All too often in the State Department, people can lose hope that their efforts matter and come to believe that…
Diplomatic Insecurity: The State Department Leaves the U.S. Embassy in Morocco in Peril
Threats against embassies are an ongoing concern that heads of mission, especially in certain parts of the world like the…
The Birthday Party Coup Attempt on Morocco’s King Hassan II
The Arab world’s longest-ruling monarch at the time of his death, King Hassan II survived several coup attempts during his…
Senegal’s Locust Plague in the late 1980s
The year is 1986. A Senegalese farmer walks out in his field a short while after the drought season has…
Combating Terrorism in Iraq and Syria: Stephen Kontos and the Counter-ISIS Coalition
In the midst of war, terrorism, and instability, Stephen Kontos was tasked with uniting a coalition to combat one of…
Promoting the Space Program in North Africa—The Space Mobile
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has been a source of pride for the United States, but it was…
Getting a Global Education as a Foreign Service Family
Having a global education is a unique privilege; however, it may become difficult to balance. Foreign Service Officers often take…
“Till Death Do Us Part”—Relationships for Women in the Foreign Service
Women have come a long way in fighting for equality within the workforce. This has inevitably shaped relationships for women…
Public Diplomacy in Cyprus: Reaching Across the Green Line
Marked by broken glass, sand bags, and abandoned buildings, the Green Line dividing Nicosia is a place out of time.…
Fundraising for Presidential Campaigns — and Serving as U.S. Ambassador to Spain
Approximately a third of U.S. ambassadors have been politically appointees over the last 50 years, including some of our very…