Bird’s Blog

The University Daily Kansan wrote about my trips for the State Dept.  Pretty benign, but not bad.

Link: http://www.kansan.com/stories/2009/aug/26/professor_globe/

I’ll try to add some photos to this site, but I’ve already done a photo album on my Facebook page, available for all to see.  Let me say that this is a huge achievement for someone as technologically challenged as I.  I’m not much of a photographer (and I often just forget to take pictures), but it’s great to see many of the folks I worked with in Nepal and Bangladesh (more of the former than the latter)

Go to:  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/burdett.loomis?ref=profile

Ambassador James Moriarity. In Dhaka I talked for about half an hour with the Ambassador. I usually enjoy talking to ambassadors, most of whom are career diplomats in the places I go (although in Mexico I spent a great 45 min talking politics with a GWB political appointee). In talking to Jim Moriarity, who is a veteran with a lot of Asian/DC experience, was great fun. I had a little unknown head start, in that he’d been reading last week’s Economist, in which I’d been quoted on the congressional Blue Dog Democrats. Instant cred for an academic. In any event, the Ambassador had previously served in that position in Nepal, so we had a bunch to talk about. Suffice it to say that in 30 minutes I got a bunch of nice lessons about both Nepal and Bangladesh, delivered in a smart, yet easy going way. Nice guy, and smart. Another reason to be a fan of the State Dept. – here was an obviously competent guy, who was now serving in a Democratic administration, after working for GWB (with personal photo of him and his wife with George and Laura prominently displayed). [Obviously, the State Dept. pays my freight on these trips, but that should not lead anyone to discount my positive feelings about my experiences with virtually all the FSOs and the nationals who work for the Dept. They all make it easy for me to do my job.]

The apologies to Ward Just come from a book of that name by Just.  Excellent, if depressing, read.

Random thoughts after 36 hours of traveling in the United Lounge, Dulles Airport. United business class wasn’t too bad, but way behind Qatar or Emirates or many Asian carriers. In short, US international airline service is the rough equivalent of riding an expensive bus. Not that I’m whining – well, a little. But it’s more a comment on the US in the world; we’re clearly not leaders in many fields any more. That said, it was great to get back to the US this a.m. United did have Starbucks coffee (which I happen to like). So I got a little head start on returning home. In addition, I was reading Ward Just’s ECHO HOUSE, a novel about three generations of Washingtonians (and Washington itself). . I’m using it in a fiction and politics course, and hadn’t read it for a decade. I thought it pretty good at the time, but not great. This time, I’m more positive, and it’s excellent for teaching about the permanent, unseen Washington that perseveres, decade to decade (and grows of course). If this were a pure fiction course; maybe next time I’ll pair it with a George Pelecanos novel of the other side of permanent Washington, mostly black or middle class, and scarcely ever addressing those who hold power.

These speaking trips last two weeks, which is about the right amount of time. You can do a lot of work, get in a bit of sight-seeing, and just about when you’re getting homesick, you actually are on the way home. Always great to finish up the last presentation and feel a psychological release. I always am thrilled to see Michel and Dakota and get back to the neighborhood and to Lawrence, where things are, in almost all respects, truly easy. I love that, a lot. Plus, in the next week I get to see/hear Dar Williams and Steve Earle in separate concerts at Liberty Hall (five minute walk to a great venue). Pretty nice compared to the daily hassles of Kathmandu or Dhaka.

Dubai, local time 2:25 –got almost ten hours before I head back to the US, via Atlanta, unfortunately on United Airlines (as opposed to Emirates or Qatar), thanks to the “Fly America Act.” I do feel patriotic.

Bangladesh was a fairly straightforward experience for me, although I wish I could have seen some art and parts of the countryside outside Dhaka (population 12M or so). As previously noted, I basically drove to talks, gave them, and drove back. The audiences were, by and large, excellent. Yesterday I talked to about 50 members of an advanced military class at the Army training facility. Very sharp brigadier-general rank officers from 11 countries. You could tell it was a military lecture hall, in that I told my host that I’d need about 40 minutes for my presentation, and when I looked up, there at the back of the hall, was a digital timer, counting down from forty. In the end I took 45, but wasn’t subjected to any discipline. It was a little intimidating at first, then just kind of funny.

