American Diplomat show

American Diplomat

Summary: 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.

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  • Artist: Ambassador (Retired) Pete Romero and Writer/Producer Laura Bennett
  • Copyright: American Diplomat 2017

Podcasts:

 Could This Happen to Me? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 32:23

Eric Rubin, President of the Foreign Service Officers' "union", compares the treatment of Foreign Service Officers during the McCarthy era and support that is available today, during "the biggest political battle of a generation."

 What is Nation-Building? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 50:11

And why is it a bad word?  How could Thailand kill 40 million chickens without a state?  Former Foreign Service Officer Keith Mines, now with the U.S. Institute of Peace, explains all of this and why we care, drawing on his vast political, military, economic, and humanitarian nation-building experience. 

 Foreign Service Test? Quiz Show? You Decide. | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 40:15

Laura's Foreign Service Test, finally.  Did she pass?  Did she live? Were the questions fair?  Were the examiners fair?  Pete and Dave Rabadan are tough.  Was Laura tough enough?

 Pedro Pan and the Guerrillas | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 32:22

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.  

 Who Lost China? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 30:56

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?

 Rohingya Genocide in Myanmar | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 35:49

Shari Villarosa, Chargé in Myanmar, helps us understand why the leader of Myanmar, Aung Sun Suu Kyi, who was once awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, did not stop the genocide of the resident minority group Rohingya.

 Sidebar - Parsing Iran Brinksmanship | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 14:31

Pete quickly parses recent events in Iran for Laura.  (Please note that we recorded this the day before the Ukrainian jet went down).  As international news gets weirder and weirder, Pete and Laura will offer brief breakdowns of events in our new bonus series called The Sidebar, in addition to our usual weekly discussions with diplomats.  Cheers!

 Perils of the Press, in Mexico-US Relations | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 25:42

Why is public diplomacy especially important in Mexico?  Mi casa es su casa, or put another way, we have 35 million US citizens of Mexican heritage, a 2000 mile border, 1 million people going in both directions over the border every day, and billions of dollars in trade annually.  So you'd better get it right.  And what about all those tweets?  Tony Wayne illuminates, and offers the best music Laura thinks we've ever had on the show!

 War and Peace in Trade | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 32:55

How do trade agreements affect regular people?  Tony Wayne, former Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs and US Ambassador to Mexico, breaks down both the recent US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the preceding North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and explains why everything that happens between the US and Mexico is "intermestic," or both international and domestic.

 A Life of Significance | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 31:30

What's so important about devoting your life to service?  What are the rewards?  How have the changing times impacted the work of diplomacy, and how have they not?  One thing never changes:  You have the opportunity to promote and protect and defend the interests of the United States of America.

 Immunity, Reciprocity, Espionage | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 30:40

Why was a stash of Nazi spy payoff money stuffed up Pete's chimney? Why was the Iran hostage crisis of the 70s such a huge aberration of norms?  And why can it be difficult to tell the difference between diplomatic reporting and espionage?  David Stewart is back with more stories.

 Diplomatic Immunity? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 37:44

Is immunity the same as impunity?  Sadly for some, there are always consequences for a bad act. David Stewart, former State Department attorney, explains the reality.

 When Ambassadorships Are for Sale | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 28:27

Sondland, the Ukraine affair, and what this episode in history teaches us about the risks of appointing ambassadors who donate heavily to presidential campaigns. With Ambassador Dennis Jett, author of the new book titled, American Ambassadors: The Past, Present and Future of America's Diplomats.  

 Thanksgiving with AmDip! | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 40:03

We love Thanksgiving, and our diplomats especially love the holiday when celebrated overseas.  What better way to celebrate an American tradition of thanks than to share it with our friends abroad?  Plus, what's the best way to slaughter a turkey?  Better ask the Uzbeks because the Americans really don't know. Cheers!

 When ISIS Comes Home | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 41:55

They left to join the recruiter-imams' war.  Now they're back home in Kosovo.  How to make these young men peace-loving Kosovars once more?  Greg Delawie explains.

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