The Foreign Service Journal, January 2005

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 5 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 3 T HE M AGAZINE F OR F OREIGN A FFAIRS P ROFESSIONALS Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), 2101 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is published monthly with a combined July/August issue by the American Foreign Service Association, a private, non-profit organization. Material appearing herein represents the opinions of the writers and does not necessarily represent the views of the Journal, the Editorial Board or AFSA. Writer queries and submissions are invited, preferably by e-mail. Journal subscription: AFSAMembers - $13 included in annual dues; others - $40. For foreign surface mail, add $18 per year; foreign airmail, $36 per year. Periodical postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mail- ing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Foreign Service Journal , 2101 E Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037-2990. Indexed by Public Affairs Information Service (PAIS). The Journal is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos or illustrations. Advertising inquiries are invited. The appearance of advertisements herein does not imply the endorsement of the services or goods offered. FAX: (202) 338-8244 or (202) 338-6820. E-MAIL: journal@afsa.org. W EB: www.afsa.org. TE LEPHONE: (202) 338-4045. © American Foreign Service Association, 2005. Printed in the U.S.A. Send address changes to AFSA Membership, 2101 E Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037-2990. Printed on 50-percent recycled paper, of which 10 percent is post-consumer waste. J O U R N A L OREIGN ERVICE S F Editor S TEVEN A LAN H ONLEY Senior Editor S USAN B. M AITRA Associate Editor S HAWN D ORMAN Ad & Circulation Manager E D M ILTENBERGER Business Manager M IKKELA V. T HOMPSON Art Director C ARYN S UKO S MITH Editorial Intern D AVID C ODDON Advertising Intern L ULWA B ORDCOSH Editorial Board H OLLIS S UMMERS , C HAIRMAN K ENT C. B ROKENSHIRE S TEPHEN W. B UCK P ATI C HAPLIN C AROL A. G IACOMO W ILLIAM W. J ORDAN L AURIE K ASSMAN K AY W EBB M AYFIELD V IRGINIA F. S MITH C HRISTOPHER L. T EAL T ED W ILKINSON F O C U S O N R E F L E C T I O N S 26 / L IFE AND D EATH IN THE F OREIGN S ERVICE When you live where death comes easily, sometimes you lose no matter what you do. By Thomas H. Armbruster 30 / T HE G OOD O LD D AYS Despite all the pressure and unpaid overtime required to handle the crush of visa applicants, a retired consular officer has fond memories of his career. By Frederick D. Purdy 33 / S ECOND -L INE D IPLOMACY : T HE F IRST KAL I NCIDENT In the shadow of crucial talks in Moscow between Cyrus Vance and Andrei Gromyko, quiet diplomacy resolved the first Korean Airlines incident. By Kenneth N. Skoug Jr. 36 / U NPACKING M Y B OOKS An FSO sorts through his baggage, literally and figuratively. By Alexis Ludwig C ONTENTS J a n u a r y 2 0 0 5  Vo l ume 8 2 , No . 1 F E A T U R E S I NSIDE A P ROMOTION P ANEL / 39 What do selection boards look for in deciding whom to promote? Here is a “top ten” list of tips to maximize one’s chances of career advancement. By John Naland G ERTRUDE B ELL AND I RAQ : D EJA V U A LL O VER A GAIN / 43 The extraordinary Englishwoman who played a key role in the birth of modern Iraq confronted many of the same issues the U.S. and the new Iraqi government face today. By Barbara Griffith Furst Cover and inside illustrations by Jim Nuttle C O L U M N S P RESIDENT ’ S V IEWS / 5 Hail and Farewell By John Limbert L ETTER FROM THE E DITOR / 6 By Steven Alan Honley S PEAKING O UT / 15 Toward A Points-Based Promotion System By Kenneth J. Fairfax R EFLECTIONS / 64 By Lulwa Bordcosh D E P A R T M E N T S L ETTERS / 9 C YBERNOTES / 12 M ARKETPLACE / 14 FS K NOW -H OW / 21 B OOKS / 54 I NDEX T O A DVERTISERS / 62 AFSA N EWS / C ENTER I NSERT