C is the best

(A) in the ongoing maintenance of --> redundant
(B) in the maintaining of --> wordy
(C) maintain
(D) to maintain and continue -->redundant
(E) the maintenance of --> i feel meaning is altered

killer1387 could you please explain why A is wrong.

I am finding A as the correct answer. I am confused between A and C and I choose A and not C.

As this is the ongoing procedure to maintain, I chose A.

[email protected] wrote:killer1387 could you please explain why A is wrong.

I am finding A as the correct answer. I am confused between A and C and I choose A and not C.

As this is the ongoing procedure to maintain, I chose A.

Ideally, the professional career diplomat should help in the ongoing maintenance of an effective American foreign policy despite changes in administration.
(A) in the ongoing maintenance of
(C) maintain

In A the word "ongoing" is not required the word maintenance in itself speaks in general of the intended meaning. The sentence says "ideally" ie. in general view. we can hence say when the maintenance happens those diplomat guys should help. Adding "ongoing" is at best changing the meaning.
The word "ongoing" is problematic in every respect. its redundant/ambiguous.

C is concise/ unambiguous/ not redundant in depicting the intended meaning of the sentence.

HTH