Better funding the State Department is a rally call for many on the political left and, increasingly, the political right. Critics of underfunding Foggy Bottom are correct that diplomacy effectively applied can avert the necessity to engage in far more expensive military strategies. Throwing money at Foggy Bottom, however, is not a panacea for the simple reason that onerous State Department security restrictions on its personnel undercut their effectiveness. It’s hard to win the battle of ideas or successfully engage government officials and the public when living in, working in, and seldom leaving diplomatic compounds.

Too often, diplomatic culture also undercuts diplomacy’s effectiveness. Too many ambassadors believe the headlines that derive from showering autocratic leaders with false praise signals diplomatic success.