2001 Foreign Service Journal

The horrific events of Sept. 11, 2001, and their aftermath fundamentally defy analysis, producing endless questions without satisfactory answers. How could it happen? Who could hate us so much? What do we do now? Yet in the conviction that it is essential to make the effort, the December issue of the Journal -- "In The Shadow Of Terrorism: Shedding Light On Sept. 11" -- offers a variety of perspectives on the attacks and their implications for U.S. diplomacy.

Shortly after the attacks, we asked AFSA representatives to share local experiences and reactions with us. Several of their moving responses appeared in the November issue and we are proud to share the rest this month in "FS Personnel Recall Sept. 11."

Most Americans were only too happy to put Afghanistan out of their minds once the Soviet Union withdrew the last of its troops 12 years ago. But as Arnie Schifferdecker recounts in "The Taliban-Bin Laden-ISI Connection," the connections between certain elements in Pakistan and Afghanistan and Osama bin Laden that began to form during that war would eventually help pave the way for the Sept. 11 attacks. (The same author has also contributed a book review essay highlighting several recent volumes on terrorism, which appears later in the issue.)

"Killing In The Name Of God: Bin Laden And Radical Islam," by Dr. Jerrold Post: Soon after the bloodshed, we made the chilling discovery that the 19 hijackers had lived among us for years, studying and working like millions of other immigrants and visitors to our country -- all the while methodically planning to kill thousands of people even at the cost of their own lives. Yet as Post, an expert on the psychological profile of terrorists, explains, they were, in fact, psychologically "normal," and therefore pose a far greater threat than previous terrorists.

Lori Handrahan offers one answer to a question many Americans have been asking ever since the events of Sept. 11 in a commentary entitled "Why Do They Hate Us?" She has also contributed a Speaking Out column to this issue advocating the establishment of "A New Marshall Plan for Central Asia" following the war.

In "The Politics Of Exorcising Demons," William Lewis warns that the long-standing American tendency to "demonize" our enemies, while particularly understandable in the present instance, may not be the best approach to winning the war on terrorism.

On a much more cheerful note:

"FSOs, In Their Own Write" by Leslie Hoffecker: Our managing editor has compiled a roundup of some 30 recent books written by Foreign Service authors. The list includes novels, memoirs, an encyclopedia and even a guide on how to incorporate feng shui principles into diplomatic negotiations. Enjoy!

Finally, our semi-annual Schools Supplement includes "Looking For A Good School Abroad?" by Pia Schou Nielsen: Even in developed nations, finding schools with high educational standards that also give American students the opportunity to interact with the local culture can be difficult. Fortunately, help is available for Foreign Service families, as Nielsen explains.

The November issue of the Foreign Service Journal considers the rapidly evolving relationship between information technology and foreign policy and asks the question: "Is a digital revolution coming?"

"Will States Be Overthrown in the Digital Revolution?" by Stephen J. Kobrin: The digital revolution will compromise the ability of a state to exert its domestic authority through jurisdiction over its geographic territory.

"Tech's Effects: Cultural Convergence" by Neal M. Rosendorf: America plays the role of a global cultural clearing house as cultures merge in today's high-tech world.

"A New Program For Refugees" by Caroline Benner: Our associate editor highlights ways in which software and computers are already helping the United Nations to assist refugee populations.

"S@state.gov Speaks" by Colin Powell: Addressing the State Department's NetDiplomacy 2001 conference this past September, Secretary of State Powell explained why every diplomat needs to be Internet-savvy, and how he intends to make that a reality. Here are his remarks on that occasion.

Two other pieces in the same issue also address information technology:

Our Speaking Out column by John Matel, "Public Affairs: Out of the Information Business," offers an FSO's perspective on how the Internet has -- and hasn't -- changed the way he and his colleagues do their jobs. And R. David Harden's Postcard from Abroad, "The Digital Dividend," describes the coming of the Internet to a poor, remote island in Bangladesh.

Normally, the Foreign Service Journal focuses on one main topic each month. However, the events of Sept. 11, which broke as we were finalizing this issue, were obviously too important not to be addressed as well.

Accordingly, the November issue offers "Reflections on Sept. 11," beginning with a column by retired Amb. Robert Oakley setting forth "The Challenge For U. S. Foreign Policy" -- namely, State must not only keep the anti-terrorism coalition together, but seize opportunities to resolve long-festering problems around the world.

