American Diplomat: Recent Episodes
Ambassador (Retired) Pete Romero and Writer/Producer Laura Bennett
American Diplomat goes behind the scenes to hear real stories from diplomats who lived newsworthy events overseas. Experience the Cuban revolution, Central American insurgencies, the end of apartheid and more through the eyes of those who were there. A project of the Una Chapman Cox Foundation in partnership with the American Academy of Diplomacy.
We all recognize the intractability and tragedy of the Arab/Israeli conflict but what are the dynamics of Iran’s proxy forces, separately fighting Israel, working together? What is each of their relationship with Iran? And what will be the Trump impact? Ambassadors Jeffrey Feltman and Jake Walles, who spent decades in the Middle East, share stories.
Campaign promises - repatriating the undocumented, Mexico’s role in securing the border, tariff quid pro quos and NATO’s role in a Russian/Ukraine peace - will require expert diplomacy. Will the new administration be up to it? Secretary Tom Shannon, who led State in the first Trump administration, is here to tell us what Trump’s early days will look like.
Oh, the stress of the election! We're feeling the strain! So we thought we could all use a little break. Here's one of our earliest, most fun episodes. Larry Dinger regales us with tales of tires on fire, pollution, trekking, and one of the most bizarre episodes in monarchy in the world. Now Laura wants to join the Foreign Service and all of us want to go to Kathmandu.
David Scheffer, our country's foremost diplomat on war crimes, reveals the unstoppable forces seeking justice. The bad get badder and the good get better.
An inspirational story of personal redlines and resilience that has stuck with us: Ambassador John Feeley left a beloved job as US Ambassador to Panama, at the pinnacle of his career. Why? He could in good conscience act as the personal representative of a particular US President. John Feeley shares candidly the painful but surmountable experience of depression and recovery upon departure from the Foreign Service. May we all share as generously as our friend John. There is always hope.
Soviet occupation of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania ended 30 years ago but to many, it could have been yesterday. How secure are these states, and what will happen to them if Ukraine falls? Is there any change in security policy, in case of a Trump victory in the US?
Out with the old, in with the new? Will Claudia Sheinbaum, new (and first female) President of Mexico, allow the departing leader AMLO to control her presidency, as designated successors of autocrats often do, or will she govern on her own terms? What will happen with all of those door-to-door check giveaways? Sheinbaum does not tip her hand. Amb. (Ret.) John Feeley guides us through Mexico’s new frontier. We watch with interest.
And what does Behghazi have to do with our withdrawal from Afghanistan, and why are people investigating our exit from that country on the third anniversary of the withdrawal, not, say, on the first or second anniversary? Ambassador Dennis Jett has a thing or two to say about this.
Prominent Brazilian journalist Cecilia Tornaghi shares the major struggle between Elon Musk and Brazilian Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes, after the judge shut down X. The episode begs the question: Since these platforms have become a public service, do they bear responsibility for who uses them? Who decides what is truth, disinformation, or that which is likely to incite?
Janessa Goldbeck, ex-Marine, CEO of Vet Voice Foundation and producer of the new film War Game, explains what a war game is and how it became the basis for this unusual and highly effective film. What will happen if we experience another insurrection at the coming inauguration? Why are vets and servicemembers special targets of foreign disinformation campaigns? Join us and learn in depth what the Insurrection Act is, why it exists, and how powerful and potentially dangerous it is. Now in theaters, streaming on September 27. Go to https://wargamefilm.com for more info.
FSO Chad Houghton takes us back to 2020 when John Kerry, the first Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, brought the US back into the Paris agreement. Quiz: Which is worse, methane or CO2? Also, what argument won people over diplomatically (hint – not the moral or scientific angle)? And how do we work with adversaries like China to cool things down? And why would a petrostate like the UAE host a global climate conference? Join us, and see also this month’s Foreign Service Journal for more.
David Thomas, Executive Director of ASU’s Milo Space Science Institute, describes the global stability benefits of providing countries of the world access to space through education (what’s it like to mine ice water on the shadow region of the moon?) and ridesharing (yes, ridesharing) to space. Prada is making space suits and Hilton is designing crew quarters. Milo fosters global opportunity to join the space economy and in so doing, fosters the creation of values-based laws and policies. Prepare to be inspired.
Steve Herman, author of Behind the White House Curtain, is back to tell the tale of the time the Trump administration tried to seize editorial control of the Voice of America and turn it into a propaganda agency. Why is it in our interests as Americans for VOA to remain an independent, credible source worldwide, even covering negative events in the US? What are the risks to those, like Steve, who resisted the takeover? See also a review of his book in June's Foreign Service Journal.
The Maduro regime told breathtaking lies about voting tallies, but the opposition has proof. What are diplomats doing to promote a democratic outcome? Keith Mines, Vice President of the Latin America Program at the US Institute for Peace, explores the options and shares first-hand tales of similar instances in the region. Over seven million Venezuelans have fled poverty and mass misery already. What will happen if no one can help?
Journalist and FSO (you read that correctly!) Steve Herman’s new book Behind the White House Curtain delves into the balance between, as Pete says, being the pitcher and the umpire at the same time. Especially during the Trump White House, what was it like to be “the enemy of the people”? Trump’s priority was to feed his base red meat, was he really out of control? Join us to hear Steve talk about his experience in this extraordinary dual role.
General Brook Leonard is back to focus on China as our competitor in space. What is rivalry in space – economic, military, both? And what can we learn from China’s holistic approach to space? The technological environment is rapidly changing and the stakes are very high. We are not the leader. How does diplomacy address this?
Major General Brook Leonard joins us to parse “coopetition” in the 3rd space age. With vital interests ranging from movement of money to food security, space technology is moving faster than rules and norms. What are the red lines? There is no geographic separation in space as on earth, and no way to be sure what a communications satellite in space is actually doing. Will global powers follow the law of the jungle or establish rules of the road?
NATO celebrated its 75th year anniversary last week. It doubled down on Ukraine support and the Alliance now sees Itself as the bulwark against growing anti-democratic regimes. Ambassador Kurt Volker, a Trump appointee, provides insight into what his former boss might do if re-elected.
Tricks, tricks, tricks. General Robert Schmidle, expert in cognitive warfare, helps us understand that although this has gone on for centuries, what’s different today is the scope and scale. How do you fight it? Bonus question: What famous statesman said, “a lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on”?
Recently the indigenous of the Amazon have been gifted with Starlink, but to what effect? Years ago, Pete visited a similar community, botched up a boar hunt, drank the mystery drink chicha, and received upon his departure a marriage proposal, ambiguously addressed either to himself one of the other (finer?) young gringos. Which is worse, Pete or the Internet? Give us your thoughts on whether Starlink is a gift or curse for the Marubo via our socials or via voicemail on our website.
Years ago, Pete visited the Amazon and made friends with some very remotely located people. His visit raised questions: Did he do the right thing? Now others, far more remote, have been visited by Elon Musk’s Starlink – by their own request! With an updated perspective, we repost this gem from our early days recording American Diplomat. First of two in a series. Give us your thoughts on whether Starlink is a gift or curse for the Marino people via our socials or via voicemail on our website. Enjoy!
What does expertise look like in diplomacy with recent rapid changes in technology? Will AI replace diplomats? What is AI good at, and where is it dangerous? Large language models are great for brainstorming but can they replace relationships and judgment? Tune into Dan Spokojny, former diplomat, now Ph.D. and CEO of the nonprofit FP21, while he breaks it down for us.
Finally, a home at State for what we have learned about global conflicts. Will it make us smarter? Will we demand deeper buy in from Allies and friends? Or do we continue to treat each conflict as a “one-off”? Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Mark Iozzi joins us from State's Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations to share his story from concept to implementation of the innovative Global Fragility Act.
We talk about cultural diplomacy, but what about diplomacy in culture? Laura (MFA, Film and Television, NYU) loves movies and TV, and best of all, Laura loves movies and TV about geopolitics. What do the last fifty years of diplomacy in media tell us about diplomacy in society? About society more broadly? And why do so many movies about diplomats turn into spy movies before the second act? Funny you should ask! Here's a compendium of said movies for superfans like us, and once you listen to our episode, you may love movies as much as Laura does. Get thee to the cinema!
State Department lawyer Mike Peay traces how, during a time of deep racial conflict, black American artists went overseas to promote the American experiment, winning the hearts of millions, but would it improve race relations at home?
“Hugs, not bullets”, that is AMLO’s mantra for the cartels. This, while homicides have risen to historic highs. Our man in Mexico, retired Ambassador Tony Wayne, is back to discuss the good fight. Will democracy or autocracy win in the June 2 elections?
Lieutenant General (Ret.) Fred Rudesheim unpacks the complexities of Gaza. Much is said of the very real moral outrages committed by Israel and Hamas. But what now? In the near term, how viable is a two-state solution? First let's look at what is and how we got here. Hint: what exactly does Biden mean when he speaks of a "revitalized Palestinian Authority"?
Out with Wagner, in with the Africa Corps. What will happen as mercenaries continue to offer attractive alternatives to vulnerable democracies like Niger, the Central African Republic, Burkina Faso and Mali? Ambassador Hank Cohen, whose new book "Africa, You Have a Friend in Washington", offers a vision of hope via economic self-determination. For added context, we append our earlier episode on the Wagner Group's activities in the Central African Republic.
