AID is an understanding of international human rights issues. Many if not all will be
posted to countries with questionable human rights records. A Foreign Service officer for
example could be assigned to Pakistan, a country with which the US is closely allied in
its war against terror but where the Supreme Court justice was removed, martial law
proclaimed, and thousands of government opponents, including leading lawyers arrested.
Or s/he could be sent to Ethiopia, with which the US is collaborating in its invasion of
Somalia but against which Congress is proposing to restrict military aid because of
Ethiopia’s violations of human rights. Or s/he could be posted next door to Sudan where
according to the Bush Administration genocide has been committed, and while the CIA
and Defense Department may cooperate with Sudan in the intelligence area, the
Executive Branch has instituted financial sanctions against the government because of
Sudan’s continued atrocities in Darfur. Or s/he could be posted to Burma whose human
rights abuses both the President and First Lady have loudly denounced. In fact, it is quite
likely that at some point in their career most US diplomats will be sent to a country where
human rights conditions will have impact on US government attitudes and policies. So
the subject of integrating human rights concerns into United States foreign policy
decision-making is not just an academic exercise but a real and serious business that will
involve everyone posted abroad.