American Diplomat

What happens when our president operates from his own alternative reality?  A growing Axis of Upheaval against us? Elizabeth Shackelford is back to clarify the moment.

We fought, died, celebrated victories and became prosperous together. Canadians could count on us, until now. Journalist Steve Scherer walks us through the US boycotts and yes, the profound sense of …

What prompts someone to become a violent Muslim extremist? Even more, what would get them to turn against their comrades? Counter-terrorism guru Brig Barker demystifies this dark world.

Why is Kazakhstan safe from Russia? It juts into the heart of Russia and shares the longest continuous land border in the world. What is their secret? Ambassador Dan Rosenblum’s analogy: walking a ti…

What happens when you are instructed to treat the aggressor as an innocent? Former Ambassador Bridget Brink’s career reaches a fork in the road. What to do? Hint: Who’s running in the Michigan Sevent…

He's charismatic, he's exciting, he's strong. How do elected autocrats woo their publics and then destroy the very countries they promised to elevate? What happens to the populace?  Kristie Kenney, a…

It is the 1950s. Senator Joseph McCarthy and his henchman Roy Cohn target and humiliate our diplomats for accurately reporting an eventual Mao victory in China. Jack Service and his family are at the…

Secretary Rubio’s stated goal is to reduce our diplomatic corps by 15%. Does it stop there? After four years of whim and chaos will the world ever trust us to lead again? Will we have the expertise a…

What happens when tariff policy becomes a whim? Career commercial officer Dan Crocker peers into the chaos and breaks down the stakes for businesses and national security.

The old approach to national security is breaking apart.  Americans demand change.  Young diplomats and global service professionals today have a once in a century opportunity to reshape how the US e…

Will diplomacy come next? Will Trump and Netanyahu give the Ayatollah an off-ramp? Acting Secretary of State and Undersecretary in the first Trump administration Tom Shannon lists both sides' options…

For decades Plan Colombia was the gold standard for tackling counter-insurgency. With the current spike in cartel/gang violence, are Colombians losing faith in their conciliatory, populist leader Pet…

The Federal Government has a long-standing entity which reviews possible threats posed by foreign actors, investing inside the US. What happens when a small town decides to wreck a Chinese investment…

With Assad overthrown in Syria and the new regime freeing themselves of decades long sanctions will they be able to stop the flow of financing and weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon? Is this an opening …

With so much disinformation flying around, Senator Chris Van Hollen sets the record straight and takes down Secretary Rubio at the same time.

From wartime to prosperity, Ambassador Ted Osius shares his personal experience of change in US/Vietnam relations since the end of the war 50 years ago. Best question: Why is Amb. Osius optimistic, e…

How did a utopian vision for society lead to one of the bloodiest regimes in history, Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge? Why does it matter today? Was it mediocrity? Arrogance? Or is it just easier to seize pow…

Acting Undersecretary for Management, Ambassador Tibor Nagy, had a front row seat to the twenty-something DOGE Musketeers and their slash and burn approach to “re-organizing” venerable national secur…

Overseas, mugged, sick, arrested, who are you going to call and will there be anyone to answer? Tom Yazdgerdi, the President of AFSA, the State Department labor union, fears what budget cuts will mea…

Is it simply mutual self-interest or is it Bukele's head start on the authoritarian’s handbook?  Both?  AmDip’s own Pete Romero breaks it down, with feeling!