The Foreign Service Journal, May 2015

8 MAY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Security and Engagement BY SHAWN DORMAN T Shawn Dorman is the editor of The Foreign Service Journal. risk option other than closing up shop altogether, so the efforts of security and diplomatic professionals alike must be on finding the best way to support engagement while minimizing and mitigat- ing risk. What level of risk is tolerable? How is that deter- mined? When and where do the lines change? In “Effective Diplomacy after Benghazi,” FSO Michael Dod- man, consul general in Karachi from 2012 to 2014 and winner of the first Ryan C. Crocker Award for Outstanding Leader- ship in Expeditionary Diplomacy, offers his take on how to conduct effective diplomacy in a high-threat environment. In “Diplomatic Security Triage in a Dangerous World,” Ambassador Antho ny Quainton, who has served as assistant secretary for diplomatic security, evalu- ates where security priorities fall today and how much has changed since the Inman Commission recommendations were made 30 years ago in the wake of the 1983 Beirut bombings. He points to responses at other critical moments, following the 1998 East Africa embassy bombings; Sept. 11, 2001; and Benghazi, Sept. 11, 2012. Finally, in “Keeping Embassy Security in Perspective,” veteran FSO James Bullock takes a critical look at risk toler- ance—or the lack thereof. He argues that FS personnel “sometimes find ourselves in harm’s way because that is the only way we can do our jobs. Our objectives do not become less compelling just because some dan- ger is involved.” In our cover story, “Build- ing a Foreign Service for 2025 and Beyond,” Director Gener al Arnold Chacón and Senior Advi- sor Alex Karagiannis offer an overview of the challenges facing the Foreign Service and the Bureau of Human Resources’ goal: to recruit, retain and sustain a diverse workforce. On a related note, in “Tips from the Belly of the Python,” FSO John Fer offer s suggestions for how to optimize profes- sional development and strengthen the Foreign Service while negotiating a chal- lenging mid-level passage. Speaking of challenges facing the Foreign Service, please see AFSA News for coverage of the American Academy of Diplomacy’s new report, “Diplomacy at Risk,” which was released as we went to press. The full document is available at academyofdiplomacy.org , and is well worth reading. We will feature a more in-depth look at the study in our July-August focus on diplomacy as a profession. In the mean- time, we look forward to hearing your thoughts on the report and its recom- mendations. Please write to journal@ afsa.org with subject line “AAD Report.” And please, remember to vote in the AFSA election before June 4. n he April focus on Vietnam was, we are almost certain, the largest FSJ focus in 90 years, and included a first- ever FSJ online supplement. In my introduction, I quoted from the June 1975 FSJ editorial calling for a post-mor- tem of the Vietnam era from the career Foreign Service and noted that there is little evidence such an assessment was undertaken. Then we heard from retired Ambassa- dor David Lambertson, who reported that, actually, such an evaluation was done in 1975 at the request of the White House, and the resulting memo—“Lessons of Viet-Nam”—brought together the views of dozens of FSOs. He was the drafter. However, that document apparently died on Secretary of State Henry Kiss- inger’s desk, and instead quite a different memo went forward to the White House. Wouldn’t it be fascinating to see both ver- sions? Look for them in the July-August Journal . This month, we consider an issue that is on everyone’s mind today but is also evergreen, as shown by these covers from past years of the FSJ : managing risk. The critical question of how to do diplomacy and development in a dangerous world— the tension between protection and engagement—must be constantly considered and reconsidered, balanced and rebal- anced. There is no zero-