The Foreign Service Journal, September 2004

SEPTEMBER 2004 • AFSA NEWS 5 get backon its feet, despite the risks toper- sonnel. Limbert called Iraq a “crucialmis- sion,” and Payne said she would serve in Iraq again if necessary, saying, “it is too important [to refuse].” With the difficulties in Iraq and the determination of the Foreign Service as a backdrop, Limbert questionedwhy diplo- matic work has been shortchanged by Congress. He noted that there has been no State authorization bill passed since 1999. He said there has been a “failure of the legislature to support the civilian side of the effort in Iraq.” Limbert urged the Senate to end its “paralysis” and its “par- tisan politics and maneuvering,” and to approve the State authorization bill. While the bill unanimously passedout of the SenateForeignRelationsCommittee in March, the full body has not taken up the measure for a vote. Limbert asked whetherperhaps theSenatedidnot feel that theworkof theForeignServicewas impor- tant, andcalledon the senators tovalue the “great hardship and sacrifice” of the Foreign Service enough to pass an autho- rizationbill providing the resources need- ed. Reporters from several major media entities, including the Los Angeles Times , the Baltimore Sun , the Dallas Morning News , the Federal Times , four major tele- vision networks and three wire services, attended the briefing. Articles about the briefing have appeared in the Los Angeles Times , the Federal Times , the Boston Globe , the Washington Post and on the AssociatedPresswire. Paynewas also inter- viewedonCNN-TVon June 26 as part of the network’s coverage of the transfer of sovereignty. ▫ I nthe fall of 1956, inthemidstof thepresidential electioncam- paign, oneofmy fellowfreshly-mintedFSOs and I fell todis- cussing politics. I asked him who he was for, and he said he would vote for whoever he felt would do the most for the Foreign Service. I was stunned. Here I was, trying to decide the fateof theworld (whichmy votewouldundoubtedlydeter- mine), andmy friendwas concerned exclusively about his job, looking for the candidate who would give the Foreign Service a greater role. I thought he was crazy. Now, 48years later, we are in themidst of another presidential election, andmy views havemoved closer to those of my friend. I still believe, then as now, that neither candi- date is likely tomake strengthening the Foreign Service one of his priorities, and expect- ing either one to give any thought to it in the heat of a campaign was and is foolish. Nevertheless, bothcandidates back thenwere at least aware thatwe had aForeignService, andknew—wehoped—that our ability tocarryout foreignpolicy successfullydepend- ed, at least in part, on its quality and dedication. Butmy friendwas on to something beyond simple self-interest. Whatmattersmost is not whether the successful candidate for president sees the Foreign Service as impor- tant, butwhetherhe seesdiplomacyas impor- tant. If he does, then sooner or later in his administration, hewill come torecognize that having the best Foreign Service in the world working on behalf of the United States and its interests is anenormous asset thatmust be maintained and rewarded. At a time when American soldiers are being killed daily in combat, no one would question the importance of the military or its essential role in support of U.S. interests. But if the war in Iraq has demonstrated nothing else, it has surely shown the limitations ofwhatmilitary force alone canachieve. When it became clear thatmilitary victorywas, as always, just the beginning of themission to be accomplished, two career FSOs—one as headof theCoalitionProvisional Authority and the other asU.S. ambassador—were successively calledon tohelpcreate the conditions underwhichourmilitary canbewith- drawn. Manyother ForeignServicepeople areworking to support these efforts. Foreign Service retirees have written to ASFA asking whether they can serve in Iraq. As U.S. citizens and as members of the Foreign Service family, we need to insist that the candidates for president recognize that the United States, powerful as it is, cannot simply impose its will on the world and that to try to do so will do long-term damage to our interests. Carrying out a successful foreign policymeans engaging the rest of the world in a dialogue about the kind of world we want and how to make it, and recog- nizing that our allies—and even sometimes our enemies—can contribute to that dia- logue. Apresidential candidatewho does not believe indialogue, indiplomacy, will not serve his country well. And so my friend was right after all, even if it took me a half-century to admit it. Whatmattersmost is not which candidate claims tohave the best policy for Iraq, North Korea, Venezuela or global warming. What matters is which candidate appreciates the value of diplomacy, and therefore of the Foreign Service, in crafting and executing those policies. ▫ What matters is which candidate appreciates the value of diplomacy in crafting and executing those policies. V.P. VOICE: RETIREE BY GEORGE JONES A Candidate for Diplomacy Limbert urged the Senate to end its “paralysis” and its “partisan politics and maneuvering,” and to approve the State authorization bill.