Tom Yazdgerdi, President of the American Foreign Service Association reaches back to illustrate how far the Foreign Service has come in the last 100 years and charts how it will meet the complex challenges of the next decades.
Ambassador Vicki Huddleston, author of “Our Woman in Havana”, unpacks the dire circumstances in Cuba driving hundreds of thousands to flee the island and parses the impacts of South Florida exile politics on US diplomacy: the hammer is the only tool left in the box.
What does it mean when open-source data show that huge populations have moved? Natural disaster? An attack? Relocation of children, forced passportization? Non-classified satellite imagery, cell phone photos, video, GPS and other puiblicly available information is critical to modern diplomacy and democracy. Susan Wolfinbarger, geographer, data scientist and the vision behind the Conflict Observatory at State’s Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, walks us through her dream: big data saves lives. Welcome to 21st Century diplomacy's newest tool.
Meghan Stewart, head of the Negotiations Support Unit in State’s Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, knows the peace process – its structures, its history, the perspectives of combatants. Her team uses its specialized knowledge to help diplomats get peace agreements over the line, saving thousands and thousands of lives each time. Who knew you could devote your legal career exclusively to ending global conflict?
Many diplomats urge what the vast majority of voters, including American Jews, want – a restrained Israel and a place for Palestinians. Former Assistant Secretary Eric Schwartz discusses the letter that he and 67 senior foreign policy professionals recently sent to the White House. Now in the aftermath of the killing of the World Central Kitchen volunteers, will Biden get tough or will the tail continue to wag the dog?
Our climate: What we do during this decade will determine our climate for a millennium to come. Diplomats not only negotiate multilateral agreements that protect the earth but, even more so, work with nations to follow through on their commitments. But what is the surprising dynamic of domestic politics and global climate policy? And by what mechanisms do market forces impact global action? How does human justice figure in? Ambassador Bob Blake shares the insider view as a climate diplomat.
Pete unpacks the antecedents of modern-day gangsterism, going back to his days as Assistant Secretary. What were the unintended consequences of sending Central American gangsters back “home” to a country they did not know, where their best chance of fitting in was with ex-guerillas? Boom. Not even the tattoo removal machines can save this combustible mix.
General and Ambassador Doug Lute puts Sweden’s recent NATO membership in context: Has Putin accomplished his goals, or has it all backfired? What is the diplomatic solution to this war? And what should we expect at this year’s 75th NATO anniversary in the US?
For Women’s History Month, young diplomat Mary Vargas joins us to share her story as the daughter of an immigrant family of farm workers in Fontana, CA, to life as an American diplomat. How did she achieve her lifelong dream, and why does she seek assignments working with refugees, the incarcerated, and Gazans?
We just cleared our millionth download! Or, you did! Pete and Laura reflect on early days and share their favorite episodes of the 350 that they have broadcast over the years – the tomfoolery of cybercriminals, the economic party at the border, the astonishing takeover of an African nation by bunch of Wagner guys in flip flops, and the redemption of a family blackballed by McCarthyism, plus a little bonus insight on the continued life after death of Roy Cohn. Enjoy and THANK YOU!
Tribalism: Who is "other"? Ambassador Bob Beecroft recalls the atrocities in the Balkans of the late ‘90s, after which DNA tests revealed that the victims and the perpetrators of “ethnic cleansing” were no different from one another genetically. The question then becomes, who do we see as “other”, and why do we see them as threats? Does any of this apply to the US?
A Million Downloads! Yes, you did it for us. Here to celebrate with us is ASU President Michael Crow. Think vision meets design meets global reach. The goal? Access and energize the full level of human potential.
The Houthis: Who actually are these people? And Yemen: What is this place? Is it really a country? Yemen is engaged in a two-fronted, 10-year civil war, and this began long before the war in Gaza. Does Iran control the Houthis? (Hint: far from it.) And why this business with the shipping lanes? Join us as Ambassador Jerry Feierstein brings us up to speed on this deceptively simple maelstrom of forces at play affecting our diplomacy in a region where the stakes are higher now than they have been in years.
Young foreign service officer Hermanoschy Bernard joins us in honor of Black History Month to share his story of flight from his native Haiti as a child to life in the US as a political asylee, where he turned obstacles into opportunities and achieved his dream of becoming a public servant, inspired originally by the consular officer who listened to his case with empathy and helped him and his family emigrate to safety.
Ambassador Richard Boucher joins us to contextualize Taiwan's recent election in its deliberately ambiguous relationship with mainland China. No big news is good news as Taiwan preserves its integrity by not declaring its overt independence, a lesson learned in Hong Kong. The wild card? Xi Jinping.
Frank Mora, US Ambassador to the Organization of American States, helps us understand a diplomatic win: the (barely) peaceful transfer of power following Guatemala’s election of an outsider who is a threat to the corrupt establishment. Expectations are high, that the new president will both confront those who resist change - who have done much to thwart the transfer of power - and promote inclusive governance. Que viva la democracia!
Amb. Tony Wayne is back to go into depth on the US-Mexico border’s two greatest challenges. How did drug trafficking become even more sinister than it was before? And can we improve the immigration crisis ahead of the upcoming US election? What is at stake and what will it take, diplomatically and otherwise, to solve these issues?
Did you know that $1.5M dollars in trade cross the US/Mexico border every single minute? Did you know that 5 million US jobs depend on the trade that takes place there? Ambassador Tony Wayne explains that the border is a living membrane and trust is the crux of managing conflicting interests and mutual challenges. Lethal synthetic drugs are very small! How do you intercept them on their way north? And how do you stop the transfer of deadly weapons to the south? And human lives – people around the entire world are on the move, and where do many land? On the US/Mexico border. Ambassador Wayne helps us understand this complex place. Part one of two.
Cybercrime has many names but what, actually, is it? Jim Lewis, former Foreign Service Officer, now Senior Vice President and Director of the Technology and Public Policy Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, gives us a candid description of cybercrime's mechanics: who does it, why, how, and what is the impact of these activities on global democracy and security? What is the role of diplomacy in managing these unprecedented military, intelligence, economic and political threats? Join us for an close look under the hood of cybercrime.
Pete and Laura close the year with reflections on the diplomatic successes in 2023 that helped create a more peaceful and sustainable world. Global events have offered up a lot to fear recently, but it wasn't all bad! Happy New Year from American Diplomat.
Psychiatrists David Charney and Ken Dekleva are back to discuss in depth what makes a person into a traitor. Start with an intolerable sense of personal failure. Then think of parties in Santiago with music, liquor, cigarettes, beautiful women and dancing (a happy hunting ground for spy recruiters). Then, one mistake and you are in for life. There is no escape. Staying alive is now more important than anything else.
Pete's old friend Manuel Rocha is in the news - but in jail as a spy for the Cubans! Imagine the shock. You trust someone, and wow. Psychiatrists David Charney and Ken Dekleva help us understand the mind of the turncoat: the greatest threat of them all is the male ego. We are gobsmacked.
Ambassador Mark Schneider, former director of the Peace Corps and an expert on corruption in the Western Hemisphere unpacks the August election in Guatemala. Juan José Arévalo was elected on an anti-corruption platform in a 61-39 percent win – bad news for the ruling elites who now seek to overturn the election results before inauguration in January. Why do we in the US care? Corruption in Guatemala drives Guatemalans to flee extreme poverty and emigrate to the US and also allows cartels to bring violence and drugs into our country. So, what will happen when Arévalo is scheduled to take office in January?
The authoritarian government of Poland has just been voted out through free and fair elections. Dan Fried, former US Ambassador to Poland and Assistant Secretary of State for Europe, has met with the highest officials of both incoming and outgoing governments and helps us understand how it is that Poles view democracy and nationalism as two parts of their fundamental identity. The separate factions of politics work together, because after all, "politics is not a love affair."
Jeffrey Franca, the drummer for DC's own world music icon Thievery Corporation - the band that generously allows us to use its music to open our show each week - shares with us the value of unity, love and positivity in his work, which is influenced by musical styles found worldwide. Franca also discusses his work outside of Thievery, in the band Congo Sanchez and in his independent project Ethno. This is one of our favorite episodes, originally posted in 2020, and it sets the tone for a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. May your day be filled with unity, love, and positivity.
What do you do if you have a severe crisis of conscience over a policy that you cannot support? Do you speak up? Or do you keep your head down and do your job? If you use State's established Dissent Channel, are you bound by its rules to keep your views in that channel? Do you go public? What is the patriotic thing to do? What is the morally right thing to do? Our very own Pete Romero is our guest today, on the topic as recently brought to the fore over the war in Gaza.
Ambassador Larry Gambiner joins us to discuss a new deal in which President Maduro of Venezuela agreed to democratic reforms, including free and fair elections, in exchange for a reduction in US sanctions. But when opposition party candidate Maria Corina Machado won 93% of the primary vote, she was immediately barred from running for public office for 15 years. So now what will the US do? And will the people of Venezuela rebel? Unfortunately, if you’re hungry enough, it’s hard to overturn the government.
Admiral Mike LeFever and Roderick Jones's new book End Game First talks about collaborating with diplomats to rebuild Pakistan after the 2005 earthquake. Effective strategy means having a vision for a successful end result, no matter the crisis. What, for example, is Israel's exit plan in Gaza? We are in a geopolitical moment where global security, militarily and economically, depends on diplomacy. Says Roderick, “If you start defunding diplomacy, well, be careful.”
