The Foreign Service Journal, February 2007

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 . WEB: www.afsa.org . TELEPHONE: (202) 338-4045. © American Foreign Service Association, 2007. 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 A NDREW K IDD Art Director C ARYN S UKO S MITH Editorial Board T ED W ILKINSON , C HAIRMAN K ENT C. B ROKENSHIRE S TEPHEN W. B UCK A NTHONY S. C HAN J OSH G LAZEROFF W ILLIAM W. J ORDAN L AURIE K ASSMAN K AY W EBB M AYFIELD C RYSTAL K. M ERIWETHER J OYCE N AMDE C HRISTOPHER L. T EAL F O C U S O N T H E N E X T T W O Y E A R S 19 / N EW P LAYERS , N EW D IRECTIONS ? Editor’s Introduction By Steven Alan Honley 21 / F OREIGN P OLICY IN THE 110 TH C ONGRESS The new Democratic majority will aim for wholesale changes on Iraq, foreign assistance and other issues, but will have limited room for maneuver. By George Cahlink 28 / A B LEAK O UTLOOK Any attempt by President Bush to reach some major foreign policy milestones in his remaining two years will fail. By Dennis Jett 29 / A S OUND S TRATEGY The administration is engaged in a course correction on Iraq, but this will affect only tactics, not the strategy of promoting democratization. By Joshua Muravchik C ONTENTS F e b r u a r y 2 0 0 7 Vo l ume 8 4 , No . 2 F E A T U R E S T HE N EW F OREIGN S ERVICE / 41 The report card is still out on where Secretary Rice’s “expeditionary” Foreign Service is headed. By John Naland A Q UEST FOR P EACE IN U GANDA / 48 Betty Bigombe has been personally involved for much of the past 18 years in trying to resolve the crisis in northern Uganda. Soon her goal may be realized. By George Gedda Cover and inside illustrations by Adam McCauley C O L U M N S P RESIDENT ’ S V IEWS / 5 Defending Retirees’ Interests, Both Inside and Outside the FS By J. Anthony Holmes S PEAKING O UT / 16 The Lost Art of Experimentation By Michael Bricker R EFLECTIONS / 88 The Whole World Was Watching — Except Me By Mary Grace McGeehan D E PA R T M E N T S L ETTERS / 6 C YBERNOTES / 12 M ARKETPLACE / 14 B OOKS / 52 AFSA N EWS / 55 T AX G UIDE / 57 I N M EMORY / 76 I NDEX TO A DVERTISERS / 86 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 7 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 3