Under the rubric of “smart power,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton argues for revitalizing the capabilities of the State Department—getting more specialists into the field and out of the embassies, especially in support of stabilization and reconstruction missions. In her efforts, she is supported by Defense Secretary Gates, who is concerned about the militarization of America’s foreign policy, who once stated:
If we are to meet the myriad challenges around the world in the coming decades, this country must strengthen other important elements of national power, both institutionally and financially, and create the capability to integrate and apply all of the elements of national power to problems and challenges abroad.
Gates believes that having more robust and effective civilian capabilities might even decrease the need to have to deploy U.S. armed forces.
Building on the efforts of the last administration, the State Department now has the “Civilian Stabilization Initiative.” (CSI) The CSI envisions an “Active Response Corps” of trained civilian personnel who would be full-time employees of the State Department, USAID and other federal agencies and who would be assigned to service with military units. There would also be a “Standby Reserve Corps” made up of federal-government employees who might be asked to serve, as well as a Civilian Reserve Corps—civilians who could be called up for duty.
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