Says Richard Verma, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, his job is to help create "the most effective, capable, inclusive, diverse department so that we can deliver for the American people," and so that we can, together with the rest of the world, solve borderless, urgent problems such as climate and cybersecurity. Verma, also former US Ambassador to India, explores our ties with the world's largest democracy. Did you know that India's constitution, like ours, begins: "We the people..."?
The atrocities are breathtaking. But once Israel starts picking up the bodies in the smoking rubble of whatever is left of Gaza, then what? Will Gaza return to Israeli occupation? Will there be some form of UN occupation? The Arab League? So much of diplomacy is one bad choice or another bad choice. Ambassador Ron Neumann weighs in with a rich and penetrating understanding of the intractable conflict in Gaza and in the region more broadly.
How did Robert Menendez fall so hard? A suspected foreign agent? Hiding gold bullion? Pete and John Feeley knew a different man decades ago. A champion of Latinos in government at the start, a nasty, vindictive, corrupt politician by the end. Did he change or could you see the germ of his demise from the beginning? John's view: Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Pete's? An evolution of personality he has never seen anywhere else.
Major General Spider Marks, formerly head of military intelligence for Korea, opines on Putin's recent meeting with Kim Jong Un of North Korea. A game changer? No! But what would be? And while you're here, learn why most democracies last about 250 years and how they usually implode.
No union is perfect, but it helps to try. Authoritarians worldwide exploit their citizens' need for public safety to gain and hold power. If you can't walk out of the house at night, bring the guy who makes the streets safe! But then what happens when your loved ones start to disappear? Pete and John Feeley discuss recent examples in the Western Hemisphere, but the phenomenon threatens democracies and human rights worldwide.
The basis of the International Criminal Court is a treaty, written in part by the United States and signed by 123 countries worldwide. Why is the US not a signatory? Is this for some abstruse legal reason, or did the US actively undermine the treaty? David Scheffer is back to help us understand the machinery of the ICC.
BRICS, the economic alliance of nonwestern powers, just met in Johannesburg, with Putin conspicuously disinvited. Why? Putin is a war criminal indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), and South Africa, a member of BRICS but also a signatory of the ICC, is obligated to arrest Putin upon his arrival there. A complex situation! Which commitment to serve? Are war criminals today at greater risk of accountability than once upon a time? Amb. David Scheffer, a creator of the ICC, is optimistic.
Cambodia just "elected" another term for the ruling party, allowing the 38-year dictator Hun Sen to maintain dynastic rule for many years to come. The West does not like this. But what really are our economic, security and even humanitarian interests in the region? How might we reframe our thinking to best promote them? Amb. Charlie Ray is back to discuss. And here's our previous episode with him, Golf with a Dictator, which gives a real-life story of a time he was right.
Following the unprecedented executive order by the Biden administration limiting US investment in Chinese tech companies, Cathy Novelli, veteran US diplomat and Apple executive, highlights the balance between protecting our national security and preventing unintended economic consequences. Some people may promote a solution of simply decoupling our economy from China’s, but good policy is in the nuance even if it doesn’t make juicy sound bites. As a closer, we have The Winner Takes it All from Abba.
Jesse Gutierrez, USAID officer at Mission Somalia, says it best himself: "I had slept on the floor, been homeless, used subpar health facilities, and been separated from my family as a kid. I empathize with and relate to refugees and USAID’s beneficiaries because I have been in their shoes." Hear his moving tale of humble but unwavering perseverance and positivity. And here's his article in the Foreign Service Journal. Enjoy!
Hungary, a self-described illiberal democracy. Neighboring Slovakia, with a snap election coming in September. Will Slovakia elect the next Orban? What does that mean for the Western alliance? What if Hungarians don't believe what we believe? Can we export American principles (what are they anyway?), should we resort to transactional diplomacy, or is there another route built on empathy and respect for culture and the history that forms it? Ambassador Tibor Nagy, born in Hungary, offers his take.
The news fist broke weeks ago but now the human stakes have reached the front pages, with thousands of Israelis taken to the streets. Are Israel's judicial "reforms" simply a way for Netanyahu to skirt the law and consolidate power? Some had felt that the Israeli court had abused its power, but is it a coincidence that Netanyahu faced charges of corruption and abuse of public trust, against which these new reforms would protect him? The Israeli government has few checks. Neuter the courts, and there's only one organ of power, an unchecked parliament.
Ukraine: a nation fighting for its life. Russia's military: leaderless, feckless, inept, but well armed and with lots of conscripts willing to die. With Putin weakened (think, attempted Wagner coup), could Ukraine negotiate a peace? If not, will the war simply become a spectator sport? What are each side's options? General Spider Marks shares his analysis and opinion.
Margaret Riccardelli, an airline employee in her 40s, stumbled into the foreign service thinking it would be great to serve in Italy. But where did she end up? Bangladesh, where nothing ever happens. What? Instead, she was met with revolution, poverty, an 8,000 person attack on the embassy, tornadoes, a cyclone that washed 100,000 people out into the bay of Bengal, and the fun didn’t stop there. It’s scary and it’s lonely, Margaret explains, but you step up. So what about Rome? For the whole story, read Margaret’s book, Assignment Dhaka: A Foreign Service Memoir.
The Central African Republic: a vulnerable democracy with a weak president, failed by the West. Wagner mercenaries arrive in flip flops offering military support and quickly set up lucrative mineral businesses that depend on control of public information, intimidation and sustained conflict, resulting in the highest mortality rate of any country in the world. Why do we care? This is a model for operations anywhere that democracies and the West falter. Ambassador Larry Wohlers tells the story of the CAR.
Alan Eaton helps us appreciate exactly where high level policy meets the work of diplomats on the ground as he works from a Saudi military vessel to evacuate Americans from the war in Sudan.
Why don’t the Panamanians hate us? We sliced their country in two to build the Panama Canal, owned and controlled the Canal Zone, disallowed Panamanians from visiting the Canal Zone, and even attacked Panama in 1989, drawing condemnation from the UN and the Organization of American States. So how is it a good thing to throw our July 4th party on a gunboat right smack in the Canal? We ask Amb. John Feeley, who did exactly that.
Pedro Castillo, recently ousted in Peru, is the latest of a succession of Peruvian presidents to be jailed or disgraced. Could this apparent chaos be in fact a sign that the judicial system is working? The devil's in the details.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the Wagner Group, opened hot dog stands upon his release from Russian prison as a young man. Now he leads the rapidly growing Kremlin-affiliated private military contractor, the Wagner Group. Mercenaries? Yes. Lethal? Yes. Incredibly rich and working for dictators and unstable regimes on (so far) three continents? Also, yes. Dealing in gold, diamonds, troll farms, shocking brutality, as well as political influence, Wagner's rise has been as fast as it has been unknown by most of us in the West. Tibor Nagy, former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, knows more than we thought there was to know.
Who coined that term anyway? It's true, there have been insults and lots of them. Why? Secretary of State Tony Blinken will visit China this weekend and Susan Thornton, Senior Fellow at Yale University Law School's Paul Tsai China Center and former US diplomat, joins us with her perspective on the complexities of China's diplomacy today.
All of us belong, even at State. In honor of Pride Month, we again offer the generously told story of Austin Richey-Allen, who recounts his story of gender transition while serving as a US diplomat. From his gender transition to his leadership of GLIFA, Austin shares his experience for the benefit not only of the LGBTQ community, but for all of us who value a more inclusive world.
24 hours news TV totally changed the State Department comms staple, the cable. Pete hopped on the “wireless” to save a democracy and Amb. John Feeley connected with Panamanians using ridiculous (but very sweet) Facebook videos. Disruptive technologies including AI will never replace human trust, but they create opportunity for better diplomacy.
By listener request, Pete and Laura have binged the Netflix show The Diplomat. Pete answers: How real is it? Laura answers (even though no one actually asked): How good is it? But importantly, how easy is it to make a story that mirrors real-life complexity and still moves and rolls and satisfies purely from the standpoint of story craft?
In last Sunday’s election, President Erdogan received almost half of the vote, but not enough to be the winner - yet. How does he hold onto power? Turkey’s economy is in great peril and journalists are in prison while Erdogan dismantles democratic institutions. Is Erdogan, like many other autocratic leaders, a narcissist? Or is there more to understand about him? And if he does prevail in the May 28 runoff, what will be the impacts on Turkish lives and global geopolitics?
Say what? "Reforms?" Or simply a way for Netanyahu to skirt the law and consolidate power? True, some felt that the Israeli court had abused its power, but is it a coincidence that Netanyahu faced charges of corruption and abuse of public trust, against which these new reforms would protect him? The Israeli government has few checks. Neuter the courts, and there's only one organ of power, an unchecked parliament.
Years ago, many wondered what had become the purpose of NATO. Not anymore! General Doug Lute, former US Permanent Representative to NATO (also former Deputy National Security Adviser) brings us up-to-date on the significance of the organization's accpetance of Finlan, rejection of Sweden, relationship with Ukraine, and role in global geopolitics since its inception. This year NATO will be 75 years old! Ready to retire? No way.
