The Foreign Service Journal, November 2010

28 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 1 0 (www.unc.edu/depts/diplomat/ ). Under the editorial direction of Henry Mattox, the journal — which is hosted by the University of North Carolina — evolved from a quarterly to a dynamic e-zine, offering lively commentary and analysis on international affairs and Foreign Service life, as well as book reviews, an exten- sive archive and other resources for those interested in foreign relations. In Present at the Footnote , Mattox presents a sam- pling of his own writings, first posted on American Diplomacy between 1996 and 2008. Drawing on his experiences during a 23-year Foreign Service career and, later, as a senior lecturer in American and diplo- matic history, Mattox addresses such issues as diplo- macy as a profession, the Iraq War, civil-military affairs, and country and regional policies. This wide-ranging set of highly readable essays is part of the ADST Mem- oirs and Occasional Papers Series. Henry E. Mattox served in the U.S. Foreign Service from 1957 to 1980, with postings to Paris, Ponta Del- gada, Sao Paulo, Kathmandu, Port-au-Prince, London and Cairo. After retirement, he spent a year in Nigeria as a Fulbright senior lecturer and taught for 15 years at North Carolina State University. He was editor of American Diplomacy from 1996 to 2007. POLICIES & ISSUES Confronting Poverty: Weak States and U.S. National Security Susan E. Rice, Corinne Graff and Carlos Pascual, editors, Brookings Institution Press, 2010, $26.95, paperback, 256 pages. Taking a new look at the old, afflicting problem of global poverty, Susan Rice, Cora- line Graff and Carlos Pascual summarize much of the recent research done on international development in weak states. As the authors remind us, “poverty is a na- tional-security challenge for all, including the United States.” Underlying poverty and other challenges is the strength of the state and its ability to provide adequate services for its citizens. The editors’ own pieces, as well as contributions from other experts, examine the inter- section of poverty and conflict throughout the world. What emerges is a set of recommendations for policy- makers about helping to alleviate poverty and increas- ing security worldwide. One major challenge for the field of international development is figuring out which approaches work and how to tweak them to fit the needs of different coun- tries. The analysis contributes to our understanding of how to take a more comprehensive approach to pro- moting international development. Ultimately, poverty and conflict, even in distant parts of the world, can have a harmful impact on U.S. national security. Susan Rice, who served as assistant secretary of State for Africa during the Clinton administration, was a sen- ior fellow at the Brookings Institution until 2009, when she left to become U.S. ambassador to the United Na- tions. Crone Graff was a Brookings fellow. Career Senior FSO and former ambassador Carlos Pascual served as the State Department’s Coordinator for Stabilization and Reconstruction (2004-2006). Fol- lowing retirement in 2006, he served as vice president and director at the Brookings Institution. In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed himU.S. ambassa- dor to Mexico. Flawed Diplomacy: The United Nations & the War on Terrorism Victor Comras, Potomac Books, Inc., 2010, $29.95, hardcover, 256 pages. Few would dispute that the United Nations is an indispensi- ble organization in today’s global- ized world; why, then, has it been so difficult for the U.N. to coordinate responses to terrorism? Flawed Diplomacy explores the history and political implica- tions of terrorism and analyzes the U.N.’s responses. The crux of Comras’ argument is that the U.N., while it has made some gains against terrorism in the past, needs to implement a more effective response for today’s increased threat. Part of the problemwith coun- terterrorism actions, he argues, is that the international community cannot readily agree on what constitutes a terrorist action; the line between “terrorism” and “free- dom fighting” is often narrow. Comras underscores the inherent difficulty of any U.N.-orchestrated counterterrorism actions: with so many member countries, consensus on such a hot issue is nearly impossible. Still, he remains a cautious opti- mist, acknowledging small steps taken in the past and providing recommendations for stronger action in the