The Foreign Service Journal, April 2018

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2018 21 known as Agent Orange, left from the war. Because the process for cleaning up dioxin is very expensive, it took three years to find the resources to remediate the largest, worst hot spot. That we are proceeding is a result of determined, persistent leadership spanning several administrations. And by keeping our promise, we strengthen trust, to the benefit of Vietnam, the United States and the world. Respect and trust are not zero-sum, nor are they transactional. They involve relationships, not just money and power. Military dominance alone won’t build the strong alliances and partner- ships that we need in the Indo-Pacific region. Those partnerships provide real, tangible benefits to the United States. Strong partnerships with India, Indone- sia and Vietnam create jobs for Ameri- cans, contribute to regional stability and help us address global challenges to human health, the environment and international security. When we commit to these partner- ships—and I have seen this again and again—we facilitate commercial deals worth hundreds of billions of dol- lars and boost educational exchange, creating or supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs in the United States. We form security partnerships with countries that share our interest in open sea lanes and upholding international law. We create a more prosperous and safer America. Don’t Give Up Before leaving post, I urged my embassy colleagues not to give up. Even if as ambassador (and therefore the president’s personal representa- tive) I could not in good conscience implement certain policies, I thought my younger colleagues might face a dif- ferent choice. Early in my career, I had considered leaving State when, serving on the Korea desk, I disagreed strongly with the administration’s approach to North Korea. But I held on, believ- ing that the pendulum would swing again and that I could do more good by remaining with the department than by quitting. There have been many difficult periods for the Foreign Service, and we have ridden through the ups and downs. Now, from the perspective of a for- mer FSO, I offer the following sugges- tions to those who continue to pursue diplomacy: • As long as you can remain true to your beliefs and ethics, don’t give up. We’ve been through tough cycles before. This will end. • Develop language and regional expertise. It continues to matter. • Show respect in ways large and small. It matters when a representative of the United States—no matter what rank—shows respect. • Build trust by engaging with coun- terparts in endeavors that are of mutual interest. • Build partnerships based on respect, as they are essential for Ameri- ca’s future and will enable us to recover when the clouds pass. • Keep relationships going. Those who argue that only interests matter, and that relationships don’t, have been proven wrong by history before and will be proven wrong again. When the United States shows respect and builds trust, we build rela- tionships that benefit enduring shared interests. After 30 years in Asia, I know that is the only way to make America even greater. n