Overseas AFSA members share their personal experiences of the events of Sept. 11 and their aftermath in "FSOs and FSNs Recall Sept. 11."

Last but not least, our feature article: "An Ounce Of Prevention" by Frederic B. Hill, Dennis Murphy and Bob Hopper, explains that while crisis-based diplomacy is sometimes necessary, support for conflict prevention may well grow in the long run as a byproduct of a new sense of international community following the attacks.

Note: The December issue of the Journal will focus more thoroughly on some of the myriad questions raised by the Sept. 11 attacks.

"The Mediterranean Basin:
Where Europe and the Middle East Meet"

--so reads the cover of October's Foreign Service Journal. As that headline suggests, all five of our focus section authors write from a "macro" perspective about initiatives to integrate the region politically, economically, and socially. Our contributors have very different perspectives about how well those efforts have fared, but they all agree that the trend toward closer regional cooperation is here to stay.

"The Renaissance Of Mediterranean Security?"
by Ian O. Lesser: A senior RAND analyst explains that the Mediterranean is center stage for the gray area of security environments that are neither strictly European nor Middle Eastern.

"Mediterranean Relations: A Southern Perspective"
by Bechir Chourou: A Tunisian writer pulls no punches in explaining why Europe's (and America's) relations with the southern side of the Mediterranean are not nearly as warm as Westerners sometimes likes to think.

"Keep Out: Europe Cracks Down On Immigration"
by Christopher M. Pothoven: Migrants from North Africa and elsewhere see the Mediterranean as the way to a better life. But their European hosts definitely don't see it that way.

"The Barcelona Process: Cooperation Or Coercion?"
by George Joffe: The Barcelona Process is intended to bring the entire Mediterranean region closer together economically and politically. But the southern states see the initiative as more of a diktat than a true partnership.

"Keeping The Mediterranean Pollution-Free"
by Peter M. Haas and Julie Zuckman: Although the Mediterranean Action Plan hasn't lived fully up to its initial promise, it has done a lot to clean up the region's fabled waters over the past quarter-century.

Also in this issue:

"Friends Apart: Europe And America"
by Harry C. Blaney III: At a time when cooperation remains as vital as ever, the U.S. and its European allies are publicly clashing on a wide range of issues. But it doesn't have to be that way, comments a retired FSO who is president of the Coalition for American Leadership Abroad.

In this month's Speaking Out column, retired Amb. Dennis Jett explains why, despite the best efforts of two blue-ribbon reform commissions that issued widely publicized reports earlier this year (see the May FSJ for comprehensive coverage thereof), "State is not reformable." Fortunately, Jett concludes that the department will nonetheless survive.

The September Foreign Service Journal focuses on Germany's efforts, 12 years after the Berlin Wall fell, to find its role on the global stage even as it still works to integrate former East Germany fully into the west. Five German and American contributors examine the country's progress toward completing the reunification process, as well as its relations with its European neighbors, the U.S., and the rest of the world.

"The E. U. Serves Germany: Will It Serve The E.U.?"
by Christoph Bertram: For the European Union to become a global force, Germany will have to become a more active European player. And in fact, it already is.

"The New Germany In The New Europe"
by Jeffrey Anderson: German foreign policy has grown more assertive and less idealistic in recent years. Consider its current approach to Europe.

"In Search Of The German Left"
by Norman Birnbaum: The German left's policies have historically been more popular than its politicians. It has remade itself to win power, but what are its prospects?

"The German Right: Markets, Morality And Migration"
by Jan-Werner Mueller: If Germany's Christian Democratic Union wants to attract German votes away from the Social Democrats, it will have to forge an ideology that is not based on anti-immigration views or cold-hearted capitalism.

"Terms Of Endearment: U.S.-German Relations"
by Robert Gerald Livingston: American and German interests coincided quite closely during the Cold War. But now that Germany's primary focus is the European Union, this is no longer so true.

The issue also includes these features:

"The Senate Changes Hands: What's In It For State?"
by Miles Pomper: Despite ideological contrasts, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is not likely to operate very differently under Democratic control. Here's why.

"Foreign Policy Gaming At State"
by Alan G. Misenheimer: One of the Foreign Service Institute's best-kept secrets is its Office of Special Programs, which has conducted over 80 diplomatic policy exercises for State over the past 15 years.

