All of the tasks you listed that the State Dept falls under “improving international relations.” Every single one of those tasks can be improved, enhanced, or enabled by increased communication between Americans and people in other countries, on all levels.

And as for the money the State dept spend on exchange - that’s spend on bring “them” to America - very little is spent encouraging American emigration abroad. In fact, it’s discouraged.

I have encountered American embassies abroad and not received one bit of help. I assume if I lose my passport, they will help with that, but when it came to assisting me in the paperwork for foreign visas, they wanted no part of it. Wouldn’t even answer a basic question about the laws.

Half the time I do have to call a consulate abroad, they fail to answer the phone. And that’s during business hours. Heaven forbid I’m in an actual emergency late at night.

And what’s wrong with prohibiting Americans from visiting alcohol bars in countries that outlaw alcohol? Instead, they actually encourage it. In Kabul and Pakistan, there are bars that cater to American ex-pats working abroad. All it takes is one order from the State Dept. to forbid any employees from going to these places - but instead, they promote it and then when the place is bombed, the media quickly omits the fact that the place was serving alcohol illegally in the first place.

Yes, Americans need to understand that “if they end up dead because they were spending time in a Saudi bar, it’s their own fault.”

But the e-mail didn’t say that. The email simply listed as many possible attacks on Americans (dating back to 2004 - even though it said it was updated) and telling us every possible way a terrorist could try to kill us.

There are so many constructive things the State Dept could be doing instead - and so much more constructive dialogue it could be having with our own American citizens abroad to improve relations.

But this lousy e-mail is all I get.

That and a “I can’t help you” when I actually ask a question that doesn’t entail issuing a new passport.

Lets start at the top. The State Department has several roles beyond the one you name. While Public diplomacy is an integral part of the State Department’s job, State works on much more than improving American relations with foreign publics. Among other things, State is charged with coordinating bilateral or international meetings of U.S. agencies with their foreign counterparts, visits overseas of U.S. officials, making and sustaining contacts within foreign governments, facilitating the formation of treaties and other transnational agreements, monitoring and implementing foreign aid or assistance programs, assisting U.S. businesses and citizens in foreign market places, assisting U.S. citizens in foreign courts of law, coordinating exchange programs, managing immigration and emigration, as well providing visas or passports, and protecting American citizens abroad.

So really, State is doing quite a bit more than you credit them for, and most of that on a shoe string budget.

You complain about State’s “fear-mongering.” Such complaints seem silly once you realize why State sends out e-mails like this. As noted, it is State’s responsibility to protect American citizens abroad. This means that every time a hotel in Jakarta or Mumbai is attacked, every time an American citizen dies in foreign environs, State is held accountable. It is State that has to answer all the Moms and Pops back home who ask why their kids were in a place that is not always friendly to white folks.

Thus State sends out these annoying little e-mails. Was State trying to discourage you from going to a non-Christianized, non-European place in the third world? Heavens no. The amount of money State spends each year on exchange programs is enough to convince me that the idea is absurd. No, the meaning of the e-mail is clear. By sending you this notice, State is simply saying, “We warned you – if you end up dead because you were spending your time in a Saudi bar, it is not our fault. Responsibility for your safety lies solely with you.”

And do you know what the sad thing is? Most Americans need to be told this.