The continuing reports on the difficulties of the transition from military to civilian responsibilities in Iraq expose several key issues that remain unaddressed.  Others will write on the political situation, regional power struggles, the overall strategy, the risks of leaving (and of staying).  The management challenges, however, are less understood and appreciated.

While operations transitioned from the Coalition Provisional Authority to the U.S. Embassy in June 2004, the real transition will come when combat troops are brought home.  The transition to a “normal” Embassy presence and civilian leadership and responsibility presents challenges that bear not only on management, but can in turn affect our overall policy.  A few of these are particularly notable because they raise larger, more fundamental questions that apply beyond Iraq.

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As the world crawls out of the Great Recession, there has been much hand-wringing about the plight of the world’s poor: how during the crisis the number of hungry people has soared over 1 billion for the first time, how the scourge of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases are still killing millions, and how the lack of education dooms the next generation to falling further behind.

These are all serious and troubling issues, and at first glance they appear to be cause for despair. In fact, as the United Nations prepares to mark the 10th anniversary of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – an ambitious agenda to make concrete, measurable progress across on a range of health and development outcomes – they are even sparking calls that development aid is ineffective and should be cut back heavily at a time of fiscal crisis in many rich countries.

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USGLC activists took advantage of members of Congress being home during the President’s Day recess and reminded them how important the International Affairs Budget is to their communities.  Key leaders such as House Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt (D-SC) and Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) heard from SC USGLC leaders who drove home the message about the economic and national security benefits international business and engagement brings to their state.

“My company helps small businesses enter the global marketplace, and I see every day how vital it is for South Carolina firms and for the state to be globally engaged, ” said Fred Monk, president of ECI/Find New Markets and a SC USGLC Advisory Board member, following his meeting with Rep. Spratt. “The International Affairs Budget is an important tool in staying globally connected. I am thankful for USGLC’s leadership in reaching out to our Congressional leaders and keeping the public informed to the need and benefit for this investment.”

Five members of the Nevada State Advisory Council met with Congresswoman Shelley Berkley to thank her for her signing a letter to President Obama requesting a robust FY 2011 International Affairs Budget request and to encourage her continued support now that the budget is in Congress.

“International students contributed $70 million to the Nevada economy last year, so the academic community knows how important funding from the International Affairs Budget,” said Barbara Wood with the University of Southern Nevada. “And with almost 1 out of every 5 jobs in the state supported by trade, we let the Congresswoman know we can’t afford not to invest in emerging markets around the world.”

Activists also met with district staff from Senator Lindsey Graham’s (R-SC) office and Senator George LeMieux (R-FL).  LeMieux was a member of the USGLC’s Impact ’08 campaign Florida State Advisory Committee and also signed the FY11 letter to President Obama.

On Wednesday, Feb. 24th, USGLC leaders took Capitol Hill by storm, meeting with over 30 Senators and Representatives on the House and Senate Budget Committees to let them know how important the President’s FY 2011 International Affairs Budget request is to our national security, economic growth, and standing in the world. From General Electric to World Vision, and Proctor & Gamble to CARE, the USGLC participants in these meetings demonstrated broad support from the business, NGO and faith-based communities for our civilian-led tools of development and diplomacy.

Vice Chair of the House Budget Committee Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) spoke at a breakfast briefing for USGLC leaders, reiterating her own personal support for the budget saying it is “morally and economically the right thing to do to provide foreign aid.” While recognizing the challenges of this difficult budget year, Rep. Schwartz noted the International Affairs Budget is a wise investment because it provides resources to grow markets around the globe, strengthen economic ties with other nations, and ultimately create more job opportunities for Americans at home as we export more goods and services.

Throughout the day, USGLC leaders made the case for including the President’s $58.5 billion FY11 International Affairs Budget request in the Senate and House Budget Resolutions to ensure America has the resources and civilian capacity to adequately address the growing global challenges of the 21st century. It’s crucial for Congress to know there is a growing consensus that exists around the country for greater investments in the International Affairs Budget, and Wednesday’s efforts coincided with Secretary Clinton’s first round of hearings on the FY11 Budget before Senate and House Committees.

