Jaded

                                              al-Jazeera image of a protest at Tahrir Square

This post is long overdue.  Though a lot has happened in two months, nothing has stood out as particularly worthwhile to discuss.  Until now.  Events during the final days of the Egyptian elections between felool, or regime remnant, candidate Ahmed Shafiq and Mohamed Morsi, of the Muslim Brotherood-backed Freedom and Justice Party, have caused me to contemplate my feelings during these past months, and whether it is right for a diplomat to have them.

I found a place to work in Cairo until after the proposed transfer of power in Egypt from the military government to the civilian administration.  I arrived in Cairo at the very end of 2011 after applying to the American University amidst the media coverage of crackdowns by Central Security Forces on protestors in Tahrir and long bouts of street fighting on Mohamed Mahmoud Street.  My parents and friends were worried, but I was hopeful.  SCAF and the Muslim Brotherhood, the largest opposition organization, were in agreement and wanted to go ahead with parliamentary elections.  I came to Cairo amidst those elections, and unrest settled down like I predicted.  Though many people were alarmed by the strong showing of Islamist candidates, this past semester has been fairly peaceful when compared to the turbulent year prior.

As the semester progressed, I lost focus.  I forgot my political science training that said that incumbent authoritarian powers do everything they can to retain power.  I forgot my history background that said that men like the consuls before Caesar and statesman like George Washington, who would readily give up enormous personal power for the greater benefit of humanity, are few and far between.  I took comfort when my government said SCAF wanted nothing more than to go back to their barracks.  I dared to hope that genuine change was occurring while I was here.  Official election results have not been announced yet, but I am already beginning to doubt that dream.

I do not think of myself as an idealist, and gladly leave that moniker to others.  I believe there are times when actions of ill repute are the best recourse, though others may hate it.  Pleasing everyone at the expense of your own success and security is a losing battle.  I also believe, however, that no one should make a show of their disregard for others or revel in self-righteousness.  We are all joined in common humanity, if not by national or ethnic ties. 

My personal conflict at the moment stems from my empathies for the Egyptian people and my concerns over regional stability and national interest.  Egyptians desire free and fair elections to determine a government that will finally work for them.  The Failed State Index recently ranked Egypt 31st out of more than 150 countries listed.  Egypt has infrastructure and the government effectively maintains a monopoly on force, but it has utterly failed to provide a system that protects the rights of its citizens.  A democratic transition could change that by making officials genuinely beholden to the selectorate.  However, the Muslim Brotherhood is a group that has previously espoused violence and desires to implement sharia law as the basis for its legislation.  It remains unclear how that will impact minorities like women, Copts, Jews, foreigners, and even Shi’a and Sufis.  The peace treaty with Israel, a substantial cause of the dramatic decline in inter-state warfare in the region since the mid-1970’s, could come under fire.  The U.S. would also lose what was previously a staunch ally against extremism in the region. 

In short, do I side with what is best for the people or best for the interests of my country?  As a diplomat, I should always do the latter, but I feel that, as a human being, I should do the former where I am able.

The recent suspension of the democratically-elected Parliament, reports of voter fraud coming from election monitors, postponing the official announcing of results, and statements and rallies by both sides insisting they are victorious have brought things to a climax that could prove a powderkeg.  If the Supreme Election Committee announces an Ahmed Shafiq victory, whether genuinely earned or fixed, Mohamed Morsi and his supporters may make good on their claim that there will be “blood in the streets.”  If Morsi is announced the winner, it is unclear how the military deep-state will interact with an administration filled with members they had spent the better part of three decades repressing and imprisoning. 

A diplomat’s job is to work with whomever is in charge of the country they are posted to.  The beliefs I mentioned above may not always lead to moral outcomes, but I believe that the U.S. often tries for net positive outcomes.  There is no telling how the new administration will turn out, but how do diplomats handle change? How can diplomats swallow their beliefs when interacting with a government built on lies or, even worse, murder?  How do they go on when a toppled government was a friend and the new one becomes a foe?  How do they cope with wasted financial, political, and emotional investment in a country when a regime may change but the people living there have not?

