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P U B L I S H E D BY T H E A M E R I CA N F O R E I G N S E R V I C E A S S O C I AT I O N SEPTEMBER 2020
FACING
RACISM
PLUS:
UNITED
NATIONS
AT 75
FOREIGN
SERVICE September 2020 Volume 97, No. 7
Focus on Addressing Race, Diversity & Inclusion
24 33 40
Inclusion Helps Living Up to the The Making of a
Drive Diversity American Idea Real American Diplomat
State’s new initiatives create space Besides the moral imperative, A senior member of the Foreign
for difficult conversations and there are compelling reasons to have Service who immigrated to the
incorporate accountability. a Foreign Service that looks like United States as a child reflects
By Mirembe Nantongo America. Here are some suggestions on her journey.
for how to get there. By Julie Chung
30 B y P e t e r F. R o m e r o
Creating a Culture of 44
Inclusion at State
35 It’s Not Just About
To establish diversity at State, Diversity at State: Intake: A New Approach
it is essential to make inclusion A Dream Deferred and a to Advancing Diversity
count—in every promotion, job Collective Responsibility After 30 years, another round
prospect and assignment. Two fellowship programs are heralded of the same measures will not do.
By Gina Abercrombie- for bringing people of color into It’s time to define the problems
Winstanley the Foreign Service, but the new and seek new solutions.
employees’ advancement is inhibited By Pa t r i ce J o h n so n
by institutional barriers.
By Ana Escrogima, Lia Miller
and Christina Tilghman
48
From the FSJ Archive:
Diversity in the
Foreign Service
Feature
Cover Story: The U.N. at 75
62
51 Bringing Order Out
U.N. Relevance Depends of Crisis: Behind the
on U.S. Leadership Scenes of a Task Force
B y J e f f r e y Fe l t m a n By Chris Meade,
Holly Adamson, Merlyn Schultz
57 a n d Fa n y C o l o n d e H a y e s
Ralph J. Bunche, U.N. Architect
By James Dandridge
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2020 5
FOREIGN
SERVICE
Perspectives
Departments
10 Letters
7 92 14 Talking Points
President’s Views Reflections
Change Has Come, History of a Handshake: 80 In Memory
More is Coming Ground-Level PD in Belarus
By Eric Rubin By George Krol 85 Books
9 94
Letter from the Editor Local Lens
It’s Time Annecy, France
By Shawn Dorman By Brian Aggeler
Marketplace
21 88 Real Estate
Speaking Out
89 Index to Advertisers
Why “27 Years and Out”
Should Be Retired 90 Classifieds
B y Te d C r a i g
AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION
67 AFSA Hosts Town Hall Series 74 This Is Not Your Father’s DACOR
on COVID-19, Diversity
68 State VP Voice—Diversity and
76 AFSA Lauds Supreme Court Decision
on Workplace Discrimination
74
Inclusion: The Time to Act Is Now 76 AFSA Welcomes New Members
69 USAID VP Voice—The (GAO) Report of the U.S. Foreign Service
Is In on Diversity at USAID 77 Seminar: How the SECURE and
70 FCS VP Voice—You Can’t Really CARES Acts Affect Retirement
Ever Go Back, Only Forward … 77 AFSA Governing Board Meeting
71 AFSA Congratulates Kennan Resolutions
Award Winners 78 FSI Releases New Guided
72 F
SJ Wins Two TRENDY Awards Journal for FS Children
for Publishing Excellence 79 Tomoko Morinaga Joins
72 How LWOP Affects Your AFSA as Membership
AFSA Membership Operations Coordinator
73 AFSA Seeks Your Help
with Outreach Efforts
On the Cover—Cover art by Alexandra Bowman, inspired by the concept “Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to
dance.” That evocative phrase is introduced by Deputy Assistant Secretary Mirembe Nantongo in her lead article, and originally comes from
diversity advocate Verna Myers. Find more of Bowman’s work on Instagram @alexbowman.
6 SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL
PRESIDENT’S VIEWS
Change Has Come, More Is Coming
BY ERIC RUBIN
T
his is a time of seismic change
We are still not the Service we are supposed to be.
for the world, our country, our
profession and our institutions.
The global wildfire-like spread of to be, one that looks like the country we The separation of families due to post
the novel coronavirus and the economic represent. We’re more diverse than we departures related to the pandemic, and
and social shocks that it brought have led were decades ago, to be sure, but progress the fact that many are still stuck in place
to unprecedented challenges. There is no has slowed dramatically, and in some due to travel restrictions, has brought
doubt our country could have responded respects we have gone backward. a slew of difficult decisions. Overseas
better to the crisis. And while it was Second, because we have not lived up schools, which are so important to
widely understood that our society had to our rhetoric. The numbers speak for making accompanied tours possible for
failed to address fundamental issues of themselves, and the recent GAO reports families with children, are in some cases
racial and economic fairness, the wave of are particularly revealing. AFSA recently facing challenges to their survival. Issues
protest that followed the killing of George polled our membership on issues related related to COVID-19 testing, quarantine
Floyd caught many Americans off guard. to racism and diversity. The responses and authorized departure continue to
This is the first of two back-to-back underline how common it is for minor- demand creative solutions and the pro-
issues of The Foreign Service Journal ity members of the Service to experience tection of our members and their families.
dedicated to issues of diversity, inclusion blatant or subtle racism and discrimina- This brings us to the larger reality: The
and discrimination in our Service. The tion, and how unrepresentative many of Foreign Service Act of 1980 is 40 years old
passing of Representative John Lewis our overseas posts and domestic bureaus this year. It is our foundational legisla-
(D-Ga.) reminds us—as he himself often are in terms of looking like America. tion, and I believe it is fundamentally
did—that while we have come a long Of course, the effects of the coronavi- sound and should be largely preserved.
