#63 - Robert Gerber

This episode is less about soft power, and more about diplomacy and the incredible power of relationships--and how the time to cultivate those relationships is before something catastrophic happens. Robert Gerber was the first economic officer in the newly reopened U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan in 2005. Because of the situation, there was a lot of on-the-job learning. And--because the Civil Aviation responsibility fell within the economic portfolio--there was even more to learn. It was, in fact, a literal crash course.

'SoftPower/FulStories' uses first-person stories to explore why U.S. engagement in the world matters. Through conversations with diplomats, aid workers, Peace Corps volunteers, authors and artists, influencers, businesspeople, and more, SP/FS highlights how soft power and foreign aid and assistance strengthen America's security, prosperity, and global standing. But forget politics, policy, or punditry; this is all about the stories.