[Rio]

I thought the idea of ambassadors was to promote beneficial relationships between two countries.

Wouldn't that be nice. It's more about rewarding cronies.

[Fast Moving Angel]

It's more about rewarding cronies.

Yup, and that's nothing new, either. I was just reading that Charles Francis Adams, appointed ambassador to Britain during the War Between the States, received that position because he was a political crony of Seward. It's who you know - not the job you can do.