Kristof: Make Diplomacy, Not War

Nicholas Kristof of The New York Times cites an unexpected source in urging the US to invest more in its diplomatic capability.

In short, the United States is hugely overinvesting in military tools and underinvesting in diplomatic tools. The result is a lopsided foreign policy that antagonizes the rest of the world and is ineffective in tackling many modern problems.

Incredibly, the most eloquent spokesman for more balance between “hard power” and “soft power” is Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Mr. Gates, who is superb in repairing the catastrophe left behind by Donald Rumsfeld, has given a series of astonishing speeches in which he calls for more resources for the State Department and aid agencies.

“One of the most important lessons of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is that military success is not sufficient to win,” Mr. Gates said. He noted that the entire American diplomatic corps — about 6,500 people — is less than the staffing of a single aircraft carrier group, yet Congress isn’t interested in paying for a larger Foreign Service.

Kristof cites a recent RAND Corporation study that examined how 648 terrorist organizations ceased to exist between 1968 and 2006. Most were "absorbed by the political process" with the second highest number apprehended through police work. Only 7% were overcome by military action.

--Ballard Burgher