Inside:
Luxury Living Special Section Luxury Living
A Special Section of The Washington Diplomat
VOLUME 23, NUMBER 3
t
March 2016
MARCH 2016
WWW.WASHDIPLOMAT.COM
If These Walls Could Talk
Blair House Plays Host to
W
War With Islamic State Marked by Constant Back and Forth
Europe
Schengen Under Fire As Europe Closes Borders to Migrants A raging migrant crisis and residual fears over terrorism are threatening to unravel the European Union’s passport-free travel area known as the Schengen zone — and with it the very fabric of the EU. / PAGE 10
KANOWITZ
People of World Influence
Terrorism
As the Islamic State retreats from parts of Iraq and Syria, the group is looking to expand in other areas such as Libya, perpetuating a tug of war for territory and influence that shows no signs of abating any time soon. / PAGE 7
American History t BY STEPHANIE
ashington is home to many buildings that are both iconic and secretive at the same time. Blair House, known more casually as the president’s guest house, is no different.
Built in 1824, Blair House nected townhouses located consists of four intercon- publication. across from the White House. on Pennsylvania Avenue Blair gained political power as editor of the Globe and has hosted a variety of heads The federal-style complex the Congressional Globe, of state and visiting delegathe first published proceedings tions, but it was originally of Congress, with partner home to Dr. Joseph Lovell, the most influential member John Cook Rives. Blair “was the first surgeon general of the U.S. of President Jackson’s informal however, shortly after a circuit Army. It got its name, group of advisors, the ‘Kitchen Cabinet,’ and remained paperman took up residence court clerk-turned-news- important confidant to Jackson’s successor, Martin an there in 1837, seven years after Francis Preston Blair Van Buren,” according to BlairHouse.org. first “Abraham Lincoln vitation of President Andrew moved to D.C. at the in- also sought Blair’s counsel Jackson. Blair’s editorials during his presidency in a local Frankfort, Ky., newspaper appealed to Jackson, pointed Blair’s eldest son, Montgomery, to his and apcabinet as who asked Blair and his wife Eliza to turn a faltering D.C. Postmaster General.” paper called the Globe into a pro-Jackson administration 26
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MEXICO
Mexico’s new ambassador arrived in Washington during a time of electionyear demonizing, but Miguel Basáñez Ebergenyi is sage about the political posturing and Mexico-bashing, telling us that, “Some people who are ignorant of history talk about building walls, but that makes no sense.” / PAGE 17
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Keeping Mideast Diplomacy On Track Diplomatic breakthroughs like the recent Iran nuclear deal don’t always emerge from formal government-to-government discussions. Sometimes, the foundation for diplomatic success is laid by people like Randa Slim, who work behind the scenes in a widely used, but less familiar, process called Track II diplomacy. / PAGE 5
Diplomacy Verbatim
Culture
BREAKING DOWN WALLS
Aboriginal Elder, 105, Takes Up Painting An unusual, arresting show at the Embassy of Australia speaks truth to the adage that you’re never too old to learn something new. / PAGE 32
WPA Melds Local, Global Artistic Talent Over the last half century, Washington Performing Arts has welcomed scores of well-known and lesser-known international and local artists as part of its mission to offer Washingtonians a cultural window onto the world. / PAGE 20