Former US Ambassadors: Reflections on the Arab Identity
By: Mariam Kanaan/Arab America Contributing Writer
Arab America Foundation had the great honor of hosting a conversation with Former US Ambassadors to the Arab world. Moderated by Hazami Barmada, we heard from these experienced representatives about the knowledge they gained about Arab identity and culture in their years of service.
See their bios here.
Building Bridges between America and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
“A successful diplomat is one that never lies to anybody and mostly his superiors. You have to speak the truth. Never did I ever feel that I was pressured to lie to my bosses.“
Ambassador (ret) Patrick Theros, Former Ambassador to the State of Qatar
“We engaged in the lives of the people that we served. Empathy, understanding even if we didn’t sympathize with everything they were doing. Did we succeed in changing US policy? No, but we were able to get some attitudes changed.”
Ambassador (ret) Patrick Theros, Former Ambassador to the State of Qatar
“In some ways, we have restrictions on what we can say as representatives of the US, the talking points are the talking points. we’ve struggled in ensuring that all the voices from the region are heard, the perspectives are understood.”
Ambassador (ret) Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, Former Ambassador to Malta who worked in some Arab countries
“Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose—the important thing is to realize who you’re serving — the American people. Be true to yourself and your conscience and make the best case possible from your point of view.”
Ambassador (ret) Gordon Gray, Former Ambassador to Tunisia
Arabs Are Most Known for…
One of the first topics touched on was the perception and image of Arab people and how it might have changed over time with their experience in the region. We asked them what they learned about Arab culture that they hadn’t known prior to their service.
The consensus was Arab hospitality, of course.
Over 24 years of serving in Arab contexts, Ambassador Theros conveyed that there was a great complexity, variety, and certain defining qualities unique to Arab culture, the most prominent of which was the cornerstone of Arab culture: hospitality. He went on to say that even when he served in areas hostile to the US, Theros never faced any hostility himself, emphasizing “we still have many Arab friends from the time we served.”
Ambassador Abercrombie-Winstanley, originally from Cleveland, Ohio, started her journey in the Peace Corps, and agreed, wholeheartedly: “The hospitality is the thing we know the most about the [Arab people].”
Ambassador Gray also got his start in the Peace Corps and having had no prior experience starting out in the region went in with no preconceived notions. He reminisced on his first exposure to Arab culture: “Everyone who’s new to the Arab world is struck by the hospitality. In my case, I was teaching English in a small mining town. People were not particularly well off, and people invited me to their homes and fed me sumptuous meals. It was a very warm experience for me. It made me want to learn more about the culture and the language. I’m glad I did.”
For some, the experience was moving–literally. After getting to know young Saudis in his youth, Ambassador Schmierer took the foreign service test and requested it to be in the Middle East “because I enjoyed it so much…it was the experience of a lifetime.”
The Role of Education in the Arab World
Most of the ambassadors remarked in a similar fashion at just how educated and accomplished Arabs are, especially the women. The main difference Ambassador (ret) Jones found was in the family sphere and the public sphere. “I’ve lived in several different countries over 14 years, and to realize how many women in Kuwait [my age] ran businesses [was remarkable]…the women were very educated and independent.”
When asked about challenging perspectives, with particular attention to stereotyping and perception of Arabs, the answer was simple: education.
Ambassador Gray had this to say: “Educational programs, money that’s well spent is when we bring young people from the Middle East and North Africa to the United States not just to expose them to the US, but also to expose Americans to other cultures and try to break down some of the stereotypes that were described.”
Another notion that was threaded throughout the conversation was the important role of Arab Americans, those with a foothold in each world were seen as the best equipped to challenge the narratives.
“The kind of work that Arab America is doing is effective. The large Arab community is very significant,” remarked Ambassador Theros. He continued to highlight how Arab Americans could be the perfect middle ground to connect Arabs and Americans. “Arabs are effective when you get to meet them. The best sort of public relations is getting Americans to go to the Arab world. the more that the Arab population consciously acts on building ties to their homeland and the US [the better] they can change perceptions in the United States.”
Ambassador Jones was the first to highlight education. “Of all of our efforts in the region, the most durable and lasting are educational institutions… [they] changed the way of thinking… I raised my family in the Middle East. We were able to have the kind of family life and warmth and hospitality. It was a safe place and [while] there are conflicts there…there is a lot of great tranquility and peace.”
“We’re in the weirdest, most convoluted of media environments. The issue of stereotypes and what people think of each other is more difficult to deal with. It’s tough to get through to people and not have them delve into their own rabbit holes that reinforce the stereotypes they already have. It’s up to the Arab Americans in the United States to play that role of changing the narrative.”
Ambassador Elizabeth Richard, Former Ambassador to Lebanon
They talked about the challenges they faced, one such challenge was the lingering Palestinian-Israeli Conflict that is of the utmost importance to Arabs, Americans, and Arab-Americans alike.
“For over 3 decades in the region, if it’s about foreign policy issues and how we address them, the main challenge to a US diplomat was the Israeli Palestinian conflict,” said Abercrombie-Winstanley.
“What we could do (what I did) was try to convey a realistic point of view from the US as to what we supported and what was realistic to the ppl there and that the best they could do is from THERE. I felt good about conveying that to governments and through public speaking.”
Ambassador Deborah Jones, summed up the experience quite well, saying “we carry a special responsibility.”
Former Ambassador (ret) Richard Schmierer, Former Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman walked the talk, having participated in a documentary sponsored by the government of Oman to help educate Americans on Omani culture. “I happen to be currently leading an educational organization the Mideast policy council whose mission it is to promote the US and countries of the region relations. We use our own experience (former ambassadors on the board) to find ways to advise on policies.”
Above all, they agreed that “Young people are the answer.“
Ambassador Elizabeth Richard, Former Ambassador to Lebanon agreed and highlighted another significant and glaring issue in the region, and something that Americans and Arabs share: how much we had in common, in particular: the young people. She says, “beyond the obvious things…what really struck me was the generational challenge, which we face here as well. There’s this pent-up energy in the younger generation which hits the glass–or rather a cement–ceiling.”
Ambassador Schmierer had three words when asked about a solution to building strong relationships: “The Young People.” Schmierer recounted the experience of being in the MENA region during the Arab spring and remarked on the profound effect it had on them as diplomats. “The young people in the US and the young people in the region are extremely inspiring. It’s the young people, what they’re thinking, what they’re doing, and how they’re acting the region has a bright future, as does the United States.”
The Bottom Line
It’s clear from the get-go. We know that Arabs are hospitable people, and we also know that there’s a history of conflict between East and West. What our diplomats have seen is that with all the unknown, education and communication are the keys to understanding. There’s a lot of bridge-building to be done in the future, by those who shoulder the weight of the world: the young people.
Here’s to the future.
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