way since the days of Jim Crow and legal rus crisis on our Service are real and dra- But the Foreign Service cannot be frozen
segregation, we have a long way to go to matic. AFSA is working hard to support in amber. We are dealing with major
become a truly fair and inclusive society. our members as they deal with the dis- changes in America’s role in the world,
The ongoing debates over Confederate location that 2020 has brought. We have significant generational changes regard-
flags and monuments also remind us that won important victories on issues that ing attitudes and expectations, and the
we have not succeeded in achieving a are critical to our members in navigating need to rethink and improve how we
common national understanding of the this crisis, and we are very glad that our recruit, hire and retain talent. We also
Civil War and its causes, nor of the years agencies are bringing on new members of need a hard focus on workplace culture
and decades that followed the Union the Service through online training and and its importance in fostering respect,
victory. orientation. inclusion and morale.
Why do we need The months ahead will bring more We want to hear your views on what
to focus on diversity challenges and painful compromises. The needs to be done to improve and modern-
in the Foreign Ser- loss of consular fees due to the impact ize our Service. Please share your thoughts
vice today? First of of coronavirus will affect State’s ability with us at member@afsa.org. Thank you
all, because we are to hire new officers. These fees pay the for your commitment and dedication to
still not the Service salaries of many entry-level officers, who our country and to our shared mission at
we are supposed serve in consular assignments first. this very challenging time. n
Ambassador Eric Rubin is the president of the American Foreign Service Association.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2020 7
FOREIGN
CONTACTS
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8 SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
It’s Time
B Y S H AW N D O R M A N
T
his month’s focus—addressing being invited to the party, while inclusion association did not always lead on the
race, diversity and inclusion— is being asked to dance. issue, it is aiming to play a productive
has been on the calendar since This concept, originally introduced by role today in raising and advocating
the end of last year when we set diversity advocate Verna Myers, inspired recommendations emerging from the
2021 themes. It is not a new topic, nor a the wonderful cover art. We commis- Foreign Service community—through
new problem; but this moment in our sioned Black American artist Alexandra AFSA surveys and meetings and through
country’s history may offer a real oppor- Bowman to bring the vision to life. We the affinity groups (who will weigh in
tunity for change that is new. trust you will agree that she did. next month on these pages).
The police killing of George Floyd In “Creating a Culture of Inclu- Our cover stories honor the 75th
and all that followed has led to the airing sion at State,” Ambassador (ret.) Gina anniversary of the establishment of the
of the Black experience in American Abercrombie-Winstanley puts forward United Nations. Ambassador (ret.) Jeffrey
diplomacy in a way not widely seen specific recommendations on building Feltman shares his insider experience
before. As Americans are facing racism accountability into the system to ensure as U.N. Under-Secretary-General for
and taking stock of how our society and that promoting inclusion is everyone’s Political Affairs, explaining why “U.N.
institutions are doing when it comes to responsibility. And Ambassador (ret.) Relevance Depends on U.S. Leadership.”
equality and inclusion (not so well), so Peter F. Romero suggests specific ways Ambassador (ret.) James Dandridge
too is the Foreign Service. the Foreign Service can truly look like brings us a story from the organization’s
For this Journal focus, we have and represent America. beginnings in “Ralph J. Bunche, U.N.
brought together powerful voices for In “Diversity at State: A Dream Architect.”
positive change from various vantage Deferred and a Collective Responsibil- And following our focus on pandemic
points, and we hope their insights and ity,” FSOs Ana Escrogima, Lia Miller diplomacy last month, we present a first-
recommendations will contribute to the and Christina Tilghman offer an honest hand account from the 2020 Repatria-
measures, policies, and even the cultural assessment of how well the Pickering and tion Task Force that brought home more
shifts required to create a Foreign Service Rangel Fellowships have done in advanc- than 100,000 Americans. Chris Meade,
that can live up to American ideals of ing diversity at State, and what should Holly Adamson, Merlyn Schultz and
equality and inclusion. change. Fany Colon de Hayes—all with the State
Leading the discussion, Deputy Senior FSO Julie Chung shares her Department Operations Center’s Office
Assistant Secretary Mirembe Nantongo deeply personal story in “The Making of a of Crisis Management and Strategy—tell
presents an inspiring look at why and Real American Diplomat.” us about “Bringing Order Out of Crisis:
how diversity (about people) and inclu- In a critical look at barriers to Behind the Scenes of a Task Force.”
sion (about culture) matter and what the advancement for people of color in the The FSJ strives to shine a light on
State Department is doing to deal with Foreign Service, FSO Patrice Johnson the realities, diverse perspectives and
both. She begins by tells us “It’s Not Just About Intake: A New real recommendations on how to move
painting a powerful Approach to Advancing Diversity.” diplomacy forward. Given the ground-
image of diversity vs. And we dove into the FSJ Archive to swell of attention to diversity and
inclusion—diversity is resurface a selection of articles on diver- inclusion—and the opportunity of this
sity in the Foreign Service going back to moment—we shifted our October focus
Shawn Dorman is the 1963. to continue this conversation, which
editor of The Foreign AFSA’s legacy on advancing diversity we invite you to join by writing to us at
Service Journal. is mixed, and while it is fair to say the journal@afsa.org. n
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2020 9
LETTERS
Remembering with Tex from 1974 to 1977 in my first At the time of the massacre’s 10th
Joseph Diatta assignment as an FSO. I was working in anniversary (July 11, 2005), I was an
I was saddened to learn of the recent the European Affairs Bureau, and Tex FSO serving at U.S. Consulate General
death of Joseph Diatta, a former ambas- was on detail to the Environmental Pro- Casablanca. Not even the horrors of Abu
sador from Niger to the United States tection Agency. Ghraib upset my Moroccan colleagues
and a colleague at the Foreign Service I also got to know his family during more than the Srebrenica massacre.
