Was Trump's big showdown with President Petro of Colombia a show of might and power, or was there another reality behind the smoke and mirrors?  Pete has a thing or two to say about optics, policy and human lives, from the standpoint of the practice of diplomacy.

Ambassador (and ASU professor) Ed O'Donnell offers a close look at the economic impacts of Trump's foreign policies "Tariff is a beautiful word", "The Chinese are going to take over the Panama Canal!" and "Drill, baby, drill."  What's the reality beneath the bombast, globally and in American households?

Nadya Bliss, the executive director of ASU's Global Security Initiative, helps us understand disinformation from the ground up.  What is the algorithmification of information and what are the technological incentives for its distribution?  When is AI just fine, when is it a problem, how do we detect it and what should we do?  What is the power of diplomats working together with technologists to keep us safe?

Pete and John Feeley follow on last week's interview with Felix Maradiaga, freed Nicaraguan political prisoner.  Pete and John learn the diplomatic and human story behind the story with Patrick Ventrell, one of our diplomats overseeing the evacuation of Felix and so many others freed along with him on the same day.  

The greatest threat to the Ortega regime in Nicaragua?  Ideas.  And that's how Félix Maradiaga, Nicaraguan political activist, ended up in solitary confinement, in darkness, for months on end, with little food, little water and suffering interrogations without end.  And his dearest wish, now, safe in the US?  To be guided not by hate or resentment but by love, to create a different future for not only his grandchildren but those of his torturers.  Welcome to the United States, Mr. Maradiaga.  You elevate us all.

Who can become a sex or labor trafficking victim? Anyone. We all need food and shelter; we all need to provide for our children, just to name a few. Traffickers are expert at exploiting our needs. Dominique Roe-Sepowitz, Director of the ASU Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research, helps us understand in depth how it is that Arizona, and the rest of the United States, and every country in the world, are impacted, both domestically and through immigration – after all, who leaves their home country? The desperate. And the desperate are exactly the target for traffickers. Watch Dominique's TedX talk and prepare to be amazed.

More on the labrynth of intelligence, strategy and diplomacy in Ukraine. Centralized control works in concert with decentralized execution, diplomacy is working and countries are working together. Pete continues his candid chat with General Ben Freakley and Ambassaor Mike Polt on the combined efforts of intelligence, military and diplomacy in Ukraine.  

Ambassador Mike Polt and General Ben Freakley of ASU's Leadership, Diplomacy and National Security Lab join Pete for a discussion of Ukraine from a combined diplomatic, military and intelligence perspective, covering not only strategy and the situation on the ground but also ideological and even psychological dimensions of the war there. Among the interesting questions: What do we have to blame ourselves for? Part one of a two-part series.

Iranian citizens are being raped and publicly hanged by their government. We are past the point of words of solidarity. Goli Ameri, diplomat and humanitarian, helps us understand not just the complexity of events on the ground, but how this costs us as Americans, in lives lost through armed conflict, in funds spent, in the weakening of the US global position, and by the consequences of Iran's nuclear threat. What can we as Americans do to address this extraordinary humanitarian crisis?

Were the riots in Brazil on January 8, 2023, a January 6 copycat, or a situation all their own? Ambassador Michael McKinley weighs in (hint – he's far too subtle and informed to toss off a slapdash comparison). Factors affecting coutries worldwide incluide the usual suspects - resentment politics, fear, economic crises, COVID, changing trade norms - but polarized politics are everywhere. Leaders are old these days. Have they talked to 20-year-olds? 40-year-olds? Today's challenges are different than the old days and politcs as usual are not delivering. Plus, you get to hear Laura's dear friend and Brazilian jazz pianist Helio Alves – or watch him play here. Enjoy!

Kathleen Stephens, former ambassador to Korea, shares her perspective on how the culture of the US Foreign Service has changed, as have the cultures of Korea and the United States concurrently.  From cultures that favored workaholism to ones with greater gender equity, younger people have pushed for greater balance of priorities, in favor of the long view of what a life should be.

