Shows
American DiplomatWhat Happened to the Man of My Dreams?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, ambassador to Ecuador, Thailand and the Philippines has a thing or two to say about these folks and the reasons that people elect them. Repost from 2020, with oddly entertaining postscript from Pete. Spolier alert: Things doesn't always turn out the way these guys expect.
2025-07-3142 minAmerican DiplomatWhat's Behind the Trump-Bukele Bromance?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!
2025-04-2435 minAmerican DiplomatHow is Trump 2.0 Like An Onion?A foreign policy grandmaster strategist? Or is our president guided simply by whim and spite, without a cohesive plan? Pete and Laura break it down. You be the judge.
2025-03-1723 minAmerican DiplomatTrump 2.0: Is Humiliation the Point?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.
2025-01-3026 minAmerican Diplomat2025: A Year of Frenemies?Pete and Laura look back on their favorite episodes of the past year, covering cybercrime, space diplomacy and gangsterism among others. And what's to come in the new administration? Borders north and south, changes in the Middle East, and Ukraine. We expect challenges with adversaries, but more importantly, how will the new administration engage our friends?
2024-12-2627 minAmerican DiplomatI'm Going to Kathmandu - EncoreOh, 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.
2024-10-3129 minAmerican DiplomatBehind the White House CurtainJournalist and FSO (you read that correctly!) Steve Herman's new book Behind the White House Curtain delves into the balance between, as Pete says, being the pitcher and the umpire at the same time. Especially during the Trump White House, what was it like to be "the enemy of the people"? Trump's priority was to feed his base red meat, was he really out of control? Join us to hear Steve talk about his experience in this extraordinary dual role.
2024-08-0832 minAmerican DiplomatMore Travels With Pete – Huarani Part 2Recently the indigenous of the Amazon have been gifted with Starlink, but to what effect? Years ago, Pete visited a similar community, botched up a boar hunt, drank the mystery drink chicha, and received upon his departure a marriage proposal, ambiguously addressed either to himself one of the other (finer?) young gringos. Which is worse, Pete or the Internet? Give us your thoughts on whether Starlink is a gift or curse for the Marubo via our socials or via voicemail on our website.
2024-07-0433 minAmerican DiplomatStarlink in the Amazon? Uh-oh.Years ago, Pete visited the Amazon and made friends with some very remotely located people. His visit raised questions: Did he do the right thing? Now others, far more remote, have been visited by Elon Musk's Starlink – by their own request! With an updated perspective, we repost this gem from our early days recording American Diplomat. First of two in a series. Give us your thoughts on whether Starlink is a gift or curse for the Marubo people via our socials or via voicemail on our website. Enjoy!
2024-06-2746 minAmerican DiplomatGeopolitics Thrills!We talk about cultural diplomacy, but what about diplomacy in culture? Laura (MFA, Film and Television, NYU) loves movies and TV, and best of all, Laura loves movies and TV about geopolitics. What do the last fifty years of diplomacy in media tell us about diplomacy in society? About society more broadly? And why do so many movies about diplomats turn into spy movies before the second act? Funny you should ask! Here's a compendium of said movies for superfans like us, and once you listen to our episode, you may love movies as much as Laura does. Get thee to...
2024-06-0640 minAmerican DiplomatInkedPete unpacks the antecedents of modern-day gangsterism, going back to his days as Assistant Secretary. What were the unintended consequences of sending Central American gangsters back "home" to a country they did not know, where their best chance of fitting in was with ex-guerillas? Boom. Not even the tattoo removal machines can save this combustible mix.
2024-03-2134 minAmerican DiplomatOne Million!!!We just cleared our millionth download! Or, you did! Pete and Laura reflect on early days and share their favorite episodes of the 350 that they have broadcast over the years – the tomfoolery of cybercriminals, the economic party at the border, the astonishing takeover of an African nation by bunch of Wagner guys in flip flops, and the redemption of a family blackballed by McCarthyism, plus a little bonus insight on the continued life after death of Roy Cohn. Enjoy and THANK YOU!