Institute’s Foreign Affairs Counter Threat those years, and I am forever grateful to While watching the Al-Arabiya news
(FACT) course. have shared in the generous spirit and channel’s coverage of the 10th anniver-
As a facilitator with the FACT course, warmheartedness that later led them to sary of the massacre, the Moroccans,
I had the privilege of working with Amb. their courageous actions in Argentina. I noticeably upset and even enraged,
Diatta for nearly five years. He demon- worried about them in those years, but asked me whether the West would ever
strated a quiet dignity, pro- I was not surprised by accept them, Muslim natives of the first
vided a realistic encounter what they felt com- country to recognize the United States
for students, and drew on pelled to do. in 1777.
his personal experiences Separately, I doubt- After all, the Bosniacs were them-
when teaching the impor- less would have joined selves considered the most Westernized
tance of cultural sensitivity, AFSA anyway; but Muslims. Yet, subjected to the Serbs’
mutual respect and active when I met Tex (on ethnic cleansing campaign, they were
listening. the last day of A-100 victims of the worst massacre in Europe
Having served as ambas- orientation), he said since the end of World War II, while Sre-
sador to the United States to me: “You’re an FSO; brenica was ostensibly under U.N. blue
and having been one of you have to belong to helmet protection. (U.N. “safe haven”
the chief architects of the AFSA.” That settled it. must be the oxymoron of the 1990s!)
1995 peace agreement that I was an FSO for My Moroccan co-workers simply
reconciled the Tuareg armed only five years, but I could not fathom how the United States
rebellion in Niger, Amb. Diatta brought a have happily been an AFSA member for and the West, well aware of the brutal
unique perspective to the FACT program. more than 45 years. reputations of Ratko Mladic and Radovan
In observing his interaction with I hope that members of the Foreign Karadzic, could let this happen.
students, I was struck by the importance Service community who never had the The subsequent radicalization of some
he placed on nurturing relationships, good fortune to know Tex personally will Bosniacs, like the Chechens before them,
increasing rapport and promoting com- nevertheless find inspiration in him to should not have surprised anyone—and
munication. He understood, better than nurture their own integrity, professional- certainly not members of our profes-
most, that open communication might ism and humanity. sion—remotely aware of what was done
at some point save a Foreign Service offi- Edwina Campbell to them by the Serbs and the Russians,
cer’s life or the lives of their colleagues. Former FSO respectively.
Joseph Diatta will be missed. Fort Worth, Texas Although the July-August FSJ under-
Michael Maxey standably focused on COVID-19 and
USAID FSO, retired Remembering the the widespread public outcry in the
Fairfax, Virginia Srebrenica Massacre United States and elsewhere over George
It has been 25 years since Bosnian Floyd’s murder and police brutality, it
Endowing the Serbs murdered more than 8,000 fellow was disappointing that the Journal did
Tex Harris Award Bosnians who were Muslim. Despite all not also feature a remembrance essay on
In May, I sent a contribution to AFSA our professions since the Holocaust of Srebrenica and the international commu-
to help establish a permanent endow- “Never Again,” wanton genocidal killing nity’s failure to stop the Bosnian Serbs’
ment for the Tex Harris Award. of noncombatants had occurred once onslaught.
I had the privilege of working closely more in Europe. After all, several FSOs, notably area
10 SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALexperts George Kenney and Marshall 19, draconian lockdowns and terrible Mr. Moore suggests and adopts many
Freeman Harris, resigned in protest of health care situations. additional technologies and policies to
our government’s inaction. It is nice to acknowledge all the hard modernize. Let the challenges created
It is incumbent on us to reflect work that was done in the wake of the by COVID-19 be a catalyst for positive
periodically on what was done to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it would also change.
Bosniacs, Darfuris, Kurds, Rohingyas, be nice to allow a tip of the hat for what Daniel Walsh
Chechens, Palestinians and other vic- happens after everyone is evacuated. FSO
timized peoples when confounded by Thanks to AFSA and the FSJ for all Auckland, New Zealand
their intransigence and anger. you do.
George W. Aldridge Ubah Khasimuddin An Art Based on Science
FSO, retired Office Management Specialist Andrew Moore’s June Speaking
Arlington, Texas U.S. Embassy New Delhi Out on lessons from Silicon Valley is a
refreshing call for a Foreign Service life
Keeping Embassies Responding to Lessons in which diplomats spend most of their
Running from Silicon Valley time serving America, rather than navi-
I read the July-August Journal on the Andrew Moore’s June Speaking Out, gating bureaucratic mazes to manage
FS response to the COVID-19 pandemic “Lessons from Silicon Valley: Practical their service. Many diplomats likely saw
with interest. It seems that throughout Suggestions for a Modern Workplace,” themselves in his all-too-relatable war
the world, at all was timely and exactly what story of a nine-month saga to get a $50
posts, everyone was the State Department needs reimbursement.
consistent in their to hear at this time. Yet, while I’m sure most in the State
effort to repatri- The COVID-19 pandemic Department agree that we should
ate Americans back has forced the department “modernize diplomacy” and “make it the
home—if it were to deploy technological first tool of foreign policy,” some would
possible, we should and policy changes to cope unfortunately be quick to explain why
all get one big group with unprecedented global each specific innovation Moore proposes
Eagle Award. challenges. Technological for doing so (e.g., the use of advanced
However, one changes that had been in analytics in decision memos) “could
thing I’ve noticed that development were deployed never be done here.”
