Ambassador (ret.) Janet Sanderson
@jastucaz.bsky.social
Former U.S. Ambassador, retired career Foreign Service officer, still writing that long-delayed biography of Tudor humanist Mildred Cooke Cecil, helped by the cat. Not as diplomatic as I once was.
Setting aside everything else (and God knows it’s hard), the possibility that the military deliberately murdered unarmed noncombatants at the direction of our political leadership may make US allies think twice about fighting alongside us in the future.
Allies matter. And they’re watching this.
Allies matter. And they’re watching this.
December 5, 2025 at 1:20 AM
Setting aside everything else (and God knows it’s hard), the possibility that the military deliberately murdered unarmed noncombatants at the direction of our political leadership may make US allies think twice about fighting alongside us in the future.
Allies matter. And they’re watching this.
Allies matter. And they’re watching this.
Reposted by Ambassador (ret.) Janet Sanderson
Their drug mission? To where? With what? When did allegedly smuggling drugs from one foreign country to another begin to carry with it the death penalty from the US? When did the military’s mission become imposing that illegal penalty?
December 5, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Their drug mission? To where? With what? When did allegedly smuggling drugs from one foreign country to another begin to carry with it the death penalty from the US? When did the military’s mission become imposing that illegal penalty?
This.
Parts of the federal gov't that most people never think about -- research orgs, safety regs, low-income programs, etc. -- are being degraded & destroyed, with no one to notice or mourn them. But every bit of it erodes the foundations of US power & prosperity, carefully laid over decades.
December 4, 2025 at 7:53 PM
This.
Yes.
Sadly.
Sadly.
Macron risks row with Trump after saying US will ‘betray Ukraine’ in leaked call
Macron risks row with Trump after saying US will ‘betray Ukraine’ in leaked call
Macron risks row with Trump after saying US will ‘betray Ukraine’ in leaked call
www.independent.co.uk
December 4, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Yes.
Sadly.
Sadly.
Reposted by Ambassador (ret.) Janet Sanderson
RJ Matson presents: A Sinking Ship
A Sinking Ship
A cartoon by RJ Matson
contrarian.substack.com
December 4, 2025 at 7:41 PM
RJ Matson presents: A Sinking Ship
Looking forward to his next visit to the White House.
Patel on J6 arrest: "When you attack American citizens, when you attack our institutions of legislation, when you attack our nation's Capitol, you attack the very being of our way of life."
December 4, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Looking forward to his next visit to the White House.
I can’t even imagine the degree of stupidity doing something like this entails.
Or what would’ve rightly happened to any of us working in a sane government after doing such a thing.
Or what would’ve rightly happened to any of us working in a sane government after doing such a thing.
DoD IG confirms the Secretary copied operational details from a SECRET//NOFORN CENTCOM brief into a 19-person Signal chat that included a journalist. This occurred 2–4 hours before U.S. strikes in Yemen.
December 4, 2025 at 5:17 PM
I can’t even imagine the degree of stupidity doing something like this entails.
Or what would’ve rightly happened to any of us working in a sane government after doing such a thing.
Or what would’ve rightly happened to any of us working in a sane government after doing such a thing.
Reposted by Ambassador (ret.) Janet Sanderson
Dear corporate media: here is your simple explainer for the IG report on Signalgate.
The information was properly classified. It was copied from a classified written document. It was sent over a non-classified system, namely Signal. Hegseth took no steps to declassify any of it.
End of article.
The information was properly classified. It was copied from a classified written document. It was sent over a non-classified system, namely Signal. Hegseth took no steps to declassify any of it.
End of article.
December 4, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Dear corporate media: here is your simple explainer for the IG report on Signalgate.
The information was properly classified. It was copied from a classified written document. It was sent over a non-classified system, namely Signal. Hegseth took no steps to declassify any of it.
End of article.
The information was properly classified. It was copied from a classified written document. It was sent over a non-classified system, namely Signal. Hegseth took no steps to declassify any of it.
End of article.
