The Foreign Service Journal, November 2008

Career Diplomacy: Life and Work in the U.S. Foreign Service Harry W. Kopp and Charles A. Gillespie, Georgetown University Press, 2008, $26.95, paperback, 250 pages. This informative guide offers an in-depth view of the Foreign Service career from two experienced officials, one a former ambassador and the other a high-ranking official in the State Department. The book’s scope is large. It encompasses broad topics such as the role of the ambassador and dissent in the Foreign Service as well as the details of pay rates and a glossary of State acronyms. The authors begin with the basics, explaining the institution of the U.S. Foreign Service and providing a brief history. A section titled “The Profession” takes on the form and content of a diplomatic career, including what diplomats do, the operations they are involved in, and who they represent. The logistics of the career are also discussed, including the entrance exam, the five tracks and possible career trajecto- ries. Also covered are the activity of Foreign Service officers currently in Iraq and the strategic politics and professionalism practiced by diplo- mats. Harry W. Kopp, a retired FSO, served as deputy assistant secretary of State for interna- tional trade policy in the Carter and Reagan administrations. His foreign assignments includ- ed Warsaw and Brasilia. He is now a consultant in international trade. Charles A. Gillespie, a retired FSO, served as deputy assistant secretary of State for inter-American affairs; as ambassador to Grenada, Columbia and Chile; and as special assistant to the president on the National Security Council staff. He passed away in March. First Line of Defense: Ambassadors, Embassies and American Interests Abroad Robert V. Keeley, editor, American Academy of Diplomacy, 2007, $15.87, paperback, 124 pages. In an election year, with many foreign policy challenges on the agenda, it is important that the public understand the critical role of diplomacy. With this in mind, the American Academy of Diplomacy reprinted its flagship publication, First Line of Defense: Ambassadors, Embassies and American Interests Abroad , in late 2007. Compiled by retired FSO Robert Keeley, him- self a three-time ambassador (Mauritius, Zimba- bwe and Greece), the book relates dozens of instances where chiefs of mission have intervened successfully to further U.S. interests, sometimes even at the risk of their personal safety. It con- tains the experiences of Robert Strauss in the Soviet Union, Walter Mondale in Japan, Raymond Seitz in the U.K., Frank Carlucci in Portugal, Frank Wisner in India, Michael Armacost in the Philippines, Robert Oakley in Pakistan, Thomas Pickering at the United Nations, and more. While remaining short and lively, the book offers multiple examples that convey what diplo- macy is all about. The stories speak for them- selves; collectively, they demonstrate how essen- tial effective diplomacy is to a viable foreign poli- cy and national security. To purchase the book, send a check to: American Academy of Diplomacy, 1800 K St. NW, Suite 1014, Washington DC 20006. For more information, visit the Academy’s Web site at www.academyofdiplomacy.org/publications/fld.ht ml. 42 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 8 Specialty: The FS Career