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Across the U.S. and in select cities worldwide One point of contact One customized monthly invoice Electronic and credit card payments © Satisfaction guaranteed © Over 3,000 professionals © Established in 1969 Call today and ask about this week’s specials. 1.800.888.0808 The Most Trusted Name in Corporate Housing Worldwide,sl www.oakwood.com 2 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/DECEMBER 2002 CONTENTS December 2002 I Volume 79, No. 12 Focus ON FS AUTHORS SCHOOLS SUPPLEMENT 19 / IN THEIR OWN WRITE: SURFING THE NET FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS / 45 BOOKS HY FOREIGN SERVICE AUTHORS Being overseas makes it both more vital and more difficult As we have done the past two years, once again we for Foreign Service families to find good schools for their are pleased to feature a compilation of recently published children. Fortunately, there are many online resources books by Foreign Service-affiliated authors. available to help. The genres represented run the gamut from diplomatic By Stephen Yeater memoirs, history books and policy analyses to novels and coffee-table books — truly something for everyone. SCHOOLS AT A GLANCE / 55 Bij Susan Maitra Essential data on educational choices. COLUMNS FEATURE PRESIDENT’S VIEWS / 5 38 / A JOURNEY HOME: TO KARUL AND BACK AGAIN Community Service Thirty years and three wars after his first sojourn in By John K. Naland Afghanistan, an FSO returns, trying to sort out the country’s idyllic past from its harsh present and LETTER FROM THE EDITOR / 6 potentially bright future. By Steven Alan Honley By Chris Broion SPEAKING OUT / 13 Page 20 The Limits of Dissent By David T. Jones As this issue of the Foreign Service Journal went to press FS FINANCES / 16 we received news of the death of Laurence Foley, a Letter to a Foreign Service Spouse on Life Insurance Foreign Service officer with the USAID mission in By Edward J. Michal Amman, Jordan, killed in the line of duty on Oct. 28 in BEFLECTIONS / 72 an apparent terrorist attack. “We are deeply saddened By Stephanie Rowlands by the heinous murder of USAID officer Laurence Foley,” stated AFSA President John Naland. “This DEPARTMENTS brutal terrorist attack underlines the vulnerability of the LETTERS/7 men and women of die U.S. Foreign Service who CYBERNOTES/10 advance our nations vital interests around the globe. BOOKS / 60 On behalf of all his colleagues, I extend my heartfelt IN MEMORY / 62 condolences and prayers to Mr. Foleys family.” INDEX TO ADVERTISERS / 70 AFSA NEWS / CENTER INSERT Cover and inside illustration by Loel Barr THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS FoREIGN^YieE Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), 2101 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is published _I_J 0 U R N A L monthly by die American Foreign Service Association, a private, non-profit organization. Material appearing here¬ Editor Editorial Board STEVEN ALAN HONLEY ARNOLD in represents the opinions of the writers and does not necessarily represent the views of the Journal, the Editorial Associate Editor SCHIFFERDECKER, Board or AFSA. Writer queries and submissions are invited, preferably by e-mail. Journal subscription: AFSA SUSAN B. MAITRA CHAIRMAN Members - $9.50 included in annual dues; others - $40. For foreign surface mail, add $18 per year; foreign air¬ Business Manager JUDITH BAROODY MIKKELA V. THOMPSON MARK W. BOCCHETTI mail, $36 per year. Periodical postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: ELIZABETH SPIRO CLARK Send address changes to Foreign Service Journal, 2101 E Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037-2990. Indexed AFSA News Editor MAUREEN S. DUGAN by Public Affairs Information Service (PAIS). The Journal is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos SHAWN DORMAN CAROL A. GIACOMO or illustrations. Advertising inquiries are invited. The appearance of advertisements herein does not imply the Art Director LAURIE KASSMAN CARYN J. SUKO endorsement of the services or goods offered. FAX: (202) 338-8244 or (202) 338-6820. E-MAIL: [email protected]. CAROLINE MEIRS Editorial Intern WEB: www.afsa.org. TELEPHONE: (202) 338-4045. © American Foreign Service Association, 2002. Printed HOLLIS SUMMERS STEPHEN YEATER in the U.S.A. Send address changes to AFSA Membership, 2101 E Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037- Advertising Intern WILLIAM WANLUND DROFN HARDARDOTTIR TED WILKINSON 2990. Printed on 50 percent recycled paper, of which 10 percent is post-consumer waste. 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H Foreign comprehensive personal liability Call toll free from anywhere in the United States or write for more information. E-mail us at [email protected] AS PREVIOUSLY INSURED THROUGH HTB INSURANCE 4 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/DECEMBER 2002 PRESIDENT’S VIEWS Community Service BY JOHN K. NALAND Last spring, AFSA missions. We depend on Washington- and die State De¬ The success of based employees to serve as sounding partment developed boards to AFSAs vice presidents at revised “core pre¬ AFSAs advocacy on State, USAID, FCS and FAS. We cepts” defining the beh alf of the Foreign depend on employees and tiieir family skills and traits that members to respond to our requests for selection boards Service community feedback on various issues. Aid, as I are to look for in depends on the detailed in my July-August column, we deciding on tenure and promotion.