THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MAY-JUNE 2026 23 The Value of the Foreign Service The United States Foreign Service is one of our nation’s most important strategic foreign policy assets. Foreign Service officers are on the front lines of diplomacy and serve in some of the most dangerous and complex environments around the world. They advance American strategic objectives, support U.S. citizens overseas, manage critical programs, and represent the United States and American values across the globe. Their work is indispensable. —Representative Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) in a March 5 House Committee on Foreign Affairs meeting, “Merit, Accountability, and Performance at State: Evaluating Promotion and Placement.” The Work of Diplomacy Our Foreign Service professionals carry out our nation’s diplomatic efforts every year in every way they can. They work to free detained Americans overseas, assist families during evacuations and emergencies, and work with humanitarian causes, in addition to making sure that our people are safe. —Representative Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.) in a March 5 House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing, “Merit, Accountability, and Performance at State: Evaluating Promotion and Placement.” operations, evacuating all diplomats and their families out of the country. On March 14, in Baghdad, Iraqi security sources reported that missiles struck near the U.S. embassy compound in the heavily fortified Green Zone. The Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center at the international airport was attacked multiple times in late March by Iranianbacked local militias. The State Department launched charter flights and ground transportation efforts to move Americans out of affected areas, though many stranded Americans complained they were unable to obtain support or even information. In some cases, commercial flights were unavailable due to widespread airspace closures, forcing travelers to rely on overland routes or governmentassisted departures. Americans in several countries were directed to shelter in place until safe evacuation options became available. Officials confirmed that emergency funds, potentially totaling up to $40 million, were authorized to support evacuation flights from the region. Meanwhile news outlets estimated the hostilities are costing the United States $1 billion per day. For consular sections across the region, the sudden surge in requests for assistance created intense operational demands, with tens of thousands of Americans contacting the State Department to seek guidance or evacuation assistance. Americans in Israel reported reaching a voice recording at the embassy informing them that the U.S. government would be unable to support their departure. The evacuation effort drew criticism from former diplomats who argued that contingency planning should have been activated earlier. Several veteran Foreign Service officers noted that a major regional escalation, particularly one involving Iran, should have been expected to lead to immediate airspace closures and disruptions to commercial travel. Earlier travel warnings or authorized departure orders, critics said, would have allowed more Americans to leave before flights were grounded. Others pointed to staffing shortages and the loss of experienced personnel as factors that may have complicated the response. In a public statement, AFSA warned that reductions in diplomatic staffing and expertise, particularly in crisis management, consular operations, and regional language skills, would undermine the department’s ability to respond effectively to emergencies. U.S. diplomatic facilities beyond the Middle East have also faced security threats potentially linked to the conflict. In Karachi, protests on March 1 linked to the conflict turned violent outside the U.S. consulate. Demonstrators smashed windows and clashed with security forces while police deployed tear gas to disperse crowds attempting to approach diplomatic facilities in other Pakistani cities. In Oslo, police arrested three suspects following an explosion on March 8 outside the U.S. embassy that investigators believe was caused by an improvised device placed near the entrance to the building’s consular section. Authorities in Toronto began an investigation into a March 10 shooting at the U.S. consulate that officials described as a potential national security incident. No injuries were reported, but the attack prompted heightened security measures around U.S. and Israeli diplomatic facilities in Canada. On March 17, The Washington Post reported that the State Department ordered all embassies and consulates overseas via cable to immediately review their security posture due to possible spillover effects from the war. JOSH Heard on the Hill
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