The Foreign Service Journal, November 2008

change of presidential administration would be accompanied by the kind of wholesale turnover in diplomatic staffing that our nation wisely aban- doned more than a century ago. If future political appointees cannot rely on career diplomats for frank advice, then the number of foreign policy fail- ures could increase, due to decisions being made entirely by political appointees who lack the overseas and domestic experience to see potential pitfalls and unintended consequences in new policy initiatives. Thus, the next president should seek out only those career officials who have the moral courage to pro- vide their best professional advice without regard to prevailing political winds. The next Congress should use its oversight and confirmation powers to insist on apolitical career officials who live up to their professional responsibilities. I must stress that some senior career officers in recent years have understood that true loyalty some- times requires telling bosses that they are wrong. Other senior officers rec- ognized that errors were being made outside of their areas of responsibility, but lacked the standing to attempt to influence events. Others have even quietly taken the personally difficult step of retiring rather than continuing to serve in an environment where they could not effect positive change. The Foreign Service needs senior career officers who understand their professional responsibility and are willing to act on it. Those who meek- ly tell their political superiors what they think they want to hear, or mechanically implement directives without first speaking up about likely negative consequences, do a disser- vice to both their bosses and our nation. 6 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 P R E S I D E N T ’ S V I E W S AGREE? DISAGREE? Let us know if you have com- ments on this or other columns, arti- cles or letters appearing in the Journal . Send us your comments by e-mail to journal@afsa.org or by mail to Editor, Foreign Service Journal , 2101 E Street N.W., Washington DC 20037-2990. Letters may be edited for length and style.