{"product_id":"9780393246599","title":"To the Secretary: Leaked Embassy Cables and America's Foreign Policy Disconnect","description":"\u003cp\u003eA former American diplomat reveals a disconnect between Washington policymakers and those who work in US embassies.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhen the world awoke on November 28, 2010, and read the first of the 251,287 State Department cables made public by WikiLeaks, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini warned, “It will be the September 11th of world diplomacy.” The WikiLeaks scandal certainly stirred tempers around the world, but it was not the implosion that many leaders expected: rather, it shed a new spotlight on the work of the U.S. foreign service. In \u003cem\u003eTo the Secretary\u003c\/em\u003e, Mary Thompson-Jones explores the most fascinating and overlooked of these cables to offer an unparalleled window into the day-to-day work of U.S. diplomats, demystifying the lives of those who implement America’s foreign policy across the globe.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrom the story of Bulgaria’s Aleksi “the Tractor” Petrov to disappearing ballot ink in Ukraine, a Honduran coup d’état, or disaster relief for a devastated Haiti, \u003cem\u003eTo the Secretary\u003c\/em\u003e depicts the work of ambassadors and foreign service officers through their firsthand narratives dealing with crises, corruption, and testy world leaders. Negotiating distinctly un-American customs and corridors of power, these shrewd brokers in embassies from Argentina to Zimbabwe worked tirelessly to promote American diplomacy in a world frequently hostile to the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTo the Secretary\u003c\/em\u003e also reveals the disconnect that diplomats face at home, guided by conflicting approaches from multiple Washington stakeholders intent on their own agenda, often unaware of realities on the ground. In an honest assessment of America’s foreign policy challenges, Thompson-Jones describes the deepening gulf between decision makers in Washington and their diplomats in the field. From misinterpreted analyses of anti-Americanism to Washington’s unwillingness to send resources to support diplomatic activities that could make a difference, \u003cem\u003eTo the Secretary\u003c\/em\u003e shows what policymakers can learn from diplomats abroad—and how this can strengthen America’s place in an unstable world.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Norton, W. W. \u0026 Company, Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47078072025328,"sku":"9780393246599","price":27.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780393246599_p0.jpg?v=1763696701","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780393246599","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}