The Foreign Service Journal, December 2015

12 DECEMBER 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL learn so much. Even for a Foreign Ser- vice kid, there is nothing like having the world’s nations together in one place and getting to sample each one’s offerings. The Olympics and the World Cup do it for sports, but the expo does it for people, business, history and culture— and this year, food. Thanks to Mr. Asada and the FSJ for the historical overview and the recommendations on what support Washington might give to the next major expo: Dubai 2020. Kristin M. Kane FSO Embassy Paris The U.S. Presence at Expo 2015 I found Matthew Asada’s October article very interesting. As a citizen o f the current host country, Italy, I concur with his description of the importance of the American presence at such world’s fairs. I was surprised to learn that their political value is underestimated, if not disregarded, in Washington. Such an event has political implica- tions, starting with the bid for hosting it. Even though the Cold War and the need for a “kitchen debate” are history, cur- rent international tensions demand U.S. attendance in settings that promote cul- tural encounters and offer occasions for soft power displays and dissemination. Moreover, U.S. participation cannot depend on private funding, as this would undoubtedly affect content choices. Exhibitions are expressions of national identities: educational institutions, nonprofit organizations and the government should all have a say. This doesn’t mean that corporations are not shaping national and international culture, but government should go some way to delegitimize their overt intervention in political matters. I have to confess that I found the U.S. pavilion in Milan somewhat underwhelming. The landscape design of the vertical farm was not adequately explained, and the menu rotation of the food trucks was hard to follow. Some countries excelled in elegance—for example, the Azerbaijani pavilion with its amazing glass spheres, which cost less than most other exhibits. Others explored the expo’s main theme, sustainable and responsible (food) development. The beehive- inspired British and farm-inspired Belgian pavilions, for example, showcased advancement in food research and future prospects for nutrition, respectively. Since beauty, originality and inventiveness were the elements attracting visitors, I wish the USA had done more. I hope it won’t miss the next chance to shine. Anna Romagnuolo Former AFSA Intern (2000) Assistant Professor of English, Tuscia University Viterbo, Italy What Really Happened in 1953 The review of my book ( Memories of an Agent for Change in International Development: My Flight Path into the 21st Century ) in your October issue is fair, except for one item: your reviewer’s take on the 1953 “coup” to oust Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh. Maria Livingston quotes one of my statements (p. 61 of my book), then dismisses it as “second guessing” and counter to the revealed truth. But she ignores my subsequent citation (p. 75) of Ray Takeyh’s July 2014 Foreign Affairs article and his conclusions.