Today we are reposting one of our most informative episodes on China, which Laura often thinks of when analyzing today's global news: Why does the West find China so confounding in matters of business and diplomacy? Phil Shull, retired Foreign Agricultural Service officer, explains: China’s culture and history may be best understood by its written character for “population”, which is comprised of symbols for “person” and “mouth”. Chinese don’t ask, “How’s it going?” but instead, “Have you eaten today?” For more, read Phil’s article, Dealing with the Dragon, in the Foreign Service Journal, at this link: https://www.afsa.org/dealing-dragon
Wait a sec! Diplomacy is between countries, right? So why does State have a whole office for City and State Diplomacy? Ambassador Nina Hachigian, head of this brand new office, introduces this innovation in diplomacy. Often transnational issues such as economic inequality, climate change, pandemic response, and threats to democracy are felt in cities first, and cities often find solutions most quickly. The upcoming Cities Summit of the Americas in Denver will host thousands of representatives from cities and states, who will share powerful solutions to global challenges.
On April 26, President Biden will host the second state dinner of his presidency, with President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea. Why is this only the second one of Biden's presidency? Why is South Korea so important for US interests? What are the economic and political pressures in Asia that impact South Korea that so impact the United States? When and why did we enter, 70 years ago, into the U.S.-South Korea alliance, to be celebrated at this state dinner? Ambassador and Korea expert Kathy Stevens joins us to explain.
Ambassador Kevin Whitaker is back to share his knowledge of the populist president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, who has imprisoned thousands and violated human rights brazenly, all in the name of (rather effectively) curbing violence and bringing security to the people of his country. Pete asks, is Bukele an authoritarian demagogue or savior?
Jimmy Carter is in hospice and Lizzy Shackelford is back to focus on human rights in foreign policy, the first rules for which began under Carter’s presidency. Although the rules survive, our government continues to send military support and weapons to repressive regimes throughout the world. Why? Some say that our investment buys us influence – but could the US promote human rights by at least defunding repressive dictatorships that do nothing to support US interests?
Argentina, 1970s. The president catches a cold and dies. Who succeeds him? His VP, also his fifth-grade educated wife, selected expressly because she posed no threat to the president’s power. So then what? The word “disappeared” goes from being a verb form to a noun. Thousands of people become the “disappeared”, and thousands of others are tortured and killed. What do we learn from this? It’s important to have a VP capable of true leadership, an important point to keep in mind in the upcoming US presidential election.
For Women's History Month, Ambassador Pru Bushnell returns with leadership tips for women. A lot of power is theater, and we can use those trappings of power to lead with authority. One, keep the alphas from using all the air time. Two, don't throw a telephone across the room (leave that to Henry Kissinger); instead, perhaps use a low voice and speak succinctly. And, don't carry a purse, don't allow people to address you by your first name in public, and make people stand up when you enter the room. And, never forget to use your "mother" tone of voice.
Pete and John Feeley follow on last week's interview with Felix Maradiaga, freed Nicaraguan political prisoner. Pete and John learn the diplomatic and human story behind the story with Patrick Ventrell, one of our diplomats overseeing the evacuation of Felix and so many others freed along with him on the same day.
The greatest threat to the Ortega regime in Nicaragua? Ideas. And that’s how Félix Maradiaga, Nicaraguan political activist, ended up in solitary confinement, in darkness, for months on end, with little food, little water and suffering interrogations without end. And his dearest wish, now, safe in the US? To be guided not by hate or resentment but by love, to create a different future for not only his grandchildren but those of his torturers. Welcome to the United States, Mr. Maradiaga. You elevate us all.
Who can become a sex or labor trafficking victim? Anyone. We all need food and shelter; we all need to provide for our children, just to name a few. Traffickers are expert at exploiting our needs. Dominique Roe-Sepowitz, Director of the ASU Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research, helps us understand in depth how it is that Arizona, and the rest of the United States, and every country in the world, are impacted, both domestically and through immigration – after all, who leaves their home country? The desperate. And the desperate are exactly the target for traffickers. Watch Dominique’s TedX talk and prepare to be amazed.
More on the labrynth of intelligence, stragety and diplomacy in Ukraine. Centralized control works in concert with decentralized execution, diplomacy is working and countries are working together. Pete continues his candid chat with General Ben Freakley and Ambassaor Mike Polt on the combined efforts of intelligence, military and diplomacy in Ukraine.
Ambassador Mike Polt and General Ben Freakley of ASU's Leadership, Diplomacy and National Security Lab join Pete for a discussion of Ukraine from a combined diplomatic, military and intelligence perspective, covering not only strategy and the situation on the ground but also ideological and even psychological dimensions of the war there. Among the interesting questions: What do we have to blame ourselves for? Part one of a two-part series.
Iranian citizens are being raped and publicly hanged by their government. We are past the point of words of solidarity. Goli Ameri, diplomat and humanitarian, helps us understand not just the complexity of events on the ground, but how this costs us as Americans, in lives lost through armed conflict, in funds spent, in the weakening of the US global position, and by the consequences of Iran's nuclear threat. What can we as Americans do to address this extraordinary humanitarian crisis?
Were the riots in Brazil on January 8, 2023, a January 6 copycat, or a situation all their own? Ambassador Michael McKinley weighs in (hint – he’s far too subtle and informed to toss off a slapdash comparison). Factors affecting coutries worldwide incluide the usual suspects - resentment politics, fear, economic crises, COVID, changing trade norms - but polarized politics are everywhere. Leaders are old these days. Have they talked to 20-year-olds? 40-year-olds?Today's challenges are different than the old days and politcs as usual is not delivering. Plus, you get to hear Laura's dear friend and Brazilian jazz pianist Helio Alves – or watch him play here. Enjoy!
Kathleen Stephens, former ambassador to Korea, shares her perspective on how the culture of the US Foreign Service has changed, as have the cultures of Korea and the United States concurrently. From cultures that favored workaholism to ones with greater gender equity, younger people have pushed for greater balance of priorities, in favor of the long view of what a life should be.
Daren Nair, whose show Pod Hostage Diplomacy has brought public awareness and government action to the cases of private citizens held by foreign governments, shares his vast knowlege of this increasingly urgent human crisis worldwide. Who are these hostages, who is detaining them, and why? What can families do? And here's the video for our beautiful closing song, Coming Home, covered by Boyce Avenue.
Ambassador Tony Wayne is back with a survey of trends, remaining challenges and reasons for optimism as we move from 2022 into 2023. Trends include increased connectedness between domestic and international politics, ecomonmic localism and democractic backsliding, but we've also seen Western partnerships rally and revive, and we've seen heroes of many stripes, not least of whom is the great Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. Cheers to 2023!
Pete botches up a boar hunt, drinks the mystery drink chicha, and receives upon his departure a marriage proposal, ambiguously addressed either to himself one of the other fine young gringos. Follows first episode, titled “Cowboys and Indian at the Embassy.” Again, Pete wants to know what you think. Should he have gone there? Should he have stayed once he got there? Could you have resisted the pull of curiosity? Can anyone? What are the consequences if we visit happily isolated people of the world? Tell us what you think on facebook, at amdipstories@gmail.com, or by voicemail (vm link on our website www.amdipstories.org). Part two of Pete's story of his visit with the Huarani, from the archive. Happy New Year!
From the archive, Pete tells the tale of his visit to the jungle to hang with the Huarini. Did he do the right thing? Pete actually wants to know! Tell us what you think on facebook, at amdipstories@gmail.com, or by voicemail (vm link on our website www.amdipstories.org). Here's the original blurb: “Embassy death squads? Sure, I made that up!” ~ Moi, Huarani Indian and tribal ambassador. Stay tuned for part 2 of this story tomorrow. Cheers!
Ambassador Peter Bodde shares a Christmas Eve tale of rescue and relief as the walls of Communism fell like snow in Eastern Europe, 1989.
The authritarian psychology, with Ken Dekleva, our (fascinating) Foreign Service psychiatrist. Dictators respect only strength, negotiating with maximalist demands, getting as much as they can by giving as little as they can. As they grow older, they may become more rigid, threatening their grip on publics and opponents. Contrast Putin, who undid 30 years of progress in the former Soviet Union in the first week of war in Ukraine, with Zelensky's courage and heroism. The difference? One approach grows more isolationist, while the other is often an ordinary person, doing what they are trained to do, to help someone in need. Wow.
Dr. Ken Dekleva, former foreign service psychiatrist, explains that for diplomats stressors are always high but especially so in places like China, where US diplomats are subject to Covid lockdowns that separate children from their parents, or war zones, or heavily surveilled postings like Moscow, and many more. But the part to tune in for is the closing song, written just for Doc Dekleva. It's not bad!
Laura's great old pal Andy Mertha, SAIS professor and China expert, contextualizes recent Chinese protests against Covid policies in the immense time-space continuum of Chinese political and cultural history.
Our Thanksgiving special featuring pie at the Hague and Turkey in Uzbekistan - Thank you to you, each and all! Have a wonderful holiday!
A licenced architect in Cuba, our friend Maikel was forced to leave in order to avoid being jailed by the Cuban state. In a perilous, many-legged journey, here he is, after planes and boats, jungles and rivers, detention centers and now free but unentitled to work until his hearing, which is scheduled for 2025. And for Cubans, this journey is relatively painless, compared to everyone else forced to migrate by circumstance. We are honored to hear Maikel share his story of Cuba and his new life here.
Can you imaine discovering that your best friend for years, with whom you shared milestones of your life, was in fact a traitor and a spy? Some time ago, the news covered the case of Ana Montes, called by CNN "the most damaging spy you've never heard of", but less known is the story of Marta Velazquez, the recruiter who introduced Ana Montes to the Cuban government. Marta's dear friend Ambassador Liliana Ayalde had no idea of her friend's duplicity until Marta fled to Sweden. Who was Liliana's best friend Marta? Why was she spying? Was she ever truly a friend?
