American Diplomat

"Never, ever allow free and fair elections" is Fidel's advice to Daniel Ortega, today's strongman leader of Nicaragua. Bob Callahan describes today's authoritarian regime in this Central American nation.

Pardis Mahdavi relays her experience of the Iranian sexual revolution and similar movements in the Middle East, including Afghanistan. Why was the summer of the cockroaches her favorite? There weren't enough cockroaches for everybody! And this is to say nothing of the orgies.  Listen and find out what all of this could possibly mean.

Nancy Ostrowski experienced the events of 9/11 first-hand, which inspired her to embark on a journey to a more satisfying, new career with USAID.  See also her article in the Sept 2021 Foreign Service Journal, "Getting Off the X", and her book, Unplugged, published under the name Nancy Whitner-Reiter.

Consular officer Alan Eaton helped scores of Afghans at risk evacuate from Kabul, working from inside the Abbey Gate at the airport at exactly the moment when our friend Toobah was on the other side of the gate, trying to get through.  As Alan explains, "This is Jews in Germany, 1940: These people have to get out."  Some did get out, some didn't.  Alan shares these human moments.

Eric Rubin sums it up with one word.  If we want to be successful in our diplomacy, we need to adopt a position of humility with respect to the rest of the world.

Our friend is still there, fearing for her life.  What is going on in Afghanistan right now?  Laura shares Toobah's most recent experience as evacuations stall and no one really knows why. Pete helps us understand what it all means.  

For Pride Month (belatedly posted due to events in Afghanistan and our coverage of those), Austin Richey-Allen recounts his story of gender transition in the Foreign Service.  A trans kid, he discovered in adulthood that there is a term for his experience: gender dysphoria.  From transition to leadership of GLIFA, Austin shares his story for the benefit not only of the LGBT, transgender and non-binary community, but for all of us who value a more inclusive world.

Our disastrous departure from Afghanistan. Hugo Llorens shares his knowledge of the Taliban's subgroups (hint: none abide by the Geneva Convention), his perspective on US domestic politics and its impact on the human tragedy in Afghanistan, and his view on what we might have done to exit the country with a conditions-based agreement focused on preserving human lives and dignity, instead of a wholesale surrender and the carnage that has ensued.

Wouldn't we all like to know.  She's alive, at least.  Bad luck becomes good luck as she is turned away on her way to the airport just before the bombs go off. 

People's lives are at stake in the most urgent way.  Policy is a macro-level thing, and utterly necessary.  But what about the people themselves?  What about Toobah?  What should Biden have done?  People are hanging from the fuselage. Afghanistan, August 2021.