Daren Nair, whose show Pod Hostage Diplomacy has brought public awareness and government action to the cases of private citizens held by foreign governments, shares his vast knowlege of this increasingly urgent human crisis worldwide.  Who are these hostages, who is detaining them, and why?  What can families do?  And here's the video for our beautiful closing song, Coming Home, covered by Boyce Avenue.  

Ambassador Tony Wayne is back with a survey of trends, remaining challenges and reasons for optimism as we move from 2022 into 2023.  Trends include increased connectedness between domestic and international politics, ecomonmic localism and democractic backsliding, but we've also seen Western partnerships rally and revive, and we've seen heroes of many stripes, not least of whom is the great Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine.  Cheers to 2023!

We all recognize the intractability and tragedy of the Arab/Israeli conflict but what are the dynamics of Iran's proxy forces, separately fighting Israel, working together?  What is each of their relationship with Iran?  And what will be the Trump impact?  Ambassadors Jeffrey Feltman and Jake Walles, who spent decades in the Middle East, share stories.

Pete botches up a boar hunt, drinks the mystery drink chicha, and receives upon his departure a marriage proposal, ambiguously addressed either to himself one of the other fine young gringos. Follows first episode, titled "Cowboys and Indian at the Embassy."  Again, Pete wants to know what you think. Should he have gone there? Should he have stayed once he got there? Could you have resisted the pull of curiosity? Can anyone? What are the consequences if we visit happily isolated people of the world? Tell us what you think on facebook, at amdipstories@gmail.com, or by voicemail (vm link on our website www.amdipstories.org). Part two of Pete's story of his visit with the Huarani, from the archive. Happy New Year!

From the archive, Pete tells the tale of his visit to the jungle to hang with the Huarini.  Did he do the right thing?  Pete actually wants to know!  Tell us what you think on facebook, at amdipstories@gmail.com, or by voicemail (vm link on our website www.amdipstories.org).  Here's the original blurb:  "Embassy death squads?  Sure, I made that up!"  ~ Moi, Huarani Indian and tribal ambassador.  Stay tuned for part 2 of this story tomorrow.  Cheers!

Ambassador Peter Bodde shares a Christmas Eve tale of rescue and relief as the walls of Communism fell like snow in Eastern Europe, 1989.  

The authritarian psychology, with Ken Dekleva, our (fascinating) Foreign Service psychiatrist. Dictators respect only strength, negotiating with maximalist demands, getting as much as they can by giving as little as they can. As they grow older, they may become more rigid, threatening their grip on publics and opponents. Contrast Putin, who undid 30 years of progress in the former Soviet Union in the first week of war in Ukraine, with Zelensky's courage and heroism. The difference? One approach grows more isolationist, while the other is often an ordinary person, doing what they are trained to do, to help someone in need. Wow.

Dr. Ken Dekleva, former foreign service psychiatrist, explains that for diplomats stressors are always high but especially so in places like China, where US diplomats are subject to Covid lockdowns that separate children from their parents, or war zones, or heavily surveilled postings like Moscow, and many more.  But the part to tune in for is the closing song, written just for Doc Dekleva.  It's not bad!   

Laura's great old pal Andy Mertha, SAIS professor and China expert, contextualizes recent Chinese protests against Covid policies in the immense time-space continuum of Chinese political and cultural history.  

Our Thanksgiving special featuring pie at the Hague and Turkey in Uzbekistan - Thank you to you, each and all!  Have a wonderful holiday!

A licenced architect in Cuba, our friend Maikel was forced to leave in order to avoid being jailed by the Cuban state.  In a perilous, many-legged journey, here he is, after planes and boats, jungles and rivers, detention centers and now free but unentitled to work until his hearing, which is scheduled for 2025.  And for Cubans, this journey is relatively painless, compared to everyone else forced to migrate by circumstance.  We are honored to hear Maikel share his story of Cuba and his new life here.  