2024-03-0424 minAmerican DiplomatIt Wasn't All Bad, Was It?Pete and Laura close the year with reflections on the diplomatic successes in 2023 that helped create a more peaceful and sustainable world. Global events have offered up a lot to fear recently, but it wasn't all bad! Happy New Year from American Diplomat.
2023-12-2810 minAmerican DiplomatBetrayal and Treason - Why?Pete's old friend Manuel Rocha is in the news - but in jail as a spy for the Cubans! Imagine the shock. You trust someone, and wow. Psychiatrists David Charney and Ken Dekleva help us understand the mind of the turncoat: the greatest threat of them all is the male ego. We are gobsmacked.
2023-12-1430 minAmerican DiplomatDissent and Its ConsequencesWhat do you do if you have a severe crisis of conscience over a policy that you cannot support? Do you speak up? Or do you keep your head down and do your job? If you use State's established Dissent Channel, are you bound by its rules to keep your views in that channel? Do you go public? What is the patriotic thing to do? What is the morally right thing to do? Our very own Pete Romero is our guest today, on the topic as recently brought to the fore over the war in Gaza.
2023-11-1527 minAmerican DiplomatSeñor Menendez Goes to WashingtonHow did Robert Menendez fall so hard? A suspected foreign agent? Hiding gold bullion? Pete and John Feeley knew a different man decades ago. A champion of Latinos in government at the start, a nasty, vindictive, corrupt politician by the end. Did he change or could you see the germ of his demise from the beginning? John's view: Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Pete's? An evolution of personality he has never seen anywhere else.
2023-10-1241 minAmerican DiplomatA "More Perfect" UnionNo union is perfect, but it helps to try. Authoritarians worldwide exploit their citizens' need for public safety to gain and hold power. If you can't walk out of the house at night, bring the guy who makes the streets safe! But then what happens when your loved ones start to disappear? Pete and John Feeley discuss recent examples in the Western Hemisphere, but the phenomenon threatens democracies and human rights worldwide.
2023-09-2848 minAmerican DiplomatSex Up This Cable!24 hours news TV totally changed the State Department comms staple, the cable. Pete hopped on the "wireless" to save a democracy and Amb. John Feeley connected with Panamanians using ridiculous (but very sweet) Facebook videos. Disruptive technologies including AI will never replace human trust, but they create opportunity for better diplomacy.
2023-06-0151 minAmerican DiplomatThe Diplomat - You Asked!By listener request, Pete and Laura have binged the Netflix show The Diplomat. Pete answers: How real is it? Laura answers (even though no one actually asked): How good is it? But importantly, how easy is it to make a story that mirrors real-life complexity and still moves and rolls and satisfies purely from the standpoint of story craft?
2023-05-2538 minAmerican DiplomatScarcity Colors Everything - China Policy (Encore)Today we are reposting one of our most informative episodes on China, which Laura often thinks of when analyzing today's global news: Why does the West find China so confounding in matters of business and diplomacy? Phil Shull, retired Foreign Agricultural Service officer, explains: China's culture and history may be best understood by its written character for "population", which is comprised of symbols for "person" and "mouth". Chinese don't ask, "How's it going?" but instead, "Have you eaten today?" For more, read Phil's article, Dealing with the Dragon, in the Foreign Service Journal, at this link: https://www.afsa.or...
2023-04-2755 minAmerican DiplomatAuthoritarian Demagogue or Savior?Ambassador Kevin Whitaker is back to share his knowledge of the populist president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, who has imprisoned thousands and violated human rights brazenly, all in the name of (rather effectively) curbing violence and bringing security to the people of his country. Pete asks, is Bukele an authoritarian demagogue or savior?
2023-04-0645 minAmerican DiplomatHow'd They Do It?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.
2023-03-0920 minAmerican DiplomatThe Triad of US Forces in UkraineMore 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.
2023-02-1633 minAmerican DiplomatThe Three-Legged Stool in UkraineAmbassador 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.
2023-02-0930 minAmerican DiplomatBrazil – January 8Were 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 watc...
2023-01-2645 minAmerican DiplomatPete Goes Native – Second Part of Pete's Visit with the Indians – EncorePete 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...
2022-12-2932 minAmerican DiplomatCowboys and Indian at the Embassy - EncoreFrom 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!
