Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, January/February 2021, pp. 59-60
Diplomatic Doings
Six former U.S. ambassadors to Arab countries participated in a Zoom call with Arab America on Nov. 19 to reflect on their time abroad.
The diplomats began by sharing what struck them most when they first arrived in the Arab world.
Patrick Theros, former ambassador to Qatar, said he quickly came to appreciate the complexity and diversity of the region. At the same time, he and the other ambassadors agreed that the people of every country displayed tremendous hospitality. “Even when I served in countries that were hostile to the United States, say Syria, my family never felt hostility from any of the people we dealt with,” he recalled.
Elizabeth Richard, former ambassador to Lebanon, said she was struck by how much the people of the region and Americans have in common. For instance, she recalled seeing similarities in the way both societies were grappling with how to address their young people’s disenchantment with the status quo.
Deborah Jones, former ambassador to Libya and Kuwait, said her stereotypes of the region were quickly challenged by the powerful and well-educated women she met in Kuwait. She was also pleasantly surprised by the sense of safety she and her family felt while living in communities across the region. “We found it a very safe place, despite the image that is largely portrayed around the world,” she said.
Asked how perceptions of the Arab world can be improved among Americans, the ambassadors stressed the importance of people-to-people connections.
Gordon Gray, former ambassador to Tunisia, described student exchanges as perhaps the most effective means of breaking down barriers. Theros agreed, noting that personal travel experiences are often transformative. “The best public relations [for Arab countries] is getting Americans to come to the Arab world,” he said.
The ambassadors acknowledged that they occasionally disagreed with U.S. foreign policy, but did their best to relay their concerns to the State Department.
Richard Schmierer, former ambassador to Oman, said U.S. policy on Israel-Palestine and Washington’s approach toward governance and democratic principles were the two biggest challenges he faced while engaging others overseas.
Theros said it’s important for diplomats to have empathy for the local population’s concerns, and to honestly convey these concerns back to Washington. Sometimes these communications do result in a foreign policy shift, but Theros said more often than not domestic political concerns triumph over the recommendations of diplomats.
“We have struggled in ensuring that all of the voices from the region are heard, that their perspectives are understood,” acknowledged Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, former ambassador to Malta and former political officer at the U.S. Embassy in Israel.
She, as well as the entire panel of ambassadors, encouraged young Arab Americans to join the Foreign Service, so as to better ensure that a wide variety of voices are heard on critical policy matters. “We all know that when there is a greater diversity of backgrounds, you get better outcomes, you get more solutions offered, and it’s absolutely crucial and key to our effective diplomacy,” she said.
Jones noted that business leaders and non-governmental organizations also play a significant role in shaping perceptions of the region and determining how the U.S. approaches the Arab world. Richard seconded this, noting that the brain drain of the Arab world is in many cases caused by a lack of economic opportunity. Aside from oil, there is “miniscule” U.S. trade with the region, she noted, meaning there is ample space for business leaders to move in and lay peaceful and profitable foundations for the U.S.-Arab relationship.
Finally, Theros stressed the importance of prioritizing diplomacy over military action. The U.S., he said, has “increasingly disconnected diplomats from diplomacy” by utilizing a military-first “whack-a-mole” approach toward solving problems. A better strategy would be to develop a cohesive and nuanced policy toward the Arab world, he said.
—Dale Sprusansky
