The Foreign Service Journal, March 2008

have examined various ways to strengthen the civilian tools of Ameri- can statecraft. Both the congressional- ly mandated HELP Commission and the Center for Strategic and Inter- national Studies’ Commission on Smart Power have explored structural proposals toward this end, though both reports stop short of calling for a further dispersion of foreign policy institutions and capabilities. An overwhelming majority of the HELP Commission members opted for a proposal that would reinvent and integrate foreign policy institutions within a new department of foreign affairs —a “next generation State Department” — with economic assis- tance as a central mission. The goal is to establish a more integrated, planned and capable foreign assis- tance program than we have today. In contrast, the CSIS Smart Power commission, co-chaired by Harvard Professor Joseph Nye Jr. and former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, lays out structural options that include a more integrated State Department strategic planning and budgeting capability. In particular, the report urges greater attention to an integrated assistance program, driven by strategic considerations. These and other task force reports all recognize the need for a more inte- grated, long-term strategic vision for our diplomacy and foreign assistance. And the time is ripe for reform, as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice works to define and implement the new “transformational” vision for our diplomacy she articulated two years ago. She is clearly determined to bequeath a stronger foreign assistance capability to her successor. With this strong base of support in mind, State’s best option is to build on the F model, not to return to the past or accelerate the diaspora of our for- eign relations institution. There are various ways to do so, some short-term and some more ambitious. In the near term, State and USAID senior officials need to focus on mak- ing the process work better by assign- ing to the office Civil and For- eign Service personnel who think stra- tegically—and giving them training in planning, budgeting and program management and evaluation. Further, there needs to be struc- tured, systematic engagement be- tween Washington and the field, with regional bureaus and country desks stepping up their own skills in pro- gramming and budgeting to review requests and set priorities. Such an approach could include a pilot pro- ject, under which key countries would be selected according to type and across strategic goals, giving policy- makers and the in-country mission flexibility to move funds among prior- ities. This is similar to proposals advanced by the recent Senate For- M A R C H 2 0 0 8 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 49 SERVING THOSE WHO SERVE AMERICA S I NCE 1 9 7 1 2008 represents our 38 th year helping to maintain America’s fleet of vehicles throughout the world. All of us at D & M consider it an honor to have worked with all of you through these years. We are aware of the importance of your official and private vehicles, forklifts, generators, tools and equipment. We look forward to continuing this service in a professional manner. We are here to help, just ask! Gary Vlahov www.dmauto.com (516) 822-6662; FAX: (516) 822-5020; E-mail: info@dmauto.com