Whatever the outcome of this election, those questions remain unanswered for me.  

Dark Side of Traveling

Well, I’m back.

The trip was fairly successful except for one critical low-point.  We were in a car accident. I am extraordinarily fortunate that this event happened while we were traveling in Eastern Europe, and not some of the other places I’ve been. 

Without going into too many details, I realized I was in a bad situation, made a split-second decision after quickly evaluating options, and then aggressively stuck to my plan. That probably avoided a head-on collision. In theory, it was a good plan, but it is important to remember that there are endless ways that tiny, random variables can greatly alter the outcome of an event. Between that and the human condition, many simple, routine actions have a chance to become very serious, very quickly.  This was the lesson I was reminded of during an event that only spanned 30 seconds.

The aftermath took eight hours, plus a lot of waiting.  I’ll break it down by label, beginning with two of the 13 Dimensions.

Composure

An accident just happened.  I felt crushed by the immense consequences.  After the initial period of “Am I okay? Is my passenger okay? Are the occupants of the other car okay?”  I found myself unconsciously lapsing into a fit of anxiety and indecision.

“Don’t panic” is terrible advice unless you know how to avoid panicking.  During this episode, and others conducive to panicking, I have found the easiest way to maintain composure is simply to make a decision, and follow through.  My father told me that the worst decision is no decision, and while I can think of some very bad decisions, a failure to act can have significant consequences in terms of both results and morale.  The choice does not have to be huge, and certainly evaluate things as you go along, but I have found that trying to do something productive staves off panic and I ease into a state of mind conscious of both my surroundings and what needs to be done.  In this case, it was checking to see what people needed and whether I could provide it, taking pictures of the accident, discussing with the translator, assisting policemen take measurements, and actively planning logistics.  My passenger had done four tours in Iraq and said he was impressed with my composure; I laughed at that.  Being composed and looking composed are clearly different things, but looking composed calms others and facilitates a productive atmosphere in the midst of crisis.

Oral Communication

I have never been more impressed with the importance of communication.  My companion and I met with about 10 locals immediately following the incident, and only one spoke English. Tensions were running hot, and it was very difficult to communicate with anyone until the English-speaker offered to mediate.  It required a lot of patience to choose the words that would be easiest to translate, listen as they were translated, observe the emotional reply, and understand what was said.  This was also true when I had a certified translator at the police station during the official documentation.  I had never previously witnessed serious real-time translating before, and it is far more difficult than I had imagined, even after working at an embassy. 

I think important things to consider regarding oral communication are, again, patience with the speed of dialogue and an awareness of what exactly is being said in addition to the greater message.  There are many nuances in language that can significantly alter the concepts being conveyed, even while the same things can be conveyed in a myriad of ways.  Reconciling the two is definitely a skill I have not mastered. 

American Citizen Services

American Citizen Services is the section of the U.S. Embassy that assists American Citizens.  I assume most countries offer something similar in their embassies, though if anyone would like to comment on that, I would be very interested in hearing about differences. 

Contrary to popular belief, U.S. Embassy Staff will not rescue you while you are in a foreign country.  In most instances, they are not allowed to.  The vast majority of ACS cases involve passport issues and communications, but some involve emergencies, specifically injuries and arrests and the rare evacuation.  If you are arrested, you are entitled to speak with a consular official under international law who will provide you with a list of attorneys and possibly give you some information on the legal system wherever you are.  They will monitor your treatment, but they are not legal counsel.  Of course, whether police allow access depends on the country.  In case of significant injuries, I am under the impression that ACS staff will facilitate communication with relatives or contacts at home, but they are not medical counsel or providers.  If anything occurs for political reasons, these guidelines do not necessarily hold true, and ACS staff will act according to the situation.  Evacuations are a big deal, and ACS may facilitate transport for American citizens out of the country.  Don’t take this paragraph as gospel; many things are subject to the host country’s laws and what the ACS staff is able to do.

In my case, I notified ACS of my accident by calling them.  They provided a list of attorneys in case I needed one, and asked that I notify them if my status changes.  

