Back to the Future With Legations and Diplomatic Agents - Yes!

 

Would a legation offer an alternative in future situations — North Korea, Taliban Afghanistan come to mind — where the U.S. would want to establish more than an “interests section” housed within a foreign embassy, but less than full embassy status with an ambassador?

Now, that (this, in the current Foreign Service Journal) is an exceptionally good idea. 

While some of my betters are currently sweating out a proposal for how the Department might establish smaller and more responsive diplomatic missions in odd places around the globe and do so much, much, faster than would be possible with an Inman-ish Fortress Embassy, the co-authors of FSJ's Time to Bring Back Legations Headed by Diplomatic Agents? have the answer. Legations!

Please read the whole article at the link above. 

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p.s. - Don't dismiss the possibility of opening a post in North Korea. There was a time, right after the reunification of Germany when former East German embassies around the world were up for grabs (and USAID got a couple in Africa), that a team from DS and OBO surveyed Pyongyang's vacated DDR embassy for our potential use as a diplomatic post. That could happen again. 

 

I Live For the Uncouth and Absurd

I don't know how he saw through my anonymity, but it's easy to tell that the author of the Foreign Service Journal article on the FS Blogosphere in 2009 has been visiting my office:

“He or she [it's "he"] reacts promptly and responsibly to even the most uncouth respondent or absurd situation with equanimity, humor and meticulousness.”

Yes, that pretty much sums up my daily routine.

It's not so easy to see why the author overlooked such prominent blogs as Consul-at-Arms II and Life After Jerusalem (especially since both were featured in an earlier FSJ article), not to mention the missing but still magnifique Madam Le Consul. Clearly, his sampling of the FS Blogosphere was very spotty.

Anyway, I'm adding this statement to my annual review: "During the rating period I remained equanimical and meticulous in the face of the uncouth and absurd." And I'll try to keep that up in 2010.