0110_RE:proof 12/18/09 8:10 AM Page 63

REAL ESTATE

Property Specialists, Inc. A professional and personal service tailored to meet your needs in: • Property Management • Tenant Placement • Tax-deferred Exchange • Real Estate Investment Counseling Specializing in PROPERTY MANAGEMENT 4600-D Lee Highway Arlington, Virginia 22207 (703) 525-7010 (703) 247-3350 E-mail: [email protected] Web address: propertyspecialistsinc.com Serving Virginia, Maryland and D.C.

JANUARY 2010/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 63 61-64_FSJ_0110_RE:proof 12/18/09 8:10 AM Page 64

REFLECTIONS

I Remember a Gift

BY BOB GRIBBIN

n 1986, when I was deputy director blade of vegetation was visible for miles, of the Office of East African Affairs, A dusty, hot, was a small patch of green. The elders II made a tour of U.S. embassies in half-day’s drive from showed me how boys carried water the region. My itinerary included Dji- from the new well to the plots, where bouti, a small desert country at the the capital, the they had managed to coax several scrag- southern mouth of the Red Sea. Neigh- refugee camp was a gly tomato plants and other vegetables boring Ethiopia and Somalia, then at rel- from the hard earth. The chief pointed ative peace, had been warring for years. bleak and seemingly with pride to the first watermelon, That conflict had been com- hopeless place. about the size of a small soccer ball. He pounded by drought and famine. As then had it picked. a result, many thousands of ethnic He presented it to me with great Somali tribesmen from the Ogaden ceremony and thanks for America’s con- region of Ethiopia had sought refuge cern and assistance. I was over- in Djibouti. They were confined to patiently. Inside, several refugee nurses whelmed. The camp’s children were United Nations-run camps located in dispensed what care they could. They desperate for this sort of nourishment, the arid hinterland of one of the most proudly proclaimed that childhood im- yet it was given unhesitatingly to a desolate nations in Africa. munizations were up-to-date. Flies stranger — to someone who obviously After a dusty, hot, half-day’s drive buzzed incessantly. had no need for it. I had to accept it, from the capital, I arrived at one of the Elders bemoaned their plight: their for this was a gift from the heart. I man- camps where several thousand refugees suffering from war and famine, their aged to utter thanks and a few words of had been grouped for months, essen- flight from their homes, especially their encouragement. We then shared the tially on a moonscape. This refugee loss of goats and camels. They noted bits of melon. camp was a bleak and seemingly hope- that the youth were bored in the noth- In the years since, I have always less place. Yet the elders of the camp ingness of the camp, and all were been struck how people with so little, committee greeted me graciously and stymied by the inability to look ahead. and with such great need, could give so guided me on a tour of their squalid do- They were compelled to live day by day. easily. Yet we, with so much, find it hard main. We wove in and out of little lanes Of course, they asked for America’s to give a little. ■ between the stick huts. Green plastic help, especially in rectifying conditions sheeting provided cover from the sun. in Ethiopia so that they might be able Retired Ambassador Robert Gribbin Bags of U.S.-donated maize and tins of to go home. spent many years in East and Central vegetable oil were stacked in the food The camp committee was most anx- Africa, first as a Peace Corps Volunteer distribution warehouse. ious that I see their newly acquired well, and then as a diplomat fanatically com- A one-tent school was operating. It water pump — provided by a grant mitted to in-country travel. His many had little more than a blackboard, but from the U.S. government — and gar- Foreign Service postings include stints children sat in rapt attention as their den. We walked up a rock-strewn as Rwanda desk officer (1977-1979) and teacher lectured, and then recited back ravine past the cemetery, where several deputy chief of mission (1979-1981) and what they had heard. Outside the small new graves gave mute testimony to the ambassador in Kigali (1995-1999). He clinic, the day’s clients — pregnant ravages of disease and malnutrition. is the author of In the Aftermath of women, wailing babies and those worn Beyond, nestled on the slope of the Genocide: The U.S. Role in Rwanda out from the ills of the region — waited valley in a region where not a single (iUniverse, 2005).

64 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JANUARY 2010 C1-C4_FSJ_0110_COV:proof 12/11/09 9:18 AM Page c3 C1-C4_FSJ_0110_COV:proof 12/11/09 9:18 AM Page c4