Well, I would hesitate to paint with such a broad brush, as I have known some very patriotic diplomats who love their country. I would say, however, that those directing our foreign policy towards Arafat made a terroible mistake in ordering everyone to act as if these murders didn't happen.
Zack, I don't mean some of the political appointees, because they can be either very good or very bad depending on who appointed them. I'm thinking, in particular, of the career Arabists, or many of the career Latin Americanists. There are always exceptions to the rule, and also those who are well meaning but go with the flow, but the general record is pretty dismal. You can see by the waves that are made when a good person is put in charge of these areas and is immediately hit by backbiting, leaks to the leftist press, and congressional investigations by the Democrats. And then it becomes almost impossible to confirm them to any new posts.