The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2013

62 JULY-AUGUST 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Europe and elsewhere aspired to nothing more than enduring it. Some of them pretended weaponry was irrelevant, or sought more weapons; many people on all sides feared apocalyptic miscalcula- tion or apocalyptic calculation. For much of that period, it was nearly impossible to envision any clear path toward stability without compromises on the essentials. Breakthrough reminds us of those challenges and the role the INF Treaty played in meeting them. Douglas Kinney is a retired Foreign Service officer. The views expressed here are those of the author only and do not reflect the views of the Department of State or the U.S. government. Soft Power in Action Against the Odds: Health and Hope in South Africa Herb and Joy Kaiser, CreateSpace, 2013, $27, paperback, 196 pages. Reviewed by Bob Houdek As if the title of this book were not clear enough, the foreword by South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the introduction by Max Price, vice chancel- lor of the University of Cape Town and former dean of the medical school of the University of Witwatersrand, signal the reader up front that this is not just another retirement memoir. Rather, it tells the story of Herb and Joy Kaiser, whose remarkable vision, dedication and commitment made possible the educa- tion of a generation of black medical practitioners in South Africa. Herb Kaiser’s last Foreign Service assignment was in Cape Town during the 1980s, at the height of the apartheid era. When he came down with a serious illness there, he received some of the finest medical care available anywhere in the world. Yet the couple’s African staff could not even obtain basic medical care. Recognition of that distressing contrast spurred their remarkable quest to close the gap by founding an organization in 1985 that they named Medical Education for South African Blacks. The MESAB project constitutes a paradigm of what all FSOs should strive for in their careers. As the Kaisers explain, a practical problem spurred them to act: the lack of medical practitio- ners serving the black community. They then formulated strategies to overcome strong resistance on two fronts. The first, emanating from reactionary forces in the white community, was foreseeable. But the second, driven by those who prioritized ousting the apartheid regime over fostering incremental change, was harder to resist. Fundraising is essential to successful philanthropy, and the authors’ incisive account of all the hard work, networking and follow-up required to get MESAB up and running will be instructive for anyone motivated to pursue similar good works. (The Kaisers are donating all proceeds from the sale of their book to the UmThombo Youth Development Foundation.) There were bumps along the way, to be sure; two separate boards—one South African, the other American—did not always see eye to eye. For example, differ- ences over cost and liability issues scotched plans to expand the pro- gram to offer palliative care for the burgeoning South African population afflicted by HIV/AIDS. The end of the MESAB saga was bit- tersweet. By 2007, 70 percent of students in South African medical schools were black. A commissioned evaluation con- cluded that MESAB had done its job and could close down. And so it did. Still, the Kaisers can take pride in having fostered the education of more than 10,000 health care providers, who are now treating the needs of all South Africans, black and white alike. And in the process, they illustrated the best of American “soft power.” Though self-published, this book puts to shame most major publishing house products. Its layout, maps, photos and graphics make it an enjoyable, easy read, while extensive footnotes, source citations and a detailed index greatly enhance its substance. For those who wonder what life might be like after the Foreign Service, this book should provide inspiration. As the Kaisers’ example proves, the skills FSOs acquire and hone overseas can lead to great things! n Bob Houdek served as chief of mission in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Uganda, deputy assistant secretary for African affairs, and national intelligence officer for Africa, among many other assignments during his 35-year Foreign Service career. He is cur- rently a retiree representative on the AFSA Governing Board. The Kaisers can take pride in having fostered the education of more than 10,000 South African health care providers.