ID THEFT A DIPLOMAT’S CHANGE OF HEART THE CRASH OF THE KALEVA $3.50 / MAY 2007 OREIGN ERVICE FJ O U R N A L S THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS AN UNCERTAIN PATH AHEAD The Foreign Service As a Career CONTENTS May 2007 Volume 84, No. 5 F OCUS ON THE FS ASAC AREER F EATURES 20 / PLUS ÇA CHANGE ... ? THE EDUCATION OF CARNE ROSS: Many in the Foreign Service may hope that things FROM OUTRAGE TO OPPORTUNITY / 42 will get back to “normal” once the Iraq War is over. A senior British Foreign Service officer who resigned three Don’t count on it. years ago over his government’s Iraq policy now provides By Shawn Zeller diplomatic advice to those who need it most. By Ludovic Hood 27 / COPING WITH UNACCOMPANIED TOURS The unaccompanied tour, a rapidly growing category THE LAST FLIGHT FROM TALLINN / 46 of overseas service, presents new challenges A Foreign Service code clerk finally receives recognition for for the Foreign Service. his sacrifice in the line of duty two-thirds of a century ago. By Nan Leininger By Eric A. Johnson and Anna Hermann 35 / RECALLING ALL-PURPOSE DUTY IN RUSSIA Two decades ago, Embassy Moscow and Consulate General C OLUMNS D EPARTMENTS Leningrad became the only U.S. diplomatic missions in a PRESIDENT’S VIEW / 5 LETTERS / 6 foreign country with no FSNs. An Over-Ripe Opportunity CYBERNOTES / 8 By Allan Mustard Needs Attention Now FASTRAX / 11 By J. Anthony Holmes MARKETPLACE / 13 SPEAKING OUT / 12 AFSA NEWS / 53 When Importance Is BOOKS / 63 Equated with Danger INDEX TO By Brian T. Neubert ADVERTISERS / 70 IN RESPONSE / 16 Much More than Pins on a Map By Lawrence E. Butler FS KNOW-HOW / 18 Dealing with Identity Theft By David Zwach REFLECTIONS / 72 A House Call in the Guatemalan Highlands By Donald W. MacCorquodale THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS OREIGN ERVICE Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), 2101 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is published J O U R N A L F S monthly with a combined July/August issue by the American Foreign Service Association, a private, non-profit Editorial Board organization. Material appearing herein represents the opinions of the writers and does not necessarily represent Editor STEVEN ALAN HONLEY TED WILKINSON, the views of the Journal, the Editorial Board or AFSA. Writer queries and submissions are invited, preferably by Senior Editor CHAIRMAN e-mail. Journal subscription: AFSA Members - $13 included in annual dues; others - $40. For foreign surface mail, SUSAN B. MAITRA add $18 per year; foreign airmail, $36 per year. Periodical postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mail- Associate Editor KENT C. BROKENSHIRE ing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Foreign Service Journal, 2101 E Street N.W., Washington, D.C. SHAWN DORMAN STEPHEN W. B UCK Ad & Circulation Manager 20037-2990. Indexed by Public Affairs Information Service (PAIS). The Journal is not responsible for unsolicited ED MILTENBERGER ANTHONY S. CHAN manuscripts, photos or illustrations. Advertising inquiries are invited. The appearance of advertisements herein Business Manager JOSH GLAZEROFF does not imply the endorsement of the services or goods offered. FAX: (202) 338-8244 or (202) 338-6820. ANDREW KIDD WILLIAM W. J ORDAN E-MAIL: [email protected]. WEB: www.afsa.org. TELEPHONE: (202) 338-4045. © American Foreign Service Art Director LAURIE KASSMAN Association, 2007. Printed in the U.S.A. Send address changes to AFSA Membership, 2101 E Street N.W., CARYN SUKO SMITH KAY WEBB MAYFIELD Washington, D.C. 20037-2990. Printed on 50-percent recycled paper, of which 10 percent is post-consumer waste. Editorial Intern JOHN K. NALAND E. MARGARET MACFARLAND JOYCE NAMDE CHRISTOPHER L. TEAL Cover and inside illustration by John Lavin MAY 2007/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 3 PRESIDENT’S VIEWS An Over-Ripe Opportunity Needs Attention Now BY J. ANTHONY HOLMES There aren’t many things real winner. al attempts to take over the space set that unite every living former Virtually everyone inter- aside for the center have been fought Secretary of State, pundits and ested recognizes that our off — for now. But how long can this academics, Republicans and nation is woefully ignorant of prime space remain safe when Democrats, as well as AFSA the history of American diplo- bureaus are clamoring for more room and State Department manage- macy, the challenges it has and a new foreign assistance empire ment. One thing that does is overcome, its meager cost has been created and many staff shift- the “United States Diplomacy relative to the savings gained ed over from USAID? Already, Center,” the museum of American from wars avoided, and the monu- details have come out about plans to