The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2013

40 JULY-AUGUST 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL LOYALTY: THE HALLMARKOF THE PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMAT Once a final decision is made by our political masters, it is the responsibility of the professional diplomat to execute it—or step aside and let another do so. BY ROBERT WI L L I AM DRY D iplomatic literature—from Machiavelli’s advice to his prince to that of contemporary ambas- sadors recounting their experi- ences for the benefit of new Foreign Service officers—doesn’t spell out codes of conduct for practitioners. But such sources do offer valuable insights into the attributes of the ideal diplomat. A common theme in the literature is that the purpose of a diplomat is to pursue, with every fiber of his or her being, “the national interest.” Defining that term can be tricky, it is safe to say. But particularly for any diplomat serving at an embassy or consulate (as opposed to those based at international or intergovernmental organizations), veering from the official policy of their countries continues to be the equivalent of pro- fessional suicide. (However, I certainly do not mean to suggest that sending an appropriate, constructive Dissent Channel message is a bad idea.) I offer the following reflections on loyalty in diplomacy, Robert William Dry, an FSO from 1981 to 2010, serves on AFSA’s Professionalism and Ethics Committee. He is an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and at New York University’s Wilf Family Department of Politics. FOCUS PROFESSIONAL ETHICS