American Academy of Diplomacy Supports High Qualifications for Ambassadors
Recognizing the importance diplomacy plays in the implementation of US foreign policy and defending US national security interests, AAD continues to urge the Administration to value experience and high qualifications in choosing America's future envoys. During the 2008 presidential campaign, the Academy issued a letter to both presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain, urging them to consider a set of stringent, essential qualifications in the nomination of future US Ambassadors, and to limit the amount of political appointees to 10%. Historically, this percentage has been at around 30% since the Kennedy Administration. The new President has a unique opportunity to highlight to the American people and the world the importance of diplomacy to America’s effective engagement with the world, and ability to meet increasingly complex global challenges.
>Read the letter, signed by Ambassador Ronald E. Neumann and Ambassador Thomas Pickering
>Read the press release
In the News
> Our Man in London: On Louis Susman's Appointment as Ambassador to the U.K., chicagomag.com, February 2010
> Top Obama Fundraisers Get Posts,USA Today, October 28, 2009
> Political Appointmentes Have Proper Place in Foreign Service, Minnesota Public Radio, September 4, 2009
> Coveted Ambassadorships go to Obama Fundraisers, NPR, September 3, 2009
> The Ambassadors: A Place Where Big Money Still Talks, Star Tribune, August 30, 2009
> So Just Who is Louis B Susman? BBC Radio 4, August 19, 2009 [BBC online report]
> New U.S. Envoy Takes Up Post, The New York Times, August 16, 2009
> Donors Find a Home in Obama's Ambassador Corps, Wall Street Journal, July 6, 2009
> Catholic Obama Supporter Doug Kmiec Nominated for Ambassadorship to Malta, LifeSiteNews.com, July 6, 2009
> 'Change' still hasn't come to ambassador system, but nomination of 2 Minnesotans draws praise, MinnPost, June 23, 2009
> Louis Susman seeks speech writer after being named U.S. ambassador to Britain, The Daily Telegraph, June 23, 2009
> Ambassadors need skills, The Ironton Tribune, June 17, 2009
> NBC's Meyers Highlights Obama Hypocrisy in Appointing Fund-raisers, NewsBusters, June 14, 2009
> No change: Obama ambassadorships still go to fundraisers, friends, McClatchy Newspapers, June 12, 2009
> Is a fundraiser ambassador an asset?, Politico, June 5, 2009
> Obama taps fundraisers as envoys, The TODAY Show, June 5, 2009 [video clip]
> Friend and Allies Rule Obama's Diplomatic Picks, NationalPost.com, May 29, 2009
> Obama's Ambassadors: Donors Included, Chicago Tribune, May 29, 2009
> Obama Offers Prime Posts to Top Campaign Contributors, Bloomberg, May 29, 2009
> INSIDE WASHINGTON: Political ambassadors persist, The Associated Press, May 28, 2009
> No 'Change You Can Believe In' for Obama Ambassadors, Agence France-Presse, May 28, 2009
> Obama Picks Crony for London Job, London Evening Standard, May 21, 2009
> Obama Picks Financial Backer for UK Ambassador Post, U.TV, May 20, 2009
> Steelers Owner Drafted as Envoy to Ireland, USA Today, March 18, 2009
> White House Sticking With Its Iraq Pick, The Washington Independent, March 17, 2009
> Young Blood Eyed for Jobs at State, Washington Times, January 10, 2009
> Obama: Some Ambassador Nominees will be Political, Associated Press, January 10, 2009
> Former Ambassador Slams Selection Process, The Bahama Journal, January 2, 2009
> Envoys for Change, Washington Post, December 16, 2008
> Cuts Urged in Political Ambassadorships, The Washington Times, July 2, 2008
> Buy an Ambassadorship? Heavens!, Washington Post, July 9, 2008
> A Push for More Career Ambassadors, Fed Blog, July 9, 2008
> It's Time to Stop Selling Ambassadorships, Politico, July 30, 2008
> The Billion Dollar Election, BBC World Service
