American Diplomat

Cybercrime has many names but what, actually, is it?  Jim Lewis, former Foreign Service Officer, now Senior Vice President and Director of the Technology and Public Policy Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, gives us a candid description of cybercrime's mechanics: who does it, why, how, and what is the impact of these activities on global democracy and security?  What is the role of diplomacy in managing these unprecedented military, intelligence, economic and political threats?  Join us for an close look under the hood of cybercrime.

Pete and Laura close the year with reflections on the diplomatic successes in 2023 that helped create a more peaceful and sustainable world.  Global events have offered up a lot to fear recently, but it wasn't all bad!  Happy New Year from American Diplomat.

Psychiatrists David Charney and Ken Dekleva are back to discuss in depth what makes a person into a traitor.  Start with an intolerable sense of personal failure. Then think of parties in Santiago with music, liquor, cigarettes, beautiful women and dancing (a happy hunting ground for spy recruiters). Then, one mistake and you are in for life. There is no escape. Staying alive is now more important than anything else.

Manuel Rocha, Pete's old friend, shocks everyone when he is revealed as a Cuban spy. The podcast explores the psychology of betrayal and treason, discussing the role of male ego and motivations for betrayal. It also delves into the recruitment of spies and the allure of a former secret agent. The vulnerability of Rocha and its implications are also discussed.

Ambassador Mark Schneider, former director of the Peace Corps and an expert on corruption in the Western Hemisphere unpacks the August election in Guatemala.  Juan José Arévalo was elected on an anti-corruption platform in a 61-39 percent win – bad news for the ruling elites who now seek to overturn the election results before inauguration in January.  Why do we in the US care?  Corruption in Guatemala drives Guatemalans to flee extreme poverty and emigrate to the US and also allows cartels to bring violence and drugs into our country. So, what will happen when Arévalo is scheduled to take office in January? 

The authoritarian government of Poland has just been voted out through free and fair elections.  Dan Fried, former US Ambassador to Poland and Assistant Secretary of State for Europe, has met with the highest officials of both incoming and outgoing governments and helps us understand how it is that Poles view democracy and nationalism as two parts of their fundamental identity.  The separate factions of politics work together, because after all, "politics is not a love affair."

Jeffrey Franca, the drummer for DC's own world music icon Thievery Corporation - the band that generously allows us to use its music to open our show each week - shares with us the value of unity, love and positivity in his work, which is influenced by musical styles found worldwide. Franca also discusses his work outside of Thievery, in the band Congo Sanchez and in his independent project Ethno. This is one of our favorite episodes, originally posted in 2020, and it sets the tone for a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.  May your day be filled with unity, love, and positivity.  

What do you do if you have a severe crisis of conscience over a policy that you cannot support? Do you speak up? Or do you keep your head down and do your job? If you use State's established Dissent Channel, are you bound by its rules to keep your views in that channel? Do you go public? What is the patriotic thing to do?  What is the morally right thing to do? Our very own Pete Romero is our guest today, on the topic as recently brought to the fore over the war in Gaza.

Ambassador Larry Gambiner joins us to discuss a new deal in which President Maduro of Venezuela agreed to democratic reforms, including free and fair elections, in exchange for a reduction in US sanctions. But when opposition party candidate Maria Corina Machado won 93% of the primary vote, she was immediately barred from running for public office for 15 years. So now what will the US do?  And will the people of Venezuela rebel?  Unfortunately, if you’re hungry enough, it’s hard to overturn the government.

Admiral Mike LeFever and Roderick Jones's new book End Game First talks about collaborating with diplomats to rebuild Pakistan after the 2005 earthquake. Effective strategy means having a vision for a successful end result, no matter the crisis. What, for example, is Israel's exit plan in Gaza? We are in a geopolitical moment where global security, militarily and economically, depends on diplomacy. Says Roderick, “If you start defunding diplomacy, well, be careful.”