Diplomatic Minds Are a Terrible Thing to Waste
They are America’s front line. In this op-ed, former Ambassadors Nicholas Burns and Ryan Crocker warn against the recent managerial decisions that have significantly depleted experienced personnel at the U.S. State Department. Foreign Service and Civil Service career professionals represent a unique national security asset, and “a 31 percent budget reduction for the State Department … would cripple its global reach,” Burns and Crocker say. They promote our safety, security and prosperity, often in dangerous places. Changes made in the name of efficiency should not come at the expense of American diplomacy.
