Secondhand Time by Svetlana Alexievich Blood and Sand by Alex Von Tunzelmann   China’s Quest by John W. Garver        Cover Point by Jamsheed Marker Task Force Report by the Antiquities Coalition, Asia Society, and The Middle East Institute

“Does Trump’s Rise Mean Liberalism’s End?” The “Liberal Story” says that if we liberalize and globalize our political and economic systems, we will produce paradise on earth, or at least peace and prosperity for all. This is the paradigm that … Continued

  “Defending Cyberspace” On October 18, 2016, Curtis Dukes of the Natioall Security Agency (NSA) spoke on cybersecurity at the American Enterprise Institute. He discussed the nature of the threats in this domain and identified current and potential cyber opponenets, … Continued

by Robert Baker Vienna was snowed in when I first visited there in 1972. Twenty years later I was back in Vienna to relax and to direct the Regional Program Office’ excellent staff. Then Moscow melted and the Office had … Continued

From the National Archives: Report on Hazards of the American Foreign Service, 1942 by David A. Langbart The image of the Foreign Service Officer (FSOs) as a “cookie pusher” who enjoys a cushy existence overseas is persistent. This was certainly … Continued

Introducing Contributing Editor for Books Dear Readers, As you probably noticed, our last posting contained an announcement that our contributing editor responsible for our “Books of Interest” section (and former editor of this journal) Bill Kiehl was stepping down from … Continued

  http://www.unc.edu/depts/diplomat/item/2013/0912/ca/pickering_beyond.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6Yy8Qc_KbU Interview: Ambassador Thomas Pickering at George Washington University  12/2013 Intro: Despite a VERY rough transcript, this interview with one of the State Department’s greats is well worth the slog. Better yet, listen to the audio. Thomas Pickering … Continued

In Defense of The “Obama Doctrine”: A Sober Reappraisal of the Limits of American Power by John R. Murnane In a series of interviews with Jefferey Goldberg in the April 2016 Atlantic, President Barack Obama provided a much-needed and sober … Continued

by Mark Wentling The hefty burden of widespread hunger prevents Africa from realizing its full potential. Accepting that good nutrition is the foundation of life and human progress, Africa is clearly falling behind other regions. As long as Africa remains … Continued

by Jon P Dorschner Expert observers have written reams of material concerning the never-ending confrontation between India and Pakistan over Kashmir. The issue leaves the radar screen during quiet periods, only to return when an incident touches-off another cycle of … Continued

by David C. Litt POLAD: A Global Warrior-Diplomat I served as the State Department’s Political Advisor (POLAD) to two US military combatant commands during a watershed moment of the post-Cold War era: 1998-2004. To make these political-military assignments even more … Continued

by Amb. William C. Harrop (Ret.) Author’s Note (October 2016):  I recently came upon the following essay that I wrote in March 1995. There are a few anachronisms, and of course much has changed in two decades. Notably, these notes … Continued

Welcoming the Honorable W. Robert Pearson, the New President of American Diplomacy Publishers by Brenda B. Schoonover, Amb.(Ret.) Outgoing President of the Board of Directors of American Diplomacy Publishers It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as … Continued

by Lucy Chester When the British Empire withdrew from South Asia in 1947, it carried out a hasty and poorly planned partition. When it withdrew from the Palestine Mandate in 1948, imperial officials chose not to divide Palestine. Prior to … Continued