is markedly missing rapidly with positive results. Those in State’s ranks who cling to
in almost all State Sensible policy changes “the way things have always been” often
Department commu- like teacher language score justify their reticence to innovation by
nication, and in the Journal, is appre- evaluations at FSI and interview waivers saying “diplomacy is an art, not a sci-
ciation and/or stories about those of for H2A applicants demon- ence” and pointing
us who stayed behind, those of us who strate that it is time to review to a past golden age
didn’t take authorized departure but why certain policies are in of diplomacy (that
remained at post. place. If they can be changed never really existed)
We are the warriors ensuring that in the face of crisis, are they to which we should
the embassies continue to run and that necessary at normal times, instead return.
there is an American presence (and or are they in place because However, this
American Citizen Services) in far-flung “we’ve always done it this hagiography ignores
locations, even during this pandemic. way”? the history of reform
We forfeited being in the United As an entry-level officer at State. Far from
States and near our loved ones, instead with a background in artists remaking the
serving our country on the front lines, tech, I hope the depart- world, past efforts to
often in countries with raging COVID- ment makes the changes bolster diplomacy
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2020 11have gone hand in hand with a push to bread-and-butter language and area
make it more rational, specialized and expertise.
professional. As major transnational threats
Consider, for example, Wilbur like artificial intelligence, pandemic
Carr, the father of the Foreign Service. disease and climate security continue
Working in the Progressive Era to end to dominate the international political
State’s unfortunate distinction as the landscape, diplomacy will also need
last bastion of the spoils system (see to become more of a specialist craft,
Fareed Zakaria’s From Wealth to Power: embracing subject-matter expertise.
The Unusual Origins of America’s World Today, as in days past, the art of
Role), Carr largely authored the Foreign diplomacy is to embrace the science. n
Service Act of 1924 (known as the Ryan Dukeman
Rogers Act). The legislation fused the Ph.D. student, Princeton University
diplomatic and consular services, and & former State Department
created the first merit-based hiring and Center for Analytics consultant
promotion requirements in the depart- Princeton, N.J.
ment’s history.
These changes brought in new FSOs
who (among other fields) understood
the then-burgeoning science of public
administration, replacing old patron-
age hires who did little more than push
paper.
Later, the Foreign Service Act of 1946
created a corps of reservists, diplomats
based primarily in Washington who
could be called to overseas service if
needed. In post–WWII practice, however,
most employees remained stateside, and
later became the expert Civil Service
foreign affairs officers we know today.
This provision recognized the
distinct duties for diplomats serving
overseas and at home—information
collection and representation vs. policy
analysis—and further specialized the Share your
diplomatic corps to take advantage of
the unique skill sets of each.
thoughts about
These and other reforms, opposed this month’s issue.
by many traditionalists at the time, were
premised on the belief that diplomacy
should increasingly professionalize itself Submit letters
and benefit from the advances of the day. to the editor:
Today, that means recognizing that
cutting-edge information sciences are
journal@afsa.org
a complement, not a substitute, for
12 SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALTALKING POINTS
State Struggles to but dropped to 14 percent of the Senior or lower ranks, but just 32 percent of the
Promote Diversity Foreign Service. Senior Foreign Service.
I n June 17 testimony, “Additional Steps
Are Needed to Identify Barriers to
Workforce Diversity,” the Government
As of early June, only three of the
State Department’s 189 ambassadors
were Black American career diplomats,
“Although State has implemented
several plans, activities and initiatives
to improve diversity and representation
Accountability Office presented State and only four were Hispanic. throughout the ranks of its workforce,”
Department data from Fiscal Year 2002 to GAO also found that the overall GAO concludes, “longstanding diversity
FY2018 showing that promotion rates for proportion of female full-time career issues—for example, underrepresentation
ethnic and racial minorities are consider- employees at State decreased slightly, of racial or ethnic minorities and women
ably lower than for whites. from 44 to 43 percent, between 2002 and in the senior ranks—persist at the agency.
The testimony, delivered by GAO 2018. While the proportion of women in “Until State takes steps to explore such
Director of International Affairs and the Foreign Service increased from 33 to issues, it could be missing opportuni-
Trade Jason Bair to the House Foreign 35 percent during that period, it fell from ties to investigate, identify and remove
Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on 61 to 54 percent in the Civil Service. barriers that impede members of some
Investigations and Oversight, was based The proportion of women became demographic groups from realizing their
on the comprehensive report it had even smaller at the higher ranks of the full potential.”
issued in January (GAO-20-237). Foreign Service, according to the 2018
At the end of 2018, State had 22,806 numbers, GAO reported. Women made
full-time, permanent career employees, up 68 percent of the workforce at FS-6
an increase of nearly 40 percent over
2002, GAO found. The number of full-
time employees in the Civil Service rose Site of the Month
by nearly 40 percent, from 6,831 in 2002 Black Diplomacy: Chris Richardson
to 9,546 in 2018. The number of full-time Interviews Prof. Michael Krenn (YouTube)
employees in the Foreign Service rose
36 percent from 9,739 in 2002 to 13,260
in 2018.
The overall proportion of racial or eth-
I n this YouTube video, former For-
eign Service Officer Chris Rich-
ardson interviews Professor Michael
nic minorities in the State Department’s Krenn about race relations in the
full-time career workforce grew from 28 State Department.
to 32 percent from 2002 to 2018. In the Prof. Krenn, the author of Black
Foreign Service, that number increased Diplomacy: African Americans and in the department since 1949, the
from 17 to 24 percent, and in the Civil the State Department, 1945-1969 struggles of the first Black diplomats
Service, it fell from 44 to 43 percent. (M.E. Sharpe, 1999), teaches history and what Krenn believes is needed to
The proportion of African Americans at Appalachian State University. The reform State.
in the Foreign Service increased from book discusses integration of the Chris Richardson—whose
6 to 7 percent during that period, while State Department after 1945, as well op-ed, “The State Department Was
the percentage of African Americans in as the appointments of Black ambas- Designed to Keep African Americans
the Civil Service decreased from 34 to 26 sadors to African and other develop- Out,” appeared in the June 23 New
percent. ing nations. York Times—is currently the general
According to the United States Census In the interview, Richardson and counsel and chief operating officer
Bureau, 13.4 percent of Americans were Krenn conduct a decade-by-decade for BDV Solutions, an immigration
Black as of July 2019. analysis of State and its issues with consulting firm.
