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A former Senior Foreign Service Officer takes an insider’s look at the WikiLeaks cables from 2006-2010 – the last two years of the Bush administration and first two years of the Obama administration. Through some 400 cables – almost all written by mid-level field officers – she describes how the diplomatic corps promotes American interests in a world frequently hostile to the United States.
She also reveals the disconnect that diplomats face at home, guided by conflicting approaches from multiple Washington stakeholders’ intent on their own agenda, often unaware of realities on the ground. From misinterpreted analyses of anti-Americanism to Washington’s unwillingness to send resources to support diplomatic activities that could make a difference, she argues that policymakers can learn from diplomats abroad — something that would strengthen America’s place in an unstable world.
Dr. Thompson-Jones is a Professor of the Practice and faculty director of Northeastern University’s master’s program in Global Studies and International Relations. She was a foreign service officer from 1989-2012, and served in Madrid, Sarajevo, Prague, Quebec, Washington D.C. — and in Guatemala under Ambassador John Hamilton.
