Table Of ContentA
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CAN
A D ORS
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AMBA S
A Guide for Aspiring Diplomats
and Foreign Service Officers
Second Edition
Dennis C. Jett
American Ambassadors
Dennis C. Jett
American
Ambassadors
A Guide for Aspiring Diplomats
and Foreign Service Officers
Second Edition
Dennis C. Jett
School of International Affairs
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA, USA
ISBN 978-3-030-83768-6 ISBN 978-3-030-83769-3 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-83769-3
1st edition: © Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Nature America Inc. 2014
2nd edition: ©The Editor(s) (if applicable) andThe Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer
Nature Switzerland AG 2022
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ADST-DACOR Diplomats and Diplomacy
Series
Margery Boichel Thompson
Series Editor
Since 1776, extraordinary men and women have represented the United
States abroad under widely varying circumstances. What they did and
how and why they did it remain little known to their compatriots.
In 1995, the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training (ADST)
and DACOR, an organization of foreign affairs professionals, created
the Diplomats and Diplomacy book series to increase public knowl-
edgeandappreciationoftheprofessionalismofAmericandiplomatsand
their involvement in world history. Dennis Jett’s study, which explains
where American ambassadors come from, where they go, and why they
are more important than ever, is the 56th volume in the series.
v
vi ADST-DACORDiplomatsandDiplomacySeries
RelatedTitles in the Series
Jonathan Addleton, Mongolia and the United States: A Diplomatic
History
Herman J. Cohen, Intervening in Africa: Superpower Peacemaking in a
Troubled Continent
CharlesT. Cross, Born a Foreigner: A Memoir of the American Presence
in Asia
Donald P. Gregg, Pot Shards: Fragments of a Life Lived in CIA, the
White House, and theTwo Koreas
Brandon Grove, Behind Embassy Walls: The Life and Times of an
American Diplomat
ParkerT. Hart, Saudi Arabia and the United States: Birth of a Security
Partnership
Edmund J. Hull, High-ValueTarget: Countering al Qaeda inYemen
Cameron Hume, Mission to Algiers: Diplomacy by Engagement
Joyce E. Leader, From Hope to Horror: Diplomacy and the Making of
the Rwanda Genocide
Robert H. Miller,Vietnam and Beyond: A Diplomat’s ColdWar Educa-
tion
Ronald Neumann,The OtherWar:Winning and Losing in Afghanistan
David D. Newsom,Witness to a ChangingWorld
NicholasPlatt,ChinaBoys:HowU.S.RelationswiththePRCBeganand
Grew
Howard B. Schaffer,Ellsworth Bunker: Global Troubleshooter, Vietnam
Hawk
Raymond F. Smith,The Craft of Political Analysis for Diplomats
James W. Spain, InThose Days: A Diplomat Remembers
Monteagle Stearns, Gifted Greek:The Enigma of Andreas Papandreou
Jean Wilkowski, Abroad for Her Country: Tales of a Pioneer Woman
Ambassador in the U.S. Foreign Service
For a complete list of series titles, visit <adst.org/publications>
Praise for the First Edition
“An insightful, informative and entertaining treatment of an important
subject.”
—Richard J. Walter, Professor of History-Emeritus,Washington University
in St. Louis, USA
“A thorough study of the process that takes the reader step by step
through the arcane labyrinth that must be successfully navigated to
secure an appointment as ambassador. Students of American diplomacy
and aspirants to Ambassadorships will find it a must-read.”
—Ambassador Joseph Wilson (Ret.), author of The Politics ofTruth
“A lively and informative read for anyone wondering why the United
States, of all the countries that count in the world, is the only one that
hasalargenumberofambassadorswhoseonlyjobqualificationistohave
given money to winning presidential candidates.”
—Ambassador Stephen Bosworth (Ret.), former dean of the Fletcher
School of Law and Diplomacy, USA
vii
Praise for the Second Edition
“Ambassador Dennis Jett offers an unvarnished and insightful analysis
of why people are selected for the coveted position of ambassador and
how they are evaluated once they take office. His unsparing criticism
of political appointees with no foreign policy background is valid, as is
his call for the meritorious selection of Foreign Service Officers who are
chosen for the job. Ambassador Jett’s knife-like critique is born out of
his genuine concern for America’s ability to support democracy, human
rights, and open markets in an increasingly competitive world when a
significant portion of American ambassadors lack the skills to do so.”
—Ambassador Harry K.Thomas, Jr. (Ret.) former Director General of
the Foreign Service
“A book that sparkles in its candid explanations of how US ambassadors
are chosen, perform, and should be chosen and perform as well as lucid
and amusing commentary on current US foreign policy and practice.”
—Ambassador Dan Simpson (Ret.), Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
ix
x PraisefortheSecondEdition
“Athought-provoking,importantcontributiontothestudyofdiplomacy
in general, and to the role of the American ambassador specifically.”
—Peter Van Buren, US Department of State, Foreign Service Officer
(ret.), author of We Meant Well: How I Helped Lose the Battle for the
Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People
“This book makes a compelling case that ambassadors who know little
aboutthecountriestowhichtheyareaccredited,ortheconductofdiplo-
macy, cannot represent the United States nearly as effectively as can the
career professionals of the US Foreign Service.”
—Steven Alan Honley, editor, Foreign Service Journal(2001–2014)
“If you worry that the US risks losing its footing in the world, it is due
in no small part to money corrupting the ambassadorial appointment
process and political gridlock in Washington. This book should be a
must-read for every member of Congress.”
—James Bruno, author and journalist
“This book will interest anyone who cares about America’s future in
world affairs and enjoys an informative and provocative read.”
—Ambassador Kenneth L. Brown (Ret.), former president of the
Association for Diplomatic Studies andTraining (2001–2014)
For Brian, Allison and Noa.
