If Diplomats Jump Ship - Is the Boat in Trouble?  

by Jim Moore

03/01/2003

This is one bit of news not apt to be seen in the liberal press. If it somehow sneaks in it will probably be on a side-bar in 4-point type. Anything larger would be conspicuous and might get read. 

Why would the media hesitate to report this news? Probably because it concerns a career diplomat stationed in Greece, who did something that reflects unfavorably on our present Administration and its handling of the Middle East crisis. And any dissenting comments about us charging off to war with Iraq is considered "unpatriotic".

This is about a letter written by a U.S. diplomat in Athens, who has served in U.S. embassies from Tel Aviv to Casablanca. So the man is no political neophyte.

The letter in question is from John Brady Kiesling to his boss, Colin L. Powell, Secretary of State.

Now, Foreign Service diplomats, because of the nature of their position, must correspond a lot with their superiors, so what makes this letter so unique?

Read the opening paragraphs and you'll see.

"Dear Mr. Secretary


"I am writing you to submit my resignation from the Foreign Service of the United States and from my position as Political Counselor in U.S. Embassy, Athens, effective March 7. I do so with a heavy heart. The baggage of my upbringing included a felt obligation to give something back to my country. Service as a diplomat was a dream job. I was paid to understand foreign languages and cultures, to seek out diplomats, politicians, scholars and journalists, and persuade them that the U.S. interests and theirs fundamentally coincided. Faith in my country and its values were the most important weapon in my diplomatic arsenal.

"It is inevitable that during 20 years with the State Department, I would become more sophisticated and cynical about the narrow and selfish bureaucratic motives that sometimes shaped our policies. Human nature is what it is, and I was rewarded and promoted for understanding human nature. But until this Administration, it had been possible to believe that by upholding the policies of my president I was upholding the interests of the American people and the world. I believe it no longer.

"The policies we are now asked to advance are incompatible not only with American values but also with American interests. Our fervent pursuit of war with Iraq is driving us to squander the international legitimacy that has been America's most potent weapon of both offense and defense since the days of Woodrow Wilson. We have begun to dismantle the largest and most effective web of international relationships the world has ever known. Our current course will bring instability and danger, not security."

Mr. Kiesling's letter goes on for several more paragraphs, covering the subjects relevant to his resignation, plus his final, personal observation: "I have tried and failed to reconcile my conscience with my ability to represent the current U.S. Administration."

To my knowledge, this is the first letter of resignation from a career politician to a top member of the Bush Administration that has come to light since the government has begun its unconstitutional and unprincipled march toward a war with Iraq, and other programs designed to "democratize" the world.

Kiesling's letter seems to be an isolated incident. But is it, since any news critical of the Bush Administration is looked on as "un-American" and therefore not exactly headline material?

Nevertheless, Kiesling's letter portends a trend in more and more dissatisfaction with American foreign policy. And frankly. I'm surprised that government officials are slow to see the insanity in the Administration's plan for "saving" the world..

Or, unlike Kiesling, have most of them been able to "reconcile their conscience" to the Administration's dangerous ambitions? If they have, there can be little doubt that there's trouble brewing, and disaster ahead.



Jim Moore
Jmoore1819@aol.com