2022-12-2837 minAmerican DiplomatProtests, and China's Endless ComplexityLaura'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.
2022-12-0349 minAmerican DiplomatYale, Pale and Male?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.
2022-10-2046 minAmerican DiplomatTake Me to Funky TownIn 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.
2022-07-2148 minAmerican DiplomatThe Merchant of Death is Back in the NewsHere'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...
2022-07-0730 minAmerican DiplomatThe Failure of the Liberal Democratic ModelAmbassador 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?
2022-07-0150 minAmerican DiplomatCross-Border Diplomacy"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.
2022-06-2331 minAmerican DiplomatGift or Gaffe?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?
2022-06-1623 minAmerican DiplomatPlanning the SummitDave 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.
2022-06-0934 minAmerican DiplomatThe Assistant Secretary of State on the Summit of the AmericasBrian 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?
2022-06-0231 minAmerican DiplomatClimbing the SummitThe Summit of the Americas is coming up in ealry June. Who will be there? What's at stake? Is it a big party for all the heads of state of the Western Hemisphere or is it for democracies only? John Feeley will join Laura and Pete in LA to cover the summit, and he weighs in here with his thoughts and expectations.
2022-05-2746 minAmerican DiplomatWe Are Going to WinThe night before the war begain, a calm confidence prevailed in President Zelensky's office. Peter Van Praagh, President of Halifax International Security Forum, recently returned from Ukraine where he spent the first hours of the war. His stories are as powerful as his message that Putin did not unite the West; the Ukrainians did. And this is all of our fight. Here's a way to help Ukraine win: https://halifaxtheforum.org/ukraine-victory-fund/.
2022-05-1942 minAmerican DiplomatEnchiladas and GolumpkisAssimilation is better than integration, counsels Ambassador Michael Polt of ASU's Leadership, Diplomacy and National Security Lab. Assimilation says: "I really want you to be a part of us." Assimilation means our new friends are expected to stay and become a valued part of who we are. Besides, hating people is exhausting. In the end, it all comes down to character. (And this is why we love our friend Michael Polt.)
2022-05-1342 minAmerican DiplomatTweeting Is Not ActingImmigration expert Eric Farnsworth is back to parse what he describes as our unilateral disarmament diplomatically in the Western Hemisphere, due to bipartisan failure to compromise. "We're doing it to ourselves," explains Eric. And here comes the Summit of the Americas in LA in June.
2022-05-0556 minAmerican DiplomatEncore: Desiree Cormier – Africa and TijuanaBringing Europe and China to Africa and Granola Bars to Jail - originally posted in March 2018. Enjoy!
2022-04-2829 minAmerican DiplomatThreats to the Foreign ServiceOverseas and at home, Foreign Service officers face danger to themselves and their careers, from Benghazi to McCarthyism to the Trump presidency. John Naland and Harry Kopp discuss these risks and why we take them in their book Career Diplomacy: Lfe and Work in the US Foreign Service.
2022-04-2131 minAmerican DiplomatCountering GenocideWar crimes and genocide, from the Holocaust of World War II to Ukraine today, and many other places on earth. Moved by his experience of the civil rights movement as a youth in the South, Ed O'Donnel devoted his life to preventing the emergence of genocides worldwide and bringing justice in their aftermath.
2022-04-1437 minAmerican DiplomatUkraine: The Will to FightNo one guessed Ukraine could succeed in combatting Putin. How has the country done it? What has Putin got wrong? General Ben Freakley is back with insights on the will to fight, military strategy, and values-based leadership.
2022-04-0735 minAmerican DiplomatMemories of Madeleine, "The Serpent"The world has lost a great stateswoman; Pete has lost a mentor. Reviled by autocrats, loved by Cuban Americans, Madeleine Albright is mourned by lovers of democracy worldwide.
2022-03-3122 minAmerican DiplomatDo Sanctions Work?What, exactly, is a sanction? An embargo? How do they help Ukraine and the West defeat Putin's aggression? Are they working? Why not put boots on the ground instead? Elizabeth Shackelford has a lot to say on the matter.
