The Foreign Service Journal, September 2017

20 SEPTEMBER 2017 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL F ounded in 2007, E-International Relations is a U.K.-based non- profit website that describes itself as “the world’s leading open access website for students and scholars of international politics, featuring high-quality scholarly content and student-facing resources.” Recom- mended by academics across the world, the website receives more than three million unique users per year. E-International Relations provides niche, intersectional information from experts on global issues, including articles, books, interviews, blogs and reviews. It offers free downloadable books on a variety of subjects, such as Popular Culture andWorld Politics: Theories, Methods, Pedagogies to Migration and the Ukraine Crisis: A Two-Country Perspective. The site’s blogs provide opinion- based commentary on global hot- button issues from a variety of view- points, but also focus on issues that matter to students, such as coping with information overload, critiquing academic work and avoiding cliques in the classroom. SITE OF THE MONTH: www.e-ir.info/about/ Reforming U.S. Foreign Assistance: A CSIS Report F ollowing President Donald Trump’s executive order onMarch 1, which asked all federal agencies to submit reor- ganization plans, the Center for Strategic and International Studies convened a task force to analyze the possible outcomes of such reform andmake recommendations regarding the future of American security, prosperity and continued global leader- ship. On July 24, CSIS released its bipartisan report on the proposed reorganization of U.S. foreign assistance. In it, the authors recognize the need for reformof foreign assistance programs, but disagree with the planned reduction in the foreign affairs budget. The report establishes the view that U.S. foreign assistance is not merely altru- istic—although it makes a huge difference in the world—but a smart investment that contributes to the national security of the United States, stating that “putting Ameri- can interests first means leading abroad.” The report reviews the current status of U.S. foreign assistance, noting that it makes up less than 1 percent of the federal budget, and makes the following recommendations: 1. Maintain USAID as an independent agency reporting to the Secretary of State and designate the USAID Administrator as the coordinator of foreign assistance. The Administrator, along with other stakeholders, should create a develop- ment strategy that supports and comple- ments the national security strategy. 2. Address duplication of effort and generate budget savings by identifying programs and functions that should shift to USAID from State. Identify and eliminate programs or missions which no longer contribute to the foreign assis- tance strategy. 3. Modernize the personnel and pro- curement systems for the Department of State and USAID and streamline the reporting requirements to Congress. By adopting these recommendations, CSIS argues, the current administration will strengthen American global leader- ship while increasing efficiency, effec- tiveness and accountability. Acting Head of Diplomatic Security Steps Down O n July 26, The Washington Post reported that Bill Miller, the direc- tor of the Diplomatic Security Service and principal deputy assistant secretary of State for Diplomatic Security, had resigned from the Foreign Service and the Department of State. Miller had been serving as acting assistant secretary of State for Diplo- matic Security, the top DS post, since January, when FSO Greg Starr stepped down with the change of administra- tion. According to the Post , Miller “resigned voluntarily and was not asked to resign or fired,” but sources close to Miller said he “had been hoping to be appointed to lead the Diplomatic Security Service on a permanent basis but was informed that he would not be getting the job.” CBS News, which broke the story on July 25, reported that “offi- cials familiar with the situation say that retirement was not his first choice.” ABC News also reported on the story, quoting Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), who said that President Trump and Secretary of State Tillerson are “putting American lives at stake” by leaving top DS posts unfilled. Miller’s departure further empties the top ranks at State. ABC News writes that four of six under secretary positions were vacant at the time of Miller’s resig- nation; of 108 other senior roles, “31 are filled by someone in an acting role, and 41 are completely vacant, with two more soon to be empty.” A 31-year DS veteran, Miller was chosen to lead the Bureau of Diplomatic