PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION MAY 2018 DEMOCRACY TODAY STRAIGHT TALK ON DIPLOMACY PRESERVING AMERICA’S GLOBAL LEADERSHIP FOREIGN SERVICE May 2018 Volume 95, No. 4 Focus on Democracy Cover Story 19 Straight Talk on Diplomatic Capacity Lessons learned from the Tillerson tenure can help the new Secretary of State enhance the State Department’s core diplomatic and national security mission. By Alex Karagiannis 45 Supporting Civil Society in the Face of Closing Space Development professionals focus on the need to bolster 35 and expand civil society’s “open space” in countries around the world. By Mariam Afrasiabi 26 35 and Mardy Shualy The State of Democracy USAID Election in Europe and Eurasia: Assistance: Four Challenges Lessons from the Field 51 In a decade of backsliding on Since the 1990s electoral assistance Authoritarianism Gains democracy around the world, the has come into its own as a branch in Southeast Asia countries of Europe and Eurasia of foreign aid and as an academic A new breed of autocrat seems to be feature prominently. discipline. taking root in Southeast Asia today. By David J. Kramer By Assia Ivantcheva Is the “domino theory” finally playing out? 30 40 By Ben Barber Worrisome Trends Saudi Arabia: in Latin America Liberalization, 55 Widespread corruption, crime Not Democratization Democracy in Indonesia: and a lack of security, education, The plan for sweeping changes to A Progress Report employment and basic services are meet economic and demographic On the 20th anniversary of its driving a loss of faith in democracy challenges does not appear to include democratic experiment, Indonesia throughout the continent. an opening-up of the political system. can cite significant gains. Growing By Alexi Panehal By Jerry Feierstein challenges may threaten that progress. By Edmund McWilliams THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MAY 2018 5 FOREIGN SERVICE Perspectives 85 Reflections Departments The Card from Kabul 7 By Ben East 10 Letters President’s Views Preserving America’s 13 Letters-Plus Global Leadership By Barbara Stephenson 14 Talking Points 72 In Memory 9 Letter from the Editor 76 Books Whither Democracy? By Shawn Dorman Marketplace 17 86 Speaking Out Local Lens 79 Classifieds What State Should Bring to the Merzouga, Morocco Table: Cultural and Language By Stuart Denyer 81 Real Estate Expertise By Phil Skotte 84 Index to Advertisers AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION 60 The State of State 61 “Deep Dish” Podcast Hosts AFSA President 61 61 AFSA Happy Hour 62 State VP Voice—It Can’t Be Easy 63 FAS VP Voice—Looking Back, Moving Forward 63 Telling Our Story—Outreach 64 Where We Stand—EER Season: Thinking About the Precepts 65 2017 Sinclaire Language Awards Recipients 65 Nominate a Colleague for an MSI! 66 Back to School: Labor Management Matters 67 Ensuring a Better Packout 68 Thank You for Your Service: FS Retirees 70 AFSA Governing Board Meeting, March 2018 70 AFSA Welcomes New USAID VP 71 AAFAA Launches Internship Scholarship Fund On the Cover: Art: Camille Chisholm 6 MAY 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL PRESIDENT’S VIEWS Preserving America’s Global Leadership BY BARBARA STEPHENSON e in the Foreign Service, that covers core diplomatic capability, also matic superiority in the face of such fund- the team that bears such held firm. If OCO (overseas contingency ing decisions. As the National Security responsibility for main- operations) funding is taken into account, Strategy says, we need to be building up Wtaining America’s global total funding for core diplomatic capabil- diplomatic capability—not pulling back. leadership role, are again in a period of ity dipped slightly (by 1.6 percent, from Even before the painful and unnec- significant transition and change. This $5.05 billion in 2017 to $4.96 billion in essary loss of talent over the past year, is a good time to take stock and look 2018), while still coming in ahead of 2016 American diplomacy had been on a star- forward, asking what each of us needs to levels ($4.89 billion). If we look only at vation diet, and tales of depleted political, do to ensure that the world continues to “enduring” (or base) funding for core dip- economic and public diplomacy sections look to the United States for leadership. lomatic capability without OCO, funding at embassies were a regular staple of We are working under a new National in 2018 is actually up compared to 2017. AFSA’s conversations with members. I Security Strategy, one that takes a clear- I am sharing these complicated hear this often: With just one more mid- eyed look at the serious and escalating numbers for a reason. As stewards of this level officer at post, we could have such threats to our nation and concludes institution, we need to understand the an impact, really put America’s soft power that “we must upgrade our diplomatic funding decisions that underpin Ameri- to work, really level the playing