The Foreign Service Journal, September 2003

10 AFSA NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2003 ing, has failed, indeed is actively not implementing President Bush’s foreign policy. I find this an amazing charge. Is he talking about the career Foreign Service, which I was once a member of? If he is, he’s just deadwrong. The Foreign Service is just like the military. It carries out the instructions of presidents of both parties after giving its own advice. They are not insubordinate.” U.S. Representative Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., July 18: In a speech on the House floor, Rep. VanHollen called upon President George Bush, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and Secretary of State Colin Powell to demand the resignation of Newt Gingrich from the Defense Policy Board, an influential organization that advises the Pentagon. “Gingrich would like the profession- al analysts to manipulate the facts to fit the policy rather than have a policy informed by the facts. It is a sad day for our country when Mr. Gingrich could attack an accurate and truthful statement made by career StateDepartment officials as part of a systematic effort to undermine foreign policy. The intelligence analysts in INR have a duty to provide the Secretary of State and ultimately, the pres- ident, with their best assessment and judgment. It would be irresponsible for them to do otherwise when the lives of American men and women are at stake. “Mr. Gingrich has openly and loud- ly attacked the integrity of the men and women in the State Department. Moreover, he has advocated positions that wouldweaken our ability to confront the challenges we face abroad. Allowing him to remain on the Defense Policy Board will send a terrible signal to the men and women who work every day to protect our security and advance our interests abroad that his statements are acceptable to this administration. He should do the right thing and resign from the board. The administration can either stand by the statements of Mr. Gingrich or make it clear that they are unacceptable. Mr. President, Secretary Rumsfeld, Secretary Powell, where do you stand?” ActingAFSAPresident LouiseCrane, in the September Foreign Policy : “Newt Gingrich’s article, ‘Rogue State Department,’ fits his image as a slash and burn politician, but contributes nothing useful to a debate on either U.S. foreign policy or the foreign policy establishment. “AFSA applaudsMr. Gingrich’s argu- ments for a reinvigorated Foreign Service, one more linguistically able, one better trained and one with greater exposure to the work of NGOs and the private sec- tor. However, AFSA laments that this epiphany has come so late to him. Had the scales been removed from his eyes while he was still in his congressional lead- ership position, he might have used his influence to restore funding to a starving State Department, which at one point in the mid-1990s could not even replace retiring Foreign Service employees. There were some 700 positions overseas in crit- ical countries that could not be filled because there simply were not enough employees. Language and other training were deferred to prevent more positions from going unfilled.” ▫ ready a few minutes early.” Powell commended Naland for doing a “splendid” job repre- senting the Foreign Service. He thanked Naland and AFSA, not- ing that “we had todo a little tussling in the beginning, but we soon realized that we had the same objective.” Powell spoke eloquently of the lifetime commitment of George Shultz to public service. “This award reflects the deep admiration and affection in which you are held by the men and women that you led. It also reflects the deep appreci- ation of succeeding generations of all the members of the State familywhohaveben- efited from your legendary, and still very active, concern for their mission and for their well being.” Powell recalled his ser- vice alongside Shultz in the Reagan administration and recalled his prescient observations, noting him“among the first to understand the profound implications of globalization.” In his remarks, Shultz offered advice and recommendations. He spoke of his long admiration for Foreign Service officers and all public servants, and reiterated his belief in the importance of training through all levels of a career. He rec- ommended that the Service try to attract more young people as they graduate from college. Shultz spoke critically of the depart- ment’s “up or out” promotion practices, which he said cause peo- ple to cut short their public service careers for opportunities in the private sector. As he put it, “the Foreign Service career should start earlier, end later, andbe continuallypunctuatedby career-conscious training.” The former secretary endedhis speechon a positive note, enthusiastically praising Secretary Powell’s work in the State Department and affirming the importance of diplomacy today. ▫ From left: Former Secretary George Shultz, Amb. William Harrop, John Naland, Outgoing Director General Ruth A. Davis. Katherine Fisk Carroll presents the Avis Bohlen Award to Bonnie Miller. Gingrich • Continued from page 4 Awards • Continued from page 3 JAY MALLIN JAY MALLIN