2022-03-2433 minAmerican DiplomatI Would Rather Be AmericaThe Ukraine war - a threat or an opportunity, or both? It's too early to tell, says congressional candidate and USAID veteran Dave Harden, but in a rise of great power competition - Russia, China and the US - I would rather be America, says Dave . Tune in and find out why.
2022-03-1739 minAmerican DiplomatEnergy Diplomacy and the War in UkraineGas and Oil, Russia, Europe, the US, Azerbaijan, China and the war in Ukraine. Rich Kauzlerich, expert on energy diplomacy, explains that sanctions work, but that this is certainly no time for a victory lap.
2022-03-1046 minAmerican DiplomatWhere Is Latin America on Putin's Aggression?Most of the world is united in its condemnation of Russia's aggression in Ukraine, with the conspicuous absence of comment from Latin America. Why? Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the Council of the Americas, unpacks.
2022-03-0336 minAmerican DiplomatThere Is Always HopeWhat better way to launch a depressive episode than to leave a beloved job as US Ambassador to Panama, at the pinacle of one's career, all because one cannot in good conscience act as the personal representative of a particular US President? Ambassador John Feeley shares candidly the painful but surmountable experience of depression and recovery upon departure from the Foreign Service. May we all share as generously as our friend John. There is always hope.
2022-02-2438 minAmerican DiplomatBlack History as Experienced by Michael PeayFor Michael Peay, one of the first African Americans to serve in the Office of the Legal Adviser, the (incredibly hard) work was "tremendous fun!" When faced with racial prejudice, his wisdom carried him through: "You treat everyone with respect because you have respect for yourself." May we all, of every race, live by this credo.
2022-02-1752 minAmerican DiplomatAnnual AmDip Thanksgiving SpecialWe're back with some of Pete's jokes (Laura laughed, we promise) and our annual show featuring stories of Thanksgiving overseas. Enjoy! Stay well! ~Pete & Laura
2021-11-2440 minAmerican DiplomatToobah Evacuation UpdateOur friend is still there, fearing for her life. What is going on in Afghanistan right now? Laura shares Toobah's most recent experience as evacuations stall and no one really knows why. Pete helps us understand what it all means.
2021-09-0709 minAmerican DiplomatEncore: Send Lawyers, Guns and MoneyConsular officer Kate Canavan on the many things that can go wrong in Tijuana. Two air traffic controllers, fired for going on strike, go into (very) private industry. Pete's words: "Breaking Bad, in the skies."
2021-07-1523 minAmerican DiplomatEncore: Pedro Pan and the GuerrillasPete sends Phil Chicola to guerrilla country to investigate the deaths of American linguist missionaries, and both Pete and Phil are accused of negotiating with the FARC. All of this concurrent with the Clinton impeachment, and as Pete explains, it got ugly. Especially with Baby Huey.
2021-06-1232 minAmerican DiplomatHiatus Post - Pete Goes NativePete visits the Huarani Indians, 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." New photos of this wild ride are now available at www.amdipstories.org. Enjoy!
2020-12-1732 minAmerican DiplomatHiatus Repost - Cowboys and Indian at the EmbassyIn this adventure tale in two parts, Pete visits the Huarani tribe in the Amazon jungle while serving as US Ambassador to Ecuador. Today, in light of Covid, Pete feels remorse. We promise that no one contracted any Western illness from Pete, but was he reckless? You be the judge. And in the meantime, meet Moi, tribal ambassador from the rainforest, here in part 1.
2020-12-1037 minAmerican DiplomatHiatus Repost - Foreign Service Test? Quiz Show? You Decide.You've heard a zillion stories of adventures in Foreign Service. How did all of these regular people become such erudite heroes of public service? They took the Foreign Service Test. And so, for your entertainment, Laura did, too. Here's a hiatus repost of one of our most fun episodes ever. Did she pass? Did she live? Were the questions fair? Were the examiners fair? Pete and Dave Rabadan are tough. Was Laura tough enough?
