I’m very pleased to learn that Monica Lemieux, the Political Officer assigned to Jeddah and who was in the middle of the gunfight at the entrance to the Consulate, is on her way home. She was coming to the end of her assignment and, as it was a matter of a few weeks (or less) until she was to leave, she was permitted to fly out today. It’s not a well-known fact, but it’s one that Adm. William Crowe used to make frequently: over the past 20 years, more American diplomats have been killed while performing their jobs than have American military officers. Most diplomats are not in situations where they can even defend themselves.

Monica owes her life–as I’m sure she’s very aware–to a combination of pretty good security provided by the Saudi Arabian National Guard, to the enhanced protection given to official vehicles, but mostly to the dedication of a Foreign Service National (FSN) employee, who dragged her from the car and put her into a safe place, protecting her with his own body.

Many Americans are unaware of the fact of Foreign Service National employees. They are a group of people who devote their lives to helping the United States and its diplomats conduct foreign affairs overseas, frequently at great danger to themselves.

In most countries, FSNs are citizens of those countries. In most countries, that works out well for all concerned. They work under conditions that are generally determined by local labor law and are paid relatively well. (The USG, along with other foreign missions, does regular surveys of salaries and benefits to make sure that those are at an appropriate level.)

In some countries, however, working for the USG is both psychologically taxing and physically dangerous. In Syria, for example, an FSN could count on being “interviewed”, sometimes for two weeks, non-stop, by the authorities. Particularly in countries that are not friendly toward the US, working for Uncle brings great stress to those employees. Their kids are in schools, being harassed by other students for their “traitorious” parents. TV, radio, and the print media, particularly in the Arab world, are filled with explanations on why the US is evil.

In countries like Saudi Arabia, the work can be even tougher. Most FSNs there are not Saudis. The USG doesn’t offer a large enough salary/benefit package to attrack Saudis. Most are from other Arab and Islamic countries, though there are also non-Muslims and non-Arabs on staff. These people don’t live as the American officers do, in secure compounds, with armored vehicles to transport them. Their kids go to local schools; they live in apartments side-by-side with others expats and Saudis; they have to cope with being aliens in a very tough environment.

Frankly, they don’t get paid nearly enough.