The Foreign Service Journal, December 2013

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | DECEMBER 2013 11 I nterested in getting an insider’s perspective on the work of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security? Check out DS Wikipedia , which bills itself as “an unofficial wiki for both the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the Diplomatic Security Service—more commonly known as DS.” The wiki’s purpose is to preserve historic information on DS in a form that is publicly accessible and, in particular, to commemorate the sacrifices of DS- affiliated personnel. The “Bureau of Diplomatic Security Personnel Killed in Action” page is the centerpiece of the wiki. The list includes not just direct-hire employees, but local guard force casualties and security contractors killed in the line of duty—categories that account for an overwhelming number of casualties. There you’ll find the names of local guards killed in the 1983 Embassy Beirut bombing, and in the terrorist attacks on our embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam in August 1998, as well as names through 2013. Among other features, the wiki also documents “Host-Country Police Killed in Action Defending U.S. Facilities” and “Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent Heroism Award Recipients.” On a somewhat lighter note, there are lists of “Diplomatic Security Service Agents Turned Author” and links to “Videos of Diplomatic Security Bureau Mentions in Film and TV.” —Steven Alan Honley, Editor SITE OF THE MONTH: DS Wikipedia Mindful of the massive waste and fraud that occurred in the aftermath of the Iraq War, in 2007 Congress created the Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction to provide independent and objective oversight of Afghanistan reconstruction activities. SIGAR is headquartered in Arlington, Va., but has an office in Kabul and a field presence in multiple locations throughout Afghanistan. John F. Sopko was sworn in as Special Inspector General for Afghani- stan Reconstruction on July 2, 2012. Under the authority of Section 1229 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (P.L. 110-181) , SIGAR conducts audits and investigations to pro- mote the efficiency and effectiveness of reconstruction programs and detect and prevent waste, fraud and abuse. SIGAR also conducts forensic reviews of reconstruction funds managed by the Department of Defense, Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development. In a joint Oct. 10 letter to Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah, Sopko notes: “Direct oversight of reconstruction programs in much of Afghanistan will become prohibitively hazardous or impossible as U.S. military units are withdrawn, coalition bases are closed, and civilian reconstruction offices in the field are closed.” He then asks all three agency heads to detail their plans to maintain effective oversight of U.S. assis- tance programs in Afghanistan. —Steven Alan Honley, Editor Fighting an Ancient Scourge T he Perth, Australia-based Walk Free Foundation has released the inaugu-