GAO found that all minorities race. The two also review various con- Watch the video at https://bit.ly/
made up 30 percent of Foreign Service gressional investigations about race black-diplomacy.
employees at the FS-6 rank and lower,
14 SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALHarassment at
Border Crossings Contemporary Quote
I n the wake of discussions sparked
by the blog posts from former State
Department Consular Fellow Tianna
Right now, there are two fellowship programs that hire people of
color and give them positions within the Foreign Service. I’d say
that the State Department needs to increase fellowship programs like this.
Spears, the American Academy of Diplo- They need to increase hiring of people of color, promoting entry-level
macy sent a letter on July 13 to Secretary officers and mid-level officers so that they actually have the opportu-
of State Mike Pompeo regarding harass- nity, sit at the table and make decisions within these rooms and within
the embassies and consulates. So the entire State Department has to look
ment of minority diplomats at U.S. border
within and see what they can do to make the culture safer, healthier for
crossings. The letter was signed by Ambas- people of color that come in and give their lives and their careers
sadors (ret.) Thomas Pickering, AAD and their families to its mission.
chairman, and Ronald Neumann, AAD
president. Excerpts from the letter follow. —Former Foreign Service Consular Fellow Tianna Spears, when asked how
“We are writing to address one acute the State Department could reimagine recruitment and bolster retention of diverse staff
issue: the deeply troubling pattern in and diplomats in a July 13 interview with PRI’s “The World.”
the mistreatment of Black, Hispanic and
other minority officers crossing U.S. bor-
der/entry points. By their own testimony, “We would like to suggest some Department. Further progress toward
many State Department officers have steps to address and hopefully halt the this objective will require sustained effort
endured regular and persistent discrimi- mistreatment of Black and other minority at the most senior levels to ensure that
nation and harassment by U.S. Customs staff, indeed all State Department staff, by all Department officers get the respect
and Border Patrol officers. law enforcement at border entry posts: and dignity from U.S. law enforcement
“Problems include CBP officers not “• A Department-wide review, ordered officials, which every American is entitled
accepting standard diplomatic docu- by you, regarding the specific incidents to at the border and international entry
ments; placing Black and Hispanic offi- reported by officers and consideration of points, especially while on official duty.”
cers in secondary examination without measures that can be taken within State
cause; and repeated hostile questioning both to intervene immediately in such Top State Official
and delays. This is made even more glar- cases and ensure equal treatment at the Resigns Over Trump
ing when they travel with Caucasian col- border of all staff in Mexico and world- Response to Racial
leagues who pass through with the same wide; Issues
documentation. …
“Mistreatment of State Department
personnel by U.S. CBP is not new. We have
“• A review of the issue at a senior
level with the Department of Homeland
Security, specifically the U.S. Customs
T he State Department’s highest-level
Black official, and the only Black
assistant secretary of State, resigned on
learned that such incidents have often dis- and Border Protection, to ensure such June 18 over President Donald Trump’s
rupted the official travel of Black, Hispanic practices cease; and handling of racial tensions.
and other officers. While in the past, some “• Make clear to all Department Mary Elizabeth Taylor was the first
incidents came to the attention of Depart- employees that you regard such mistreat- Black woman to hold the position of
ment leadership, the continued reports, ment as unacceptable, that you expect assistant secretary of State for legislative
including from our most senior members, reported cases to be addressed overseas affairs. At age 30, she was also the young-
suggest that such mistreatment lives on and domestically, as appropriate, and est. A Republican political appointee, she
and too often goes unaddressed. that you will follow up regularly with the previously served as an aide to Senate
“We hope you concur that any percep- Director General and relevant senior Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
tion of tacit acceptance of such practices officials at State and other agencies. “Moments of upheaval can change you,
or indifference to the reports by Depart- “The American Academy of Diplomacy shift the trajectory of your life, and mold
ment officials or other Federal officials is strongly supports a diverse, inclusive, your character. The President’s comments
unacceptable and warrants action. well-resourced and high-impact State and actions surrounding racial injustice
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2020 15and Black Ameri- to travel to their onward assignments, employee safety—have not been met. …
cans cut sharply another factor in school attendance. [F]ive of the seven indicators on the Diplo-
against my core Some FSOs who were allowed to travel macy Strong dashboard show clearly that
values and convic- to new posts found the experience bewil- the Washington metro area should not be
tions,” Taylor wrote STATE DEPARTMENT dering. Some countries required new moving to this next stage.”
in her resignation arrivals to quarantine for up to 14 days,
letter to Secretary of forcing FSOs to perform the embassy Packing the USAGM
State Mike Pompeo.
“I must follow the Mary Elizabeth
dictates of my con- Taylor
check-in process virtually. And for some,
the usual excitement of arriving at a new
post was tempered by not being able to
O n June 4, days after the FSJ reported
on unprecedented White House
attacks on the Voice of America, the Sen-
science and resign as Assistant Secretary of meet embassy colleagues in person or ate confirmed documentary filmmaker
State for Legislative Affairs.” explore the city. Michael Pack as chief executive officer
Many who have been on global autho- of the Broadcasting Board of Governors,
COVID-19 Challenges rized departure were unsure when they which oversees the U.S. Agency for Global
Continue for Foreign would be allowed to return to their posts, Media.