In addition, two Speaking Out columns by FSOs look at the issue of gays and lesbians in the Foreign Service. Dale Slaght believes that "concessions to gay rights advocates will take State in a direction few would have it go," while Brook Hefright maintains that it is very much in State's interest to treat all employees fairly.

The July-August Foreign Service Journal is our annual summer fiction issue. In it, you'll find five short stories set overseas -- tales of culture clash, intrigue, and the day-to-day insanity of trying to represent American interests abroad.

"Visa For A Dream"
by David Searby: Kiko's documents were completely phony, but he was still sure his charm and determination would get him the visa he needed to escape Santo Domingo and make a new life for himself in New York.

"Mr. Fukuji" by Frances M. Knowles: A Japanese FSN was convinced that his wife, like all women, was utterly stupid. It took a crisis to show how badly he underestimated her.

"The Strange Journey of Beckles Willson"
by Kristen J. Heslink: State's legal experts decided that "worldwide availability" did in fact cover travel into the future -- especially if the traveler was an expendable junior officer.

"The Bone Collector"
by James Angell: Who would have guessed that a terrorist attack would enable a communicator to finally connect with a Kenya that had eluded him before?

"The Visit"
by June Appel-Wuertz: "Did I catch you at a bad time or are you just being a pain in the ass?" Jackie asked, breaking through the distance and the years spent apart.

And back in the real world, the issue includes these articles:

Edmund McWilliams explains why "There's Still A Role For Labor Diplomacy" as part of U.S. promotion of democracy abroad.

And speaking of labor, Robert Senser describes how labor movements are forming new alliances from Alabama to Asia to protect workers' rights in "Unions Play Catch-Up As Corporations Globalize."

"Do North Koreans Have Human Rights?" may sound like a rhetorical question. But frequent contributor George Gedda shows us just how dire the situation is there.

"Disorder at the Border" reads the cover of the June issue, which focusses on immigration problems that confront the United States. While our authors disagree on how to solve those problems, all agree that the current system is broken. Among the symptoms are long backlogs of unprocessed immigration applications, deaths and injuries at the border, and millions of undocumented aliens.

Demetri Papademetriou introduces the topic with "Fact, Fear and Fantasy--U.S. Immigration Now." He suggests that the most pressing task is integrating new immigrants into American society.

"The 'Mad Doctor' " is a short but touching narrative by Richard Gonzalez, with a moral for those who staff the visa line.

Former congressman Bruce Morrison analyzes "America's Split Personality on Immigration." He explains why the country both encourages and dislikes immigration, and how we can improve the situation.

In "Immigration Run Amok," Jack Martin of the Federation for American Immigration Reform explains why current immigration levels are far too high, and what the U.S. can do to reduce both legal and illegal entries.

Gabriela Lemus observes that "For U.S. Latinos, Immigration is a Family Matter." She predicts that bilateral U.S.-Mexican cooperation on the issue may produce new solutions that work for both countries.

R. Patrick Murphy describes the viewpoint of the immigration attorney, and why consular officers and lawyers are really on the same side in this struggle. His article is "The Immigration Lawyer: Friend or Foe?"

On other topics:

An article by Steven Honley pays tribute to "A Congressional Citizen of the World," former Rep. Lee H. Hamilton, who in June 2001 receives AFSA's Award for Lifetime Contributions in American Diplomacy.

Miles Pomper describes a new U.S.-assisted business school in Moscow, and reports on its successes and failures in "Building a Better Russian Bureaucrat."

And in the June issue's schools supplement, we offer some advice to parents "In Search of that Special School." Melanie Kerber, director of a private school and a Foreign Service spouse, gives hints on how to find a Washington-area school for kids with special needs.

The May issue of the Journal focuses on a favorite Foreign Service topic: the need

for reform of the Department of State. It seems that, in 2001, with a new administration and a high-profile secretary of State, the time may at last be ripe for actually implementing significant reforms. This issue looks at that possibility from a number of different angles.

First, one-time FSO and former Secretary of Defense Frank Carlucci describes the need for drastic improvements and lays out a possible action plan in "Resources for Reform."