diplomacy that currently has a staff of mental contributions it has made to kick out the long-time occupants of seven working on plans, over $1.0 mil- our national security. As recent politi- the 1200 “service corridor,” such as lion in dedicated private funding sit- cal discourse reflects, the importance the FLO offices, the travel and trans- ting in the bank, and 20,000 square of diplomacy to our national interests portation people, AFSA, AFGE, and feet of vacant prime space in the has never been greater. Nor has the even the Employee Services Center newly renovated east wing of the relevance of this project. It would be (aka the Foreign Service Lounge) to Main State building, all just waiting to a welcome addition to our public create new office space. be used. And waiting, and waiting, affairs program. And it could become “All the key people in the depart- and waiting ... an important element of our long- ment support the diplomacy center,” During his first week formally on standing efforts to build a domestic I’ve been repeatedly told. “It’s like the job in February 2001, Secretary political constituency that will advo- apple pie and motherhood.” Even Colin Powell signed a Statement of cate for greater U.S. involvement in Secretary Rice supports it, they say, Support committing the State the world and a larger role and ade- and she was very impressed six Department to provide staff, space, quate funding for the diplomatic com- months ago by the design concept and security for the museum. Even ponent of that engagement. presentation. When I discussed the earlier, at the department’s request, a I was particularly pleased recently center with her in late 2005 and again nonprofit foundation was formed and to hear some good news that I last summer, she was indeed support- quickly raised $1.3 million of the esti- thought augured well for the center. ive, but she also had some concerns. mated $25 million needed for the Under Secretary of State Nicholas Those issues have now been address- project, funds donated by founda- Burns (one of the early backers of the ed, I’m told. But nothing happens — tions and State Department retirees. idea) told AFSA that, in response to and no one can explain why. A quarter of this sum was spent more concerns expressed by recent hires As the Bush administration heads than two years ago on an impressive about how useful some U.S. diplo- down the home stretch and the design concept by renowned muse- matic history context would be in Secretary’s staff ponders her legacy, it um designers and architects. Plans their orientation process, he had seems to me that having her break the call for the center to be integrated worked with FSI and the Historian’s logjam and get the diplomacy center with the snazzy new auditorium and office to develop a three-day U.S. project moving is a no-brainer. She meeting rooms already being used at diplomatic history module to be would join an illustrious group of pre- the 21st Street entrance. In short, included in future A-100 courses. decessors who have lined up behind this project has all the makings of a The synergy this could create with this project. Both AFSA and I hope the center seems obvious. she will do the right thing, and quickly, J. Anthony Holmes is the president of the There have also been worrying lest the loss of momentum so far prove American Foreign Service Association. omens. It is widely known that sever- fatal. I MAY 2007/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 5 LETTERS The Neocon Agenda “The Unnecessary War,” and believes Jett’s grossly subjective anti-administra- The twin articles on foreign policy it has lasted too long. tion arguments do reflect those of the during the next two years (“A Bleak I add my voice to those like former Journal and its board? Outlook” by Dennis Jett and “A Sound President Jimmy Carter, who advo- It seems to me that our profession- Strategy” by Joshua Muravchik, FSJ, cates a truly even-handed U.S. policy al Journal must reflect all carefully February) were balanced in every on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and considered opinions, without gratu- respect except one: the article by Jett Ambassador Philip C. Wilcox Jr., itous expressions of support, or lack was accompanied by a short bio of the whose excellent article in the Decem- thereof. Moreover, now that Mr. Jett author but the article by Muravchik ber Journal (“The Holy Land: Can has had several occasions to vent his was not. [Editor’s Note: A correction Peace Be Rescued?”) builds a persua- spleen on our pages, do us a favor and note about this inadvertent omission sive case for the sort of intervention in give him a long rest. ran in the March issue.] the Middle East that could actually Michael G.