Author: Liz Dee

The nation of Kosovo is one of the youngest nations in Europe. It has had to overcome ethnic tensions and political corruption to pursue a path towards becoming a developed nation. As U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Greg Delawie sought to promote U.S. interests in Kosovo, which included further economic development of the country, elimination of… Read More "Saving the Special Courts of Kosovo at Christmas"

In 1984 Donald Lyman left the State Department after seven years of service. Although it was a brief stint compared to many Foreign Service Officers, Lyman did not spend that time mulling around. He built relationships with prominent U.S. and foreign figures and became familiar with foreign commercial and political processes. This type of expertise… Read More "Economic Diplomacy and the Private Sector: Helping IBM Expand into Latin America"

As Richard A. Buckley watched the uncensored footage of the remains of what was just earlier the U.S. Embassy Nairobi building, a feeling of complete despair washed over him. With limited information, all he knew at that moment was that his wife, Ambassador Prudence Bushnell, had been at the embassy that day and was either… Read More "The Other Side of the Fence—The Spouse’s Experience of the Nairobi Bombing"

The chemical compound capsaicin is responsible for the spice and heat in spicy dishes. While particular plants, peppers, and vegetables evolved to produce capsaicin as a defence mechanism against hungry mammals, humans have developed a liking for the sensation that this fiery compound creates. Many cuisines across the globe use a variety of spices and… Read More "Some Like it Hot — U.S. Diplomats Negotiate Spicy Foreign Foods"

Since becoming independent from its former colonizer, the Republic of Sudan has fluctuated between democratically elected governments and severe dictatorships. Problematic civil wars and human rights violations have plagued the country. However, since December 2018 new hope has risen within this northeast African country. In the wake of large-scale protests which demanded his removal from… Read More "The End of Omar al-Bashir—New Hope for Sudan"

With most of us confined to our homes, jaw-dropping unemployment figures, and over 60,000 deaths worldwide as of April 2020, it seems like COVID-19 is bringing the word “pandemic” to a whole new level. For citizens of high-income countries it is a first, and most likely a once in a lifetime experience. But COVID-19 is… Read More "The World’s Longest Running Pandemic—Quarantine in Japan"

Who exactly is Vladimir Putin and how was his experience with U.S. high-level officials as a Russian deputy mayor? To understand Putin today, we must also understand him in the past. The president of Russia was not always the leader of his country. Like many leaders, he was once a government employee, following someone else’s… Read More "Putin in the Making—A Sour First Impression?"

Ever since the Kennedy administration, the United States has increasingly felt a sense of responsibility for people in Africa. As a result, the United States has had numerous Peace Corps missions and USAID projects spread throughout the continent. In Guinea, however, by 1975 the Peace Corps had been in and out of the small country… Read More "No More Kicking Balloons, Bags, or Rags—Building Goodwill in Guinea"

While U.S. State Department employees regularly serve in the midst of pivotal international agreements and turmoil, the events going on surrounding their personal lives are often equally fascinating. Social change, and in some cases rebellion, characterized the formative years of many senior U.S. diplomats. From the 1963 March on Washington to the Bureau of Indian… Read More "“The Times They Are a-Changin”—Working in the Context of Social Revolution"

In a one-on-one meeting in 1989, the future president of South Africa, F.W. de Klerk, gave Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Herman J. “Hank” Cohen a preview of a plan that potentially would redefine the nation’s identity and help start it down the path of reconciliation. De Klerk promised that if elected he… Read More "Ending South African Apartheid: Guiding U.S. Policy Towards South Africa with Secret Knowledge"