The Foreign Service Journal, November 2016

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2016 31 desh. He is also the author of The Limits of Influence: America’s Role in Kashmir (2009) and Ellsworth Bunker: Global Trouble- shooter, Vietnam Hawk (2003). He currently holds a teaching position at Georgetown University. The couple co-authored How Pakistan Negotiates with the United States: Riding the Roller Coaster (2011). The Embassy: A Story of War and Diplomacy Dante Paradiso, Beaufort Books, 2016, $26.95/hardcover, $14.95/Kindle, 320 pages. When Liberia was ruled by the ruthless warlord Charles Taylor, two rebel armies opposed him, leading to violent clashes. Paradiso has compiled interviews, correspondence and his own personal memories to tell the true story of wartorn Liberia in 2003 and the important role Ambassador John W. Blaney played in promoting diplomacy among the competing factions. When it seemed that Wash- ington was ready to give up on intervention, the ambassador bravely led his team into the heat of the conflict in a last-ditch effort to promote peace on the front lines. Set in the present tense with dialogue, character develop- ment and vivid descriptions, Paradiso’s book reads like an action-thriller. By conducting full-length, personal interviews with the ambassador, peacekeepers and foreign correspon- dents, to name but a few, Paradiso has been able to give events depth and verisimilitude in this retelling. Anyone interested in a career in diplomacy will find this book a thrilling testa- ment to the dedication and resolve of members of the Foreign Service. Dante Paradiso is a lawyer and former Foreign Service offi- cer who served in Asia and Africa. He is the author of a novel, The Pure Life (2000). He received the State Department’s Hero- ism and Superior Honor awards, as well as the U.S. Army’s Superior Civilian Service Award. Prior to joining the State Department he practiced financial services and bankruptcy law with Goodwin Procter LLP. POLICYAND ISSUES Truth Held Hostage: America and the Armenian Genocide—What Then? What Now? John M. Evans, Gomidas Institute, 2016, $32.00/hardcover, 200 pages. When faced with a moral dilemma that stands in the way of duty to uphold the policies of one’s country, tough decisions must be made, and courageous individu- als come into the spotlight. In February 2005, then-U.S. Ambas- sador to Armenia John Evans publicly used the term “geno- cide” to describe the Ottoman Empire’s 1915-1916 expulsion and massacre of Armenians settled within what is now Turkey. The United States does not officially acknowledge that action as “genocide.” But, in the course of his work, Evans became convinced that the historical record bears out the Armenian claims of mass murder, and decided that neglecting to label it genocide is morally wrong. Evans explores the historical significance of U.S. policy on the issue in this memoir. He explains his reasons for defying the status quo, even though he knew it could cost him his career. A companion volume, Therefore, God Must Be Armenian! , con- tains talks and other public statements on the issue by Amb. Evans between 2007 and 2012. During a 35-year Foreign Service career, John Evans served in posts around the world, achieving the rank of Minister- Counselor. He served as U.S. ambassador to Armenia from 2004 to 2006. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, the former Donna Chamberlain. America’s Continuing Misadventures in the Middle East Chas W. Freeman Jr., Just World Books, 2016, $19.99/paperback, 250 pages. This work, a revised and updated edi- tion of the author’s 2010 book, America’s Misadventures in the Middle East , is a col- lection of speeches given by the retired career ambassador on U.S. policy toward the Middle East during the past five years. “A characteristically sharp and unapologetic critique of America’s role in the Middle East” is how Ambassador William J. Burns, former Deputy Sec- retary of State, describes the book.