Since the morality police arrested and murdered 22-year-old Mahsa Amini - allegedly for wearing her hijab incorrectly - protests have gained intensity. We've seen protests in Iran before. How and why is it different this time? Goli Ameri and Frank Ricciardone offer personal observations and policy perspectives.
April 7, 1994, Rwanda. Not a good day to be mistaken for the acting Prime Minister. Linda Thomas-Greenfield (now US Ambassador to the UN) shares the tale of her escape from the anti-government militia, while millions of others perished in the country’s genocide.
The story of our very own Pete turns out to be interesting to our intern Lauren! For Hispanic Heritage Month, Lauren (and Laura) interview Pete about the challenges he faced as a Latino when he joined the Foreign Service, and how he overcame them to become the highest-ranking Latino officer of his time. Hint: The system worked.
Juan Carlos Pinzón, the youngest-ever Colombian Minister of Defence, and more recently the Colombian ambassador to the United States, weighs in on hemispheric events, from the valuable perspective of an expert diplomat whose country is not...the United States. How do worldwide autocracies impact hemispheric immigration and security? What is, or should be, the US role in these phenomena?
Politics, Kermit the frog, the ABCs and life as an ambassador. Ambassor Charlie Rivkin is back for a second episode, this time discussing his marvelously blended career in media, business and public service. Soft diplomacy is powerful diplomacy.
We've had some fun on the topic of political appointees. But here we have Charlie Rivkin, who served as a political appointee ambassador and assistant secretary of state and is also former head of the Jim Henson Company, now head of the Motion Picture Association. He brought managerial acumen, vision and a commitment to public service to the job, showing how much the Foreign Service can gain from a private sector leadership perspective. Just don't ask about the elevator.
Ambassador Vicki Huddleston gets around in the Sahara, and even gets the women a place inside the tent. So where did all these terrorists come from? And what is this cool band that hauls its equipment around on camels? (One of our very favorites, originally posted July 2019)
Not the same as cybersecurity or digital diplomacy, cyberdiplomacy affects us all, worldwide, our access to information, our privacy, our ability to connect. Jennifer Bachus, senior official of the brand new Cyberspace and Digital Policy Bureau, helps us understand how countries of the world unite to support common values and interests.
Ken Quinn is back, this time to talk about saving democracy from a coup attempt in the Philippines. Then, as now, democracy is under threat, but it is not the only thing that hangs in the balance...
Hi, everyone! Enjoy the sound of the cicadas and the cooling of the evenings with our annual music episode. We'll be back next week with another gripping tale - will our hero, our great democracy, live another day? (We think it will.) Have a great week.
What is Schedule F? And its evil twin, the Public Service Reform Act? Ambassador Dennis Jett joins us once again to explain these two important pieces of policy. Is their purpose to make government accountable, or perhaps is to control the government and undermine the impact of its most senior public servants? (Plus, Dennis offers some fun ambassadorial history at the top.)
Worldwide, and in the Americas, journalists live in fear for their personal safety and are muredered in ever-growing numbers in retaliation for their reporting. At the same time, journalists are distrusted in greater numbers than ever before. Representative democracy depends on reliable, accurate press reporting, so John Feeley is back to discuss his new project, The Center for Media Integrity of the Americas.
Let's say you're a public servant. You've taken an oath to uphold the constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic, and also to obey the commander-in-chief. What if you can't do both? And what if following the law slaps you with a $100,000 legal bill? And then why bother serving? Eric Rubin, President of the American Foreign Service Association, shares his experience representing the interests of Foreign Service Officers. See also his article in The Foreign Service Journal: https://afsa.org/time-diplomacy-now.
"How can I help?" is the question for Sameer Hossain, who began his career at State in the Office of International Religious Freedom and has since moved to a similar domestic role at Homeland Security. Traveling to Rohingya refugee camps or visiting the Dalai Lama, he knows that you can't learn what you need to advise lawmakers by sitting in an office in Washington. And it helps: If the US government doesn't say something about the world's atrocities, things often get much worse.
“Never, ever allow free and fair elections” is Fidel’s advice to Daniel Ortega, today’s strongman leader of Nicaragua. Wonder who else was listening? This is no longer a foreign piece of business but a thing threatening our own democracy right here, right now. Bob Callahan describes today’s authoritarian regime in this Central American nation. Are there any other parallels can we draw? (Formerly posted as "Nicaragua, Nicaraguita".)
In a fun twist, John Feeley interviews Laura on what she's learned about foreign service officers. Why doesn't the average Joe know how great they are? Is it because they are boring? Or is it just because foreign policy doesn't go "Boom"? Most FSOs pursue the career because while they have no wish to conquer the world, they do want to explore it. They want a job that will take them to Funky Town.
In this glorious encore episode, we say bottoms up to vacay! That's where we are and where you should be, too! Ambassador Dick Hoagland, having served many years in Russia and former Soviet republics, has had ample opportunity to consider the high-stakes drinking game of vodka diplomacy. He will regale you, and let us hope your vacation is less fraught with peril than this!
Here's our earlier episode about Victor Bout, reposted, as he is again in the headlines, part of a proposed prisoner swap with Russia in exchange for a WNBA player. What? Yes, indeed. Victor Bout, Russian arms dealer, and a host of other nogoodnicks invest their nefarious proceeds in American cities such as Louisville, Dallas, Cleveland, unbeknownst to city officials. These criminals receive real estate tax breaks but never pay tax, drive up market prices, destroy jobs, and are never held accountable for any of their crimes because American laws have not, up to now, required them to identify themselves. But things are changing. (Or, as of this posting, are they?). Read about it in the NYTimes: link:https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/01/us/politics/brittney-griner-trial-russia.html.
Ambassador Kevin Whitaker walks us through one of the most significant polticial events in Colombia's history: its recent election of outsider candidate Gustavo Petro. How have political parties lost their ability to mediate between voters and their governments? How has this given rise to populism, nationalism, and more importantly, a global competition of fundamental systems of government?
"We build trust," says Marcela Celorio, Counsul General of Mexico in Los Angeles, in our first-ever interview with a diplomat representing another country. Marcela shares stories cross-border diplomatic cooperation to assist businesses, caravans of immigrants in need, and others.
Ambassador Rufus Gifford, Chief of Protocol for the United States, knows the very real power of setting the stage for successful diplomacy, especially post-pandemic, as we all hunger for personal human connection. And why are gifts so very important? Which ones are the best kinds to give?
Dave Silverman, Deputy National Summit Coordinator, Summit of the Americas, talks about the complexity and diplomatic significance of setting the Summit's agenda. Democracy, climate change and other urgent topics are set forth for negotiation between the leaders of the hemispher's nations. Who weighs in on the topics chosen? Are agreements binding? Dave brings years of experience to the discussion.
Brian Nichols, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs brings us up to speed on the most pressing issues on the agenda for the upcoming ninth annual Summit of the Americas. Income inequality, Covid impacts, climate change, access to health care, and disinformation are all on the marquis. How do thes issues impact average people throughout the hemisphere, and how do they put democracies under pressure?
The Summit of the Americas is coming up in ealry June. Who will be there? What's at stake? Is it a big party for all the heads of state of the Western Hemisphere or is it for democracies only? John Feeley will join Laura and Pete in LA to cover the summit, and he weighs in here with his thoughts and expectations.
The night before the war begain, a calm confidence prevailed in President Zelensky's office. Peter Van Praagh, President of Halifax International Security Forum, recently returned from Ukraine where he spent the first hours of the war. His stories are as powerful as his message that Putin did not unite the West; the Ukrainians did. And this is all of our fight. Here's a way to help Ukraine win: https://halifaxtheforum.org/ukraine-victory-fund/.
Assimilation is better than integration, counsels Ambassador Michael Polt of ASU's Leadership, Diplomacy and National Security Lab. Assimilation says: "I really want you to be a part of us." Assimilation means our new friends are expected to stay and become a valued part of who we are. Besides, hating people is exhausting. In the end, it all comes down to character. (And this is why we love our friend Michael Polt.)
Immigration expert Eric Farnsworth is back to parse what he describes as our unilateral disarmament diplomatically in the Western Hemisphere, due to bipartisan failure to compromise. "We're doing it to ourselves," explains Eric. And here comes the Summit of the Americas in LA in June.
Bringing Europe and China to Africa and Granola Bars to Jail - originally posted in March 2018. Enjoy!
Overseas and at home, Foreign Service officers face danger to themselves and their careers, from Benghazi to McCarthyism to the Trump presidency. John Naland and Harry Kopp discuss these risks and why we take them in their book Career Diplomacy: Lfe and Work in the US Foreign Service.
War crimes and genocide, from the Holocaust of World War II to Ukraine today, and many other places on earth. Moved by his experience of the civil rights movement as a youth in the South, Ed O'Donnel devoted his life to preventing the emergence of genocides worldwide and bringing justice in their aftermath.
No one guessed Ukraine could succeed in combatting Putin. How has the country done it? What has Putin got wrong? General Ben Freakley is back with insights on the will to fight, military strategy, and values-based leadership.
