The Foreign Service Journal, December 2018

26 DECEMBER 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL REN: I mentioned a few things earlier about Algeria. In Afghanistan, about which I’ve written a book ( The Other War: Winning and Losing in Afghanistan ), we could see that the wa r was going to get worse. We were terribly under-resourced, but Iraq was sucking up most of the resources. I think we did some good work, and our predictions still stand up well; but we lost a lot of time for lack of resources. Bahrain was just beginning some important political reforms. With the help of the National Democratic Institute and a lot of patient work, I think we helped move things in a positive way, at least at that time. We spent much of two years bringing about negotiations for a free trade agreement, which was signed after I left. Getting there was, perhaps, the most complicated bureau- cratic maneuver I’ve ever designed (in partnership with Cathy Novelli, who was then at the Office of the United States Trade Representative). FSJ: What do you see as the most important role of an ambas- sador, chief of mission? REN: The U.S. government has a lot of different interests. Washington is too large to ever coordinate all the pieces in a bilateral relationship, so the ambassador has a very important role in coordinating all the aspects of policy. And an activist ambassador can play a very strong role in advocating policy; it’s not just about observing and reporting. With the assistance of the country team, the ambassador plays a major role by advising on what will and won’t work and how to shape policy execution. Addition- ally, an ambassador is really like the mayor of a small town, with all sorts of responsibilities for morale and, above all, for the security of mission personnel and Americans in the country. There’s lots more, but that’s probably enough for now. Afghanistan FSJ: You first lived in Kabul more than half a century ago, when your father was ambassador, and you’ve been back many times since. What do you find so fascinating about Afghanistan? REN: Afghanistan was pretty exotic when we first traveled there in 1967. We drove back roads across the center of the country. I went with a hunting party by jeep, horse and yak into the high Pamirs of the Wakan, the pan- handle of northeastern Afghanistan. That was pretty heady stuff at age 22. And the Afghans are an attractive people, although that’s true of many countries. Also, my father was ambassador there for 6 1 / 2 years and remained active in Track II diplomacy throughout the Soviet occupation period. He and I frequently discussed the situation. Whether all those bits actually explain my attraction I can’t say. I guess it’s become a family thing. FSJ: How would you compare the war in Afghanistan with the one in Vietnam? Are you optimistic about prospects for some sort of modus vivendi with the Taliban? REN: There are similarities and big differences between the two wars. Militarily the Taliban is not much like the Viet Cong or the North Vietnamese Army that sent regular military units into full-scale battles with thousands of casualties. The VC and NVA were far more unified than the Taliban, their international backing much larger. Where I see a distressing similarity is in the corruption and power-seeking of the Afghan politicians. There are many reasons for this, but if an Afghan national leadership can’t develop a real popular base, and particularly can’t develop an efficiently commanded Afghan army and police, then they Ambassador Ron Neumann, second from right, dedicating U.S. Embassy Kabul in 2006 with, from left, Laura Bush, President George W. Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.