The officers’ English was good, and we had a lively q/a, in that a lot of them came from Muslim countries.

As I talk with this group and others, I often come to new conclusions (or modified ones) about some topics. In the last few lectures I have been talking more and more about Obama as a highly ambitious person, not only in running for office (that’s the least of it), but also in his domestic and foreign-policy agendas. The former has always been clear to me, but in answering questions about the president’s relation with the world, and especially the Muslim world, I find myself understanding his broad, if unstated, ambitions in changing US ties to the rest of the world. I have come to believe that he has a long-term strategy, probably across two terms in office, in which the US develops steadily better relations with most countries, both on bilateral and multilateral bases. But this takes time, for steps to be taken, ties to be forged. Ultimately, the US in partnership with regional nations and/or major powers, may well be able to address the most difficult issues with a combination of negotiation, aid, investment, and the possibility of military power in the background. We’ll see. But if the officers I talked to were any indication of their varied governments (mostly Asian, some African), the Obama Administration has a chance.

My second (and final for the tour) group yesterday was largely composed of business professors and grad students – overall pretty sophisticated and well informed (indeed, the private sector here probably draws the smartest folks). Again, some tough questions, but a great understanding that the US economy is crucial for the world’s recovery, and a general sense of optimism (though scarcely uncritical) about Obama.

All in all, I’m pretty sure I learned more than I would have just reading about “town hall” meetings in the US on health care. But that’s a very low standard.

One of my themes over the past ten days has been to emphasize the remarkable partnership of Hillary and Barack in her role as Secretary of State.  she’s done a great job, to date, and I emphasize that both of these major political figures gain from their partnership.  More importantly, the US profits from having someone with HRC’s savvy, experience and independent clout as Sec. of State.  She gets great coverage, far more than an “ordinary” chief diplomat.  And both Nepalis and Bangladeshis have commented how amazing it was for the two rivals to come together in the government.  It’s a nice demonstration of how Americans can pull together to govern.

Given this assessment, I was taken aback to hear a report on the BBC this a.m. about Hillary getting very testy when a reporter asked her about how Bill Clinton felt on a given issue.  Allegedly, there is a mistake in translation, but HRC did react sharply, saying that she wasn’t about to “channel”  Bill’s thoughts.  Her reply was surely not “diplomatic,” but it was honest and to the point, and I think that women at least (one of Hillary’s most important constituencies) saw her response as appropriate.  But the BBC made a mountain of a molehill here, saying that HRC was struggling to come out from Bill’s shadow in the wake of his trip to N. Korea to bring home the 2 journalists.  Ordinarily, the BBC shows decent restraint, but here they simply wentg straight for a supposed controversy, and ignored much of their own reporting on HRC’s trip and her frank statements on African political and human rights situattions.  She has demonstrated that the US takes Africa seriously, and wants to encourage the positive trends there.  In the end, the BBC looked more like a tabloid than a responsible worldwide journalistic voice.  To be sure the BBC wants to appear interesting and relevant (as it competes with CNN), but in this instance it couldn’t see the forrest for one puny tree.

I’ve now been in Bangladesh for a couple full days, and it’s a great contrast to Nepal.  Both are relatively poor, but Nepal is much smaller in population, less crowded (though Kathmandu is getting there), and it’s got the mountains.  Bangladesh, on the sea and low lying/flat, doesn’t have the obvious natural beauty of Nepal, but it does have a great deal of energy, and more visible poverty, especially in contrast to more wealth.  The most obvious differences in wealth come with cars — just lots larger, more luxury cars here — although they must share the road with thousands of buses, and tens of thousands of rickshaws, both pedaled and motorized.  Indeed, traffic is pretty much unbelievable, with far too many cars for too few roads (though the roads in Dhaka are far better than Kathmandu).  Travel times dictate a lot of life in Dhaka, a city of 10-12 million.  It often takes an hour to go a few miles, and thus it’s easiest to remain in one’s own neighborhood.

For me, it means that my time here has largely been spent either traveling to and from speaking engagements, and giving the talks.  The audiences have been very good — pretty good English and good questions.  The University system is stronger here than in Nepal, and there are also multiple think tanks and training centers for civil servants, both those beginning their careers and in mid-career.  More Indian influence, as well,  although this is  a Muslim nation.  Less alcohol (and far more expensive) than in Nepal.  One does get a sense of a society that is progressing — indeed remittances have gone up here, despite the recession, and exports have increased (check the label on your shirt — from high end to Walmart).

