In 2008, Michael Soussan published an exposé detailing the extensive corruption and financial abuse he encountered while working from 1997 to 2003 as the assistant to Benon Sevan, the Armenian Cypriot administrator of the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program in Iraq. His experiences highlighted the challenges and ethical dilemmas faced within international diplomacy and the UN system.
From Book to Film
Soussan’s book served as the inspiration for the 2018 feature film Backstabbing for Beginners, starring Ben Kingsley and Theo James. The film is currently available for streaming on Netflix, bringing Soussan’s story to a wider audience.
A Journey from Paris to Diplomacy
Born in 1973, Soussan spent much of his youth in Paris before immigrating to the United States at eighteen. He attended Brown University, where he co-founded and edited the Brown Journal of World Affairs and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1996.
Career Decisions and the Path to Humanitarian Work
After graduation, Soussan initially intended to pursue a legal career. He worked at a law firm in Washington, D.C., but soon became disillusioned with Capitol Hill. This experience prompted him to shift towards a more humanitarian path, motivated by a desire to make a positive difference in the world.
Lessons in Diplomacy
Although Soussan’s intentions were noble, he soon realized he had much to learn about the intricacies of diplomacy. His first lesson centered on the rules of diplomatic engagement: “truth is not a matter of fact; it is a matter of consensus.”
From that point forward, Soussan realized he would have to pay a price to make that difference, and it would be costly.
UN Successes and Failures
The UN faced criticism for its inability to prevent a rogue regime from misappropriating its own funds, sparking public outrage. Such shortcomings revealed the complex and often murky realities of the Diplomatic World.
On the other hand, the UN machinery succeeded in preventing that same regime from developing weapons of mass destruction, reconstituting a military threat, or pursuing nuclear ambitions. Most observers agree that while the UN’s financial oversight was inadequate, its focus on essential priorities was justified.
OHB…keeping it real so you can judge…