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CLEMENTS & COMPANY Insurance Worldwide. 1660 L Street, NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20036 TELEPHONE (202) 872-0060 or (800) 872-0067 FACSIMILE (202) 466-9064 E-MAIL [email protected] WEBSITE http://www.clements.com Global Vehicle Supply Over 600 vehicles available from inventory for immediate shipment to developing countries ■ Sedans ■ Export Specifications Bukkehave, Inc. 1800 Eller Drive, Suite 420 Sport Utility Vehicles ■ ■ Gasoline & diesel models P.O. Box 13143 ■ Project Vehicles ■ Left-hand and Port Everglades Right-hand drive Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 ■ Buses, Mini-vans U.S.A. ■ Pick-ups, Trucks ■ Spare parts ■ Motorcycles ■ World-wide Shipments Tel. 1 800 815 3370 Tel. +1 954 525 9788 Fax +1 954 525 9785 [email protected] BUKKEHAVE ^ www.bukkehave.com Vehicle & Parts Supply since 1925 CONTENTS January 1999 ■ Vol. 76, No. 1 COVER COLUMNS Focus ON THE U.S. CONGRESS PRESIDENT’S VIEWS / 5 Two Challenges for Diplomacy 18 / THE NEW CONGRESS: WHAT TO EXPECT By Dan Geisler Deeply divided and seized with impeachment, Congress may have little SPEAKING OUT / 15 attention for foreign policy. Declining Comment, Film at Eleven By Carroll Doherty By George Gedda POSTCARD FROM AEROAD / 56 24 / CONGRESSIONAL SCORECARD Requiem for Nuvit How did your representative rate in ’98? By Francesca Kelly AFSA crunches the numbers. By Ken Nakamura Focus 36 / T.EE HAMILTON LOOKS BACK Retiring after 34 years, a foreign policy leader shares some wisdom. By Bob Guldin FEATURE 44 / PLAYING RUSSIAN ROULETTE After six years of corrupt capitalism, the Page 24 Russian people are not impressed. By Vladimir Shlapentokh DEPARTMENTS LETTERS/7 CLIPPINGS / 12 BOOKS / 49 Cover and inside illustrations by Hersch Herman THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS FOREIGNOERYICE Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0015-7279), 2101 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. _I_J O u ii N * i. 20037-2990 is published monthly by the American Foreign Service Association, a private, Editor Editorial Board non-profit organization. Material appearing herein represents the opinions of the writers BOB GULDIN EDWARD MARKS, Chairman and does not necessarily represent the views of the Journal, die Editorial Board or Managing Editor ELIZABETH SPIRO CLARK Tut FOREIGN SERVICE AFSA. Writer queries are invited. Journal subscription: AFSA Members - $9.50 included KATHLEEN CURRIE MITCHELL A. COHN OF THE UNITED STATES in annual dues; odiers - $40. For foreign surface mail, add $18 per year; foreign airmail, Assistant Editor THEODORE CRAIG $36 per year. Periodical postage paid at Manchester, N.H., and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send MAUREEN HERMAN AURELIUS FERNANDEZ address changes to Foreign Service Journal, 2101 E Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037-2990. Indexed by Ad & Circulation Manager KATHERINE INEZ LEE Public Affairs Information Service (PAIS). The Journal is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos or ED MILTENBERGER MARY LEWELLEN illustrations. Advertising inquiries are invited. The appearance of advertisements herein does not imply die AFSA NEWS Editor ROBERTA MAHONEY endorsement of die services or goods offered. FAX: (202) 338-8244 or (202) 338-6820. E-MAIL: [email protected]. WESLEY ANN GODARD MARK MATTHEWS WEB: www.afsa.org. TELEPHONE: (202) 338-4045. © American Foreign Service Association, 1998. Printed Advertising Intern CAROLINE MEIRS in the U.S.A. Send address changes to AFSA Membership, 2101 E Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037- NATHAN VAN DUSEN ARNOLD SCHIEFERDECKER 2990. A Standard A enclosure is being mailed under permit 1926 at Manchester, N.H. 03103. JANUARY 1999/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 3 ffoin the Gefehration ! The 75th Anniversary of the Foreign Service HONORARY CHAIR of the United States Madeleine Albright HONORARY COMMITTEE May 24, 1999 marks the We plan to hold a special Gerald Ford 75th anniversary of the event in Washington to Jimmy Carter signing of the Rogers Act honor the Foreign Service Ronald Reagan which created the modern family and to support cele¬ George Bush Foreign Service. All are brations at our embassies to invited to participate