The Foreign Service Journal, April 2004

VOA Is USG As a former VOA Spanish Branch chief (1977-79), I enjoyed the January Journal’ s exploration of the current, confused state of U.S. international broadcasting. While VOA correspon- dents Alex Belida and Mike Drudge are absolutely correct when they say their job is to report the news honestly and accurately, they — like many VOA employees — make no mention of another key section of the Voice’s 1976 congressionally-mandated charter: “To present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively, and also present responsible discussions and opinion on these policies.” Although VOA journalists aren’t charged specifically with presenting those policies, they should recognize the importance of the policy explication portion of their charter. I had this dis- cussion many times with the late, great Bernie Kamenske, VOA’s longtime and highly-respected news director. The VOA newsroom can’t and shouldn’t operate in a vacuum, and the main rea- son so many foreigners listen to the Voice is precisely because it does repre- sent the views of the U.S. government. If it didn’t, why would the taxpayers invest more than $155 million per year in an “independent” radio station? One final question: Why does the federal government continue to spend more than $25 million annually on a radio station (Radio Marti) that no one can listen to and a TV station (TV Marti) that no one watches? Or will our politicians continue to throw mil- lions of dollars at Marti in order to buy Cuban-American votes in South Flor- ida? Unfortunately, I think I know the answers to my own questions. Guy W. Farmer FSO USIA, retired Carson City, Nev. What State Won’t Say John Limbert’s comments in the January Journal on the role that dis- sent plays in keeping the Foreign Service vital and relevant could not have been more timely. With our country so divided today on the proper uses of our immense power, dissenting views are essential in forcing an open debate of vital national policies often fashioned in secret. In my opinion, Foreign Ser- vice professionals have no higher obligation than to share their insights with policy-makers, and, in some cases, with the American public. I was honored to have been mentioned by John among some notorious shin- kickers of yesteryear. I offer a more recent personal anecdote to illustrate AFSA’s irreplace- able role in encouraging people to risk speaking out. Secretary Powell in his October column in State magazine told his readers not to be concerned by the National Security Strategy Paper of September 2002 asserting the right of the U.S. to wage pre-emptive war against suspected evil-doers. He then urged all employees to get behind pre- sent policy. I assumed that the Secretary was addressing what he per- ceived to be a significant problem of dissension in the ranks, with echoes of Vietnam. Since he had raised the issue, I wrote a brief letter to State magazine saying gently that I thought Sec. Powell was wrong both on the sub- stance of the NSSP and in cheerlead- ing our Iraq policy in the pages of State. It was no surprise that the mag- azine refused to publish my letter. Evidently, house organs are allowed to play only one tune. However, I was told to try the Foreign Service Journal , which does print contrarian pieces. So, keep it up, AFSA. Continue to provide a forum for those who feel that it is their duty on occasion to speak out. And by all means, preserve and strengthen the annual awards program to recognize those who do. Samuel F. Hart FSO, retired Jacksonville, Fla. A P R I L 2 0 0 4 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 7 L E T T E R S Web access to major advertisers. Go to www.afsa.org Click on Marketplace tab on the marquee Bukkehave www.bukkehave.com Charles Smith Corp. Living www.SmithLiving.com Clements International www.clements.com DC Suites www.www.dcsuites.com Diplomatic Auto. Sales www.diplosales.com Executive Club Suites www.execlubdc.com Georgetown Suites www.georgetownsuites.com Harry Jannette International www.jannetteintl.com Hirshorn Company, The www.hirshorn.com Laughlin Management www.laughlincompanies.com Long & Foster www.simunek.com Marriott www.marriott.com Oakwood www.oakwood.com Promax (e-mail) promax@erols.com Prudential Carruthers www.prudentialcarruthers.com Remington www.remington-dc.com SDFCU www.sdfcu.org U.S. Gov’t Printing Office http://.bookstore.gpo.gov/sb/ sb-075.html University at Albany www.albany.edu/rockefeller WJDManagement www. wjdpm.com For more information about advertisers in the Journal go to: www.afsa.org/marketplace MARKETPLACE