The Foreign Service Journal, November 2006

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, 2006. 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 L AMIYA R AHMAN Advertising Intern F LORIAN H EINHOLD 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 C RYSTAL K. M ERIWETHER J OYCE N AMDE C HRISTOPHER L. T EAL F O C U S O N F R A G I L E S TA T E S 22 / S EEKING A P ATIENT P ATH TO N ATIONBUILDING U.N. post-conflict planning should take into account the resources needed to sustain and stabilize countries long after elections. By Robert McMahon 30 / S OMALILAND : A D EMOCRACY U NDER T HREAT Virtually on its own, this province of Somalia has established itself as a solid democracy in a very bad neighborhood. By Elizabeth Spiro Clark 39 / T HE P ACIFIC M ICROSTATES AND U.S. S ECURITY Though frequently overlooked, the many South Pacific island-states are uniquely relevant to U.S. national security. By Kevin D. Stringer 45 / H AITI ’ S N EW G OVERNMENT W RESTLES WITH I TS P AST President Préval must use donors’ good will for programs that improve conditions now while laying the groundwork for sustained progress. By Robert M. Perito 51 / T HE C ASE A GAINST S TATE ’ S N ATIONBUILDING O FFICE The argument that instability in itself represents a threat to America and that nationbuilding must be the cure is deeply flawed. By Justin Logan and Christopher Preble C ONTENTS No v emb e r 2 0 0 6 Vo l ume 8 3 , No . 1 1 F E A T U R E I N T HEIR O WN W RITE : B OOKS BY F OREIGN S ERVICE A UTHORS / 57 Once again we are pleased to feature a compilation of recently published books by Foreign Service-affiliated authors. In addition to a variety of memoirs, this year’s selection is highlighted by a strong policy studies and issues section, a respectable offering of fiction and a lively grouping of works on people and places. By Susan Maitra Cover and inside illustrations by Clemente Botelho C O L U M N S P RESIDENT ’ S V IEWS / 5 Bad Faith and Business As Usual in FS Assignments By J. Anthony Holmes S PEAKING O UT / 14 Political Appointees: A Cost-Benefit Analysis By William F. Davnie FS K NOW -H OW / 17 What I Wish I Had Known By Robin Holzhauer R EFLECTIONS / 100 Fortuneteller By Joyce Barrett D E P A R T M E N T S L ETTERS / 7 C YBERNOTES / 10 M ARKETPLACE / 12 B OOKS / 78 AFSA N EWS / 81 I NDEX TO A DVERTISERS / 98 N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 6 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 3