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Regulators-MountUp t1_j246drv wrote

Reply to comment by eloel- in ELI5: what are diplomat's? by [deleted]

I think you are conflating "diplomat" and "Ambassador" a bit, but in any case your second paragraph is misleading.

Many Ambassadors are political appointees, not career diplomats, who have no or very limited prior experience with the ministry of foreign affairs, and may have no prior government experience at all.

And many diplomats just finished their brief training/orientation before getting sent to a foreign country as an accredited diplomat.

They do get special passwords and special passports.

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eloel- t1_j2496h7 wrote

>I think you are conflating "diplomat" and "Ambassador" a bit

Ambassadors are diplomats, but not necessarily vice versa, right? Ambassador is just a more permanent (not permanent, just longer lasting) appointment than a lot of other diplomats.

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Regulators-MountUp t1_j24ee5h wrote

An ambassador is a diplomat and not all diplomats are ambassadors, yes. But the distinction has very little to do with length of appointment.

An ambassador is the head of a diplomatic mission who is the representative of his/her head of state (President, Prime Minister, King etc.). Ambassadors may have spent many years working for the ministry of foreign affairs (career ambassadors) or they may just be friends or supporters of the head of state (political appointees).

However, ambassador can also be simply a rank or title. Ambassadors-at-large are also diplomats, but not head of a diplomatic mission. Former ambassadors may keep the title even after their assignment is complete.

Because an ambassador is the representative of the head of state, their assignment may end when the head of state changes - this is apparent in the US when a new president is elected, when political appointee ambassadors are largely replaced. Their appointment may end up being very short.

A political appointee ambassador, almost by definition, has not been/will not be a diplomat for long. A career ambassador has very likely been a diplomat for many years, rising the ranks. Still, another diplomat may have served just as long or longer, but didn't get the same promotions so isn't an ambassador.

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