Government Executive May 2003 Vol.35, No.6

It's time to deflate the overblown rhetoric about federal staffing problems. Three longtime Foreign Service Officers who quit their jobs over U.S. policy in Iraq are part of a State Department tradition. Underequipped. Underfunded. Overshadowed. Life on the front lines of the drug war. Park rangers are increasingly outnumbered and outgunned by poachers, drug smugglers and other criminals. Launching a bold military sweep through Iraq required a supply line stretching from depots in the United States to fast-moving forces in the desert. Launching one of the largest postwar reconstruction efforts ever attempted will strain the already taxed Agency for International Development. start departments Extensible markup language (XML) breaks down barriers to data-sharing. OMB's push to consolidate contracts could be bad business. Toothless congressional oversight overlooks soft spots in U.S. defenses. The dangers of pay for performance. Travel experts answer your questions. - start COLUMNS =