field for capabilities to compete in the current ca’s global leadership role. American businesses. environment.” Meanwhile, AFSA’s recent Simply put, $5 billion—the amount Rebuilding our nation’s diplomatic in-depth review of Congressional Budget we spend on core diplomatic capabil- capability will take time, and it will require Justifications showed that spending on ity—is not a big number. It is about what all of us to give our best effort. Now that core diplomatic capability has declined America spends annually supporting Congress has spoken and rejected cuts significantly over the past decade. Afghan forces, and a little more than one- with such clarity, AFSA will press for an In anticipation of deep funding cuts, third the cost of a new aircraft carrier. immediate restoration of hiring and pro- hiring and promotions were cut deeply, What’s more, the $5 billion America motion numbers. We will press to deploy contributing to the loss of hundreds of spends on core diplomatic capability is more mid-level officers to the field, where Foreign Service officers and specialists, not a big number compared to the $9.5 the Foreign Service delivers the greatest with the loss in top leadership ranks billion China budgeted for diplomacy value for the American people. particularly pronounced. this year. While apples-to-apples com- I sincerely hope that the tide has We now know that Congress, with parisons are hard to nail down, the trend turned, and that reinforcements will overwhelming bipartisan support, firmly lines are clear. China increased spend- soon be on their way. In the meantime, rejected deep cuts and passed a budget ing on diplomacy in 2018 by 15 percent until reinforcements arrive, your role in that actually increases the international over 2017, and by a whopping 40 percent maintaining America’s global leadership affairs budget. For since 2013. While China’s spending on is more important than ever. this, we pause and diplomacy grew by 40 percent, America’s Now is the time to lead from wher- give thanks— declined by 33 percent over the same ever you are and to demonstrate that the profound thanks. period, from $7.4 billion in 2013 to $4.9 trust placed in the Foreign Service will be Base fund- billion in 2018. repaid many times over in the results we ing for “ongoing For the first time in my 32-year For- achieve for the American people. I prom- operations,” the eign Service career, I am grappling with ised congressional appropriators that they budget line item whether we can maintain American diplo- could count on us to do that. n Ambassador Barbara Stephenson is the president of the American Foreign Service Association. THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MAY 2018 7 FOREIGN SERVICE Editor in Chief, Director of Publications Shawn Dorman: [email protected] www.afsa.org Managing Editor Susan Brady Maitra: [email protected] Associate Editor CONTACTS Donna Gorman: [email protected] AFSA Headquarters: BUSINESS DEPARTMENT Publications Coordinator (202) 338-4045; Fax (202) 338-6820 Director of Finance Dmitry Filipoff: [email protected] State Department AFSA Office: Femi Oshobukola: [email protected] (202) 647-8160; Fax (202) 647-0265 Controller Ad & Circulation Manager USAID AFSA Office: Kalpna Srimal: [email protected] Allan Saunders: [email protected] (202) 712-1941; Fax (202) 216-3710 Assistant Controller Art Director FCS AFSA Office: Cory Nishi: [email protected] Caryn Suko Smith (202) 482-9088; Fax (202) 482-9087 Administrative Assistant and Office Manager Advertising Intern Ana Lopez: [email protected] GOVERNING BOARD Chenxiao “Johnny” Liu: [email protected] President COMMUNICATIONS AND MEMBERSHIP Editorial Board Hon. Barbara Stephenson: Director of Communications and Membership Eric Green, Chair [email protected] Ásgeir Sigfússon: [email protected] James “Jim” Bever Secretary Online Communications Manager Angela Bond Hon. Tom Boyatt: [email protected] Jeff Lau: [email protected] M. Allyn Brooks-LaSure Treasurer Lawrence Casselle Outreach and Communications Specialist Hon. Earl Anthony “To ny ” Wayne: Shawn Kobb Allan Saunders: [email protected] [email protected] Alexis Ludwig Awards Coordinator John G. Rendeiro Jr. State Vice President Perri Green: [email protected] Priyadarshi “Pri” Sen Ken Kero-Mentz: [email protected] Retiree Outreach Coordinator Dinah Zeltser-Winant USAID Vice President Christine Miele: [email protected] Jeff Levine: [email protected] Retiree Counselor FCS Vice President Vacant THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS Daniel Crocker: [email protected] Member Accounts Specialist PROFESSIONALS FAS Vice President The Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), Ashley Dunn: [email protected] 2101 E Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is Kimberly Svec Sawatzki: [email protected] published monthly, with combined January-February Retiree Vice President LABOR MANAGEMENT and July-August issues, by the American Foreign Service John K.