ABSTRACT
TheoppressivesummerheathadlongagoledtheBritishdiplomaticservice toclassifyWashingtonasahardshippost,groundsforgrantinghigherpayto thesufferingsoulssenttoworkthere,butinAugust1997thediplomatsand USofficialswhodealtwithlandminespolicystayedattheirdesksinsteadof abandoningtheswelteringcapitalforthebeachesormountains.Diplomacy inEuropeusuallytakesaholidayinAugustaswell,but1997wasanexception forthoseworkingonlandmines.
