American Diplomat

What prompts someone to become a violent Muslim extremist? Even more, what would get them to turn against their comrades? Counter-terrorism guru Brig Barker demystifies this dark world.

Why is Kazakhstan safe from Russia? It juts into the heart of Russia and shares the longest continuous land border in the world. What is their secret? Ambassador Dan Rosenblum’s analogy: walking a tightrope.

What happens when you are instructed to treat the aggressor as an innocent? Former Ambassador Bridget Brink’s career reaches a fork in the road. What to do? Hint: Who’s running in the Michigan Seventh Congressional District?  And most importantly, why?

He's charismatic, he's exciting, he's strong. How do elected autocrats woo their publics and then destroy the very countries they promised to elevate? What happens to the populace?  Kristie Kenney, ambassador to Ecuador, Thailand and the Philippines has a thing or two to say about these folks and the reasons that people elect them.  Repost from 2020, with oddly entertaining postscript from Pete.  Spolier alert: Things doesn't always turn out the way these guys expect.  

It is the 1950s. Senator Joseph McCarthy and his henchman Roy Cohn target and humiliate our diplomats for accurately reporting an eventual Mao victory in China. Jack Service and his family are at the center of the storm. Is history repeating itself before our eyes?  Enjoy this snapshot of diplomacy that is more relevant today than it was when we first posted it in 2020.

Secretary Rubio’s stated goal is to reduce our diplomatic corps by 15%. Does it stop there? After four years of whim and chaos will the world ever trust us to lead again? Will we have the expertise and talent? Ambassador Eric Rubin lays it all out for us.

What happens when tariff policy becomes a whim? Career commercial officer Dan Crocker peers into the chaos and breaks down the stakes for businesses and national security.

The old approach to national security is breaking apart.  Americans demand change.  Young diplomats and global service professionals today have a once in a century opportunity to reshape how the US engages in the world.  Amb. Tom Shannon is back to inspire and share his awesome insights.  In his words, Liberate the Future. (FSJ Jan-Feb 2025)

Will diplomacy come next? Will Trump and Netanyahu give the Ayatollah an off-ramp? Acting Secretary of State and Undersecretary in the first Trump administration Tom Shannon lists both sides' options and their likelihood of taking place. Will there be Iranian “retribution” and if so, what will it look like?

For decades Plan Colombia was the gold standard for tackling counter-insurgency. With the current spike in cartel/gang violence, are Colombians losing faith in their conciliatory, populist leader Petro? Is the current violence due to a legacy of armed groups?  Does it just boil down to testosterone? Ambassador Kevin Whitaker breaks it all down for us.