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American Diplomat goes behind the scenes to hear real stories from diplomats who lived newsworthy events overseas. Experience the Cuban revolution, Central American insurgencies, the end of apartheid and more through the eyes of those who were there. A project of Arizona State University.
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In Saudi Arabia women now drive, work and travel as they please, and the country has moved toward normalizing relations with Israel. Amb. Michael Ratney tells of change in Saudi and shares stories of Israel, where the only way forward is for all of us – Israelis, Palestinians and everyone – to humanize each other. Does the present war boil down to Iran against everybody in this intensely multifaceted part of the world? And what will Saudi do?
For many of us, the Middle East is a place of intractable conflict and endless complexity. Ambassador Stuart Jones lived those complications for much of his diplomatic career. Whether studying maps with Iran-backed militia leaders in Iraq, arguing troop withdrawals at the salad bar with John McCain, or sneaking food for hungry refugeess over the Syrian border, Stu Jones was there when it mattered. His insights may not end the current war — but will surely help you understand it better!
US Ambassador to Zambia Mark Storella helps us understand why support for democracy and public health achieves the same objectives as "hard power": using our influence to advance US objectives overseas. For the cost of one aircraft on one aircraft carrier, we can save hundreds of thousands of lives. And what is the benefit to us? And who is Kennedy Mweene, anyway?
First, we welcome the wonderful Ambassador Dan Rosenblum as new co-host for the show. And we at American Diplomat still believe that the world will return to diplomacy! To help our youngest listeners prepare for that moment, our guest, Henry Haggard, has created a resource: The 25 Year Apprenticeship. So get in the room, listen and learn! As Henry likes to quote his mentors, "This is your apprenticeship, Henry! Pay attention!"
Is the Gen Z drive for authenticity exactly what the country needs now? Our guests ASU Barrett Honors Students Kate Kelley and Sophia Agelastos elucidate how they parse fact from fiction. Join Pete Romero, Ambassador Deborah McCarthy and our student guests to hear what really matters to the Zs.
At a time when Trump wages war against expertise, with scores of career ambassadors being recalled and a thinning of officers in the field, Undersecretary of State John Bass holds forth on why real estate and business experience, as well as AI, cannot substitute for diplomatic tradecraft.
You probably thought that an ambassador's job was to help Americans and work with local governments. And so did Ambassador Dan Rosenblum! But to his amazement he discovered that he was in charge of bioweapons campaigns designed to infect populations and plots to overthrow governments and destabilize society overseas! Not true, of course, but the disinformation machinery is hard at work. At what cost? And what can we do to combat this form of warfare? Listen to Dan's personal experience in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Have you ever heard of the teeny tiny Bureau of Intelligence and Research within the State Department? Pull up a chair, because we have Phil Goldberg and Dan Smith here – both career ambassadors (highest rank in the Senior Foreign Service), and both Assistant Secretaries of State for this small but mighty intelligence service. Have a look under the hood at what may be the coolest job in the world.
Israeli security has been the third rail of public discourse. Support all that Israel does or Hamas owns you. The result: waning support. Joel Rubin is back to unpack how Trump is changing the script.
Jewish-American political analyst Joel Rubin unpacks the reasons for the increase in hate crimes and why Jewish-American groups did not expect a rise in anti-Semitism.
Must our foreign policy be based on ego, resources and might-makes-right? Can we effectively meet future challenges with policies based on American values? Ambassador Mike Polt hopes so, and ASU is developing a plan for the long game.
Why hasn't Trump decided to keep US boots on the ground? Let us count the reasons. Hint, it's not because it would be a bad look.
An oldie but a goodie and one of our very favorites, our annual New Year's special: In Vodka Veritas with Dick Hoagland. Ambassador Dick Hoagland, having served many years in Russia and former Soviet republics, has had ample opportunity to consider the high-stakes drinking game of vodka diplomacy. Break a bottle over the bow of 2026 and Happy New Year!
For the holidays, we asked diplomats to share their tales. We have Ken Quinn whose young kids' Christmas in Austria was saved by a team including the Chattanooga Choo Choo, a muslim Santa and a temporary North Korean "daugther". We have Peter Pham who, on his way home for the holidays from his post in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was diverted to Paris due to the US government shutdown, which turn of events led him to ensure the safety return of a recent Congolese Nobel Prize winner. And we have Kent Logsdon who shares a moving tale of singing in an ambassadors' version of a barbershop quartet the song War Is Over, when indeed, war had only just ended in that country. Have a lovely holiday season, everyone!
The Administration's new National Security Strategy document contains exaggerations, contradictions, insults, racism, posturing and slamming, which is to say nothing of the important topics it does not address. Amb. Charlie Ray takes the ideological manifesto apart for us, with discussion of the existential consequences for America and for our species.
Imagine a free and prosperous Venezuela. What would it take? We take you to a simulated White House Situation Room with diplomat and Venezuela expert Brian Naranjo. Are you ready for some ground truth?
The chainsaw was one thing. But the dog economists? Either way, $20billion is a nice bailout package for Argentina. Senior State Department economist Rich Sanders unpacks life in Argentina today, for their eccentric-in-chief and for the Argentine populace.
State Department lawyer Mike Peay traces how, during a time of deep racial conflict, black American jazz artists went overseas to promote the American experiment, winning the hearts of millions with their music and personas, but would it improve race relations at home? We share this episode once more to lift our hearts on Thanksgiving day.
There are no embassies in space, so why diplomacy? Space is everywhere on earth – in financial transactions, food supplies, GPS – and it is key to hybrid warfare, particularly in US competition with China. Space demands agreements before conflicts get hot. Major General Brook Leonard is back to help us understand the facts and the strategic implications.
Nepalese democracy is strong but its economy is not. Social platforms gave voice to the aggrieved. When the government threatened access, young folks got down to business, and they got it done. How? Amb. Peter Bodde unpacks.
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comment on Rubin (end of tail...), his smug response that he had professional parents so he grew up "knowing it's nuanced" should have been challenged. Murder by the government of citizens on the street, the blatant affront to constitutional protections are not nuanced issues.
❤️❤️❤️❤️ Thank you for the update on Toobah!
Great Episode, love the outro music!