2020-12-0340 minAmerican DiplomatAmDip Thanksgiving Special!Join us for some of Pete's jokes (Laura laughed, we promise) and our annual show featuring stories of Thanksgiving overseas. Enjoy! Stay safe! ~Pete & Laura
2020-11-2544 minAmerican DiplomatHiatus Post - Bill Burns: The Back ChannelBill Burns, one of our favorite guests, is shortlisted for Secretary of State in the Biden administration. Go, Bill! We're reposting our discussion with him from last year about his book "The Back Channel," which is even more timely now than it was when it was first published. Plus, Pete has a story about his recent visit to Trumpland. Enjoy!
2020-11-1839 minAmerican DiplomatSecond Annual AmDip Greatest Hits!Need a mood lifter? We do! Laura likes our music selects so much that she's listening to this one twice! Go back to simpler times (say, 2019) with AmDip, then sing along to our Covid-era theme song. Love, Pete and Laura
2020-09-1029 minAmerican DiplomatWhen You Shouldn't Follow the Rules (Repost)A repost of Pete's chat with Laura Lane, one of our most inspiring guests ever. Ambassador Laura Lane served in Rwanda during its period of genocide in the 1990s and learned when you need the courage not to follow orders. Here is the audio track of her TED talk on the subject, bookended with comments from Pete.
2020-04-3023 minAmerican DiplomatGlamping With the Masters, and with Vicki, AgainOne of our best episodes ever (in Laura's humble opinion) about just another day in the Amazing Vicki Huddleston's life in Mali. This repost offers good company and a virtual adventure for these days at home. Enjoy!
2020-04-0229 minAmerican DiplomatThe Great Bill Burns is BackSomething inspiring for our days at home...Remember the capture of Osama Bin Laden? The Syria Red Line situation? What Laura remembers best from this previously aired episode with Bill Burns is the call to service. All of us can make this a better world, by staying at home when we must, through international service when we can, or via an infinite number of other ways.
2020-03-2533 minAmerican DiplomatTales from the VaultAmbassador Romero, how would you describe your head? Your chin? And whose gaudy suit is that, covered in paint? (Not Pete's.) Passports from 100 years ago, a suit from a protestor's assault, and Chinese language flashcards from the 1930s, plus sooooo much more. Director Mary Kane and Public Historian Alison Mann talk share tales of these artifacts as well as the incredible diplomacy simulation learning program all offered at the National Museum of American Diplomacy.
2020-03-1230 minAmerican DiplomatDemocracy Wins!In four days in April, Bob Service helps save Paraguay from dictatorship (this is the 1990s). Laura's favorite part: The psychology of diplomacy, of helping those caring human beings who may find themselves among the world's heads of state, faced with military overthrow.
2020-02-2828 minAmerican DiplomatA Student of LeadershipMost of us are not born with leadership skills, explains Marc Grossman, one of the highest-ranking career Foreign Service Officers ever. We learn to become leaders. We fail a lot, we pick ourselves up and knock on more doors, and we learn. (Laura loves this episode and is now ready to take over the world.)
2020-02-2151 minAmerican DiplomatAll Peace is LocalIn helping stabilize failing states, what do you do about disaffected, potentially dangerous citizens? How do you help citizens own their country's peace? Keith Mines, now with the U.S. Institute of Peace, is back with more on nation building. Laura's favorite takeaway: A good leader is empathetic.
2020-02-1949 minAmerican DiplomatForeign Service Test? Quiz Show? You Decide.Laura's Foreign Service Test, finally. Did she pass? Did she live? Were the questions fair? Were the examiners fair? Pete and Dave Rabadan are tough. Was Laura tough enough?
2020-02-0640 minAmerican DiplomatPedro Pan and the GuerrillasPete sends Phil Chicola to guerrilla country to investigate the deaths of American linguist missionaries, and both Pete and Phil are accused of negotiating with the FARC. All of this concurrent with the Clinton impeachment, and as Pete explains, it got ugly. Especially with Baby Huey.
2020-01-2832 minAmerican DiplomatSidebar - Parsing Iran BrinksmanshipPete quickly parses recent events in Iran for Laura. (Please note that we recorded this the day before the Ukrainian jet went down). As international news gets weirder and weirder, Pete and Laura will offer brief breakdowns of events in our new bonus series called The Sidebar, in addition to our usual weekly discussions with diplomats. Cheers!
2020-01-1414 minAmerican DiplomatPerils of the Press, in Mexico-US RelationsWhy is public diplomacy especially important in Mexico? Mi casa es su casa, or put another way, we have 35 million US citizens of Mexican heritage, a 2000 mile border, 1 million people going in both directions over the border every day, and billions of dollars in trade annually. So you'd better get it right. And what about all those tweets? Tony Wayne illuminates, and offers the best music Laura thinks we've ever had on the show!
2020-01-0825 minAmerican DiplomatImmunity, Reciprocity, EspionageWhy was a stash of Nazi spy payoff money stuffed up Pete's chimney? Why was the Iran hostage crisis of the 70s such a huge aberration of norms? And why can it be difficult to tell the difference between diplomatic reporting and espionage? David Stewart is back with more stories.
2019-12-1830 minAmerican DiplomatCorruption vs. the AmbassadorAmbassador Prudence Bushnell puts Marie Yovanovitch's recent testimony on Capitol Hill in the context of the Certificate of Commission for all Foreign Service Officers, emphasizing the integrity, prudence and ability that are the guiding principle from which all American diplomats work. The message from Pete and Pru to current FSOs: We've got your back.
2019-10-1731 minAmerican DiplomatSequoia is a SheThe Sequoia: A presidential yacht? A floating icon of American and diplomatic history? A loan gone south? Pete schools Laura on the proper pronoun for a thing of such great beauty (a "she", not an "it") and Mike Cantor does his best to answer our nosey questions about what really went on onboard. https://youtu.be/S1NcM6BW2Jo
2019-10-1020 minAmerican DiplomatSend Lawyers, Guns and MoneyWe're in LA right now promoting a TV script we've written, inspired by many of AmDip's greatest stories including this one from an interview with Kate Canavan on the many things that can go wrong in Tijuana. Two air traffic controllers, fired for going on strike, go into (very) private industry. Pete's words: "Breaking Bad, in the skies."
2019-10-0123 minAmerican DiplomatRock On, AmDip!We love music. We love it almost as much as we love listening to our friends tell stories about life overseas. So here's our end-of-summer look back on some of our favorite music in the series. Enjoy! Your pals, Pete and Laura
2019-08-2931 minAmerican DiplomatI'm Goin' to KathmanduLarry 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.
2019-08-2228 minAmerican DiplomatSlip Out the Back, JackWe revisit Pete's stories about Naples, with a couple of bonuses at the front. Happy summer!
2019-06-0635 minAmerican DiplomatHere I Am, Now What?What happens when Fulanita arrives? And what is this wall, really? And what do drugs have to do with all of this? Bill Brownfield and John Feeley, together with Pete, unpack the deets in our second of three episodes on the border. Plus, a barnyard narco song you do not want to miss.
2019-05-0241 minAmerican DiplomatFulanita's Progress, An Immigration TaleEpisode One, in which John Feeley, Bill Brownfield and Pete lay it all out: How and why does Fulanita, our Guatamalan every-gal, end up at the US border with young son Javier, delivered by the cartels' fancy coach service?
2019-04-2534 minAmerican DiplomatImmigration Made SimpleMichele Bond parses immigration and solves the whole conundrum. So what's the problem? (Hint: Pete thinks it's us.)
2019-03-2732 minAmerican DiplomatAnd How Long Will You Be Staying?Courtesy, respect, denial (painful, but often true). Tourist visas to visit the US, with Michele Bond, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs. Can you guess why Pete is admitted and Laura is not?
2019-03-2139 minAmerican DiplomatRemember Ron Brown?In case you don't (say, you were born after 1960), Lauri Fitz-Pegado remembers him for us: his vision, his vim, his leadership, his significance to our participation in the worldwide economy. With bonus continuing comment from Pete on Venzuela.
2019-03-1554 minAmerican DiplomatWonderful, Weird, Incredibly Dangerous NaplesPete explains "the Neapolitan solution" in this love letter to his first European posting. Plus, he connects this to gangland diplomacy today.
2019-03-0731 minAmerican DiplomatBaby's Got the BendsYou might survive your coca eradication crop duster plane going down, but then the mosquitoes will get you, which is still better than ripping the crops out of the Colombian earth. But, says Virginia Bennett, many small people in many small places doing small things can change the world. Perhaps it does.