In the end, to address Mike W. question, the audiences here are a little more connected to world politics and the US.  Of course, in a large city one can find more audiences that reflect this interest, as with the civil service. (I mention, of course, that KU is home to an excellent public administration dept.) There are some reasonably aggressive questions about the US — as there are everywhere, and more in  a Muslim nation that has serious bones to pick with the US.  The expectations for Obama are also high — but accompanied by substantial skepticism of the US’s overall approach to Muslim nations.

Last day of talks today — after a brief visit with the American Ambassador, James Moriarity, who has previously served in Nepal, which should make for an interesting chat.

Although I’m now in Bangladesh, with lots more people, more visible poverty (beggars, at least), more heat/humidity and worse traffic jams, I’m going to reflect back a bit on Nepal, with a bit of distance, but while things are still fresh in my mind. Above all, Nepalis have a difficult row to hoe. No great natural resources that provide great wealth (the mountains aside) mean that it’s tough to advance economically with no political stability. A couple questions have been raised in comments about maybe trading off democracy for stability, but it’s unclear that Nepal has this choice. Right now, save for establishing some elemental constitutional rule with buy-in from all major parties, it’s unclear who could provide stability. There are no great private sector concentrations of power than might get behind someone and one major power source, the Maoists, are widely seen as not sincere as they participate in government. They may be, but they need to demonstrate it.

It’s difficult to proceed if you are older, but doubly so if you are young and want to forge a future in Nepal. The universities are problematic, and many young people go abroad, sometimes for education, sometimes for work – and it’s difficult to come home and find something to do that is productive, with a future. So human capital erodes, and even the chief benefit off this, remittances, has declined in the global downturn.

In this context, Santosh Shah and Today’s Youth Asia are trying to make a difference, in training young people, providing them with opportunities to meet political figures and try to find a way to change Nepal., where the status quo is very powerful, both because tradition is powerful and various interests prefer stability and some minimal control, but also because there’s nothing close to a roadmap for change. Overall, there is more fatalism than optimism, and that, in itself, retards change.

What’s highly frustrating is that the Nepalis are (to the extent I’ve gotten to know some) wonderful people, a lot like the Kurds. Maybe it’s the mountains that create a certain kind of perverse survivors. But mere survival is not much of a goal for a nation, and I greatly admire those, like Santosh and his organization, and the Constitutional Assembly members, who are trying, day-in, day-out, to move toward a stronger nation and a brighter future. Until then, the mountains are magnificent, when you can see them (everyone says October).

Listening to Bob Dylan in the Delhi airport — Sunday, 11:30 am (I think). Time zones are a little strange around here; Nepal, for example was 10:45 minutes ahead of Central Daylight time. Now, in Delhi, we’ve made up that 15 minutes, but it looks as though Bangladesh (to the East) won’t be a full hour ahead. Plus, we could have flown direct to Dacca (Bangladesh) from Katmandu, all of 1:15 flight, but flight through Delhi, first west, then east, is about a full day. It would have been nice to get some time to see Dacca before getting to work, but that’s not in the cards.

The final day in Nepal went well – did a little sight-seeing, at a huge

Buddhist “stoupa” (sp?), over 1000 years old. Pretty cool, and a strange mixture of religion and commerce (well, not so strange, given European cathedrals, and all the vendors who surround them). Still feeling a little owly, but that doesn’t keep me from some Chicken momos for lunch.

The afternoon began withh a half hour TV interview with Santhosh Shah, the young (but veteran) head of Today’s Youth Asia, the organization that coordinated my trip for the State Dept. He had heard my presentation several times, had crafted various questions about U.S. politics, and the whole thing goes off very smoothly; taping was in a suite at the Hyatt, which traded Santos some advertising credit for the use of the venue. The interview series, “Powertalks” is wrapping up after six months. He’s definitely had lots more powerful folks than I on the show, but I fake it pretty well. Nicole, the press officer from the Embassy, is there, but there’s no sense she’s there to monitor (or at least I choose not to regard it that way). In any event, it’s a breeze. Talking with Steve Kraske, Mike Mahoney, and Dave Helling on Kraske’s KCUR show (among other stuff) is pretty good practice.

