American Diplomat

Welcome to 2025 from AmDip! Amb. Patrick Theros unpacks Syria for us, from the Halcyon 1970s of mini-skirts and old cars on the streets, to the chaos of the present day. What was the West’s role in Syria’s changes, and what should the US do now?

Pete and Laura look back on their favorite episodes of the past year, covering cybercrime, space diplomacy and gangsterism among others. And what's to come in the new administration? Borders north and south, changes in the Middle East, and Ukraine. We expect challenges with adversaries, but more importantly, how will the new administration engage our friends?

Tricks, tricks, tricks. General Robert Schmidle, expert in cognitive warfare, helps us understand that although this has gone on for centuries, what’s different today is the scope and scale. How do you fight it? Bonus question: What famous statesman said, “a lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on”?

David Thomas, Executive Director of ASU’s Milo Space Science Institute, describes the global stability benefits of providing countries of the world access to space through education (what’s it like to mine ice water on the shadow region of the moon?) and ridesharing (yes, ridesharing) to space. Prada is making space suits and Hilton is designing crew quarters. Milo fosters global opportunity to join the space economy and in so doing, fosters the creation of values-based laws and policies. Prepare to be inspired.

Steve Herman, author of Behind the White House Curtain, is back to tell the tale of the time the Trump administration tried to seize editorial control of the Voice of America and turn it into a propaganda agency. Why is it in our interests as Americans for VOA to remain an independent, credible source worldwide, even covering negative events in the US? What are the risks to those, like Steve, who resisted the takeover? See also a review of his book in June's Foreign Service Journal.