Today, I was lucky enough to attend a luncheon/talk for former US State Department Foreign Service Officers. At my table were two former US ambassadors and a group of former FSO’s who had worked for the US government all over the world. One of them gave a short, but very provocative and well-thought talk about democracy promotion by the State Department. Kiki, her first name (I can’t remember her last), described her own democracy promotion efforts in Sierra Leon and last year in Iraq’s Diyala Province. She emphasized long term civil society building that made sure to take into account the targeted country’s own history and culture.

Kiki also emphasized promoting transparency, courts, and a free and functioning press. After Kiki spoke, many other former FSO’s discussed their experiences and kept referencing how much they had learned through the years, democracy promotion ‘do’s and don’ts’ you might say. Many of them voiced the frustration of budgeting, both the lack of funds and their gross misuse, and all focused on importance of humility in trying such a harrowing endeavor.

These people spent their lives trying to make the world a more free place and of course protecting and furthering US influence and interests. Though they concentrated on what went wrong and how the world still lacks progress in many areas and in many regions, what I kept thinking about was how important their work was for the US and the world. Yes, there is no doubt that US diplomatic, economic, and military stewardship has had its drawbacks and at times has been too arrogant and close minded, but it has also done a quite a lot of good. Kiki discussed how when a civil society group in Sierra Leon would show promise, the US would provide them with money, sometimes so much that they didn’t know what to do with it. Yes, this is unfortunate in a myriad of ways, but the heart of the matter is is that the US say progress and wanted to bring it further along.

As Secretary of State Hilary Clinton embarks on her first trip overseas to Asia (Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, and China, great choices Hil!) she is carrying on a great tradition of spreading not only American interests and influence around the world, but also a great amount of hope for progress and freedom. It is a shame these former state department workers and officials never get to be cheered in a parade down main street. How bout on GPP, though. ‘Cheers, Cheers, Cheers!’

Tags: aid, democracy promotion, foreign service officers, Hillary Clinton, US State Department