Service or whether they should curtail. And many USAGM encompasses VOA, Radio
A s COVID-19 cases increased dra-
matically in the United States in
June and July, the Foreign Service sought
who have stayed at post wondered if it
was safe to take a vacation and what to do
with their accrued R&R leave.
Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Office of
Cuba Broadcasting (Television and Radio
Martí), Radio Free Asia and the Middle
to adjust to numerous challenges brought While COVID-19 cases dropped East Broadcasting Networks.
on by the pandemic. dramatically in some countries in Europe Pack’s June 2018 nomination was so
One of the foremost issues on Foreign and Asia, other parts of the world—such controversial that it took more than a
Service families’ minds was whether their as the Middle East and the Americas— year to pass through the Senate Foreign
children would be able to attend school became hotspots. Relations Committee, and still had not
in person this fall, and how that would More than 500 FSOs signed a July 27 reached the Senate floor at the end of May
affect parents’ ability to work. letter to Under Secretary of Management 2020. But after heavy administration pres-
In the Washington, D.C., area, for Brian Bulatao, asking the State Depart- sure, Pack was confirmed even though
example, Arlington Public Schools Super- ment to delay its move to the second he remains under investigation by the
intendent Francisco Duran proposed a phase of its reopening plan. In Phase 2, District of Columbia attorney general for
virtual-only start to the school year, with up to 80 percent of staff members would allegedly channeling money from a non-
the goal of beginning in-school instruc- return to the office. profit group he oversees to his for-profit
tion for some students in the Virginia The letter asked the under secretary film production company.
district in October. to “provide definitive guidance to all Shortly after he was appointed, VOA
The District of Columbia on July 30 bureaus and overseas [m]issions direct- Director Amanda Bennett and Deputy
announced an all-virtual start to the ing them to allow all telework-ready Director Sandy Sugawara, both civil
school year through at least Nov. 6. employees to continue to telework full- servants, resigned on June 15. Two days
Overseas, many parents also faced time, without retribution, until all local later, on his first official day in office, Pack
difficult school choices, depending on school districts have discontinued virtual fired two more network heads: Bay Fang,
the severity of the pandemic in their options and public transportation is president of Radio Free Asia, and Emilio
host countries. On the popular Facebook available and safe.” Vazquez, acting director of the Office of
group Trailing Houses, some parents AFSA also sent a July 27 letter to Secre- Cuba Broadcasting.
shared homeschooling resources to tary of State Mike Pompeo about the issue, Next, Libby Liu—a George H.W. Bush
supplement virtual education. and in a July 29 statement to its members, appointee and former head of RFA now
In the foreign affairs agencies, many said: “AFSA believes that the criteria set directing a special program, the Open
members of the Foreign Service still did out by the department—data, conditions Technology Fund, aimed at developing
not know when they would be permitted on the ground in specific locations, and digital tools to penetrate the so-called
16 SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALProtecting FSOs Abroad HEARD ON THE HILL and can play a role also in coordinating
This year is a stark reminder of how we broader overseas U.S. engagement.
must do everything we can to support the —Chairman Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) at the
safety of our Foreign Service officers work- Senate Foreign Relations Hearing, “COVID-19
ing abroad at 260-plus installations. and U.S. International Pandemic
—Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) at the State, Preparedness, Prevention, and Response:
Foreign Operations and Related Programs Additional Perspectives,” June 30.
(SFOPS) Full Appropriations Committee
Markup, July 9. Diversity at State
People who bring diversity to the State
JOSH
Diplomacy’s Bedrock Department will help us more than oth-
I am very, very appreciative of your dedication to … ers because we’ll have a Foreign Service that reflects
protecting our career personnel at the State Department America, but it will also undercut the propaganda of
and USAID and international institutions, these people our enemies, who say that America is a place of discrimi-
who are the bedrock of our nation’s diplomatic efforts. nation and caste. And obviously, nothing defeats that
—Rep. David Price (D-N.C.) to Appropriations argument more than people at a high level in our State
Chairwoman Rep. Nita Lowey at the SFOPS Department serving abroad in illustrating the opposite.
Full Appropriations Committee Markup, July 9. —Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) at the House
Foreign Affairs Committee’s Oversight and Investigations
State’s Role During Pandemic Subcommittee Hearing, “Diversity and Diplomacy:
The State Department has an incredibly important role Why an Inclusive State Department Would Strengthen
in building diplomatic support for pandemic readiness U.S. Foreign Policy,” June 17.
Great Chinese Firewall—was sacked than Alexandre, senior counsel for Liberty lems that have surfaced in the media” and
before she could resign. Counsel, an organization dedicated to warning that, while he hoped to “confer
Pack also dismissed RFE/RL President “religious freedom” that once threatened extensively with you—the talented and
Jamie Fly and MBN President Alberto legal action against a Jacksonville, Florida, dedicated men and women of USAGM …
Fernandez, both staunch Republicans library for holding a Harry Potter event, current circumstances will limit the kind
appointed by Trump, and both esteemed on the grounds that this constituted pro- of outreach and contact we have for a
throughout USAGM. motion of witchcraft. while longer.”
Pack froze all spending and replaced all USAGM then issued a press release,
members of the organizations’ biparti- quoted by Martha Bayles in The American
san governing boards—which included Interest. “Pack’s message was met with an
seasoned, knowledgeable individuals overwhelmingly positive response by staff
like Ambassadors (ret.) Ryan Crocker and and grantees, who personally reached
Karen Kornbluh—with himself and five out and candidly congratulated him,” the
other individuals. Even as heads were rolling, Pack sent release stated in part.