Gen. Charles Boyd states the views of a blue-ribbon commission that recommends that State be overhauled as part of a more general revamping of the U.S. national security apparatus. "A Radical Proposal: Make State Functional"

A more skeptical view is offered by veteran FSO David D. Newsom, who explains why "State Doesn't Need These Reforms."

Morton Halperin, in another dissenting article, explains that two recent blue-ribbon commissions make some good suggestions and some serious mistakes. He observes that State does not need "Reform for Its Own Sake."

A key--and sometimes forgotten--part of the picture is supplied by Shawn Dorman who asks, and answers, the question: "Are State Employees Ready for Reform?"
One of the Senate's most esteemed experts on foreign affairs, Sen. Richard G. Lugar, R-Ind., explains the key role of Hill-State relations in his article, "State and Congress: Can We Talk?"

AFSA Vice President Willard De Pree explores a tricky subject--just how short-staffed is the Foreign Servie?--in his article, "Floating the Ship of State."
And to end a serious subject on a lighter note, FSO Jim DeHart gives us a satirical alternative Foggy Bottom future in "A Nightmare on C Street."

On a completely different topic, we have a tale of spycraft and danger. "Betrayal in the Balkans," by former CIA agent H.K. Roy, tells a true story in which a U.S. operative in wartorn mid-1990s Sarajevo finds himself the target of an Iranian-backed kidnapping plot.

The Journal's April issue takes us on a diplomatic space odyssey. We do a bit of "thinking outside the box" about the possibility that humans may at some point have to deal with extra-terrestrial intelligence. We also examine some current issues regarding how we earthlings explore and use outer space.

In "A Message in an Inter-Stellar Bottle," astronomer Seth Shostak takes a look at the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence or SETI, and explains why detection of such intelligence is not as far-fetched a scenario as some may think.

Michael A.G. Michaud asks the next logical question, "If Contact Occurs, Who Speaks for Earth?" He observes that such an event would raise unprecedented policy questions for humankind.

In the past decade, the exploration of space has been transformed from a Cold War competition to a much more cooperative international program. John M. Logsdon describes the most important and visible sign of this transition in "The International Space Station: Foreign Policy in Orbit."

Mike Moore looks at quite a different policy area in "Space: The Ultimate Military High Ground." He notes that the current U.S. administration, encouraged and led by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, may well break some long-standing taboos and start putting weapons in space.

Two attorneys specializing in space law--Patricia M. Sterns and Leslie I. Tennen--examine a little known but troubling problem in their article, "The Moon Treaty--Lost in Space." The fact that this treay has encountered serious obstacles to widespread acceptance may well hinder human attempts to exploit resources in space.

On other topics:

Journalist Ben Barber gives a thorough rundown on "Iran's Diplomatic Dead End."

And retired FSO Douglas Hartley describes "Making the Kosovo Connection" as an international observer in that Yugoslav region's first democratic elections.

Former FSO Laurence Pope gives a personal account of the travails of Senate confirmation in "Advice and Contempt." Pope, who was nominated to be ambassador to Kuwait, was never given a hearing by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and resigned from the Foreign Service in 2000.

The Journal's March issue focuses on consular affairs bureau is a very distinctive part of the U.S. State Department--in fact, there was once a separate U.S. Consular Corps quite separate from the Diplomatic Corps. Even now, the special nature of consular work and the distinctive challenges and conditions consular officers face are well worth a special look--which is what this issue of the Journal focuses on.

For starters, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mary Ryan explains why consular work is so hard and so rewarding, in "The Face of America Abroad."

David Jones, in his article "The Under-Appreciated Consular Cone," asks why, when consular work is so vital to the U.S., the people who do those tasks are often overworked and under-promoted.

On a more upbeat note, FSOs Ethan Goldrich and Bryan Dalton look at Consular Affairs as a case study in institutional reform. "A Passport is Not a Pizza," they note, but CA in the past decade has done a great deal to computerize its operations, improve its finances, and work faster and smarter.

Consular FSO Bob DeWitt looks at "The Agony and the Ecstasy" of consular work--the hard conditions and the great moments of appreciation.

In "Survivors: Tales from the Trenches," seven Foreign Service employees describe some sad and funny moments from their work in the consular arena. After all, it's well known that consular officers have the best stories.

Journal Managing Editor Caroline Benner examines "APPs: Micro-Consulates in the Information Age." She considers whether these five tiny American presence posts in France indicate the future of American diplomacy.

