How would you describe US ambassador appointments to smaller countries?
Short answerThe American participants say the reasons vary by administration, including strategic focus, less considered selection and donor appointments.
NotesThe American participants say appointment practices vary with the president and secretary of state. They distinguish deliberate regional attention from less considered appointments and rewards to campaign donors. Alex Clarke adds that political appointments have produced both effective ambassadors and failures. His criticism of Joseph Kennedy concerns his claimed inability to conceal his reactions, followed by explicit uncertainty about whether cultural differences explain it.