In all, that we did not have access to a phone or an internet connection cut us off from many people we normally turn to in times of need, so we were forced to make decisions and act on our own judgment.  I haven’t been in an auto-accident in the U.S. aside from a fender bender, so being in one in a relatively rural area of a foreign country was extremely stressful.  We didn’t have anywhere to go while waiting for our rental replacement, so we napped in the police station at 3 am.  Many people exhibited unwarranted friendliness, and I am very cognizant of how fortunate we were that things turned out as they did.  They could have been much worse; death was a definite possibility.  I just have to take these lessons with me and apply them as best I can.  There was no reason for us to stay in the country, so my friend and I moved on with our trip after everything was accomplished and I am waiting to see how things turn out.  

13 Dimensions

Before this blog progresses much further, I wanted to make sure I posted the closest thing I have found to the “Tao of the Diplomat.” The Foreign Service seeks candidates who exemplify what are called the “13 Dimensions.” Here is a quick list of qualities diplomats are expected to have mastered:

Composure

Cultural Adaptability

Experience & Motivation

Information Integration & Analysis

Initiative & Leadership

Judgment

Objectivity & Integrity

Oral Communication

Planning & Organization

Quantitative Analysis

Resourcefulness

Working with Others

Written Communication

I refer to these every once in a while and try to imagine whether I have made any progress.  From now on, I will try to include these as labels to highlight thoughts or situations where these qualities are pertinent. The official State Department handout for the 13 Dimensions can be found here:

http://careers.state.gov/uploads/1e/be/1ebeb6be82c173e5cfb6e132b6fbd9b0/3.0.0_FSO_13_dimensions.pdf

I will be traveling the next two weeks or so, but when I return, hopefully I will have some more thoughts to share. My companion and I haven't been so great in the Planning & Organization category, so hopefully we will make it up in the Resourcefulness category as we go along. Expect some meditation on each of the 13 Dimensions too in some future posts. 

Role Models

One of the reasons I wanted to write this blog is to reflect on the characteristics of people I have met that I believe are diplomatic role models.

I had the privilege to work previously at a U.S. Embassy.  There, I had opportunities to see diplomats in action, whether they were presenting at a security summit, giving speeches at official functions, negotiating with foreign officials, or joking with school children.  Every interaction was a chance to make a good impression.  Each person I met was remarkable and incredibly professional.  They loved their job and serving the American people.  The internship, in addition to allowing me to apply a little of what I had learned in political science and economics classes, was a great opportunity to witness how governments and people acted.

I also saw a deep contrast between those I worked with and myself.  I am pretty young, my internship was my first time working overseas, and it happened to be in a culture I knew very little about I need to work on being more thoughtful, and I want to notice more going on around me. I want to push myself to be more extroverted, and while I love telling jokes to put people at ease, I want to be versed enough in cultural differences to be able to think through every nuance of possible reception before I go for the laugh.  I feel successful diplomats have already mastered these skills.

The diplomats were polished and confident.  They were fantastic listeners and never seemed to miss a signal.  Though many seemed more than a little reserved, they were often able to lighten the mood with a strategically-placed, tactful comment.  Most importantly, they made people feel comfortable.  When I met with them outside of the office, they may have been a little more relaxed, but the same qualities were a persistent part of their persona.

My supervisor and the older interns had a huge impact on me.  As much as I want to publicly give them credit for being wonderful people, they are doing a variety of great things and I don’t want to embarrass them.  They all adopted me in some way and were both patient and open.  More importantly, they gave valuable constructive criticism.  I rely on their insights as a critical insight into what I hope is my future career.

One of my housemates during that summer often said that there is something to be learned from every person.  That principle can often be difficult to put in practice.  However, living abroad again, I’ve revisited the concept and tried to follow that wisdom.  No matter your thoughts on the person, try to find what is admirable in them and reflect on that.  If personalities clash, try to figure out why; new things can be learned through interaction with people.  If the person is awesome, try to observe how they interact with others.  I have been trying to practice the positive qualities while avoiding the negative ones.  I hope I’ve been making progress.

A Difficult Question

I did not intend for this to be the first post on the blog, but a recent event has caused me to think long and hard on what I study and how I interact with others.  That’s what this is for.

