On August 30, 1971, Alfred Erdos murdered his assistant, Donald Leahy, at the small American embassy in Equatorial Guinea. Delusional…
Murder in an Embassy, Part I — “I am not losing my mind”
A Communist plot, a gruesome murder, a maniacal dictator: all were elements in what would seemingly be the scandal of…
The KKK’s “Coup Attempt” in Kenya
Kenya of the late 80’s was essentially a single-party state, with the president holding almost complete control. President Moi ruled…
Zimbabwe — The Death of a Nation
On April 18th, 1980, Southern Rhodesia, the richest nation in Africa, officially gained independence from the United Kingdom and established…
The Suez Crisis — And A Different Side of Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser was one of the most influential modern-day leaders in the Middle East. As part of the Free…
Combating Blatant Racism during an Evacuation from Liberia
The process of evacuating a country is filled with unexpected challenges. Many of these are logistical, while others include safety…
A Book you can Swear By: Becoming Ambassador in the Most Unusual of Circumstances
Traditionally, U.S. government officials put their hand on the Bible for their swearing-in. In recent years, some have used alternatives,…
The Headache That Is the Fourth of July Party
The Fourth of July is a celebration of the United States’ independence. It is a day of family, friends, food,…
Escape from the Congo
During the Congo Crisis (1960-1966), which began after the colony was granted independence from Belgium, the province of Katanga declared…
Did he do it?: Navigating the Alleged Murder of a Kenyan Prostitute
An unfortunate, but not uncommon, part of a consul’s job is to help American citizens who are in distress —…