Finding Diplomats for Perilous Posts

[loki]

the hiring process has to change, I understand the testing is being modernized, however the process itself must change. The folks that are most adept for these posts are not allowed past initial screening. I believe this is due to flags thrown up on the bio section, showing that a person is either adventurous, or a risk taker. Currently both are no no's for overseas representation. A person who has a flawless bio is suspect in my opinion, as they are often so in the middle, as to be ineffective in any capacity besides accounting or record keeping.

[John T. Fishel]

Hi Tom,

I fully agree with your second point; it would improve the caliber of service.

Regarding your first: As far as I know the only political appointees in US missions overseas are ambassadors. On average, 70% are career FSOs. The remaining 30% are politicals; some of whom are superb while others live up to the stereotype of the political ambassador. While most career FSO ambassadors are excellent like Deane Hinton and Ed Corr, others are complete duds - like some generals we all know. Some of the outstanding politicals include Edwin O. Reischauer in Japan and John Kenneth Galbraith in India. In many cases, the best politicals have prior international experience as these examples did. I would certainly like to see all American ambassadors fully qualified in both language and region as well as in the countries to which they are assigned. Nevertheless, I doubt that presidents will give up ambassadorships as political rewards - again regardless of party

On that cheery note, hasta pronto

John

[Tom Odom]

John T

You are correct that the poltical appointees are at the Ambassadorial level in overseas postings. I was thinking of those non-career mid to high level posts--and their action officers, executive assistants, etc--that are political and often drive life in the embassies down range.

As fo Ambassadors--well I have worked for 2 fantastic Ambassadors and one I will be kind and say was aggressively inept. All 3 were career FSOs; I have had to work around political appointees and very few can resist throwing their "credentials" at you as a means of expressing their self-importance and connections to power.

Best

Tom

[Stan]

Since 84, I have worked for some excellent career Ambassadors and political appointees. Ambassador to Zaire, Melissa Foelsch Wells definitely made use of her time and ran a tight ship. During civil wars on both sides of the Congo River, social and political upheaval, Ambassador Wells showed her true resolve and had the unfortunate pleasure of telling then President Mobutu he had fallen out of grace under the (first) Bush Administration, and to step down and permit democracy to ‘flourish’.

Pretty bold for anyone, yet alone a white female.

"If you would like to know what a man really is, the time to learn comes when he stands in danger or doubt." --- Lucretius

That said, there were however a few SFS Officers that often left Tom and I wondering what tomorrow would bring. Seat of the pants reporting has and still does cause not only confusion, but demoralizes the entire Embassy Staff.

Checkout this brief article, especially the last few paragraphs regarding the suicide bombers (brothers). I would venture to say, that if Kinshasa’s or Kigali’s Ambassador closed the embassy each time something blew up or a spurt of automatic fire was heard, we would have been open for business one weekday a month.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/16/wo...=1&oref=slogin
U.S. Consulate Closes in Morocco Over Security Concerns
By IAN FISHER

CASABLANCA, Morocco, April 15 — The United States Consulate here said Sunday that it would close until further notice, a day after two brothers carried out puzzling suicide attacks near the consulate amid a spate of bombings in Morocco and Algeria.

[Old Eagle]

I have worked for numerous ambassadors over the years, both career and political. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. Career guys usually understand the lay of the land better, but remain too beholden to the bureaucracy in Washington (Mother, may I?)

The politicos may or may not have a clue, but their connections can have big payoffs. One of my ambassadors called Madeline Albright at home at 0600 DC time in order to prevent a major fox pass (that's diplo-speak for F-U). Another worked a highly classified political mission for the president. Only someone of stature could accomplish that. Plus, if the deal went south or was compromised, he was expendable.

Yet there are diplomatic giants who manage to struggle through the system -- Nick Burns, Chris Hill, Ryan Crocker all come to mind. Unfortunately, they seem to be few and far between.

The answer, I believe, is to strenghthen the recruitment and PDE (professional diplomatic education) mentioned earlier. Those of you who have worked the diplomatic or intelligence lanes know that one of the greatest frustrations of working with senior FSOs is lack of management/leadership training. It would also help to have geographically targeted FSOs like Army FAOs. Maybe not only one geo area/officer, but let's say no more than 2. That way, it's easier to keep up on regional developments, languages, etc.

[Beelzebubalicious]

I know Embassies have cultural sections as part of public affairs and these do cultural exchanges and such, but anyone heard of a cultural section that would primarily be involved in anthropological or sociological research and reporting? In my experience, the Embassy people I come across are quite estranged from local people and are much less informed than Peace Corps, USAID, USAID contractors, etc. I know they get briefings and training on local culture, but this would be Embassy funded research on the cultural components of specific issues. Could be political or economic issues, but from a cultural perspective.

[Tom Odom]

I know Embassies have cultural sections as part of public affairs and these do cultural exchanges and such, but anyone heard of a cultural section that would primarily be involved in anthropological or sociological research and reporting? In my experience, the Embassy people I come across are quite estranged from local people and are much less informed than Peace Corps, USAID, USAID contractors, etc. I know they get briefings and training on local culture, but this would be Embassy funded research on the cultural components of specific issues. Could be political or economic issues, but from a cultural perspective.

Good question and no answer that you would hope for; I have been in or around 6 different embassies and the DoD head as Defense Attache in 2. Very few show any interest in what you suggest. I did a long cable out of Zaire on the alternate economy using a couple of sources who just kept a running diary for a week on how they got buy. Only one FSO showed interest in it and he was in the political section, not economics. Stan and I gave the econ a officer a crash course on Zairian information management when rumors and reports of dreams suggested all US 100 dollar bills were bad.

Worst sensing of social environment by a senior FSO? Here are some candidates:

A Dept Assistant Secretary of State who came into Zaire on a push democracy tour ands asked me how I was going to reform the Zairian Armed Forces

The Deputy Chief of Mission in Zaire who routinely quoted his cook at country team meetings

The Chief of Mission/Charge in Zaire who dismissed the Rwandan refugee crisis in 1994 as something that would blow over in 2 weeks

An FSO in Rwanda who at a local American community meeting in March of 1994 dismissed concerns over military style drilling by the Interahamwe as boy scout activity

An Ambassador in Zaire who dismissed the RPA led and organized invasion in 97 as the establishment of a local security zone

These are just a few.....

Tom