The Foreign Service Journal, September 2007

T HE M AGAZINE F OR F OREIGN A FFAIRS P ROFESSIONALS Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), 2101 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is published monthly with a combined July/August issue by the American Foreign Service Association, a private, non-profit organization. Material appearing herein represents the opinions of the writers and does not necessarily represent the views of the Journal, the Editorial Board or AFSA. Writer queries and submissions are invited, preferably by e-mail. Journal subscription: AFSAMembers - $13 included in annual dues; others - $40. For foreign surface mail, add $18 per year; foreign airmail, $36 per year. Periodical postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mail- ing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Foreign Service Journal , 2101 E Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037-2990. Indexed by Public Affairs Information Service (PAIS). The Journal is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos or illustrations. Advertising inquiries are invited. The appearance of advertisements herein does not imply the endorsement of the services or goods offered. FAX: (202) 338-8244 or (202) 338-6820. E-MAIL: journal@afsa.org . WEB: www.afsa.org . TELEPHONE: (202) 338-4045. © American Foreign Service Association, 2007. Printed in the U.S.A. Send address changes to AFSA Membership, 2101 E Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037-2990. Printed on 50-percent recycled paper, of which 10 percent is post-consumer waste. J O U R N A L OREIGN ERVICE S F Editor S TEVEN A LAN H ONLEY Senior Editor S USAN B. M AITRA Associate Editor S HAWN D ORMAN Ad & Circulation Manager E D M ILTENBERGER Business Manager A NDREW K IDD Art Director C ARYN S UKO S MITH Editorial Intern A NNA W ONG G LEYSTEEN Advertising Intern A NGELINE V UONG Editorial Board T ED W ILKINSON , C HAIRMAN K ENT C. B ROKENSHIRE S TEPHEN W. B UCK A NTHONY S. C HAN J OSH G LAZEROFF W ILLIAM W. J ORDAN L AURIE K ASSMAN K AY W EBB M AYFIELD J OHN K. N ALAND J OYCE N AMDE C HRISTOPHER L. T EAL F O C U S O N H U M A N R I G H T S 20 / R EASSERTING U.S. L EADERSHIP IN H UMAN R IGHTS The U.S. reputation for integrity, just behavior and leadership in upholding global standards is at a low point. How can it be restored? By Edmund McWilliams 26 / A C URE W ORSE THAN THE D ISEASE ? The heart of the administration’s approach to curbing terrorism is the use of torture and coercion to force information from suspects. By Kenneth Roth 33 / C RAFTING A N EW C OUNTERINSURGENCY D OCTRINE The Army and Marine Corps have raised the banner of human rights in their new counterinsurgency doctrine. Its principles could be the basis for an effective campaign against terrorism. By Sarah Sewall 41 / T HE F OLLY OF A S HORT -T ERM A PPROACH A British diplomat describes the challenges of promoting human rights when a dictatorship is also a key ally. By Craig Murray F S F I C T I O N 48 / L UCKY Against the bleak, frozen landscape of a Russian winter, an American woman finds an unexpected path through her grief. By Joan Broyles Odean C ONTENTS S e p t emb e r 2 0 0 7 Vo l ume 8 4 , No . 9 F E A T U R E S L ESSONS FROM N ORTHERN I RELAND ’ S P EACE P ROCESS / 53 The recent breakthrough in the troubled region could be a model for easing other sectarian conflicts. By Andrew Sens T HE B OXER S IEGE : A P RECEDENT FOR THE I RANIAN H OSTAGE C RISIS / 56 These two major breaches of diplomatic facilities were separated by eight decades and thousands of miles. But they have much in common. By Moorhead Kennedy Cover and inside illustrations by Ian Dodds C O L U M N S P RESIDENT ’ S V IEWS / 5 Team AFSA By John K. Naland S PEAKING O UT / 14 Six Simple Proposals to Improve Efficiency and Morale By Hollis Summers FS K NOW -H OW / 17 Retirement Planning 101 By John K. Naland R EFLECTIONS / 92 Politically Incorrect in Burma By Don North D E PA R T M E N T S L ETTERS / 7 C YBERNOTES / 10 M ARKETPLACE / 12 F AS T RAX / 13 AFSA N EWS / 63 B OOKS / 79 I N M EMORY / 80 I NDEX TO A DVERTISERS / 90 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 3