The late 1980s saw an alarming decline in U.S.-Libyan relations. A plane hijacking and airport attacks in Rome and Vienna…
Margaret Thatcher, the Iron Lady
One of the most prominent political figures in Cold War history, Margaret Thatcher, led Britain as the only female prime…
Operation Eagle Pull before the Fall of Phnom Penh
It took place in the shadow of the dramatic evacuation from Saigon, which signaled the close of an era and…
A Soul Filled with Shame –The Rwandan Genocide, April 7- July 18,1994
A colony of Belgium until 1962, Rwanda became dominated politically by the minority Tutsis. During the independence movement, the majority…
“Two Men, One Grave” — The Execution of Pakistan’s Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, founder of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), served as president of Pakistan in the 1970s. By 1977, opposition…
The Somalis will do Without the Slobber, Mr. Ambassador
When traveling abroad, it’s always good to remember local customs and cultural aversions. It also doesn’t hurt to remember that…
An American in Solzhenitsyn’s “Gulag Archipelago”
He was a victim of cruel fate, a young American living in the USSR forced to endure unimaginable torture and…
House for Rent in the War-torn Congo–Three Baths, no Squatters
Housing for FSOs was not always provided on assignments abroad. Francis Terry McNamara had to find housing for himself and…
FSO Ends Up in an Irish Stew Over His Christmas Letter
We’ve all wanted to blow off steam about our boss, co-workers, or those troglodytes in Human Resources. Robin Berrington, who…
When Visa Officers Went Bad
Consular officers are often the face of the U.S. government overseas. They are the ones interviewing visa applicants, dealing with…