I am currently studying in Egypt.  Yesterday, I went with a friend who studies refugee studies to a center run by his department.  He teaches English there every Tuesday.  After my experience during those three hours, I’ve decided that I'll be going to help him for the rest of the semester.  I had a lot of fun.

But it also made me think.  A lot. 

The people at the class were a great bunch.  However, structure is difficult.  The refugee center is in a poor part of town.  Only a few students consistently come to the lesson, though the room is nearly always full of those that want to watch.  When few of the regulars make it, moving forward in the lesson only to repeat it later makes little sense.  Yesterday was one of those days, and the instructors encouraged the attendees to ask questions of us to practice conversational English. 

My friend ran for political office and I study political science.  More people abroad understand what political science is than at home.  It was one of the first words I learned in Arabic.  When the refugees learned these facts, the floodgates opened.

We talked about families, living arrangements, what a forest is, the history and geography of the U.S., whether the U.S. had rivers, how states differed from each other, how to become a U.S. citizen, how many people live in the U.S., and the structure of the U.S. government.  The questions grew more political after most of the audience was satiated and some wanted us to compare/contrast governments of different countries.  As students in a country experiencing a level of uncertainty, we were uncomfortable speaking our minds.  I drew vague diagrams of government structure for a couple countries that seemed to satisfy the audience without saying anything that could be considered criticism.

There were a few questions that really had an impact on me.

One question made me very proud:

"If America has more than 300 million people, why do more people want to go there? Isn't it crowded?”

My friend explained how the U.S. is a chance to begin anew, and how our whole history has been founded, in a way, on immigration.

I got to say "My mother was a refugee." 

I don't know what these people have been through.  We aren't allowed to ask where they're from; it invokes powerful emotions.  The program works with people from Somalia, Eritrea, the Ivory Coast, and Iraq, among others.  Looking at the audience, when I said my mother was a refugee, the expressions on some of their faces, I don't even know how to describe it.  For them to see me, an American who goes to university, who travels, who studies what he wants, and who loves the United States, be the son of a refugee, I think they read a lot into that about how America is, in a very positive way.  I don't know how else to describe it. 

Another question made me profoundly sad: 

This was during a break, so only a few of the refugees were in the room.  One man in the back of the room, dressed in a galibayya with a white traditional cap, was very intelligent and informed about the world.  He began talking about stability and how governments change in bad ways.  I asked him whether he meant like what happened in Mali this week and he nodded.  I wrote “coup d'etat” on the board, and the room got quiet.  The man asked,

"Why do coups happen in Africa, but not in the U.S.?"

How can you possibly answer that in simple English to someone whose whole life has been shaken to pieces? How do you look someone in the eye, who has experienced more than you can imagine, and explain why the powerful act as they do? I tried to give him an answer one-on-one because I wasn't comfortable talking about it with everyone.  I told him that in the U.S., the law is stronger than man and the military upholds the law.  In other places, men are stronger than the law and the military supports them.  It didn't feel right, and he looked sad.  Later, I remembered the Greek philosopher-historian Thucydides, who unwittingly founded the realist school of International Relations Theory by boiling politics down to "the powerful do what they can." That's the truth, but does knowing that make pointless suffering hurt any less? 

Though I study politics, the actions of people are often difficult to understand.  I will never understand politics completely.  In hindsight, I feel the answer I gave the man was not very good, and even if I wrote many pages on it, the answer would not be a better one.  Experts try to explain why things happen, but often explanations do not bring meaning to events that have taken personal tolls.  The question highlighted the difference between meanings and explanations.  A meaning takes on feeling, while an explanation is often limited to words. 

A coup could be interpreted as one group of people overthrowing another group of people to gain control of something.  In Mali’s case, this was a country.  But what a coup means is displacement, terror and sorrow. 

I feel that was an important distinction to learn.

Under Construction

This blog is currently under construction.

When ready, it will hopefully serve as a repository for the musings of someone searching for what it means to be a diplomat.  In addition, there will be commentary on political events and public discourse. If possible, I'd like this blog to end up being a sort of common space for others like myself.

For now, I leave the Wikipedia entry on Tao: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao