Diplomats for a Nonpartisan Foreign Service

August 17, 2004

In the face of massive danger, over 1100 American Foreign Service officers recently volunteered for the 145 openings in our embassy and other diplomatic offices across Iraq.  Former Foreign Service officers Ambassador L. Paul Bremer and now Ambassador John Negroponte agreed to take on perhaps the single most dangerous position in the world as head of the U.S. effort in Iraq. When the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were devastated by terrorist bombings in 1998, Foreign Service officers emerged from the rubble and kept doing their work.

President Bush and President Clinton knew, as their predecessors learned, that they could trust the Foreign Service to serve them without regard to party. This trust has been hard won as a number of Presidents have come to office distrusting the Service, convinced of a political bias – most often based on loyal service to the outgoing administration.

The undersigned have held responsible positions for the planning and execution of American foreign and national security policy in Republican and Democratic administrations; fifteen of us were career Foreign Service officers. Clearly former diplomats and military officers as individuals have the right, even the responsibility to participate in the political life of our country, and a number have gone on to hold elected office, including in Congress. Others have been called back to duty as political appointees. They have done so as individuals, not as spokesmen for their profession, and this is as it should be. To do otherwise we believe risks undermining the confidence of our elected leaders in the professionalism and integrity of our foreign and military services.

On June 16^th, as the current presidential campaign went into high gear, a group calling itself “Diplomats and Military Commanders for Change” issued a statement attacking the Bush Administration’s foreign policy and established a website and organization to  defeat President Bush in November.

Their unprecedented political statement elicited considerable comment in both the American and foreign press about supposed disenchantment in the career diplomatic and military services with the current administration. The impression that this created, that there is consensus among experienced diplomats and military officers about this administration’s policies, is simply wrong. Among the signers of our statement are supporters of this administration’s policies and those who are critics. “Diplomats and Military Commanders for Change” also stimulated at least two other campaigns among former career officers – one explicitly for President Bush and the other for Senator Kerry.

A core principle and deeply held tradition of our foreign and military services is now at risk. A president must be able to count on the career services to remain above the political fray, provide disinterested advice, and faithfully execute decisions taken.

We are immensely proud of the current generation in our Service and cannot remain silent while their professional integrity is put at risk. Across the globe, in circumstances of great danger and difficulty, we are the front line of America’s interests. As the walls of the entrance to the State Department attest, even more ambassadors have been killed in the line of duty than flag officers since the Vietnam War. Under Secretary Powell’s leadership, the morale and loyalty of the Foreign Service are high.

Whoever is elected this November must be able to count on the unquestioned, passionate commitment to nonpartisanship by the professionals of the foreign and uniformed services of the United States. We are confident the candidates for election this November – of whichever party – will respect and appreciate our determination that our career services remain and be seen as truly apolitical, in the best interests of our country.

The Honorable Michael H. Armacost

Ambassador to Japan, 1989

Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, 1984

Ambassador to the Philippines, 1982

The Honorable Thomas D. Boyatt

Ambassador to Columbia, 1983

President of the American Foreign Service Association, 1971

The Honorable Everett Ellis Briggs

Ambassador to Portugal, 1990

Special Assistant to the President, 1989

Ambassador to Honduras, 1986

Ambassador to Panama, 1982

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs, 1980

The Honorable Frank C. Carlucci

Secretary of Defense, 1987

Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, 1986

Ambassador to Portugal, 1975

The Honorable Lawrence S. Eagleburger

Secretary of State, 1991

Deputy Secretary of State, 1988

Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, 1982

Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs, 1981

Ambassador to Yugoslavia, 1977