PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION JULY-AUGUST 2014 DIPLOMATIC REPORTING TODAY IT DESERVED AN OSCAR A BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR THE FOREIGN SERVICE FOREIGN July-August 2014 SERVICE Volume 91, No. 7-8 AFSA NEWS FOCUS EMBASSY REPORTING TODAY Gala 90th-Anniversary Celebration / 45 The Art of Political Reporting / 22 State VP Voice: Despite the challenges, reporting from the field—in whatever form it takes— Bidding and 360s / 46 is still the indispensable ingredient of any meaningful foreign policy discussion. USAID VP Voice: FS Benefits–How Do State and USAID Compare? / 47 BY DAN LAWTON AFSA Welcomes New Staff Members / 48 Diplomatic Reporting: Adapting Two New Reps Join AFSA Board / 48 to the Information Age / 26 Speaker Partnership with USC / 49 2014 AFSA Award Winners / 49 While technology enhances brainpower, it is no substitute for the seasoned diplomat’s powers of observation and assessment, argues this veteran consumer Issue Brief: The COM Guidelines / 50 of diplomatic reporting. Expert on Professions Kicks Off New AFSA Forum / 53 BY JOHN C. GANNON The 2014 Kennan Writing Award / 56 2014 Merit Award Winners / 57 A Selection of Views from Practitioners / 31 AFSA Files MSI Implementation Hitting the Ball Dispute / 61 CHRISTOPHER W. BISHOP On the Hill: Who Said It’s All About Congress? / 62 Bring in the Noise–Using Digital Technology to Promote Peace and Security USAID Mission Directors’ DANIEL FENNELL Happy Hour / 63 Inside a U.S. Embassy: Yet The Value-Added of Networking Another Press Run / 63 CHRISTOPHER MARKLEY NYCE Why You Need a Household Inventory / 64 The Three Amigos–South Korea, Colombia and Panama Trade Agreements Federal Benefits Event Draws IVAN RIOS a Full House / 65 Political Reporting: Then and Now–and Looking Ahead COLUMNS KATHRYN HOFFMAN AND SAMUEL C. DOWNING President’s Views / 7 The #Twitterfication of Political and Economic Reporting The New QDDR Offers Hope TRAVIS COBERLY BY ROBERT J. SILVERMAN Letter from the Editor / 8 FEATURES Reporting Matters BY SHAWN DORMAN It Deserved an Oscar / 38 Speaking Out / 17 How to Get Better Ambassadors For those of us in the Foreign Service, “State Department File 649” is our cinematic BY DENNIS JETT showcase, William Lundigan our star, and Virginia Bruce our Best Actress. BY DONALD M. BISHOP Reflections / 81 Spy vs. Spy, Romanian Style BY LUCIANO MANGIAFICO Westgate: The Other Nairobi and the Future of Kenya / 41 DEPARTMENTS In the shock and tragedy of the terrorist attack, the outpouring of charity from Kenyans toward all those affected demonstrated the power of the “Kenyan Spirit.” Letters / 9 Talking Points / 11 BY JOASH OMONDI Books / 66 In Memory / 68 Local Lens / 82 On the cover: (1) In the tiny settlement of Igaliku in southern Greenland, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell (far right), Greenland Home Rule Minister of Foreign Affairs Josef Motzfeldt (cen- MARKETPLACE ter) and Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Møller sign an agreement in August 2004. Assisting Sec. Powell is Foreign Service political officer Dan Lawton (second from right). Photo: FSO Classifieds / 73 Jonathan M. Berger. (2) The DVD cover for the 1949 indie classic movie, “State Department Real Estate / 77 File 649.” (3) Secretary of State John F. Kerry addresses dinner guests at AFSA’s gala celebra- Index to Advertisers / 80 tion for the 90th anniversary of AFSA and the Foreign Service in the State Department’s Ben- jamin Franklin State Dining Room on May 22. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of State. THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2014 5 FOREIGN SERVICE Editor Shawn Dorman: [email protected] Managing Editor Susan Brady Maitra: [email protected] Associate Editor Debra Blome: [email protected] CONTACTS AFSA Headquarters: LABOR MANAGEMENT Ad & Circulation Manager (202) 338-4045; Fax (202) 338-6820 General Counsel Ed Miltenberger: [email protected] State Department AFSA Office: Sharon Papp: [email protected] Art Director (202) 647-8160; Fax (202) 647-0265 Deputy General Counsel Caryn Suko Smith USAID AFSA Office: Zlatana Badrich: [email protected] (202) 712-1941; Fax (202) 216-3710 Labor Management Specialist Editorial Intern FCS AFSA Office: James Yorke: [email protected] Aishwarya Raje (202) 482-9088; Fax (202) 482-9087 Senior Staff Attorney Neera Parikh: [email protected] Advertising Intern GOVERNING BOARD Staff Attorney Camila Rivera Sánchez President: Raeka Safai: [email protected] Robert J. Silverman; [email protected] Contributing Editor Staff Attorney Secretary: Angela Dickey: [email protected] Steven Alan Honley: [email protected] Andrew Large: [email protected] Treasurer: Hon. Charles A. Ford; [email protected] Labor Management Counselor Editorial Board State Vice President: John Long: [email protected] Matthew K. Asada; [email protected] Jim DeHart, Chairman Executive Assistant USAID Vice President: Hon. Gordon S. Brown Lindsey Botts: [email protected] Sharon Wayne; [email protected] Stephen W. Buck USAID Senior Labor Management Adviser FCS Vice President: Ruth Hall Douglas Broome: [email protected] Steve Morrison; [email protected] Maria C. Livingston USAID Staff Assistant FAS Vice President: Richard McKee Chioma Dike: [email protected] Beth Payne David Mergen; [email protected] John G. 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Material appearing herein represents the opinions of the Sue Saarnio COMMUNICATIONS writers and does not necessarily represent the views of Lillian Wahl-Tuco the Journal, the Editorial Board or AFSA. Writer queries David Zwach Director of Communications and submissions are invited, preferably by e-mail. The USAID Representatives: Kristen Fernekes: [email protected] Journal is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, Andrew Levin Director of New Media photos or illustrations. Advertising inquiries are invited. Ásgeir Sigfússon: [email protected] The appearance of advertisements herein does not imply Jason Singer Publications Manager endorsement of the services or goods offered. Journal FCS Representative: subscription: AFSA member–$20, included in annual Barbara Farrar Shawn Dorman: [email protected] dues; student–$30; institution–$40; others–$50; Single FAS Representative: Mark Petry Online Communications Specialist issue–$4.50. 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Executive Assistant to the President Professional Issues and Policy Adviser Postmaster: Send address changes to Patrick Bradley: [email protected] Janice Weiner: [email protected] AFSA BUSINESS DEPARTMENT SCHOLARSHIPS Attn: Address Change Director of Finance Scholarship Director 2101 E Street NW Femi Oshobukola: [email protected] Lori Dec: [email protected] Washington DC 20037-2990 Controller Scholarship Assistant Kalpna Srimal: [email protected] Jonathan Crawford: [email protected] Assistant Controller Cory Nishi: [email protected] www.afsa.org 6 JULY-AUGUST 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL PRESIDENT’S VIEWS The New QDDR Offers Hope BY ROBERT J. SILVERMAN arly summertime lulls us with “Vision without execution is hallucination.” expectations of a more relaxed, contemplative period ahead. —Thomas Edison E But summer is also a time for preparations of all kinds. In the spirit of So AFSA decided to fully engage. fundamentally rethink our relationship to preparing for policy reforms, let’s talk Please read the seven papers drafted IT platforms and personnel and focus on about the 2014 Quadrennial Diplomacy by working groups of AFSA members IT personnel as enablers and multipliers and Development Review. and given to the QDDR team at State rather than just as the ‘computer, pouch, Are you still conscious and focused? (and posted at www.afsa.org/qddr). The or radio’ people of the Foreign Service. I, too, used to feel a certain ennui about papers include a few controversial rec- • Public Diplomacy: The practice the State Department’s strategic planning ommendations.