Among them are Rachel Semmel, who an email to USAGM employees assuring As Bayles trenchantly observes, “It is
has used her position as spokesperson them: “I am fully committed to honoring remarkable how closely this resembles an
for the Office of Management and Budget VOA’s charter, the missions of the grant- official Chinese Communist Party com-
to provide caustic responses to questions ees and the independence of our heroic muniqué, translated into stilted, unnatu-
about Trump’s disputed decision to with- journalists around the world.” ral English by a person with absolutely no
hold military aid from Ukraine; Bethany But the message concluded on a ear for the way people actually talk.”
Kozma, who has brought her anti-abor- chillier note, as Pack announced his Meanwhile, Pack has refused
tion-rights activism to USAID; and Jona- intention “to examine some of the prob- calls to sign off on J-1 visa extensions
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2020 1750 Years Ago
Radio Is Alive and Well
R adio informs, interprets, teaches, persuades
and entertains, all for a penny’s worth of battery
electricity a day. It hurdles the barriers of censorship
States Government, is the largest and
most comprehensive of the various
American broadcasters. It airs 830
and illiteracy. Many in the world are illiterate, but few hours a week in 35 languages—well
are deaf. behind Radio Moscow, Radio Peking
There are about 850 million radio sets in the world and even the national radio of the
today. One out of three can pick up short wave. If the United Arab Republic.
present trend continues, over one billion radio sets will be Radio Moscow and its sister station, “Radio Peace and
in use by 1980, perhaps 300 million of them capable of Progress,” must be viewed as the single biggest world
receiving short wave. broadcaster with 1,920 hours a week going out in 82
All major and many small nations broadcast interna- languages. Radio Peking follows with nearly 1,500 hours
tionally. in 38 languages, and UAR Radio has 1,040 hours in 29
The total air time of all American broadcasters languages.
(government and private) transmitting to foreign audi- With all this international broadcasting going on, it is
ences—2,240 hours a week—exceeds that of all other easy to see that the airwaves are jammed and the com-
nations. This astounding total includes the output of petition for the limited number of available frequencies
American radio stations like Radio Free Europe, Radio is fierce. In fact, the most striking recent development
Liberty and RIAS, which program exclusively for audi- in international broadcasting—regular satellite radio
ences in Eastern Europe and the USSR, and also the transmissions are still in the future—has been the rapid
world-wide American Forces Radio Network, which increase in the number and power of both medium and
broadcasts only in English. short wave transmitters in the world.
The Voice of America, a part of the United States —FSIO Richard G. Cushing, excerpted from his article of
Information Agency and the official radio of the United the same title in the September 1970 FSJ.
for foreign nationals working for VOA in tional broadcasters are an important part for every American diplomat, to recognize
Washington. Not only would this deprive of the face we present to the world. Thanks how our founders understood unalienable
the agency of a wealth of talent and to congressional negligence, presidential rights,” Secretary Pompeo said in a speech
expertise, but it may leave scores of pro- malice and general indifference, that face at the National Constitution Center there.
fessionals who have dedicated their lives has just gotten uglier.” “Foremost among these rights are prop-
to furthering American ideals with no erty rights and religious liberty.”
choice but to return to the very regimes Pompeo Unveils Secretary Pompeo created the advi-
on which they have been reporting. Unalienable Rights sory commission in July 2019 to provide
Writing in June in The Atlantic, Anne Report “advice on human rights grounded in our
Applebaum observes: “In a world where
airwaves are flooded with authoritarian
disinformation, the effectiveness of Amer-
A rguing against a “proliferation” of
human rights and claiming that
“more rights does not necessarily mean
nation’s founding principles and the prin-
ciples of the 1948 Universal Declaration
of Human Rights,” according to the State
ican messaging depends on the perceived more justice,” Secretary of State Mike Pom- Department website. It was greeted with
credibility and independence of the mes- peo unveiled a draft report of recommen- skepticism from parts of the human rights
sengers. Anything that resembles ‘Trump dations from his Commission on Unalien- community from the outset.
TV’ or even just old-fashioned propa- able Rights on July 16 in Philadelphia. Release of the report initiated a two-
ganda will have neither. America’s interna- “It’s important for every American, and week public comment period.
18 SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALThe commission’s report included a The Times “wants you to believe that
prefatory note highlighting the recent our country was founded for human
racial upheaval in America, and the stark bondage,” he said. “They want you to
need to improve on human rights in the believe that America’s institutions con-
United States. tinue to reflect the country’s acceptance AFSPA
“As the Commission’s work on this of slavery at our founding. They want
afspa.org
Report was nearing its completion, social you to believe that Marxist ideology that Episcopal Church Schools
convulsions shook the United States, America is only the oppressors and the of Virginia
testifying to the nation’s unfinished work oppressed. The Chinese Communist www.episcopalschoolsva.org
in overcoming the evil effects of its long Party must be gleeful when they see The
history of racial injustice,” the note reads. New York Times spout this ideology.” Clements Worldwide
“The many questions roiling the On July 20, a group of more than 30 clements.com/missionsabroad
nation about police brutality, civic unrest religious leaders (including Catholic,
and America’s commitment to human evangelical, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and Corporate Apartment
rights at home make all the more urgent Buddhist leaders) released a statement
Specialist
corporateapartments.com
a point we had already stressed in the in response to the commission report,
Introduction and elsewhere in this stating in part: “We know from Secretary
Federal Employee
Report: The credibility of U.S. advocacy Pompeo’s repeated comments … that he Protection Systems
for human rights abroad depends on the will seek to use the Commission’s report fedsprotection.com
nation’s vigilance in assuring that all its to justify marginalizing certain rights, thus
own citizens enjoy fundamental human diminishing human rights advocacy and Georgetown University,
rights. With the eyes of the world upon stifling demands for accountability for Walsh School of
her, America must show the same honest those whose rights have been violated. … Foreign Service, ISD
self-examination and efforts at improve- “Such politicization of human rights— casestudies.isd.georgetown.edu
ment that she expects of others. Ameri- and of freedom of religion in particular—
ca’s dedication to unalienable rights—the is dangerous, particularly now when the Property Specialists, Inc.