Reposted by Ambassador (ret.) Janet Sanderson
Here is @afsaorg.bsky.social’s report on parlous state of the Foreign Service. The survey data is telling, highlighting fears of intimidation, harassment, and politicization of diplomacy. A third of the Service has considered leaving. The impact on our interests and presence abroad is incalculable.
New Report Finds U.S. Foreign Service at a Breaking Point After Historic Loss of Capacity | American Foreign Service Association
For Immediate Release December 3, 2025 Press Contact: Communications & Outreach Director Nikki Gamer | [email protected] Washington, D.C. – A sweeping new report released today by the American Foreign Se...
afsa.org
December 3, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Here is @afsaorg.bsky.social’s report on parlous state of the Foreign Service. The survey data is telling, highlighting fears of intimidation, harassment, and politicization of diplomacy. A third of the Service has considered leaving. The impact on our interests and presence abroad is incalculable.
Reposted by Ambassador (ret.) Janet Sanderson
Typically thoughtful comments from Adm (ret) Jim Stavridis. Worth your time.
December 4, 2025 at 2:39 AM
Typically thoughtful comments from Adm (ret) Jim Stavridis. Worth your time.
No words.
South Floridians from Cuba, Haiti and Venezuela expecting to become U.S. citizens this week learned instead that their naturalization ceremonies had been canceled after the Trump administration issued a sweeping directive aimed at halting immigration from so-called high-risk countries.
South Florida immigrants on cusp of citizenship told to wait as DHS changes policy
The cancellations, confirmed by multiple immigration attorneys, came after the Trump administration paused immigration from 19 nations and froze all asylum claims.
www.miamiherald.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:22 AM
No words.
Bastards.
It’s all wildly illegal.
It’s all wildly illegal.
State Dept. is moving forward laying off 250 Foreign Service officers on Dec. 5, despite a shutdown deal that banned RIFs through January. They are saying notices sent before the shutdown make the cuts “legal,” but unions call it unlawful and will sue. Other agencies, like GSA, are doing the same.
December 4, 2025 at 2:18 AM
Bastards.
It’s all wildly illegal.
It’s all wildly illegal.
Reposted by Ambassador (ret.) Janet Sanderson
Heartbreaking, and it will take at least a generation to repair the intentional destruction of our diplomatic corps.
U.S. Diplomats Report Broken Morale and Abandoned Careers.
A new survey found that 98 percent of Foreign Service officers felt lower morale. Only 1 percent reported an increased ability to carry out U.S. foreign policy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/u...
A new survey found that 98 percent of Foreign Service officers felt lower morale. Only 1 percent reported an increased ability to carry out U.S. foreign policy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/u...
U.S. Diplomats Report Broken Morale and Abandoned Careers
www.nytimes.com
December 3, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Heartbreaking, and it will take at least a generation to repair the intentional destruction of our diplomatic corps.
Reposted by Ambassador (ret.) Janet Sanderson
#FollowTheMoney, it's the main reason Republicans do things
Assume this was one of Putin's asks of Witkoff-Kushner.
Breaking News: President Trump threw the weight of the federal government behind vehicles that burn gasoline rather than electric cars, gutting one of the country’s most significant efforts to address climate change.
December 3, 2025 at 11:18 PM
#FollowTheMoney, it's the main reason Republicans do things
Reposted by Ambassador (ret.) Janet Sanderson
Reposted by Ambassador (ret.) Janet Sanderson
Gee. I wonder why.
JUST IN: Mike Johnson plans to swear in Rep.-elect Matt Van Epps on Thursday — less than two days after he won the TN-07 special election.
As a reminder, it took Johnson 50 days to swear in Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva.
As a reminder, it took Johnson 50 days to swear in Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva.
December 3, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Gee. I wonder why.
Here is @afsaorg.bsky.social’s report on parlous state of the Foreign Service. The survey data is telling, highlighting fears of intimidation, harassment, and politicization of diplomacy. A third of the Service has considered leaving. The impact on our interests and presence abroad is incalculable.
