The Foreign Service Journal, December 2005

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. W EB: www.afsa.org. TE LEPHONE: (202) 338-4045. © American Foreign Service Association, 2005. 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 M IKKELA V. T HOMPSON Art Director C ARYN S UKO S MITH Editorial Interns D ANIEL Z USSMAN C AITLIN S TUART Advertising Intern W ILLEM H OFSTEDE Editorial Board T ED W ILKINSON , C HAIRMAN K ENT C. B ROKENSHIRE S TEPHEN W. B UCK A NTHONY S. C HAN L ILLIAN DE V ALCOURT -A YALA J OSH G LAZEROFF W ILLIAM W. J ORDAN L AURIE K ASSMAN J OYCE W. N AMDE K AY W EBB M AYFIELD C HRISTOPHER L. T EAL F O C U S : I T A N D D I P L O M A C Y 21 / W IRING S TATE : A P ROGRESS R EPORT Once a technology laggard, the State Department has become an innovator. But the pace must be sustained to truly transform diplomacy. By Joe Johnson 29 / T HE S UN , THE W ORLD AND RFID The technology behind e-passports promises to dramatically streamline the global movement of people and goods. By Emily Sopensky 36 / IT C OMES OF A GE IN THE M IDDLE E AST The information revolution is creating a new generation in the Middle East that will likely, but not necessarily, be more democratic. By Jon B. Alterman 43 / D EFENDING S TATE A GAINST O NES AND Z EROS A complete security strategy must embrace not only robust physical safeguards but also complementary cybersecurity measures. By Steven E. Roberts F E A T U R E 51 / A FGHANISTAN ’ S T ROUBLED P AST AND U NCERTAIN F UTURE To understand how Afghanistan was transformed into a breeding ground for terrorist attacks on the West, and to help it get back on its feet, we need to know something of its bloody history. By Arthur Lezin C ONTENTS D e c emb e r 2 0 0 5 Vo l ume 8 2 , No . 1 2 S C H O O L S S U P P L E M E N T G OING TO C OLLEGE IN A MERICA / 64 Advice on preparing yourself for the weirdest culture of all: your own. By Francesca Huemer Kelly S TUDY A BROAD : T AKE THE P LUNGE / 78 In some ways, a semester abroad is like an extended vacation. But for most students, it’s an experience that encompasses much more. By Brooke Deal S CHOOLS AT A G LANCE / 80 Essential data on educational choices. L OST AND F OUND : I NTERNATIONAL S CHOOL R EUNIONS / 85 Attending an international school can provide not only fond memories but a course for the future. By Mikkela Thompson Cover and inside illustration by Valerie Sinclair C O L U M N S P RESIDENT ’ S V IEWS / 5 The Foreign Service as a Political Foil By J. Anthony Holmes L ETTER FROM THE E DITOR / 10 By Steven Alan Honley S PEAKING O UT / 16 Implement Career Development by Reforming the Assignment System By Camille Hill R EFLECTIONS / 104 The Mouse Still Roars By James Patterson D E P A R T M E N T S L ETTERS / 7 C YBERNOTES / 12 M ARKETPLACE / 14 B OOKS / 60 I NDEX TO A DVERTISERS / 102 AFSA N EWS / C ENTER I NSERT D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 5 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 3