Strained Affairs Ambassador of Belarus Valery V. Tsepkalo Valery V. Tsepkalo always wanted to be a diplomat, and at 35, heís one of the youngest ambassadors in Washington... more... American Politics Hype, Hoopla and Impressions Conventions Give Many Ambassadors Taste of U.S. Two-Party System Americans werenít the only ones watching the Democratic and Republican National conventions in August... more... To Succeed in West Africa, Build Win-Win Relationships Americaís ignominious connection to West Africa began when the Portuguese and Spanish began capturing and bringing slaves to America. Lying south of the Sahara and along the continentís Atlantic coast, West Africa describes a political and economic area that has unique and complex societies, numerous languages and diverse... more...

Looking Into the Future For Security Trends Gen. Charles Boyd Working out of a modest corner office in a nondescript glass and concrete building in Arlington, Va., Charles Boyd spends his days taking long, hard gazes into the future. Boyd is the executive director of the U.S. Commission on National Security for the 21st Century... more... False Sense of Security? Experts Assess if Embassies Are Taking Proper Precautions On Aug. 1, a powerful car bomb exploded outside the home of the Philippine ambassador in Jakarta, Indonesia, killing two people and injuring 22 others, including Ambassador Leonides Caday. Caday was seriously hurt, with injuries to his... more... Culture Section