in commemorate the occasion William P. Rogers the celebration! Secretary and to honor our Foreign Henry A. Kissinger Albright is reaching out to Service nationals. Cyrus Vance Americans across the coun¬ Alexander M. Haig, Jr. try. We intend to use our Projects and events will George P. Shultz anniversary as an include: a James A. Baker, III opportunity to National Lawrence Eagleburger further High Warren Christopher her efforts. School Essay PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS Every time 9 Contest, American Academy of Diplomacy you or your already Association of American family com¬ launched; Foreign Service Women municate the * 1924-1999 special com¬ Association for Diplomatic experiences memorative Studies & Training you have had ANNIVERSARY envelopes Council of American Ambassadors around the for passports Diplomatic and Consular Officers, world, you enhance the issued in 1999; exhibits Retired American people's under¬ about the Foreign Service Delavan Foundation standing of the importance in each of the presiden¬ of our relations abroad to Meridian International Center tial libraries; outreach their lives. Thursday Luncheon Group on the Internet; an AFSA World Affairs Councils of America reception for U.S. busi¬ The Anniversary Committee is planning programs which ness leaders; and symposia STEERING COMMITTEE at graduate schools and Brandon Grove, Chairman will take place throughout Robert W. Duemling the year, throughout the foreign policy organizations Daniel F. Geisler community, and through¬ throughout the country. Sheldon J. Krys out cyberspace. While hon¬ Anthony C. Quainton oring a glorious history Susan K. Reardon spanning World War II and You will be hearing the Cold War, our focus more about how we can DIRECTOR will be on the future needs celebrate this great Louise C. Eaton of American diplomacy anniversary! and the skills required to conduct it successfully. PRESIDENT’S VIEWS Two Challenges for Diplomacy BY DAN GEISLER In one of history’s ironies, an The second key mission of diplo¬ isolationist President, Calvin Coolidge, macy is still with us after 75 years: created the modern, merit-based ‘Keep cool with providing timely, accurate reporting Foreign Service 75 years ago by of events in foreign countries to signing the Rogers Act into law. Only Coolidge' should American policy-makers. But just ten months before, Coolidge had as democratization has changed unexpectedly succeeded President NOT be the Foreign diplomacy’s targets of influence, Warren G. Harding, who died in technology has changed what and office. Charles Evans Hughes, a Service motto. why we report to Washington. former governor of New York and The role of the Foreign Service a failed presidential candidate who today is to fish out the important facts would go on to become chief justice and trends from the data streams of the Supreme Court, was his that flow around us. We don’t just secretary of State. Myron Herrick gather information, we manage it was on his second tour as U.S. ment offices. Secretaiy Hughes with an eye to developing U.S. ambassador to France, and Frank probably didn’t worry much about foreign policy. That job is made Kellogg, a wealthy lawyer from the foreign public opinion, and he pro¬ more difficult, because tire Foreign Midwest, was ambassador to the bably didn’t expect Ambassadors Service lacks modem information Court of St. James. Herrick and Kellogg to worry about management tools. Two recent stud¬ Since that time, an enormous shift it either. But as nations democratize, ies of America’s foreign policy in the balance of global power has governments become more account¬ institutions concluded that the State fundamentally changed Americas able to people and influencing public Department has been alarmingly position in the world. Our nations opinion becomes correspondingly slow in meeting the challenges of international involvement has evolved more important to America’s foreign modernizing its technology. Recent as our domestic political, military policy. leadership changes at State and and economic strength has grown. Conducting public diplomacy is attempts to “reinvent” the depart¬ American diplomacy has also evolved one of two key challenges facing ment’s information management have to meet these changes in domestic the Foreign Service today.