Right after the interview I head downstairs for my last presentation in Nepal. Pretty good audience, with a couple off ministers, some top bank folks, and various other movers and shakers, including an ex-deputy speaker (a woman) who might someday be president (who knows?). Aside from some projector glitches, the talk goes well – sophisticated group, so it a lot of fun. Some good questions, mostly on point, and it’s over. Well, not quite. Santosh’s group gives me a “high achievers” award, presented by the two ministers in attendance. Very nice and pretty much underserved, although with hundreds of DC and Topeka intern alums, I have tilled some of the same fields he has in seeking to reap young Nepali leaders.

Then is on to High Tea, an event I’ve greatly anticipated. It sounds SO elegant and formal, and ever since I saw this on my schedule, six weeks ago, I was ready to go. And the Hyatt is reputed to serve an excellent high tea. Still, I’ve been forewarned by Amod not to expect too much – it’s sort of a light supper, and probably not all that fancy.

In the end, high tea proved to be a glorified reception, and not too glorified. A decent spread (no momos), with coffee and tea. My dreams of bone china and silver service have been dashed, but the food was good, the conversation stimulating, and the experience a least a bit enlightening.

So much for the narrative of my Nepal trip – though I did go out for a beer (for me, juice for him) with Santosh in the evening, where we saw 60 seconds of coverage of my talk – lots of shots of the illustrious audience (far more of a draw than I). Up this morning early, so I can spend all day going a few hundred miles. So it goes.  I do have some reflections on various parts of the Nepal experience, but more on that later.  On to Bangladesh!

(PS, I love the internet for various reasons, last night I could follow the momentous Boston-NY game, which went scoreless into the 15th inning.  I had to leave in the 14th, and when I returned to the hotel discovered Ynaks had won in 15th on A-Rod home run.  big news here is Ashes cricket match — semi-fun to watch (no problem, it goes on for ever), but basically undecipherable.

Last night the Embassy here held a reception, more or less in my honor, and it was a most enjoyable and enlightening event. For one thing, I got to talk with a lot of folks (artists, bankers, etc.) whom I haven’t been in much contact with. And it was great to get their perspective on the US, but especially on Nepal. Indeed, the whole question of writing a constitution in a traditional society, with many pangs of modernization, presents an interesting political situation for an academic. For the Nepalis, it cuts too close to the bone to be merely interesting. I get to fly home; they will live with the results.

After my long, bumpy day on the road, a glass of wine (or three…) was certainly welcome, and I was kept busy enough with conversation to avoid eating too many Momos (dumplings, as I’ve noted). Although I talked to a lot of journalists and others (librarians, professors), I was most drawn to the bankers, entrepreneurs, and international trade folks. Almost unanimously, they said that political stability is essential for real economic growth and substantial investment, and to a person they were pessimistic, in a fatalist way, about the medium-term future of Nepal politics (say five years). For the most part, these individuals, almost all men, were realists of the first order, and by necessity optimists. Otherwise, how could you function? So it’s a strange mix of experience-driven realism, a sense of fatalism toward what will happen in government, and some overarching sense of hope that may well contradict their own analysis. Many pointed out that Nepal, given its isolation, was less affected by the world economic crisis than many other nations. Maybe, but remittances have declined, and real growth can hardly take place without a strong world economy. As it is, as one nattily dressed young banker noted, now Nepalis won’t even invest domestically, so what hope can they have for foreign investment in an unstable state?

I talked with more women from the constitutional assembly, and again was impressed with the sincerity and desire to make the process work.

The Embassy personnel – Nicole (public affairs), Jeffery (Charge of Affairs/Acting ambassador), and Amod and all his fellow workers, were just great, steering me here and there. I gave a little talk, got a couple laughs – all in all, a lovely and enlightening evening, and my stomach behaved.

One more thing – probably the single most interesting person I met last night was a musician, whose music was playing and who had performed around the world, including Kansas City. Great guy, with a whole set of different perspectives. Given my connection to art (mostly visual), I found it easy to relate to his sense of being apart from politics (though not commerce), and his perspective mirrored many of the bankers – medium run pessimism, but some kind of long-term hope for Nepal and Nepalis. Just no road map on how to get there.