State Department struggles to determine whether it really wants to separate from the Pentagon

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from truthout: http://www.truthout.org/1208095


Tuesday 08 December 2009

State Department Still Unsure of Its Role One Year Later

by: Allen McDuffee

AT a December 3 closed briefing to a group of foreign policy journalists from the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism on the concept of "smart power" under the Obama administration, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said that the Obama administration was taking "a more holistic approach to national affairs." Over the course of two terms under the Bush administration, the State Department was increasingly characterized as one of diminishing value, with ascending realms of diplomacy falling under the purview of the Pentagon.

Citing the Obama administration's mantra of the Three D's: Defense, Diplomacy and Development, Kelly said that implementing "smart power is a rebalancing of our foreign policy." smart power - a concept that combines the hard power of the military with the soft power of diplomacy - has gained increasing acceptance in foreign policy and military circles as a reaction to right size the Bush administration's heavily militaristic policies.

Yet, while insisting on the smart power model as the right model for the United States, the State Department is still struggling with its relationship to the Pentagon, how it will "reimagine itself" and, ultimately, how hard and soft power will work together in practice.

On multiple occasions, while ostensibly talking about the concept of smart power, Kelly indicated a sustained strong influence from the Department of Defense on decision-making by saying that the State Department should be more like the military. Kelly said that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has "partnered with the Secretary of Defense," needs "to have more of a military model for the way we deploy foreign service officers" and should "develop more of a national security approach to the budget."


read more: http://www.truthout.org/1208095

[tularetom]

1. The thing I feared most about a Hillary Clinton appointment as Sec of State

Was that she would not stand up to the Pentagon. Looks like my fears were well founded.

[LiberalFighter]

2. Kelly needs to be castrated and then fed to the dogs.

[C_Lawyer09]

3. This situation has been building speed for some time

Unfortunately, the DOS has slowly lost the ability to affect change without substantial help from DOD. In my mind the beginning of the slippery slope was during the Iraqi debaathification process, which was a huge mistake. Several Generals, both Marine and Army realized a shortened career path because of their wise opposition. The battle hand off between retired General Jay Garner, and L. Paul Bremer, was absolutely catastrophic. A terrific book that is among other things, an extremely illuminating commentary on internal systemic problems with both departments is "Assasins Gate" by George Packer. Matter of fact, google George Packer and the New Yorker magazine for a host of awesome and thought provoking articles. The DOS currently seems to suffer from group think that surpasses DOD believe it or not. Also, many DOS workers, that in truth should really be on site in Afghanistan and Iraq, shun leaving the beltway. It also seems that the military has been more assertive insofar as leaving the Green Zone, and getting an "eyes on" vis a vis what is actually going on with each populus at the grass roots level. In my opinion, the unsung heroes of each conflict contain many junior officers that risk their personal welfare, both by leading from the front and assuming much more responsibility than I believe they should for righting sinking ships. Let me also recommend a few books, for you anti-military types that you might find humorous, illuminating, insightful, and maddening all at the same time. Both the books make a case that isn't often heard. They have to do with what Generals did in wars past as compared to today. Also, how many Generals we have now, as compared to long ago. More and more, as Non-Commissioned Officers and company grade Officers are tasked with more and recieve less, I feel that if we are to institute any more Quality Management Programs(QMP)within the military, they need to be instituted with a top down approach, field grade Officers. Read: Hazardous Duty, Steel my Soldiers Hearts, or, and especially About Face, by Col. David Hackworth, deceased. An amazing lead from the front officer that joined at 14, and fought in WWII Korea, and Vietnam. He left the Army because of what was happening in Nam, or more aptly what was not happening. He would have easily coasted to General. He got out, but was always an advocate for the "American Grunt" who afterall is the backbone of both the Marine Corps and the Army. He started a great foundation called Soldiers for the truth foundation, check it out sometime.