Published on by Gary Grappo
Published first at The Cipher Brief on April 20, 2023
BOOK: In the Nation’s Service: The Life and Times of George P. Shultz By Philip Taubman / Stanford University Press Reviewed by Ambassador Gary Grappo The Reviewer: Gary Grappo is a former U.S. ambassador who held senior positions including Minister Counselor for Political Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad; U.S. Ambassador to the Sultanate […]
Published on by Gary Grappo
Published first at Fair Observer on April 10, 2023
In 2040, it is clear that Vladimir Putin’s imperial fever dream failed to adjust to the new reality of the bipolar world of the US and China. Russia is a second-rate power. Were it not for an aging nuclear weapons stock and a seat on the UN Security Council, Moscow would not command the world’s […]
Published on by Gary Grappo
Published first at Fair Observer on January 21, 2023
Decades-long sexual abuse of children, lack of financial transparency and Catholics abandoning the church challenge the world’s oldest institution. The late Cardinal George Pell’s reported accusation that Pope Francis was a “catastrophe” is misplaced. Francis is merely responding to the challenges of our times and preparing the church for the future. There was a time […]
Published on by Gary Grappo
Published first at Fair Observer on November 12, 2022
I am not a pessimistic person usually. My personal inclination and more than two and half decades as a diplomat have taught me the importance and value of remaining optimistic. Optimism for a diplomat is as essential as courage for a soldier. An effective diplomat is confident that persistent and effective diplomacy can solve a […]
Published on by Gary Grappo
Published first at Fair Observer on October 10, 2022
The best that may be said for the Iran nuclear accord, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is that talks to renew the agreement are suspended; the worst, that it is on life support. Nevertheless, this current state of affairs may actually serve the interests of both the Iranian and American governments. The indirect […]