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It's What Patriots Do
Rich Galen Friday June 17, 2005
The other day I had the good sense and the good fortune to attend th confirmation hearing for a man who has been nominated to be a US Ambassador, Ron Neumann.
I wanted to be there because Ambassador Neumann is representative of what is best about the US Foreign Service.
I first met Amb. Neumann when he was the US Ambassador to Bahrain - a small nation which sits in the Persian Gulf off the coast of Saudi Arabia. We met there when the Iraqi national soccer team came to Bahrain to play the Bahraini national soccer team in what is known as "a friendly."
Shortly after that, Neumann showed up in the dining hall in Baghdad, having accepted the call to become the liaison between the Coalition Provisional Authority and the nascent Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs - this, while continuing his duties as Ambassador to Bahrain.
Ron Neumann is not what we generally think about when it comes to senior Foreign Service types. In fact, most of the senior Foreign Service types with whom I worked overseas were counter to my preconceived notion of what I thought they would be.
Neumann - in addition to being extraordinarily bright (which also doesn't make him stand out among that group) - can be salty when the circumstances permit; and can be as stiff and formal as the stiffest and formalist British envoy ever was - when the circumstances require.
But more than that, he has the interests of the United States of America in his heart. In the year-plus since I came home from Iraq, Ambassador Neumann has been the principal political and diplomatic advisor to the US Embassy in Baghdad.
This, my friends, is not being Ambassador to Barbados.
After 35 years of service, I suspect Ambassador Neumann may have been looking forward to retirement, or at least the ease of a desk job in Washington or Geneva.
Instead he has accepted nomination of President Bush to move to Kabul to be US Ambassador to Afghanistan.
After his hearing, I congratulated him and his wife on his nomination. "There is the concept of 'beyond the call of duty,'" I said, "but this is way beyond 'beyond the call of duty."
I recounted this story to the Mullings Director of Standards & Practices at dinner. She, who has done her share of time in tough assignments in government service, looked me in the eye and said, "It's what patriots do."
New Topic: MSNBC has decided that Tucker Carlson will be its savior in the 9-10 pm hour up against Hannity & Colmes on Fox and Larry King Live on CNN. I know Tucker just well enough to wave to him (and be waved back at) should we be in the same restaurant at the same time.
On Monday morning the promo for his new show, "The Situation" proclaimed, in typical cable news hyperbolic fashion: It's so fast it's changing the pace of news. Premiering tonight."
I thought to myself, "Zounds! If it can change the pace of news before it has even been on the air, that is fast."
Final Topic: Mullpal Adrian Cronauer (yes, that Adrian Cronauer) sent along an e-mail he had received from a physician working in Iraq.
I don't often read, much less pass along, these sorts of e-mails because (a) their provenance is often suspect, and (b) they tend to be like home movies - more interesting to the families and friends than to the casual reader.
This e-mail, written by Air Force Col. Brett Wyrick who is stationed in Balad, which is the major air and distribution base north of Baghdad, is different. This is not a blog. It is worthy of a writing award as a brilliant short story. Except it is true.
When you've read it, I think you'll agree with me that in addition to Amb. Newmann and Col. Wyrick we are truly blessed with an abundance of heroes.
You'll also agree with the MD of S&P that "It's what patriots do."
On the Secret Decoder Ring page today: The link to the Col. Wyrick piece, a short bit of the "Gitmo Marching Song" from a Marine who was stationed there in the '50's; a Mullfoto and the necessary Catchy Caption of the Day."
--END --
Copyright © 2005 Richard A. Galen
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