Can you imaine discovering that your best friend for years, with whom you shared milestones of your life, was in fact a traitor and a spy?  Some time ago, the news covered the case of Ana Montes, called by CNN "the most damaging spy you've never heard of", but less known is the story of Marta Velazquez, the recruiter who introduced Ana Montes to the Cuban government. Marta's dear friend Ambassador Liliana Ayalde had no idea of her friend's duplicity until Marta fled to Sweden.  Who was Liliana's best friend Marta?  Why was she spying?  Was she ever truly a friend?  

Since the morality police arrested and murdered 22-year-old Mahsa Amini - allegedly for wearing her hijab incorrectly - protests have gained intensity. We've seen protests in Iran before. How and why is it different this time? Goli Ameri and Frank Ricciardone offer personal observations and policy perspectives.

Campaign promises - repatriating the undocumented, Mexico's role in securing the border, tariff quid pro quos and NATO's role in a Russian/Ukraine peace - will require expert diplomacy.  Will the new administration be up to it?  Secretary Tom Shannon, who led State in the first Trump administration, is here to tell us what Trump's early days will look like.

April 7, 1994, Rwanda. Not a good day to be mistaken for the acting Prime Minister. Linda Thomas-Greenfield (now US Ambassador to the UN) shares the tale of her escape from the anti-government militia, while millions of others perished in the country's genocide.

The story of our very own Pete turns out to be interesting to our intern Lauren!  For Hispanic Heritage Month, Lauren (and Laura) interview Pete about the challenges he faced as a Latino when he joined the Foreign Service, and how he overcame them to become the highest-ranking Latino officer of his time. Hint: The system worked.  

Juan Carlos Pinzón, the youngest-ever Colombian Minister of Defence, and more recently the Colombian ambassador to the United States, weighs in on hemispheric events, from the valuable perspective of an expert diplomat whose country is not...the United States.  How do worldwide autocracies impact hemispheric immigration and security?  What is, or should be, the US role in these phenomena?  

Politics, Kermit the frog, the ABCs and life as an ambassador. Ambassor Charlie Rivkin is back for a second episode, this time discussing his marvelously blended career in media, business and public service. Soft diplomacy is powerful diplomacy.

We've had some fun on the topic of political appointees. But here we have Charlie Rivkin, who served as a political appointee ambassador and assistant secretary of state and is also former head of the Jim Henson Company, now head of the Motion Picture Association. He brought managerial acumen, vision and a commitment to public service to the job, showing how much the Foreign Service can gain from a private sector leadership perspective. Just don't ask about the elevator.

Ambassador Vicki Huddleston gets around in the Sahara, and even gets the women a place inside the tent. So where did all these terrorists come from?  And what is this cool band that hauls its equipment around on camels? (One of our very favorites, originally posted July 2019)

Not the same as cybersecurity or digital diplomacy, cyberdiplomacy affects us all, worldwide, our access to information, our privacy, our ability to connect. Jennifer Bachus, senior official of the brand new Cyberspace and Digital Policy Bureau, helps us understand how countries of the world unite to support common values and interests.  

Ken Quinn is back, this time to talk about saving democracy from a coup attempt in the Philippines. Then, as now, democracy is under threat, but it is not the only thing that hangs in the balance...

Hi, everyone!  Enjoy the sound of the cicadas and the cooling of the evenings with our annual music episode.  We'll be back next week with another gripping tale - will our hero, our great democracy, live another day?  (We think it will.)  Have a great week.

What is Schedule F?  And its evil twin, the Public Service Reform Act? Ambassador Dennis Jett joins us once again to explain these two important pieces of policy. Is their purpose to make government accountable, or perhaps is it to control the government and undermine the impact of its most senior public servants?  (Plus, Dennis offers some fun ambassadorial history at the top.)

Oh, the stress of the election!  We're feeling the strain!  So we thought we could all use a little break.  Here's one of our earliest, most fun episodes.  Larry Dinger regales us with tales of tires on fire, pollution, trekking, and one of the most bizarre episodes in monarchy in the world.  Now Laura wants to join the Foreign Service and all of us want to go to Kathmandu.  

