It was to last nearly a decade and would plant the seeds for the rise of the Taliban and Islamic…
Re-establishing Ties with Cuba, 1977
“Cuba ought to be free and independent, and the government should be turned over to the Cuban people.” That in…
Elinor Constable — “If you want me out of the Foreign Service, you have to fire me”
Elinor Constable had an illustrious career in the State Department from 1955 until 1993, serving not only as Ambassador to…
“Like Star Wars and Fiddler on the Roof” — Life with the Sinai Field Mission
The relative peace between Israel and Egypt, particularly on the Sinai, has been one of the few bright spots in…
An Axe Murder Triggers a Standoff in Korea’s DMZ, 1976
The United States and North Korea have not had the best relations, to put it mildly. Even in a place…
NSFW FSOs
Diplomats by training, if not by disposition, are calm, level-headed types. They may be called on to deliver a harsh…
In Vino Veritas
Josip Broz, better known by his nom de guerre Tito, was a tough warrior who had been a member of the…
Not-So Full Disclosure
So you have been entrusted with a very important mission — in this case, trying to convince several countries in…
Averell Harriman, The Old Crocodile of Diplomacy
W. Averell Harriman was one of the more prominent public figures of the 20th Century, holding major positions in diplomacy,…
Slobodan Milosevic and the Road to Dayton
Slobodan Milosevic was in many ways a paradoxical figure. Long criticized for being a corrupt opportunist, he could also be engaging…