We Must Use All the Foreign-Policy Tools at Our Disposal – Dante Turiczek
“We Must Use All the Foreign-Policy Tools at Our Disposal”
by Dante Turiczek
Reno Gazette-Journal, September 29, 2011
During my 10 years in the U.S. Navy, I saw firsthand what it takes to keep this nation safe. We in the U.S. military are trained to adapt to threats as they change, and it is clear our country is facing new challenges in the post-9/11 world. Today we have to be concerned with weak and failing states, pandemic disease and extreme poverty that fuels instability and extremism. Based on my experience, the best way to meet these global challenges is a comprehensive strategy that includes development and diplomacy working alongside defense.
Using all the foreign-policy tools available to us is just plain smart, and our civilian programs complement the work our service members are doing in the field every day. As former Defense Secretary Robert Gates said, “Without development we will not be successful in either Iraq or Afghanistan.” To succeed, we have to adequately fund our civilian operations, and that means we must invest in a strong and effective International Affairs Budget.
A small investment at the right moment builds essential allies and trading markets for decades to come. For example, the Marshall Plan rebuilt Europe after World War II. While the price tag would be $110 billion in today’s dollars — a lot of money — it pales in comparison to the $240 billion American businesses earn in exports to Europe every single year. Talk about return on investment.
During these tough economic times, some Americans think we cannot afford to be engaged in the world, but just the opposite is true. Our international affairs budget is only 1 percent of the federal budget, and it helps prevent conflicts before we need to send in our men and women in uniform.
After retiring from the military, I moved to Northern Nevada to focus on my family and career. Working for an engineering firm in Reno, I’ve seen how small businesses contribute to our state’s economy, and how many now depend on exports to meet their bottom line. With the highest unemployment rate in the country, Nevada has to focus on job creation, and the international affairs budget does just that by creating new markets for our goods and services overseas.
The Reno area is a major exporter, and international trade supports nearly 350,000 jobs in Nevada. That number more than doubled in the last 15 years, and with the right support, it can keep growing, creating new jobs in our community. As almost half of U.S. exports already go to the fast-growing developing world, it only makes sense investing there will strengthen our state’s economy.
As a military veteran and a businessman, I have seen first hand the tremendous return we receive on our critical investment in our development and diplomatic programs, both in terms of our national security and our economic prosperity. I call on all of our elected leaders in Nevada to stand up for strong and effective U.S. global leadership by protecting the International Affairs Budget.
Dante Turiczek is a Navy veteran who served in several deployments to the Mediterranean and Baltic seas, the Persian Gulf and Kosovo. He attends the University of Nevada, Reno and is employed as an electrical designer.
