From 18–22 October 2021, the NESA Center conducted the Washington Embassy Orientation, attended by diplomats and defense attachés from over nineteen countries. This week-long orientation, titled “Working in Washington,” featured a range of speakers, including diplomats, national security professionals, academics, business leaders, and journalists. As newly arrived foreign government representatives in Washington, participants were advised Read More >
This is an extraordinary American election. The rise of Donald Trump, which has confounded all the experts, is the most remarkable characteristic of a remarkable political season, generating much angst, confusion, fury, and fear. Why is Donald Trump, a vulgar political outsider, receiving so much support? Why do people vote for him? A brief examination Read More >
For embassies navigating the Capitol Hill gauntlet, the experience can be byzantine and opaque. The congressional landscape is dotted by small and autonomous fiefdoms. Staff turnover is high. Institutional memories are low. Couple this with the reality that diplomats steadily rotate through Washington and the results are obvious. A chasm forms. Institutional barriers take hold. Read More >