The Foreign Service Journal, March 2007

sewer systems, jobs, a functioning economy or, most important, personal security. Building a few more wells and creating a few more short-term cleanup projects will not impress these people.” Offering another view, one FS PRT member in a par- ticularly dangerous province, who declined to be identi- fied, says: “We need to do everything we can to ensure the PRTs can do their work. When we succeed, the Iraqis can run the country themselves and we can go home. We are, in a sense, the exit strategy.” Angela Williams and Horacio Ureta, both serving in Anbar, argue that the Foreign Service has a critical role to play in Iraqi provinces. “Anbar is extremely dangerous and difficult due to al-Qaida in Iraq. However, we, the PRT, must be here,” says Ureta. Williams tells us that “At some point, we have to pick up the pieces and put a non- military face on it. We are the non-military face.” Her face is particularly effective, because she is an Arabic- speaking Muslim woman, one with more than 15 years of public diplomacy experience. She waits for days for a meeting off-base with the governor, on hold for the nec- essary security conditions and support for the trip. She believes the meeting is worth the wait. When she heads out to the meeting, she’s wearing her black abaya. Over her abaya — which doubles at night as a curtain in her muddy shared trailer — she wears a full metal jacket, a helmet, protective goggles and gloves. Unarmed diplomats flanked by armed personnel on military teams in active combat zones, outside of an embassy structure, in the Iraqi provinces — these may be the faces of the “expeditionary Foreign Service” that is called for by Secretary Rice. But while the Foreign Service is expected to “step up” and serve in Iraq, they should, in turn, be able to expect to be sent only to places where they can actually do their jobs and meet with key interlocutors, where there is a chance that they can play an effective, meaningful role. They should be able to expect that they will not be used simply as “pins on a map” for PowerPoint presentations back in Washington. F O C U S M A R C H 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 39 * per night, single or double occupancy subject to availability Y our search is over, choose a hotel where the federal per diem rate is available year-round. * Luxurious Suites All rooms with full size kitchen & stove tops Fitness center Complimentary in-room coffee Full service restaurant Parking available Across fromMain State White House, The Mall, and Metro Foggy Bottom station (blue & orange lines) within walking distance Accommodations State Plaza Hotel 2117 E. St. NW Washington, DC 20037 Telephone: (800) 424-2859 (202) 861-8200 Parking Available Rated 1 / 2 by AAA www.stateplaza.com E-mail: reservations@stateplaza.com