The Politics of an Embassy Bombing
Robert Cole
The American diplomatic corps is not designed to be a self-sufficient entity. It cannot provide for the needs of its significant populations in embassies and consulates around the world on its own, but instead relies on employing locals to serve as cooks, cleaners, and embassy staff. These people are critical to the normal functioning of American diplomacy and bringing in trustworthy, skilled employees is a matter of national security. In less stable parts of the world, these people are risking their very lives by being associated with the American government. It stands to reason therefore that it would be a major priority to make sure that those assisting the US would be well compensated for the risks they take. That has not always proven to be the case.
Last year, the US agreed to de-list Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism in return for compensation for the victims of the 1998 bombings of US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya. However, the families of victims have protested the final settlement, arguing that they have received substantially less than their American counterparts and that bystanders wounded by the blasts have received nothing. Such a move does little to improve America’s reputation abroad, particularly in a region where China has taken a deep interest. A US decision to support those caught in the crossfire of its conflicts is both the right thing to do and critical to encouraging talented foreigners to aid its diplomats and soldiers.
As President Biden prepares to draw down the US troop presence in Afghanistan, he should keep this in mind. Many Afghans worked with US soldiers, often as translators, in America’s longest war. Many are concerned that they will be unable to get an American visa to get out of the country before the final withdrawal, leaving them and their families vulnerable to violent retribution by the Taliban. Should the US have to stage another foreign intervention, the corpses of Afghan translators will likely loom large in the minds of locals otherwise willing to assist.
Petty politics about putting Americans first in compensation and assistance schemes after a disaster or war is short-sighted. There are over 15,000 active members of the American foreign service, and 16,000 US soldiers deployed across over 150 countries. If they cannot find local support, it puts the entire American strategic network in danger, not to mention their lives.