The Foreign Service Journal, May 2010

F O C U S O N T H E F U T U R E O F T H E F O R E I G N S E R V I C E S MART P OWER IN A CTION : S/CRS 40 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / M A Y 2 0 1 0 f any one part of the State Depart- ment could be said to represent the future of the For- eign Service, the Office of the Coordinator for Recon- struction and Stabilization, established in 2004, fits the bill. Though it started with just a handful of staff and did not receive dedicated funding until 2008, S/CRS is becoming the embodiment of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s concept of “smart power,” which she defines as “the full range of tools at our disposal — diplomatic, eco- nomic, military, political, legal and cultural — picking the right tool or combination of tools for each situation.” As the planning, analytical and operational component of the State Department’s formalized reconstruction and stabilization activities, S/CRS draws from all corners of the Foreign Service and the U.S. government to address a wide range of conflicts and related challenges around the world. Career Senior FSO John E. Herbst has been the Co- ordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization since May 2006. Prior to assuming that position, he served as am- bassador to Uzbekistan (2000-2003) and Ukraine (2003- 2006) among many other assignments since joining the Foreign Service in 1979. For a more complete picture of the office’s activities, Foreign Service Journal Editor Steven Alan Honley in- terviewed Ambassador Herbst on Feb. 19. FSJ: Thanks for the opportunity to speak with you today, Ambassador Herbst. Let me begin by asking you to describe your office’s mission in terms of the larger in- stitution. JH: As you know, the Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization is charged with build- ing and maintaining an interagency civilian capability to plan, manage and conduct conflict prevention and stabi- lization operations on behalf of the Secretary of State and chiefs of mission overseas. This is a new role for the State Department, and we believe we are making real progress on many fronts. During our first five years, S/CRS has developed an effective and proven cadre with tools, equipment and expertise; created the Civilian Response Corps; and deployed these experts all over the world to address and prevent conflict. FSJ: The dire situation in Haiti following the Jan. 12 earthquake would seem to be a textbook example of the need for a central office to assemble and coordinate fed- eral resources for reconstruction and stabilization. What can you tell us about your office’s work there? A N INTERVIEW WITH A MBASSADOR J OHN H ERBST , THE C OORDINATOR FOR R ECONSTRUCTION AND S TABILIZATION SINCE 2006. B Y S TEVEN A LAN H ONLEY I Steven Alan Honley is the editor of the Journal .