Travel: Official, but Necessary?

As much as our national leaders travel the globe, one must wonder with the anti-American sentiments in the world, is this a good plan? On this day in 1914 Archduke Ferdinand, the leader of Austria, and his wife Sophie were assassinated on an official visit to the capital of Sarajevo. Yet this act didn't only affect Austria. The murder of the Austrian Archduke was the first of a chain of events that led to World War I. Five years later, on June 28, 1919, the Allied Powers met with German leadership and signed the Treaty of Versailles that is considered the official end of the Great War.

In an age when the globe is connected through television, video conferencing and internet cell phones, is it necessary or worth the risk for our national leaders to visit countries that are in political unrest or are known for their anti-American sentiments?