A few years ago I was taking a class in preparation for heading to Africa. Talked with a guy who had worked for the UN and AID in West Africa. Fascinating guy. At that point I had been trying to contact the American Embassy in Tanzania with some questions, with absolutely no luck. No luck from the Tanzanian desk at the US State Department, either, until I accidentally dialed a wrong digit, 2002 instead of 2001, and got a back number. Then the guy who answered was upset that the call got in, and hung up.

The fellow in the class was in West Africa, in a tense area he always had to have a plan to get out of. He said the American Embassys are worthless, that they are in place to see you don't embarrass the American government and promote one-way trade. Their interest in the average American citizen, even one connected with the government, was nil. Zero.

His plan completely excluded the US government or UN, and instead relied upon trusted locals, their vehicles, and Krugerrands. His own Krugerrands.

Arf