Kammala wannan jumla: Ralston ya zama Mataimakin Shugaban Kwamitin Kwamitin Harkokin Kasuwanci a 1996. Ya kasance wanda aka fi so ya zama Shugaban Kwamitin Harkokin Kasuwanci a shekarar 1997, duk da haka bayan bayanan bayanan sirri ya kasance Mataimakin Shugaban har zuwa Mayu 2000. Daga nan ya zama Babban Kwamandan Sojoji na Kungiyar Yarjejeniyar Arewacin Atlantic (NATO) a Turai har zuwa watan Janairun 2003 lokacin da ya yi ritaya.Bill Clinton ya rubuta a cikin tarihinsa "Rayuwata" cewa an yi amfani da Ralston don warware wani yanayi mai yuwuwa tare da Pakistan wanda Amurka za ta yi amfani da sararin samaniyar Pakistan don kai hari a taron kungiyar Al-Qaeda a Afghanistan bayan da aka kai hari a Afghanistan.
Hare-haren bam a ofisoshin jakadancin Amurka a Kenya da Tanzania. Akwai damuwar Amurka cewa ayyukan leken asirin Pakistan za su ba da maƙasudin manufofin ko ma mafi munin zaton makamai masu linzami a kan Pakistan sun fito ne daga Indiya, wanda zai iya haifar da rikici na nukiliya a yankin Indiya. Kamar yadda Clinton ya rubuta a shafi na 799 na "Rayuwata", "mun yanke shawarar aika da mataimakin shugaban Kwamitin Harkokin Kasuwanci, Janar Joe Ralston, don cin abincin dare tare da babban kwamandan sojan Pakistan a lokacin da aka shirya hare-haren. Ralston zai gaya masa (janar na Pakistan) abin da ke faruwa 'yan mintoci kaɗan kafin makaman mu suka mamaye sararin samaniyar Pakistan, da wuri don faɗakar da Taliban ko Al-Qaeda, amma a kan lokaci don kauce wa harbe su ko haifar da wani hari kan Indiya. "