The Foreign Service Journal, December 2008

policies. We need more diplomats, foreign assistance professionals and public diplomacy experts to achieve our national objectives and fulfill our international obli- gations. This study offers a path forward, identifying responsible and achievable ways to meet the nation’s needs. It is our hope that the U.S. Congress and the next administration will use this study to build the right for- eign affairs budget for the future. Sincerely, Ambassador Ronald Neumann President, The American Academy of Diplomacy Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering Advisory Group Chairman Ellen Laipson President, Stimson Center Ambassador Thomas D Boyatt Project Chairman FOREWORD Our diplomatic leaders — be they in ambas- sadors’ suites or on the State Department’s seventh floor — must have the resources and political sup- port needed to fully exercise their statutory respon- sibilities in leading American foreign policy. — Defense Secretary Robert Gates, July 2008 The situation that Secretary Gates calls for does not exist today. On the contrary, our foreign affairs capacity is hobbled by a human capital crisis. We do not have enough people to meet our current responsibilities. Looking forward, requirements are expanding. In- creased diplomatic needs in Iraq, Afghanistan and “the next” crisis area, as well as global challenges in finance, the environment, terrorism and other areas, have not been supported by increased staffing. Those positions that do exist have vacancy rates approaching 15 percent at our embassies and consulates abroad and at the State Department in Washington, D.C. USAID’s situation is even more dire. Today, significant portions of the nation’s foreign affairs business simply are not accomplished. The work migrates by default to a military that does have the necessary people and funding but neither sufficient experience nor knowledge. The “militarization” of diplo- macy exists and is accelerating. Currently the Secretary of State lacks the tools —peo- ple, competencies, authorities, programs and funding — to execute the president’s foreign policies. The status quo cannot continue without serious damage to our vital interests. We must invest on an urgent basis in our capa- bilities in the State Department, USAID and related organizations to ensure we can meet our foreign policy and national security objectives. There must be enough diplomatic, public diplomacy and foreign assistance pro- fessionals overseas, and they cannot remain behind the walls of fortress embassies. They must be equipped and trained to be out, engaged with the populace and, where needed, working closely with the nation’s military forces to advance America’s interests and goals. This report pro- vides a plan and a process to begin and carry forward the rebuilding of America’s foreign affairs capability. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Our paper proposes a strategic and targeted set of staffing and related funding increases in the International Affairs (Function 150) portion of the federal budget. Those increases will enable the next Secretary of State to deal with the full range of foreign policy opportunities and challenges facing the country during the next five years. This study reviews four major categories of foreign affairs activity — core diplomacy, public diplomacy, eco- nomic assistance and reconstruction/stabilization — as well as State Department training, and finds critical per- sonnel shortages in each of them. In addition to staffing shortfalls, there are “authority shortfalls” relating to secu- rity assistance programs that should be in the Secretary’s civilian toolkit, but that are currently being exercised by the Secretary of Defense. We also conclude that increas- ed staffing capacity alone will not be sufficient to meet U.S. public diplomacy goals; a number of international exchange and other programs should be expanded as well to help meet the country’s diplomatic objectives. In summary, we propose that: • U.S. direct-hire staffing in the four categories above be increased over FY 2008 levels by 4,735 over the time- frame of 2010-2014, a growth of 46 percent above cur- rent levels in these categories (20 percent of total State/ USAID staffing), to be accompanied by significant increases in training and in the number of locally employed staff overseas; the additional staff and related costs will rise to $2 billion annually by FY 2014; • Funding to permit ambassadors to respond effec- tively to humanitarian and political emergencies be in- creased by $125 million in FY 2010 and $75 million annually thereafter; F O C U S 54 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 8