“The United States is alone in this practice; no other major democracy routinely appoints non-diplomats to serve as envoys to other countries,” it says in a statement on its website. “The appointment of non-career individuals, however accomplished in their own field, to lead America’s important diplomatic missions abroad should be exceptional and circumscribed, not the routine practice it has become over the last three decades.” The Foreign Service Act of 1980 states that “positions as chief of mission should normally be accorded to career members of the Service.” The legislation adds that ambassadorial nominees “should possess clearly demonstrated competence to perform the duties of a chief of mission, including, to a maximum extent practicable, useful knowledge of the principal language or dialect of the country in which the individual is to serve, and knowledge and understanding of the history, the culture, the economic and political institutions, and the interests of that country and its people.” And, it says, “Contributions to political campaigns should not be a factor in the appointment of an individual as a chief of mission.” - See more at: cnsnews/news/article/18-and-counting-plum-ambassador-posts-go-obama-campaign-bundlers#sthash.yssD2OIL.dpuf
Posted on: Thu, 11 Jul 2013 00:46:49 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015