It would be tough working in the state department. I have heard there a lot of entrenched people who have a more liberal view of foreign policy and they buck republican administrations all the way.
The tendency in the State Department is to believe that everything can be solved with diplomacy. For some reason, when military action becomes necessary, they refuse to accept it as if it is some sort of threat to their job security. (Which is silly, of course, because even in time of war, diplomacy is needed.)