U.S. Global Leadership Coalition » Jordan Smith

U.S. Provides More to Pakistan

Jordan Smith — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:10:09 +0000

The U.S. announced that it will up its assistance to Pakistan to $217 million to assist with relief and recovery efforts in the wake of the devastating floods, with “an additional $50 million . . . allocated for initial recovery efforts to assist with rebThe U.S. announced that it will up its assistance to Pakistan to $217 million to assist with relief and recovery efforts in the wake of the devastating floods, with “an additional $50 million . . . allocated for initial recovery efforts to assist with rebuilding communities impacted by the floods.” The figure includes $167 million to support immediate relief efforts in Pakistan, through the Pakistan National Disaster Management Authority, the UN’s emergency response plan, and many other local and international organizations. The U.S. is also expanding pre-existing programs in flood-affected areas, providing civilian and military in-kind assistance in the form of meals, pre-fabricated steel bridges and other infrastructure support, as well as air support to transport goods and rescue people at an approximate value of approximately $26 million. As of September 2, aircraft have evacuated 10,664 people and delivered more than 3,062,320 pounds of relief supplies. All of this does not include considerable in-kind and technical assistance. Visit our website to see what USGLC members are doing to assist in this effort. uilding communities impacted by the floods.” The figure includes $167 million to support immediate relief efforts in Pakistan, through the Pakistan National Disaster Management Authority, the UN’s emergency response plan, and many other local and international organizations. The U.S. is also expanding pre-existing programs in flood-affected areas, providing civilian and military in-kind assistance in the form of meals, pre-fabricated steel bridges and other infrastructure support, as well as air support to transport goods and rescue people at an approximate value of approximately $26 million. As of September 2, aircraft have evacuated 10,664 people and delivered more than 3,062,320 pounds of relief supplies. All of this does not include considerable in-kind and technical assistance. Visit our website to see what USGLC members are doing to assist in this effort.

The Civilians Take Over in Iraq: President Obama

Jordan Smith — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:00:01 +0000

In his Oval Office address on Iraq last night, President Obama highlighted the importance of elevating development and diplomacy moving forward in Iraq. “As our military draws down, our dedicated civilians — diplomats, aid workers, and advisors — are moving into the lead to support Iraq as it strengthens its government, resolves political disputes, resettles those displaced by war, and builds ties with the region and the world,” he said. “We must use all elements of our power — including our diplomacy, our economic strength, and the power of America’s example — to secure our interests and stand by our allies.”

In taking the lead in Iraq, the State Department plans to double the number of private security contractors it employs to about 7,000 by the end of 2011. It has also asked the Pentagon to leave behind some of its equipment to ensure employee safety. The US embassy in Baghdad is the largest American diplomatic facility in the world, employing 835 people including local staff. An additional 250 work in 16 provincial reconstruction teams (PRTs) around the country.. By October of next year, the State Department will assume responsibility for the crucial tasks of training the Iraqi police; about 2,400 civilians at the Baghdad embassy and other diplomatic sites will be tasked with carrying out the more than 1,200 specific tasks the American military has identified to be handed over to them, transferred to the Iraqis or phased out. The plan to transition to civilian-led operations in Iraq powerfully demonstrates the essential role civilians play in U.S. foreign policy, a role that must be supported with sufficient resources to be effective.

President Obama Talks about Civilian Presence in Iraq

Jordan Smith — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:05:55 +0000

On Rebuilding Iraq

Jordan Smith — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:00:27 +0000

In a speech from the Oval Office tonight, President Obama will announce a change in the mission in Iraq. While combat troops are being drawn down, the administration will increase the civilian presence in Iraq, underscoring the need for consistent robust funding of our civilian-led tools of development and diplomacy. David Brooks points out in the New York Times today there has been “substantial progress on the things development efforts can touch most directly: economic growth, basic security, and political and legal institutions.” Civilians have already played a crucial role in bringing some stability to Iraq, and the plan to transition to civilian-led U.S. operations demonstrates the essential role they already play in U.S. foreign policy, a role that must be supported with sufficient resources to be effective.

President Obama’s Busy Week in Diplomacy

Jordan Smith — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:12:10 +0000

The President will have a busy foreign-policy week as he is scheduled to give an oval office address on Iraq tomorrow night in which he will mark the “official” end of combat operations and the transition to an “advise and assist” mission. Later in the week, the U.S. will host the launch of direct peace negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Washington. Also, the administration has doubled its diplomatic presence in war-stricken Southern Sudan and dispatched respected former ambassador Princeton Lyman to help with negotiations on an independence referendum for the region, which is scheduled for January. The administration has sent another former ambassador, R. Barrie Walkley, to head the U.S. consulate in Juba, Southern Sudan’s capital. His staff has doubled to 34 people, with 20 more expected to be added in the next few months.

USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah Announces $50 Million for Pakistan

Jordan Smith — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:38:26 +0000

USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah announced an additional $50 million in immediate aid for Pakistan to assist with rebuilding communities impacted by the floods. This brings the United States’ total contribution to $200 million, in addition to considerable in-kind and technical assistance. This includes $150 million to support immediate relief efforts in Pakistan, through the Pakistan National Disaster Management Authority, the UN’s emergency response plan, and many other local and international organizations. The floods and widespread crop destruction in Pakistan are creating a massive humanitarian crisis that has left more than 1,600 dead and some 16 million homeless and hungry in a region vital to U.S. national security. This along with the massive wildfires in Russia are deepening food security concerns. The U.S. has pledged $3.5 billion in food security assistance, only $812 million of which has thus far been allocated.

Secretary Gates and Veterans for Smart Power

Jordan Smith — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:57:42 +0000

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates recently called on Capitol Hill to recognize “the critical role that agencies like State and AID play” and provide the resources needed in the International Affairs Budget to restore the drop in civilian personnel. Gates cited a drop from 16,000 employees at the height of the Cold War to the low levels seen at USAID today. The military blog Stripes Central, blog of the Stars and Stripes newspaper, clarified with USAID that the actual number of employees in 2006 was even lower than Gates’ shocking numbers; only 8,000, even when you include all “civil service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service nationals, American personnel service contractors, and others.’” That’s half of what USAID once was—at a time when the world has needed U.S. development expertise as never before. Stars & Stripes points out that USAID has seen these significant cuts in personnel despite calls from not only the Secretary of Defense, but the Secretary of State, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and the President himself.

Their call for greater investments in development diplomacy is seconded by America’s veterans. For this reason, the USGLC has launched its Veterans for Smart Power movement, an effort to enlist America’s greatest heroes for the greatest mission yet: supporting a foreign policy that elevates diplomacy and development alongside defense as the three pillars of American foreign policy. We’re proud to announce thousands of veterans and their supporters have signed-on to this cause in just one week, helping elevate the military voice on this important issue. Sign the petition to Congress urging Members to support a smart power national security strategy that invests in non-military tools of development and diplomacy. While you’re at it, be sure and join the Facebook discussion with thousands of other veterans and their supporters to show you know first-hand that a strong military is essential to keep America safe, but that military alone cannot defeat today’s global threats.

USAID and the Need for More Resources

Jordan Smith — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:08:56 +0000

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates recently called on Capitol Hill to recognize “the critical role that agencies like State and AID play” and provide the resources needed in the International Affairs Budget to restore the drop in civilian personnel. Gates cited a drop from 16,000 employees in the Cold War to the low levels seen at USAID today. The military blog Stripes Central clarified with USAID that the actual number of employees in 2006 was 8,000, when you include all “civil service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service nationals, American personnel service contractors, and others.’” That’s half of what USAID once was—at a time when the world has needed U.S. development expertise as never before. Stars & Stripes points out that USAID has seen these significant cuts in personnel despite calls from not only the Secretary of Defense, but the Secretary of State, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and the President himself.

Rajiv Shah Talks Innovation in Development

Jordan Smith — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:57:16 +0000

Last Friday, August 13^th, nearly 500 people gathered at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Seattle, WA, to hear USAID Administrator Shah discuss the role of technology and innovation in development with a panel of leaders from the local development community. In Administrator Shah’s opening remarks he emphasized USAID’s commitment to evidence-based development strategies and the need for scalable and sustainable solutions. He was joined on the panel by Congressman Jim McDermott, Congressman Adam Smith, Dr. Akhtar Badshah of Microsoft, Dr. Christopher Elias of PATH, and Dr. Prema Arasu of Washington State University. Sylvia Mathews Burwell, from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, moderated the discussion, which included questions submitted by audience members. Read Global Washington’s recap of this event here

You can find photos, a recap report, and our blog post from the event on our website. Click here to watch the program .

Foreign Aid Helps US Image Abroad

Jordan Smith — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:15:57 +0000

With U.S. contributions to relief efforts assisting Pakistan in the wake of devastating floods totaling more than $150 million, observers are noting that humanitarian aid can have a positive impact on the image of the United States abroad. Other U.S. relief missions to disasters in the Muslim world – such as the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia – have been credited with more positive views of the United States in those countries, at least in the short term. At the same time, Special Envoy to AfPak Richard Holbrooke said, while the administration was “not oblivious to the political and strategic implications” of its aid, “We’re doing this because the people are in desperate need.”