As we the interns looked at the photo of his Excellency Samir Sumaida’ie, the Iraqi Ambassador to the U.S., we deduced that he was a James Bond type- dark and mysterious. Perhaps it was the way half of his face was darkened by a shadow, but I was curious to know how his Excellency would figure in our collective imaginations once we heard him speak. Sumaida’ie did not fail to impress. His discourse on Iraq was optimistic yet realistic. The serious nature of his words did not impede him from tossing in light-hearted remarks and responses. At one point he used a quote from Churchill that goes “Americans always do the right thing…After they’ve exhausted all the alternatives.” (more…)
Archive for February, 2009
Ambassador Series: Iraq
February 5, 2009
Wednesday, February 11th, 2009
Embassy Series: Portugal
December 2, 2008
Wednesday, February 11th, 2009
The Ambassador of Portugal, Joao De Vallera, at first glance looks like a very serious man with his stately beard and glasses. However, after hearing him address members of the World Affairs Council of Washington DC in such a casual and yet sophisticated manner, one can hardly deny that the Ambassador is actually a very easily likeable man. The Ambassador limited himself to a 40 minute presentation and though it would be considered short amount of time for the topics he was covering, you can’t help but appreciate the effort. The timeline of Portuguese history handed out to guests helped out a lot too. (more…)
Foreign Policy Series Event: Diplomacy First
October 16, 2008
Wednesday, February 11th, 2009
The event came at a pivotal point in American politics and foreign policy, in a time where, with the change of the president administration, the United States will finally have the chance to form a new (and hopefully improved) framework for American foreign policy and international diplomacy. The panel featured prominent figures in the Foreign Service and was mediated by Tom Reckford, a board member of the World Affairs Council, Washington DC. Each panelist addressed different issues in diplomacy. Ambassador Robert Hunter introduced a recent joint study group publication between AAD and the RAND Corporation, Integrating Instruments of Power and Influence: Lessons Learned and Best Practices, Ambassador Avis Bohlen addressed the topic of funding for the State department (or rather lack thereof), and Ambassador Tim Carney, an expert in crisis management, provided pragmatic solutions for dealing with crises. (more…)
Vietnam Embassy Series Event
October 7, 2008
Wednesday, February 11th, 2009
Peaked with curiosity, the audience wondered how the thirteen-year old embassy would handle the convoluted history of Vietnam and the United States. However, the evening evoked lament rather than culpability and hope for the future rather than a persistent dwelling in the past. The Ambassador of Vietnam, H.E. Le Cong Phung, greeted hi s guests expressing his great respect for the United States and its citizens. Moreover, he explained that he is not going to “criticize why the war took place,” but instead, focus on the lessons learned from the “nasty war”. (more…)