rights all human beings share—demands forces of authoritarianism are on the rise propertyspecialistsinc.com
no less.” globally. …
Richey Property Management
A coalition of four groups sued Sec- “We urge members of the commission
richeypm.com
retary Pompeo on March 6 for allegedly to consider the risks of complicity in such
unlawfully creating the commission in an effort and use this comment period Washington Management
violation of the Federal Advisory Com- to ensure that the final version of the Services
mittee Act. And human rights groups commission’s report firmly upholds the wmsdc.com
have criticized the commission for universality and indivisibility of rights as
considering LGBT+ rights and women’s set forth in the Universal Declaration of WJD Management
reproductive rights (including abortion) Human Rights.” wjdpm.com
to be among those they see as outside of
“natural,” unalienable rights. No Good Deed
In his speech in Philadelphia, Secre- Goes Unpunished
tary Pompeo denounced “rioters pulling
down statues [who] see nothing wrong
with desecrating monuments to those
T he July 22 New York Times reports
that in February 2018 Robert Wood
Johnson IV, President Trump’s ambas-
who fought for our unalienable rights,” sador to the Court of St. James’s, unsuc-
and disparaged The New York Times’ 1619 cessfully pressured U.K. officials to steer
Project about the history of slavery in the the British Open golf tournament to the
United States. Trump Turnberry resort in Scotland.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2020 19He did so despite the advice of his Neither the State Department nor the Turkish cleric whom Turkish officials
deputy chief of mission, Foreign Service embassy has addressed the accusations accuse of orchestrating a failed coup
Officer Lewis A. Lukens, that such a directly, but the department said Mr. against Erdogan’s government in 2016.
request would constitute an unethical use Johnson had led the embassy “honorably Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania, has
of the presidency for private gain. A few and professionally.” It issued a statement denied backing the coup attempt.
months after Lukens notified the State declaring, “We stand by Ambassador We first reported on Mr. Topuz’s
Department of the incident, Amb. John- Johnson and look forward to him con- plight in our December 2018 issue, which
son ousted Lukens, seven months before tinuing to ensure our special relationship focused on Locally Employed staff, in an
his tour was to end, effectively torpedoing with the U.K. is strong.” article titled “When Doing Your Job Lands
his diplomatic career. You in Jail.”
Among other things, Johnson was A Discouraging Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called
reportedly furious that at two British “New Era” the accusations against Topuz “baseless,”
universities his DCM had given a speech
in which he shared a positive anecdote
about President Barack Obama’s 2013 visit
I n a case that has stoked tensions
between Ankara and Washington
since 2017, a Turkish court sentenced
stating that the charges “misrepresent
both the scope and nature of the impor-
tant work undertaken by our local staff on
to Senegal, where Lukens was the ambas- Metin Topuz, an employee of Consulate behalf of the U.S. government and in the
sador at the time, according to a December General Istanbul who had spent 20 years promotion of our bilateral relationship.”
2019 GQ article by Julia Ioffe, “Trump Is working for the U.S. Drug Enforcement “This conviction undermines confi-
Waging War on America’s Diplomats.” Administration, to nearly nine years in dence in Turkey’s institutions and the
The Times article also noted com- prison on June 11. critical trust at the foundation of Turkish-
plaints that the ambassador compliments A post on the Twitter account of U.S. American relations,” Pompeo declared.
the appearances of female embassy Embassy Ankara noted that U.S. officials “We reiterate our call on the Turkish
employees during staff meetings. CNN have “observed every hearing in the trial government to resolve his case in a just
reported July 22 that Johnson made racist of Metin Topuz in Istanbul, and we are manner.”
generalizations about Black men. deeply disappointed in today’s decision.” On June 15, Ambassador Eric Rubin,
At least some of the complaints The sentence was handed down just president of the American Foreign
about Johnson’s management style were three days after a phone call between Service Association, issued the following
raised with the department’s Office of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan statement: “I share Secretary Pompeo’s
the Inspector General last fall, when a and President Donald Trump. Erdogan concern over the conviction of U.S. Con-
team of investigators began a routine later said during a television interview sulate General Istanbul Locally Employed
review of diplomatic operations in that “a new era” could begin in Turkey’s staff member Metin Topuz. AFSA joins
London. relationship with the United States. the entire Foreign Service community in
Their findings were submitted in Feb- Turkish authorities had arrested hoping that this conviction will be over-
ruary, and the complaints about Johnson the 20-year veteran of the consulate in turned quickly.
are expected to be included, according to September 2017 and charged him with “AFSA stands in support of our tens
one of the investigators. It is not clear why membership in a terrorist organization, of thousands of Locally Employed staff
the review has not been made public, but among other counts. members, without whom the daily busi-
it has been designated classified, which is The arrest set off a tit-for-tat spat ness of American diplomacy would be
unusual. between the United States and Turkey, impossible,” Rubin continued. “Their
On Aug. 5, Lukens spoke about the which included reciprocal travel restric- contributions are myriad, and they make
incident on “The Rachel Maddow Show,” tions. In March 2020, Turkish prosecutors our foreign policy and global engagement
confirming that he had advised Amb. reduced the charges, dropping accusa- stronger and more successful.” n
Johnson twice that pushing the British tions of espionage and attempting to
government to use Trump’s golf course overthrow the government. This edition of Talking Points was com-
was “unethical, probably illegal,” but that Topuz was convicted of aiding a move- piled by Cameron Woodworth and Steven
the ambassador went ahead anyway. ment led by Fethullah Gulen, an exiled Alan Honley.
20 SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALYou can also read
