The Foreign Service Journal, December 2022

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | DECEMBER 2022 27 FSJ: You have served in tough places at tough times. Can you tell us about what it was like serving as ambassador to Pakistan (2007-2010)? How did you navigate trying to maintain good rela- tions with Pakistan while putting pressure on the government to deal with Taliban and al-Qaida operating in the country, among other challenges? AWP: It was easy to establish and maintain personal relations with Pakistanis, who are among the most hospitable and friendly people on earth. But an American diplomat develops personal relationships not just to have friends, but to persuade foreign leaders to take steps in furtherance of U.S. interests. Years ago, I got some good advice from a former ambassador. He told me foreigners must hear the bad news from you, the sitting ambassador in their country, and not some disembodied voice over the phone fromWashington. I always tried to follow that. A good relationship can get you in the door, even if a foreign leader does not want to hear what you have to say. With all for- eigners, you have to be polite, humble, and persistent, and make clear that you understand their point of view. Let’s be clear, though. The United States was a uniquely pow- erful country during most of my career, so most foreign decision- makers were always willing to engage with Americans. FSJ: You were ambassador to Egypt during a time of violent turmoil there (2011-2013), including the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, following mass pro- tests less than a year after President Hosni Mubarak was ousted. What were your biggest challenges leading U.S. Embassy Cairo at that time and your most significant achievements? AWP: Cairo had been the largest and best-staffed embassy in NEA [the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs] for years. We had outstanding professionals. Unlike many other NEA posts, depen- dents were allowed, which meant we could attract a broader range of employees. The United States pushed hard for a democratic transition. But it led to a fundamental dilemma, which the U.S. increasingly confronts overseas. How does the United States respond when Americans—and in the case of Egypt, many of our allies—sup- port democracy but profoundly dislike the results of elections? I certainly made mistakes. I pushed too hard to have Ameri- can civil society groups engage with Egyptians. I was unable to develop the relationship with President Morsi that I had devel- oped with other leaders in other countries. FSJ: During your time as ambassador to Colombia, you kindly agreed to be the ambassador profilee for AFSA’s 2003 book, Inside a U.S. Embassy: How the Foreign Service Works for America. The U.S. was undertaking the huge, interagency, complicated, and controversial drug eradication and counterinsurgency program, Plan Colombia, at that time. How did you manage a U.S. mission that had become the largest in the world? What was the primary lesson from working on that program, which is largely deemed a success story today? AWP: The implementation of Plan Colombia was unique in my career. It was successful because leaders like General Barry McCaffrey and Under Secretary of State Tom Pickering kept everyone focused on the plan’s objectives, and the relevant assistant secretaries worked extremely well together. Interagency disputes were not tolerated, and decisions were made quickly. The Colombians were a fully engaged partner. Everyone worked hard to ensure congressional support and to sustain the funding. The Colombian ambassador in Washington was the absolute best. Importantly, Plan Colombia was always considered a long- term effort that would take years to produce results, a good exam- ple of the strategic patience the U.S. needs in many other places. The embassy itself was easy to manage because all agencies sent first-string representatives because of the priority of the program in Washington. The State section chiefs were first-rate. I fear Plan Colombia could not be replicated today, because our government is just too fragmented. FSJ: What opportunities and challenges did you face as assis- tant secretary for Near Eastern and North African affairs, your final active-duty assignment? What are you proudest of accom- plishing? Anne Patterson, then assistant secretary of State for international narcotics and law enforcement affairs (INL), visits a police station that INL was assisting in Iraq, Aug. 13, 2006. COURTESYOFANNEPATTERSON