American Diplomat

Did you know that over 11 million jobs in the U.S. come from exports?  And that they pay U.S. citizens 15-20% more than non-export related jobs?  Dan Crocker debunks our most intrenched myths about trade.  Plus, why does Pete ask if he's a meatball? Learn this and more, workin' at the Car Wash!  (If you weren't alive in the 70s, this song will fill your heart with longing for the decade you missed.)

Why do we care about diversity in the Foreign Service?  When did you know this job was "the one"?  How do you do your job with so much danger out there these days?  Students visiting the State Department as Cox Fellows have some pretty good questions.  Julie Chung, Stacy Williams and Luis Mendez, plus of course Pete, give their two cents.  Even Laura chimes in, when truly moved.

The American dream is alive and well at the U.S. Department of State.  Stacy Williams, Luis Mendez and Julie Chung share with visiting Cox Fellows inspiring stories of their journeys from where they began to leadership roles in the Foreign Service.  And to keep the inspiration going, music from Funkadelic:  One Nation Under a Groove!

Did you know that 95% of the world's consumers live outside the United States?  As President, Global Public Affairs at UPS, former Economics Officer Laura Lane helps reduce corruption at borders, in turn helping small and midsize businesses prosper, while advancing global rights for women and reducing poverty throughout the world. 

Ambassador Laura Lane served in Rwanda during its period of genocide in the 1990s and learned when you should, and when you should not, follow the rules.  Here is the audio track of her TED talk on the subject, bookended with comments from Pete.

James Baker, Secretary of State under George H.W. Bush, remembers President Bush and puts today's foreign policy events in perspective as he receives the Walter and Lenore Annenberg Award for Excellence in Diplomacy.  "A golden age for humanity," he calls our times, and recalls a day when "we all sang from the same hymnal, which meant that our allies and our adversaries clearly understood U.S. policy and could not twist differences to their advantage." 

Ambassador Joe Sullivan has known a lot of dictators.  Who are they?  What are they like?  How do they do it?  "All I want to do is make this a prosperous, democratic country," is a good thing to say to Americans, these charming men have found.  

Diamonds, Petroleum, widespread human suffering and a decades-long civil war.  Ambassador Joe Sullivan talks about the U.S. role as monitor of the peace and demobilization process: "It was time to choose, and choosing was not between the angel and the devil; we had to chose the less bad option."

Turkey, Russia, Venezuela:  In what ways is the rise of strongmen in those countries similar and different from what we're seeing in the United States?  What role do press freedom and demonizing adversaries play in the rise of a dictator?  

November 18 is the anniversary of the Jonestown massacre (40th, can you believe it?).  Chuck English walks us through his experience as the first American diplomat to witness the aftermath.  With bonus discussion about Congressman Leo Ryan, an "experiential congressman", whose arrival on the scene immediately preceded the tragedy.  

Populism and religiosity:  Erdogan begins as a reformer, then builds a corrupt government that leads Turkey into economic peril and total political control through a narrative that stokes fear of victimization at the hand of external enemies.  Bob Pearson shows us how Turkey got where it is today in the second part of our discussion with him as part of our series, "Is It Happening Here?"

Corruption, hostage-taking, and a populace divided over Erdogan's Muslim Brotherhood-style government.  Ambassador Bob Pearson helps us understand Turkey's era of us-vs.-them politics in the newest episode of our series Is It Happening Here?

Why was the Nairobi attack not prevented?  How was it planned, and why did al-Qaeda choose that embassy?  Ambassador Prudence Bushnell helps us answer these questions and tells how she led in the aftermath, in ways that only a woman can lead.  

"I could not take away people's pain or anger or injuries or post-traumatic stress,  but I could accompany them."  Ambassador Prudence Bushnell leads the US Embassy in Nairobi through the aftermath of a massive bomb attack on August 7, 1998.  213 people died instantly, 500 were wounded, 750 businesses were blown up.  Says Bushnell, "Take care of your people, the rest will follow."

Mongolia, Turkmenistan and the Marshall Islands:  What do they all have in common?  Mike Senko opened the first American embassies in each one!  And he lived to tell the tale.