New Report Finds U.S. Foreign Service at a Breaking Point After Historic Loss of Capacity | American Foreign Service Association
For Immediate Release December 3, 2025 Press Contact: Communications & Outreach Director Nikki Gamer | [email protected] Washington, D.C. – A sweeping new report released today by the American Foreign Se...
afsa.org
December 3, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Here is @afsaorg.bsky.social’s report on parlous state of the Foreign Service. The survey data is telling, highlighting fears of intimidation, harassment, and politicization of diplomacy. A third of the Service has considered leaving. The impact on our interests and presence abroad is incalculable.
Reading @afsaorg.bsky.social report on the administration’s efforts to destroy our Foreign Service through intimidation, personal retaliation, and politicization. It’s enough to make me punch my fist thru the windows.
I won’t, but excuse me while I
go stick pins in Trump and Rubio dolls.
I won’t, but excuse me while I
go stick pins in Trump and Rubio dolls.
December 3, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Reading @afsaorg.bsky.social report on the administration’s efforts to destroy our Foreign Service through intimidation, personal retaliation, and politicization. It’s enough to make me punch my fist thru the windows.
I won’t, but excuse me while I
go stick pins in Trump and Rubio dolls.
I won’t, but excuse me while I
go stick pins in Trump and Rubio dolls.
Reposted by Ambassador (ret.) Janet Sanderson
“Damage is being done to America’s diplomatic service that we will be paying for decades to come.” AFSA's John Dinkelman on the findings of our new survey: www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/u...
U.S. Diplomats Report Broken Morale and Abandoned Careers
www.nytimes.com
December 3, 2025 at 2:48 PM
“Damage is being done to America’s diplomatic service that we will be paying for decades to come.” AFSA's John Dinkelman on the findings of our new survey: www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/u...
Holy shit.
Why is Donald Trump’s name now on the @usip.org building? Who put there? And when?
December 3, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Holy shit.
Many of the dual citizens I’ve met over the years were women and their children. That is probably still the case.
Republicans really hate women and children, don’t they?
Republicans really hate women and children, don’t they?
Ohio senator introduces measure to eliminate dual citizenship
thehill.com/policy/inter...
thehill.com/policy/inter...
thehill.com
December 3, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Many of the dual citizens I’ve met over the years were women and their children. That is probably still the case.
Republicans really hate women and children, don’t they?
Republicans really hate women and children, don’t they?
Politico’s London Playbook reports:
“…Hillary Clinton will address parliament next week — an honor twice denied to White House occupant Donald Trump…[She] will appear at an event in Speaker’s House…to celebrate the 180th anniversary of Queen’s University.”
Prepare for the midnight onslaught!
“…Hillary Clinton will address parliament next week — an honor twice denied to White House occupant Donald Trump…[She] will appear at an event in Speaker’s House…to celebrate the 180th anniversary of Queen’s University.”
Prepare for the midnight onslaught!
December 3, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Politico’s London Playbook reports:
“…Hillary Clinton will address parliament next week — an honor twice denied to White House occupant Donald Trump…[She] will appear at an event in Speaker’s House…to celebrate the 180th anniversary of Queen’s University.”
Prepare for the midnight onslaught!
“…Hillary Clinton will address parliament next week — an honor twice denied to White House occupant Donald Trump…[She] will appear at an event in Speaker’s House…to celebrate the 180th anniversary of Queen’s University.”
Prepare for the midnight onslaught!
Reposted by Ambassador (ret.) Janet Sanderson
Funny how these detailed investigations never discover that things in Gaza weren’t as bad as we thought and were almost always far worse.
www.cnn.com/2025/12/03/m...
www.cnn.com/2025/12/03/m...
Bulldozed corpses and unmarked graves, CNN investigates the fate of Gaza’s missing aid seekers | CNN
Ammar Wadi knew he was risking his life when he set out to get a bag of flour for his family from an aid truck near the Zikim crossing into Gaza in June.
www.cnn.com
December 3, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Funny how these detailed investigations never discover that things in Gaza weren’t as bad as we thought and were almost always far worse.
www.cnn.com/2025/12/03/m...
www.cnn.com/2025/12/03/m...