The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) is signaling that it’s time to return to choosing diplomatic nominees based on career professionalism, rather than the ability to raise campaign funds.
To that end, the AFSA is asking the Obama administration to set minimum standards that nominees have to meet before being considered for a post.
According to Fox News, the AFSA released the following statement:
The topic of the qualifications of ambassadorial nominees is of great interest to AFSA’s membership. All Americans have a vested interest in ensuring that we have the most effective leaders and managers of U.S. embassies and missions advancing U.S. interests around the globe.
On February 8th, Breitbart News reported that Obama’s nominee for Ambassador to Argentina had never been to Argentina.
At that same time, Breitbart News also reported on George Tsunis’s nomination to Ambassador of Norway. In speeches after the nomination, Tsunis made reference to Norway’s president, although Norway has a prime minister.
Tsunis and his wife raised over half a million for Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign.
Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter @AWRHawkins.
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