Worldwide, and in the Americas, journalists live in fear for their personal safety and are muredered in ever-growing numbers in retaliation for their reporting. At the same time, journalists are distrusted in greater numbers than ever before. Representative democracy depends on reliable, accurate press reporting, so John Feeley is back to discuss his new project, The Center for Media Integrity of the Americas.  

Let's say you're a public servant. You've taken an oath to uphold the constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic, and also to obey the commander-in-chief. What if you can't do both? And what if following the law slaps you with a $100,000 legal bill? And then why bother serving? Eric Rubin, President of the American Foreign Service Association, shares his experience representing the interests of Foreign Service Officers. See also his article in The Foreign Service Journal: https://afsa.org/time-diplomacy-now.

Beginning a career at State in the Office of International Religious Freedom, Sameer Hossain visited the Rohingya refugee camps in the country where his parents were born (Bangladesh). Learning of the lived experiences of women and children in these camps, he thought of his own kids, and then switched his focus from international human rights issues to traumatic domestic events, and he now serves in a new but similar role at the Department of Homeland Security.  How does a man so empathetic avoid PTSD and just get the job done?

This is Fidel's advice to Daniel Ortega, today's strongman leader of Nicaragua. Wonder who else was listening? This is no longer a foreign piece of business but a thing threatening our own democracy right here, right now. Bob Callahan describes today's authoritarian regime in this Central American nation.  Are there any other parallels can we draw?  (Formerly posted as "Nicaragua, Nicaraguita".)

In a fun twist, John Feeley interviews Laura on what she's learned about foreign service officers. Why doesn't the average Joe know how great they are? Is it because they are boring? Or is it just because foreign policy doesn't go "Boom"? Most FSOs pursue the career because while they have no wish to conquer the world, they do want to explore it.  They want a job that will take them to Funky Town.

In this glorious encore episode, we say bottoms up to vacay! That's where we are and where you should be, too! 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. He will regale you, and let us hope your vacation is less fraught with peril than this!  

Here's our earlier episode about Victor Bout, reposted, as he is again in the headlines, part of a proposed prisoner swap with Russia in exchange for a WNBA player. What? Yes, indeed. Victor Bout, Russian arms dealer, and a host of other nogoodnicks invest their nefarious proceeds in American cities such as Louisville, Dallas, Cleveland, unbeknownst to city officials. These criminals receive real estate tax breaks but never pay tax, drive up market prices, destroy jobs, and are never held accountable for any of their crimes because American laws have not, up to now, required them to identify themselves. But things are changing. (Or, as of this posting, are they?). Read about it in the NYTimes: link:https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/01/us/politics/brittney-griner-trial-russia.html.  

Ambassador Kevin Whitaker walks us through one of the most significant polticial events in Colombia's history: its recent election of outsider candidate Gustavo Petro. How have political parties lost their ability to mediate between voters and their governments? How has this given rise to populism, nationalism, and more importantly, a global competition of fundamental systems of government?

"We build trust," says Marcela Celorio, Counsul General of Mexico in Los Angeles, in our first-ever interview with a diplomat representing another country. Marcela shares stories cross-border diplomatic cooperation to assist businesses, caravans of immigrants in need, and others.

Ambassador Rufus Gifford, Chief of Protocol for the United States, knows the very real power of setting the stage for successful diplomacy, especially post-pandemic, as we all hunger for personal human connection.  And why are gifts so very important?   Which ones are the best kinds to give?

David Scheffer, our country's foremost diplomat on war crimes, reveals the unstoppable forces seeking justice.  The bad get badder and the good get better.  

Dave Silverman, Deputy National Summit Coordinator, Summit of the Americas, talks about the complexity and diplomatic significance of setting the Summit's agenda.  Democracy, climate change and other urgent topics are set forth for negotiation between the leaders of the hemispher's nations.  Who weighs in on the topics chosen?  Are agreements binding? Dave brings years of experience to the discussion.

Brian Nichols, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs brings us up to speed on the most pressing issues on the agenda for the upcoming ninth annual Summit of the Americas. Income inequality, Covid impacts, climate change, access to health care, and disinformation are all on the marquis. How do thes issues impact average people throughout the hemisphere, and how do they put democracies under pressure?