Welcome to my home page. I resigned from the U.S. Foreign
Service on
February 25, 2003, after almost 20 years in the State
Department. My resignation
letter, emailed around the world, made me a New Yorker
trivia
question, but also inspired many fine
people. Author Michel Faber called it "a
masterpiece of dignity, eloquent reasoning, acute analysis and, most
of all, humanity."
Since
2003 I have been lecturing, writing
articles, and grappling
with why we routinely misread the behavior of
foreigners. Watching the disaster in Iraq, Americans
now appreciate the need for humane, realistic diplomacy. My
book Diplomacy Lessons: Realism for an
Unloved Superpower (Potomac Books 2006, paperback
edition Sept. 2007, Greek translation Nov. 2007) is aimed first at the
thousands of young Americans who (correctly) see the Foreign Service
as a fine career option. The
reviews
have been enthusiastic. Diplomacy
Lessons is also a great reminder for your favorite
foreign-policy pundit that fixing the planet is more complicated
than he/she suspects.
There
are moral/political as well as educational/recreational reasons
for buying
my book. I resigned five
years short of a pension, though I can look forward to $19K per year beginning in
2017. My example should not deter other civil servants
from speaking up when preventable disaster looms.
After
resigning I spent a year at Princeton University as a
visiting scholar/lecturer. In Athens
now, I am writing a book on the Greek terrorist group
"Revolutionary Organization 17
November." The terrorists we chased
unsuccessfully for 27 years were largely a figment of our
imagination. The real people committing the murders are more
interesting, albeit less frightening.
Ties to
Greece date back to 1979 when I studied
archaeology at the American School of Classical
Studies. I write a monthly column called
"Diplomat in the Ruins" and occasional pieces for the Athens News
and other worthy publications. Currently (6/08) I'm
helping Democrats Abroad
Greece with their July 4 beach party (email
me for details) and get-out-the vote operation.
Just
out (1/08), fellow FSO Ann Wright's book Dissent: Voices of
Conscience, from