An Independent Diplomat?

Can that be – an independent diplomat? It seems a paradox, a contradiction in terms. But Carne Ross, author of a book called ‘Independent Diplomat’ and director of a non-profit organization of the same name, at least tries to live it.

In the book, Ross, a former British fast-track diplomat, describes his ‘slow descent from illusion to disillusionment’. His last posting as a diplomat is at the UK Mission to the United Nations in New York, where he is responsible for Iraq in the Security Council. Ross gets more and more frustrated, for example on the Iraq sanction regime, also known as ‘the Oil-for-Food’ program, for which he is the UK ‘expert’ and lead negotiator. He concludes that there is ‘something very wrong about sitting around a table in New York arguing about how many children are dying in Iraq and whose fault is was’ without any of the debaters having ever been in Iraq.

The last straw for Ross is the invasion in Iraq and especially the misinformation used to justify it. He testifies for the Butler commission of inquiry into the use of intelligence on Iraq’s Weapons of Mass Destruction, at first anonymously, but later he sends his testimony to the highest official of the Foreign Office, and resigns.

Carne Ross raises many important issues about foreign affairs and diplomacy. He questions for example the inequity in resources between large and small countries and the lack of accountability for diplomats. The last chapter of the book is called ‘The End of Diplomacy?’ and Ross gives ten reasons to do away with ‘the separate cadre of diplomats altogether’.

Unfortunately the analyses and the alternatives Ross offers are not always completely convincing or practical, as is also pointed out in some reviews of the book, especially the one from Brian Urquhart which appeared in The New York Review of Books. See also Ross’s letter there and Urquhart’s reaction.

But Ross has at least drawn conclusions from his observations and thoughts by resigning from the Foreign Service and starting his own business – Independent Diplomat, a diplomatic service for those who need is most. On the website this is explained by:

ID’s aim is to resolve or prevent conflict by enabling disadvantaged and marginalised actors to engage effectively in diplomatic processes.

ID offers an independent and confidential source of advice and assistance on diplomatic technique and strategy to governments, international institutions, non-governmental organizations and political groups in areas of conflict or potential conflict. We provide clear, practical and effective counsel to those facing unfamiliar and complex international and political challenges to help them achieve their international objective.

For me, being a diplomat myself, this book was wonderful, though sometimes discomforting, read. Many of the descriptions and observations are right on target and the shortcomings of the diplomatic process are real. But diplomacy and internationals affairs are inherently linked to the existence of nation states and their (perceived) interests. For the time being there is no credible alternative. But that should not prevent us from trying to work on it – just like Carne Ross!