The world has lost a great stateswoman; Pete has lost a mentor. Reviled by autocrats, loved by Cuban Americans, Madeleine Albright is mourned by lovers of democracy worldwide.
What, exactly, is a sanction? An embargo? How do they help Ukraine and the West defeat Putin's aggression? Are they working? Why not put boots on the ground instead? Elizabeth Shackelford has a lot to say on the matter.
The Ukraine war - a threat or an opportunity, or both? It's too early to tell, says congressional candidate and USAID veteran Dave Harden, but in a rise of great power competition - Russia, China and the US - I would rather be America, says Dave . Tune in and find out why.
Gas and Oil, Russia, Europe, the US, Azerbaijan, China and the war in Ukraine. Rich Kauzlerich, expert on energy diplomacy, explains that sanctions work, but that this is certainly no time for a victory lap.
Most of the world is united in its condemnation of Russia's aggression in Ukraine, with the conspicuous absence of comment from Latin America. Why? Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the Council of the Americas, unpacks.
What better way to launch a depressive episode than to leave a beloved job as US Ambassador to Panama, at the pinacle of one's career, all because one cannot in good conscience act as the personal representative of a particular US President? Ambassador John Feeley shares candidly the painful but surmountable experience of depression and recovery upon departure from the Foreign Service. May we all share as generously as our friend John. There is always hope.
For Michael Peay, one of the first African Americans to serve in the Office of the Legal Adviser, the (incredibly hard) work was "tremendous fun!" When faced with racial prejudice, his wisdom carried him through: "You treat everyone with respect because you have respect for yourself." May we all, of every race, live by this credo.
Russian mothers, mud season, urban warfare. These are among the threats limiting Putin's ability to agress in Ukraine. Bill Courtney, expert on Central Asia, weighs both Putin's and Ukraine's options and risks in the increasingly dicey situation in Ukraine today. What are Putin's fears and what are some of his tools?
Agnes Schneider, would-be opera singer, saver of lives, confiscator of passports. She was a living expression of an incredible period of history, from World War I to the Cold War. Savior or villain, or both? Lindsay Henderson, consular history expert, shares. See also her article on this topic in the Foreign Service Journal, Jan/Feb 2022 edition.
Working your way up to an ambasssadorship is such a slog, if you can just buy the honorific instead. Ambassador Dennis Jett, author of a recent article by the same name as this episode, illuminates. Bonus question: Which embassy is the most expensive to buy? See also Jett's newly revised book, American Ambassadors: A guide for Aspiring Diplomats.
Dick Hoagland, Central Asia expert, is back to help us understand recent violence in Kazakhstan. Was the populace upset about rising fuel prices, or was there an internecine power struggle? Or both? What is the US interest in this ambiguous and evolving situation?
Bernie Aronson, who led the US effort to end wars in El Salvador and Colombia, shares insight on resolving the most intense geopolitical conflicts: "You should never forget that they are human beings and they can be moved as human beings."
Are we talking about Chile or the US, or any of a number of other countries worldwide? Deb Derrick recounts recent unrest in Santiago, and we ask ourselves, how similar to this are events in our own country? Today we are forced to remember the events of last year on this day, January 6, 2021. Do we care enough about our democracy to save it?
Ambassador Dick Hoagland, having served many years in Russia and former Soviet republics, has had ample opportunity to consider the high-stakes drinking game of vodka diplomacy. Bottoms up and happy New Year!
Jeffrey Franca, drummer for DC's world music icon Thievery Corporation - the band that generously allows us to use its music to open our show each week - brings us on the journey he took to become a musician. He shares with us the value of unity, love and positivity in his work, which is influenced by musical styles found worldwide. We'll be back next week with an original show on vodka diplomacy. See you then!
General Ben Freakley, in charge of the eastern region of Afghanistan during the war, urges us to remain focused and do the right thing for those who remain in danger in Afghanistan. He calls for a whole of government approach and implores the American people: It's our time to serve.
Ambassador Dan Foote departed the State Department over a crisis of conscience relating to recent events in Haiti. Why, and what actually happened from his perspective?
The Zambian government has no love for its country's LGBTQ community. When repressions go simply too far to ignore any longer Ambassador Dan Foote speaks up, and for political reasons on both continents is forced to return home. Any regrets? Of course not. LGBTQ rights are human rights and everyone on earth deserves those.
We're back with some of Pete's jokes (Laura laughed, we promise) and our annual show featuring stories of Thanksgiving overseas. Enjoy! Stay well! ~Pete & Laura
An eye for an eye and pretty soon everyone is blind, said Mahatma Gandhi, now quoted by Ambassador Tibor Nagy who is as expert as he is compassionate in his discussion of the current conflict in Ethiopia. Are we witnessing a genocide, presided over by Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy? Does it matter? Why did Abiy receive the Nobel Prize?
Dave Harden, formerly of USAID, compares service within AID to the mainstream Foreign Service (where is most of the money and the leadership opportunity, for example?), and connects the economic dimension of international development to American domestic politics. Harden is running for Congress, using his development experience and lifelong knowledge of rural voters' needs.
Inclusive, powerful leadership. Colin Powell not only engaged Americans of every level on his team, but also eased the worries of potential adversaries. Powell led with insight into human needs for respect and belonging.
Humility, respect, sense of humor, honor, but above all, empathy. Colin Powell is remembered by many who loved him. Tune in for stories of the man he was.
Ted Osius retired from his post as US Ambassador to Vietnam when asked to implement covertly-devised deportation policies he found morally repugnant and un-American. Hear about his crisis of conscience and also of the heroic service of senators John McCain and John Kerry, Vietnam vets who did the right thing at great political cost. And read Ted's new book "Nothing is Impossible: America's Reconciliation with Vietnam".
It's 1990, and Ian Brownlee, out walking his dog, meets a man whose visa application he had refused just that very morning. The man is about to swim across the river to his probable death, so Ian advises him of a much safer spot to cross, about 200 yards thataway. These are the old days of immigration. When and how did immigration become a multibillion dollar business and a hot-button in domestic politics? Ian is the expert.
But what of the rest of her countrywomen? Here's a quick midweek update with our Afghan friend Toobah, in her words. Enjoy!
"Never, ever allow free and fair elections" is Fidel's advice to Daniel Ortega, today's strongman leader of Nicaragua. Bob Callahan describes today's authoritarian regime in this Central American nation.
Pardis Mahdavi relays her experience of the Iranian sexual revolution and similar movements in the Middle East, including Afghanistan. Why was the summer of the cockroaches her favorite? There weren't enough cockroaches for everybody! And this is to say nothing of the orgies. Listen and find out what all of this could possibly mean.
Nancy Ostrowski experienced the events of 9/11 first-hand, which inspired her to embark on a journey to a more satisfying, new career with USAID. See also her article in the Sept 2021 Foreign Service Journal, "Getting Off the X", and her book, Unplugged, published under the name Nancy Whitner-Reiter.
Consular officer Alan Eaton helped scores of Afghans at risk evacuate from Kabul, working from inside the Abbey Gate at the airport at exactly the moment when our friend Toobah was on the other side of the gate, trying to get through. As Alan explains, "This is Jews in Germany, 1940: These people have to get out." Some did get out, some didn't. Alan shares these human moments.
Eric Rubin sums it up with one word. If we want to be successful in our diplomacy, we need to adopt a position of humility with respect to the rest of the world.
Our friend is still there, fearing for her life. What is going on in Afghanistan right now? Laura shares Toobah's most recent experience as evacuations stall and no one really knows why. Pete helps us understand what it all means.
For Pride Month (belatedly posted due to events in Afghanistan and our coverage of those), Austin Richey-Allen recounts his story of gender transition in the Foreign Service. A trans kid, he discovered in adulthood that there is a term for his experience: gender dysphoria. From transition to leadership of GLIFA, Austin shares his story for the benefit not only of the LGBT, transgender and non-binary community, but for all of us who value a more inclusive world.
Our disastrous departure from Afghanistan. Hugo Llorens shares his knowledge of the Taliban's subgroups (hint: none abide by the Geneva Convention), his perspective on US domestic politics and its impact on the human tragedy in Afghanistan, and his view on what we might have done to exit the country with a conditions-based agreement focused on preserving human lives and dignity, instead of a wholesale surrender and the carnage that has ensued.
Wouldn't we all like to know. She's alive, at least. Bad luck becomes good luck as she is turned away on her way to the airport just before the bombs go off.
People's lives are at stake in the most urgent way. Policy is a macro-level thing, and utterly necessary. But what about the people themselves? What about Toobah? What should Biden have done? People are hanging from the fuselage. Afghanistan, August 2021.
Or a traitor, anyway. In an eerily quiet region during the Vietnam war, from a banana grove in the middle of the night, Lionel Rosenblatt discovers that a US military official is guilty of supplying the enemy with life-saving medicine from the United States. Lionel is saved from a murderous reprisal through the assistance of his friends, the Vietnamese mountain people.
The Arab Spring – Tunisia, Egypt – we know about these places. But Bahrain is almost never in the news. What is its geopolitical significance, and strategic importance to the US? And why was Ambassador Tom Krajeski in a tight spot when the Arab Spring came to Bahrain? Can we walk and chew gum at the same time?
Amb. Ryan Crocker, Middle East expert, explains the value of Foreign Service Nationals and brings it all home with a story of the day that local staff saved his life. Toobah, a former employee of USAID, then tells us of her life, stuck at home in Kabul at all times because if she goes outside she will be killed in a most gruesome manner. And why? She worked. Not only that: She helped other women get jobs. Point being? They saved our lives. We must act fast to save theirs.