Moving away from the consular conundrum:

Veteran diplomatic correspondent George Gedda examines the State Department's controversial appointment of a senior civil servant to a top-level embassy job in "The Road to Lima: A Reason to Grieve."

And, in our May issue, we plan a thorough discussion of several concepts for the reform of the State Department and the foreign affairs/national security apparatus that are currently being considered by Washington policy mavens. In an advance installment on that focus, we present an article by James Lindsay and Ivo H. Daalder, "How to Revitalize a Dysfunctional Department." The article is based on the recently released Hart-Rudman report from the U.S. Commission on National Security/21st Century.

The Journal's February issue focuses on U.S. promotion of democracy abroad, which has become a major foreign policy goal in recent years. Our authors observe that the U.S. has had both successes and failures, and try to explain why that is.

Former President Jimmy Carter and his Carter Center in Georgia have been at the forefront of American non-governmental efforts to promote democracy over the past two decades. Though he is well known for his role as election observer, President Carter emphasizes that "Free Elections are Only the Beginning."

Both the State Department and USAID have programs for promoting democracy, but they often see things differently and even work at cross purposes. Carnegie Endowment expert Thomas Carothers tells "A Tale of Two Cultures."

East Asian societies are rapidly becoming full participants in information revolution. But the Internet is not always a force for democracy and freedom, writes Shanthi Kalathil in "The Internet and Asia: Broadband or Broad Bans?"

In "Drugs, Democracy and Latin America," Michael Shifter describes the complex ways in which the U.S. goal of promoting democracy in Latin America has often taken a back seat to other priorities, such as fighting drugs or supporting friendly governments.

In the Arab world, notes Amy Hawthorne, U.S. policy-makers often encounter an uneasy dilemma: increasing democracy in Arab countries may well bring to power movements with an anti-American agenda. If so, she asks, "Do We Really Want Democracy in the Middle East?"

On other topics, two journalists give us a look at the northern and southern areas of Iraq, and the very different lives these two regions are now experiencing. Warren P. Strobel visited the U.N.-ruled enclave of northern Iraq, and found that "Iraqi Kurds Enjoy Good Times--For Now." Meanwhile, Kevin Whitelaw reports that the predominantly Shi'ite Muslim south faces U.S.sanctions, Saddam's repressive rule and the "mother of all droughts."

The January issue of the Foreign Service Journal looks at the uneasy intersection of the conduct of foreign policy with religious faith. It examines that question from the viewpoint of the Foreign Service officer, from inside the U.S. government, and from the policy angle of dealing with religiously motivated movements abroad.

Focus on Religion and Foreign Policy
In "Holy Rejectionists: The Varieties of Extremism", R. Scott Appleby examines the differences among foreign religious movements and governments. Some movements use religion as a tool, he finds, and many extremist movements may not be at all hostile to the United States.

David Jones, a retired FSO who has hands-on experience in compiling human rights reports for the State Department, takes a look at the International Religious Freedom Report in "The Joy of Sects: Reporting on Religious Freedom."

What should be the U.S. response when an Islamic government becomes involved in a lengthy civil war? Donald Petterson reviews the options in "Religious Fundamentalism: The Case of Sudan."

It's not easy being both a Presbyterian minister and a U.S. Foreign Service officer. William Davnie, who wears both hats, explains why in "Divinity and Diplomacy: An Uneasy Mix?"

Occasionally, churches and religious organizations take the lead on a foreign policy issue. The question of Third World debt is just such a case, as Carrie Reiling reports in "Jubilee 2000: Churches on the Front Lines."

Leaving the religion/foreign policy nexus, the January Journal also contains:

John Diamond takes a long, hard look at President Clinton's failed attempt to broker an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal in "Camp David 2000--Too Much, Too Soon?"

"Smarter Recruiting: A Short-Timer's View" by Emi Lynn Yamauchi looks at how State Department recruiting can be improved. Among other questions, she asks whether State needs members of minority groups to recruit applicants from among their own ethnic group.

The November issue of the Foreign Service Journal considers the rapidly evolving relationship between information technology and foreign policy and asks the question: "Is a digital revolution coming?"

To view the year 2000 issues of the Foreign Service Journal, click here.

To view the year 2000 issues of the Foreign Service Journal,
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