2019-02-2725 minAmerican DiplomatOnly the Paranoid SurviveVirginia Bennett's security detail made sure no one hurled bricks at her, while the Greek populace contemplated boiling the family bunny for dinner. Bennett helps us understand what the U.S. did to help average Greek people during their economic disaster of 2011-2014.
2019-02-2031 minAmerican DiplomatChavez Gives Pete Four PinocchiosThe Chavez/Maduro kleptocracy in Venezuela masquerades as a people's revolution. Almost two decades later, millions flee en masse. Pete was there when it all began and explains why Venezuela is suddenly all over the news.
2019-02-0735 minAmerican DiplomatHysteria or Reality? China in PanamaWhat do Teddy Roosevelt, China, and the band Afrodisiaco all have in common? Panama! Learn why concerns that Pete once thought were partisan paranoia might be a serious, unrecognized source of concern today.
2019-01-2442 minAmerican DiplomatMore Fun Facts about TradeDid you know that over 11 million jobs in the U.S. come from exports? And that they pay U.S. citizens 15-20% more than non-export related jobs? Dan Crocker debunks our most intrenched myths about trade. Plus, why does Pete ask if he's a meatball? Learn this and more, workin' at the Car Wash! (If you weren't alive in the 70s, this song will fill your heart with longing for the decade you missed.)
2019-01-1030 minAmerican DiplomatQuestions, Questions...Why do we care about diversity in the Foreign Service? When did you know this job was "the one"? How do you do your job with so much danger out there these days? Students visiting the State Department as Cox Fellows have some pretty good questions. Julie Chung, Stacy Williams and Luis Mendez, plus of course Pete, give their two cents. Even Laura chimes in, when truly moved.
2019-01-0329 minAmerican DiplomatA Public Servant in the Private SectorDid you know that 95% of the world's consumers live outside the United States? As President, Global Public Affairs at UPS, former Economics Officer Laura Lane helps reduce corruption at borders, in turn helping small and midsize businesses prosper, while advancing global rights for women and reducing poverty throughout the world.
2018-12-2018 minAmerican DiplomatWhen You Shouldn't Follow the RulesEconomics Officer Laura Lane served in Rwanda during its period of genocide in the 1990s and learned when you should, and when you should not, follow the rules. Here is the audio track of her TED talk on the subject, bookended with comments from Pete.
2018-12-1423 minAmerican DiplomatCan We Make a Diplomat of Laura? Laura in the Hot SeatReporting from fictional Sulandia, a skill that can be developed. Dorothy Mayhew and Michael Gray, diplomats who teach at The Foreign Service Institute, lead the way. Plus bonus info on the life of a State Department cable: What is it? Who writes it and who reads it? What is its impact?
2018-10-0426 minAmerican DiplomatBouazizi, Arab Spring, SiriusXM and Is It Happening Here?Pete and Laura's recent appearance on SiriusXM with host Eric Ham, bookended by discussion of the psychology of frustration, even humiliation, that can lead whole populations to support strongmen.
2018-09-2023 minAmerican DiplomatPete Goes Native - Second Part of Pete's Visit with the IndiansPete visits the Huarani Indians, 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."
2018-08-2332 minAmerican DiplomatSoybean Laura Goes to WashingtonTrade, demystified. And accompanied by a stiff drink. Plus bonus song "Soybeans!" Shaun Donnelly tells all.
2018-08-0930 minAmerican DiplomatIs It Happening Here?Pete and Laura introduce a new series within American Diplomat, in which they talk with diplomats who witnessed the beginning phases of democracy's doom and who can tell the story from the perspective of the individual voter who unwittingly elected a dictator.
2018-07-1911 minAmerican DiplomatPete Romero - Plan Colombia, Part 2Crisis averted: Where there might have been massive flight, and/or a narco state, Colombia instead enjoys stability and prosperity amid a new peace agreement.
2018-02-2336 minAmerican DiplomatPete Romero - Plan Colombia, Part 1Cocaleros, paramilitaries, a dirty war and a failing state in Colombia.
2018-02-1526 min