HT, an Afghan interpreter who worked alongside US forces and has been denied a visa to come to the United States explains how he served, who in his family has been killed as a consequence of his service, and how difficult it is for him to find safety as the US departs his country. Tony Wayne opens the episode, speaking from the perspective of a US diplomat.
Consular officer Kate Canavan on the many things that can go wrong in Tijuana. Two air traffic controllers, fired for going on strike, go into (very) private industry. Pete’s words: “Breaking Bad, in the skies.”
Communism drives immigration decisions, 1956. Hank Cohen is in love. It’s his first tour, and he’s in Paris. The Soviets invade Hungary and Hank helps thousands of refugees flee Communist aggression and make new lives in the US. But what about heartthrob megastar Yves Montand, who is an avowed Communist? How can Hank get him a visa? And about that girl…
It is the 1950s. Senator Joseph McCarthy and his henchman Roy Cohn target and humiliate our diplomats for accurately reporting an eventual Mao victory in China. Jack Service and his family are at the center of the storm. How are things different today?
A social worker by profession, Bonnie Miller traveled the world with her spouse Ambassador Tom Miller and created the first-ever course in Psychosocial Consequences of War in response to trauma she witnessed in Sarajevo. But the life changing moment came when she met victims of sexual trafficking. And that’s when Bonnie Miller really got started.
Trick Question: What happened in Yalta in 1945? Probably more than you think! And why did those proceedings hold up the confirmation of Ambassador Avis Bohlen's father Charles Bohlen as Ambassador to the Soviet Union? Plus: Are things better in American politics today than during the McCarthy era, or worse?For the full story, see Avis's article in the May 2021 Foreign Service Journal, or this link: https://afsa.org/victory-against-mccarthy-bohlen-confirmation.
Pete sends Phil Chicola to guerrilla country to investigate the deaths of American linguist missionaries, and both Pete and Phil are accused of negotiating with the FARC. All of this concurrent with the Clinton impeachment, and as Pete explains, it got ugly. Especially with Baby Huey.
Phil Shull is back, this time connecting our earlier discussion of Chinese culture to practical business and policy challenges faced by Westerners doing business in that country.
Why does the West find China so confounding in matters of business and diplomacy? Phil Shull, retired Foreign Agricultural Service officer, explains: China's culture and history may be best understood by its written character for "population", which is comprised of symbols for "person" and "mouth". Chinese don't ask, "How's it going?" but instead, "Have you eaten today?" For more, read Phil's article, Dealing with the Dragon, in the Foreign Service Journal, at this link: https://www.afsa.org/dealing-dragon
What do 840 people, 96 hours, a hamster, a newborn, a bag of Doritos and a husband expecting to fly first class all add up to? The zombie apocalypse, or, the evacuation of Americans from Wuhan, China, at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Consular officer Alan Eaton makes it all sound like fun. For more, here's an article that Alan wrote for the Foreign Service Journal: https://afsa.org/sites/default/files/flipping_book/070820/50/
Dennis Jett, recidivist American Diplomat guest, regales and opines on hostage-taking in Peru, the Cuban missile crisis, the JFK assassination, and (drum roll, please) Joe Biden's first 100 days in foreign policy. Quiz: State dinners or the Iran nuclear deal - which one is a foreign affairs food fight?
In our third of three episodes on the assassination of JFK, we learn what the eminently reasonable Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, former CIA operations officer, has learned by focusing purely on the facts. But questions remain. Among them: Can we trust our own government? Can we handle the truth?
Why did her diplomat father take his own life? Her mother kept her in the dark. Why? To protect her? From what? Zelda just wants some answers.
Charles Thomas had intel, valuable intel, on the assassination of John F. Kennedy. And to thank him for his efforts to share this intel, he was "selected out" of the Foreign Service, or, fired. This led to his suicide not long after. We chat with award winning author Phil Shenon who wrote the book on this topic, literally: A Cruel and Shocking Act. Shenon unpacks what is known and what is not known about the assassination and the life and death of Charles Thomas.
Ambassador Jim Gadsen and mid-career officer Paloma Gonzalez share their stories of diversity and inclusion, one a Black man whose career was launched in part by the Civil Rights Movement, the other a Latina whose parents came to the US to be where the Civil Rights Movement was changing lives. In the end, though, is diversity of skin color among officers only as important as the diversity in thinking and experience that it creates?
It's 5:30am, and Kala Bokelman of the Diplomatic Security Service is one of many staking out a professional photographer named Solano's house on a skinny on a dead-end street in Costa Rica. Together with Costa Rican security, the DSS helps bust a child pornography ring resulting in 757 years in prison (that's right, 757) for the perpetrators.
Party at Carla's house! Kala Bokelman, diplomatic security special agent, tells of a raid on a house straddling the Costa Rica-Nicaragua border. The goal? To stop coyotes smuggling people from Cuba to the US via Ecuador and every state in between. The problem? Her jurisdiction ends in Carla's back yard.
As a diplomat of color, how did the murder of George Floyd inspire Christian Loubeau, Security Council negotiator for the United States mission to the United Nations, to create change at USUN? And, how exactly do you conduct multilateral negotiation on behalf of the US?
Andrew Shinn onboards as a new Foreign Service Officer during the pandemic. But what is he onboarding to? There's no place to go, and even State doesn't really know what to do with these newbies. Do you swear in wearing your underwear?
We all know the importance of Nelson Mandela, but great as he was, he did not work alone. Each of these figures brought their motives and personalities to shape South Africa's transition from apartheid to the present. John Campbell, political counselor in Johannesburg during the collapse of apartheid, shares the human perspective on these powerful world events. Everyone in the country wanted a change to democracy, from right-wing Afrikaners to Marxist liberationists. Why?
It all began with a call from the police. Andrew Byrley, a young officer and former robotics expert, shares tales of a harrowing month assisting Americans in crisis in Belize. What can, what cannot, and what must the American consulate do for you in a foreign country?
The Arab Spring - Tunisia, Egypt - we know about these places. But Bahrain is almost never in the news. What is its geopolitical significance, and strategic importance to the US? And why was Ambassador Tom Krajeski in a tight spot when the Arab Spring came to Bahrain? Can we walk and chew gum at the same time?
"But we're Americans. We don't lose wars." False! Ambassador and former National Security Advisor Tony Lake takes a hard look at American leadership in the world from Kennedy until the present time, when like so many countries, our democracy needs shoring up as well. For more about Tony Lake, see this article in the Foreign Service Journal.
Like Chicago mobsters, hard line parties grab to divvy up the riches after the genocide in Bosnia has stopped. Ambassador Tom Miller, together with the British ambassador, organizes "secret dinners" that lead to a peaceable coalition of factions that brings stability and to great surprise wins the election 2000. But after the noxious blue smoke clears, then what?
Or a traitor, anyway. In an eerily quiet region during the Vietnam war, from a banana grove in the middle of the night, Lionel Rosenblatt discovers that a US military official is guilty of supplying the enemy with life-saving medicine from the United States. Lionel is saved from a murderous reprisal through the assistance of his friends, the Vietnamese mountain people.
Again in honor both of Black History Month and Linda Thomas-Greenfield's recent appointment as US ambassador to the United Nations, we repost our second chat with Linda from last summer: April 7, 1994, Rwanda. Not a good day to be mistaken for the acting Prime Minister. Linda Thomas-Greenfield shares the tale of her escape from the anti-government militia, while millions of others perished in the country’s genocide.
Mohammed Bouazizi, an underemployed fruit seller, sets himself on fire, launching what we later began calling the Arab Spring. Ambassador Gordon Gray walks us through life on the ground in Tunisia, when things in the Arab world began to change. Plus, read Gray's article in the Foreign Service journal for greater insight, at this link: https://www.afsa.org/sites/default/files/flipping_book/010221/41/
In honor of upcoming Black History Month, and in honor of the new administration, we repost our first episode with Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Biden's new Ambassador to the UN. Go, Linda! Here's the episode: “I respect your culture, but I do not believe it is your culture to allow women to die,” says Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield to the Taliban. And do you know what the Taliban did after that? And why? Listen to find out.
Dan Kurtzer, Ambassador to both Egypt and Israel, parses this complex part of the world from his experience on the ground. Why was Anwar Sadat killed? What social forces produced the revolution of February 2011? And how is the average Egyptian living now? Better or worse than before?
The worst of the worst: Victor Bout, Russian arms dealer, is not the only one. A a host of other nogoodnicks invest their nefarious proceeds in American cities such as Louisville, Dallas, Cleveland, unbeknownst to city officials. These criminals receive real estate tax breaks but never pay tax, drive up market prices, destroy jobs, and are never held accountable for any of their crimes because American laws have not, up to now, required them to identify themselves. But things are changing.
What exactly is dirty money, and how is it laundered? How much of it flows through the world, and the United States in particular? And how does it impact regular Americans going about our daily lives? Kathleen Doherty, aka "the Dirty Money Tracker", shares her expertise.
For some even better discussion with Gina, here's our second of two with her: Religious police stop Gina and terrorists attack the consulate general in Jeddah. See you next week with new original content. Happy New Year!
