WIIAT’S AN FS SPOUSE WORTH? DESPATCH IN A BOTTLE GOING DUTCH ON CARS FRIENDS, FOES ON CAPITOL I In i r How Diplomats? Foreign Policy Fare in Congress Affordable Luxury If you are relocating, a business traveler or need temporary housing, we offer furnished apartments with all of the comforts of home. 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Diplomatic Personalized Service A personal representative will assist you in custom factory ordering the vehicle of your choice at the special diplomatic price. Delivery of your vehicle can be arranged anywhere in the United States, or to most overseas locations. Select from General Motors finest products. Cadillac, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC Truck, and Geo. Contact Our Diplomatic Sales Representative To receive more information on General Motors products, please complete the business reply card and mail it to us. Contact us in the United States at tel: (516) 496-1806, fax: (516) 677-3701, or E-mail: [email protected] DIPLOMATIC AUTOMOBILE SALES 100 Crossways Park West Woodbury, New York 11797-2084 U.S.A. A program of OMSC Ltd. Authorized distributor of GM vehicles to the Diplomatic Community CONTENTS January 1998 I Vol. 75, No. 1 COVE R COLUMNS Focus ON CAPITOL HILL PRESIDENT’S VIEWS / 5 16 / FRIENDS, FOES ON CAPITOL HIT T. Big Ticket Professional Items on 1998 Agenda Protagonists Include By Daniel F. Geisler Little Known, Well SPEAKING OUT / 13 Known Legislators Parallel Lives: FS and Corporate Spouses By Carroll Doherty By Katherine L. Hughes 20 / LEGISLATIVE SCORECARD POSTCARD FROM AHROAD / 68 Tallying Legislators’ Going Dutch on Cars Foreign Policy Views, By Michael Hamilton Ranking the Votes 32 / POWER BEHIND THE SCENES Focus Staffers’ Power Is Covert, Crucial To Foreign Policy By Miles Pamper 40 / How CONGRESS VIEWS FSOS Clashing Cultures, Varied Constituencies Mean Misunderstandings Page 16 By Marguerite Cooper 46 / STATE’S CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE The Foreign Service Fails to Understand Capitol Plill Culture By William Seth Shepard DEPARTMENTS FEATURES LETTERS/7 54 / LONG-DISTANCE DIPLOMACY CLIPPINGS / 10 A Distant Plea BOOKS / 57 In a Bottle Finally Reaches the Consul IN MEMORY / 59 By Robert E. Fuerst INDEX TO ADVERTISERS / 67 Cover and inside illustrations by Hersch Herman EOREIGNSERVICE THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS 0 U R N A L Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0015-7279), 2101 E Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is published Acting Editor Editorial Board monthly by the American Foreign Service Association, a private, non-profit organization. Material appearing KATHLEEN CURRIE EDWARD MARKS, Chairman herein represents the opinions of the writers and does not necessarily represent the views of the Journal, the Acting Managing Editor LESLIE BASSETT Editorial Board or AFSA. Writer queries are invited. Journal subscription: AFSA Members - $9.50 included in NANCY JOHNSON ELIZABETH SPIRO CLARK annual dues; others - $40. For foreign surface mail, add $18 per year; foreign airmail, $36 per year. Periodical Assistant Editor MITCHELL A. COHN EVA-LOTTA JANSSON postage paid at Manchester, NH, and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to AURELIUS FERNANDEZ Advertising ir Circulation Foreign Service Journal, 2101 E Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990. Indexed by Public Affairs Aianager DAVID I. HITCHCOCK KATHERINE INEZ LEE Information Service (PAIS). The Journal is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos or illustrations. ED MILTENBERGER MARY LEWELLEN Advertising inquiries are invited. The appearance of advertisements herein does not imply the endorsement of Editorial Assistant the services or goods offered. FAX: (202) 338-8244 or (202) 338-6820. E-MAIL: [email protected]. TELE¬ POLLY GILBERT ROBERTA MAHONEY PHONE: (202) 338-4045. © American Foreign Sendee Association, 1998. Printed in the U.S.A. Send address Editorial Intent MARK MATTHEWS H EARLY G. MAYR CAROUNE MEIRS changes for the Foreign Service Journal to AFSA, 2101 E Street NW Washington, D.C. 20037-2990. 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THE FOLLOWING SPECIAL BENEFITS APPLY ★ First-time homebuyers in the District will be eligible for credits of up to $5,000 (If their income was less than $130,000 for couples and $90,000 for singles). This is a credit to be taken off the top of the Federal tax bill and not a deduction. Long & Foster Realtors Long & Foster Realtors 4600 Lee Highway mm & 5101 Wisconsin Ave Arlington, VA 22207 WFOSTER' REALTORS* Washington, DC 20016 (703) 284-9365 (202) 296-4304 Zorita and Richard Simunek FREE”" Simunek Homebuying Guide FOR MORE INFORMATION With This Coupon Email: [email protected] REDUCE COSTS AND ELIMINATE WORRIES or (202) 296-4304 Courtesy of the Simuneks and Dime Mortgage PRESIDENT’S VIEWS Big Ticket Professional Items on 1998 Agenda BY DANIEL F. GEISLER There are a number of big more difficult to answer the ques¬ ticket professional items on tion, “Why do we have embassies?” AFSA’s 1998 agenda. The State Communications: AFSA will Consolidation: Congress recessed continue to deliver authoritative without passing legislation which Department has information on critical personnel would combine the State and administrative issues to Foreign Department with USIA and ACDA. failed to keep pace Service employees. Just as impor¬ State Department management tant, AFSA will share members’ has not announced plans for consol¬ with advances in concerns with management. The idation, but we assume that the foreign affairs agencies’ teams Clinton administration will propose technology. charged last Spring with planning a consolidation plan, then seek leg¬ consolidation and reorganization islation on Capitol Hill. would have been nearly devoid of Assuming that USIA and State Foreign Service officers or special¬ will eventually consolidate, AFSA ists without AFSA’s initiative. will make harmonizing the two Reorganization: Remember reor¬ AFSA’s regular reports on the teams agencies’ personnel regulations a ganization? FSOs and FS specialists were the chief source of information priority. For example, USIA’s rat¬ are understandably uneasy about about impending changes. AFSA ing cycle for performance reviews each reorganization announcement reports can be delivered directly to and promotions is different than dujour. Changes will not necessarily unclassified or personal computers State’s and USIA has a standard lead to fundamental restructuring, by signing on to AFSANET. See four-year tour to non-hardship which would require the personal page 6 of this month’s AFSA News posts, while State’s is three years. commitment of Secretary of State for more information. These discrepancies should be Madeleine Albright. Member Services: Revised Foreign easy to align. Information technology requires Service evaluation procedures for Other regulations will have larger significant attention at the foreign identifying low performing employ¬ implications with consolidation. For affairs agencies. There was a time ees have led to an increase in griev¬ example, regulations regarding pro¬ when the State Departments world¬ ance cases. AFSA provides free motions into the Senior Foreign wide communications system gave it counseling to all members who Service will affect the movement of a critical edge. The State believe their rights have been violat¬ personnel in unidentified ways. Department has failed to keep pace ed in this and other instances, but AFSA has an opportunity to extract with rapid advances in technology, our dedicated staff does more than the best elements of each system falling behind the private sector and provide counseling in troubled times.