Bet you haven't heard this one! We recorded this story when we began the show a few years ago and no one knew about us yet. Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley regales, in her first of two episodes. Do you know where to find a hooker in Oman? And what happens when your boss nixes your husband’s job choice in Saudi Arabia, but you really would like to stay married?
Pete visits the Huarani Indians, botches up a boar hunt, drinks the mystery drink chicha, and receives upon his departure a marriage proposal, ambiguously addressed either to himself one of the other fine young gringos. Follows first episode, titled “Cowboys and Indian at the Embassy.” New photos of this wild ride are now available at www.amdipstories.org. Enjoy!
In this adventure tale in two parts, Pete visits the Huarani tribe in the Amazon jungle while serving as US Ambassador to Ecuador. Today, in light of Covid, Pete feels remorse. We promise that no one contracted any Western illness from Pete, but was he reckless? You be the judge. And in the meantime, meet Moi, tribal ambassador from the rainforest, here in part 1.
You’ve heard a zillion stories of adventures in Foreign Service. How did all of these regular people become such erudite heroes of public service? They took the Foreign Service Test. And so, for your entertainment, Laura did, too. Here’s a hiatus repost of one of our most fun episodes ever. Did she pass? Did she live? Were the questions fair? Were the examiners fair? Pete and Dave Rabadan are tough. Was Laura tough enough?
Join us for some of Pete's jokes (Laura laughed, we promise) and our annual show featuring stories of Thanksgiving overseas. Enjoy! Stay safe! ~Pete & Laura
Bill Burns, one of our favorite guests, is shortlisted for Secretary of State in the Biden administration. Go, Bill! We're reposting our discussion with him from last year about his book "The Back Channel," which is even more timely now than it was when it was first published. Plus, Pete has a story about his recent visit to Trumpland. Enjoy!
We're on hiatus until January - so we want to hear from you as we look ahead to future programming. Send us your questions, ideas, comments at amdipstories@gmail.org, on Facebook or at www.amdipstories.org. And enjoy a rerun, a propos of this week's election, of "The Man of My Dreams." See you soon!
April 7, 1994, Rwanda. Not a good day to be mistaken for the acting Prime Minister. Linda Thomas-Greenfield shares the tale of her escape from the anti-government militia, while millions of others perished in the country's genocide.
"I respect your culture, but I do not believe it is your culture to allow women to die," says Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield to the Taliban. And do you know what the Taliban did after that? And why? Listen to find out. Go, Linda!
Hugo Rodriguez, from the banana business in Latin America to the US Foreign Service. Machetes, scorpions, poisonous snakes, starting work at four am in the fruit fields...how does this prepare someone to help bring education to American-born children of Mexican citizens in Mexico? And why does the United States care about these kids anyway?
There's a gray area in judging the actions of ambassadors, whether political appointee or career. What's the difference between what is illegal, inappropriate, or, more to the point, truly unethical? Harry Geisel puts his subtle mind to the task.
What's the difference between a political appointee ambassador and a career ambassador? Increasingly, these ambassadorships are offered as rewards for large political campaign contributions. How can these appointments go awry? Harry Geisel helps us count the ways.
9/11/2012, Benghazi, Libya, an attack on our diplomatic mission, killing four, including our ambassador. The legendary Tom Pickering led the first investigation (of ten), and it was not a pleasant report to write. But, as a consequence of these events, is the world's strongest power now the world's blindest power?
And neither is worldwide democracy, thanks in part to the very fine-tipped pen and tiny notebook of Ambassador William Taylor, a key source in the Congressional investigations into the Ukraine corruption affair of the last year. Democracy lives another day!
Need a mood lifter? We do! Laura likes our music selects so much that she's listening to this one twice! Go back to simpler times (say, 2019) with AmDip, then sing along to our Covid-era theme song. Love, Pete and Laura
Ambassador Whitaker tells the story of how the Colombian government fooled the guerrillas into releasing long-held hostages... an operation that would make Hollywood proud.
Desiree Cormier, one of our favorite guests, is back to share stories learned of her grandfather's life since his recent passing. We hear not only how he shaped Desiree's life of public service, but also how his very personal commitment to the American anti-apartheid movement and the Black Lives Matter chapter in Los Angeles continue to impact change. One person can make so much difference to so many.
Who really holds the Foreign Service together? Spouses, who raise children and start their lives again and again every couple of years in support of their partners' career. Miriam Gutierrez is perhaps the loveliest of them all. Here's her story.
Were the recent explosions in Beirut the last straw, the end of the corrupt political elites, or a new opportunity for militant political party Hezbollah? Ambassador Patrick Theros parses beautiful Lebanon, once heralded as the Paris of the Middle East, now on fire.
Is Trump's forced sale of TikTok to an American company another China-bashing "Kung Flu" episode, or does the tech giant pose a genuine national security threat? Nova Daly, former chairman of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, breaks down the complexity of this deal.
Trade! Similar attitudes about trade protections. Is a free trade agreement a free-for-all or a deal to optimize countries' competitive advantage? (Hint: Remember Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations? Or did you snooze during that segment of 11th grade?) Controversy aside, Tony Wayne and Shaun Donnelly break down the impact of trade on human lives and campaign politics.
The sting of American racism when you come home. Black diplomats face harassment and humiliation at the border at the hands of Customs and Border Patrol. Senior diplomats Charlie Ray and Alonzo Fulgham discuss reentering the States while Black.
And it should be. Cybersecurity is one of the biggest threats we face. The cost to bad actors is minimal, the benefits great. An enemy can hide its attacks, divert attention from other aggressive actions, benefit economically, sow geopolitical chaos and impact elections, all at very low cost. Chis Painter explains why we haven't done nearly enough to protect ourselves.
Many early adopters of technology are criminals, and their crimes are best done across borders. From stock manipulation, to stealing trade secrets, to weaponizing information in election interference, Chris Painter has investigated a lot of bad actors. As the nation's top (and first-ever) cyber diplomat, he explains all of this, plus the story about the stolen axe.
A young Foreign Service officer posted to Vietnam, his girlfriend, a ride in the country, and what? Cambodia is on fire? Why? The first ever Cambodian refugees tell Ken Quinn, the first person ever to report on this, that the Khmer Rouge has turned. No longer boy-scout revolutionaries, they operate like Stalin, like Hitler, but no one in the United States listens. Why? It was easier not to. Until the skulls piled up.
The royal family requests that the Ambassador wear a skirt. What? Ambassador Kristie Kenney can come up with a skirt, fine, but what about Secretary Clinton? She has only pantsuits! Don't the Thai royals know about Pantsuit Nation? (That came later, yes, but the woman wore only pants. We know this.)
He's charismatic, he's exciting, he's strong. How do elected autocrats woo their publics and then destroy the very countries they promised to elevate? What happens to the populace? Kristie Kenney, ambassador to Ecuador, Thailand and the Philippines has a thing or two to say about these folks and the reasons that people elect them.
Chinese President Xi wants one-man rule, but pesky Hong Kong must be put in its place. Is there any future for "one country, two systems"? And why is Xi doing this now? Richard Boucher shares some nuggets of his vast experience with China and Hong Kong.
Ever had that dream where you sit for an exam and you haven't been to class once? And you're not wearing any pants? Welcome to the world of the State Department Spokesperson, as told by Richard Boucher.
The Egyptian Revolution of 2011 meant to oust authoritarian President Mubarak, at which time the armed forces took over until Mohamed Morsi was elected by popular vote in 2012. Why did Morsi last only one year before being removed in a coup-d'etat led by General El-Sisi? Has anything really changed for Egyptians? Ambassador Anne Patterson shares her experience.
No one likes the Inspector General, but they're here to protect the taxpayers' money through inspections, audits, criminal investigations and advisement. They are impartial (read: strictly not partisan). The ethos is independence. Ambassador Anne Patterson shares her expertise.
Jimmy Kolker, who ran the largest AIDS program in the world, discovered the power of diplomatic skills in saving lives during numerous worldwide health crises. So what happened in Wuhan? Have we "self-disarmed"?
From "Pearl of the Pacific" to epicenter of COVID 19 in Latin America. Consular Officers Gabriel Kaypaghian and Ian Hayward share their tale of evacuating Americans fast during the sudden outbreak in Ecuador. But is this a tale of misery and woe? Far from it, friends. Kindness knows no borders.
A social worker by profession, Bonnie Miller traveled the world with her spouse Ambassador Tom Miller and created the first-ever course in Psychosocial Consequences of War in response to trauma she witnessed in Sarajevo. But the life changing moment came when she met victims of sexual trafficking. And that's when Bonnie Miller really got started.
A repost of Pete's chat with Laura Lane, one of our most inspiring guests ever. Ambassador Laura Lane served in Rwanda during its period of genocide in the 1990s and learned when you need the courage not to follow orders. Here is the audio track of her TED talk on the subject, bookended with comments from Pete.
Ian Brownlee, head of the State Department's Repatriation Task Force, tells us how it's been to preside over an unprecedented effort to bring back well over 60,000 American citizens in very short order. How do you do get these people home? Go, Ian!
Jeffrey Franca, the drummer for DC's own world music icon Thievery Corporation - the band that generously allows us to use its music to open our show each week - brings us on the journey he took to become a musician. He shares with us the value of unity, love and positivity in his work, which is influenced by musical styles found worldwide. Our chat also highlights his work outside of Thievery, in the band Congo Sanchez and in his indpendent project Ethno. We love this music and we hope you will, too!