The International Affairs Budget faces one of the most difficult budget environments in years on Capitol Hill, so it’s critical for USGLC members to convey their support for these programs to Congress. Make your own voice heard by contacting your own Senators and Representative and letting them know how important it is to America to support the President’s full International Affairs Budget request.

The Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR), led by Deputy Secretary of State Jack Lew and co-chair USAID Administrator Raj Shah, is seeking to create a long-term blueprint for State, USAID and other relevant federal players. Since the USGLC hosted the QDDR’s first public event in October, the State Department and USAID have been working to complete the QDDR’s Interim Report, which is expected to be released this month.  It’s anticipated the report will identify a set of themes for each of the five working groups and shape the focus for the final report in May.

The Presidential Study Directive on Global Development (PSD-7) which was ordered by President Obama to assess U.S. development efforts being carried out across the government and make recommendations on they can be more effective and coordinated. The PSD-7 is being led jointly by General Jim Jones, the National Security Advisor, and Larry Summers, chair of the National Economic Council. The release of the PSD-7 is expected to be in March, having been delayed from its original release date to allow for coordination with the interim report of the QDDR.

A few other review processes across the government are examining the roles of diplomacy and development in foreign policy and national security. The National Security Council’s Interagency Policy Committee (IPC) on Security Sector Assistance is exploring the most effective ways to divide responsibility for international security assistance between State, Defense, and USAID, recognizing that all three are necessary for achieving security assistance goals.  Some decisions about funding were taken into account in this year’s International Affairs Budget, with the so-called “1207 funding” transferred to the State Department as a new “Complex Crises Fund” located at USAID.  Congressional authorities for the “1206 funding” for security assistance is due to expire at the end of the year, and the IPC is expected to address this issue over the coming year.

The recently completed Quadrennial Defense Review released by the Pentagon concluded that, “Years of war have proven how important it is for America’s civilian agencies to possess the resources and authorities needed to operate alongside the U.S. Armed Forces during complex contingencies at home and abroad,” and that, “…civilian leadership of humanitarian assistance, development, and governance is essential.” Finally, the Department of Homeland Security’s first Quadrennial Review included in its list of global challenges and threats traditionally non-military issues like global violent extremism, pandemics, and natural hazards. This demonstrates a growing consensus that today’s national security challenges will require the U.S. to take a “smart power” approach to defeat them.

On Capitol Hill, Congress continues its work to elevate development and diplomacy.  Just last week, Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Kerry and Ranking Member Richard Lugar introduced a bill to provide additional resources for the State Department, USAID and MCC to strengthen their civilian capacity.  While not a complete overhaul, it would provide the State Department with the authority to support some key priorities.

This bill complements pending legislation introduced last summer to begin a comprehensive reform process that would overhaul and modernize our foreign assistance structure (S. 1524, “Foreign Assistance Revitalization and Accountability Act” and H.R. 2139, “Initiating Foreign Assistance Reform Act”). Congress is also consulting with the Administration on the review processes mentioned above.

Sen. Lugar continues to be a vocal advocate for development.  Recently he addressed the challenges facing U.S. development efforts in a speech to the Society for International Development.  He emphasized his commitment to making U.S. development stronger, more effective and more prominent alongside diplomacy and defense in foreign policy.

The Committee is chaired by former Governor and U.S. Education Secretary Richard Riley and former Speaker of the S.C. House of Representatives and Ambassador to Canada David Wilkins. In announcing the Committee, Ambassador Wilkins said, “The world outside of the United States can seem very far away, but we live in an interconnected world.  We must invest in a ‘smart power’ approach to foreign policy where we use our tools of development and diplomacy, along with a strong defense, to respond to the challenges we face abroad.”

During the interactive forum, Dr. Haass and Ambassador Wilkins, along with SC Chamber of Commerce head Otis Rawl and others, discussed just what smart power means to South Carolina.  Dr. Haass said, “The great challenges of this era are global challenges . . . we need a full set of foreign policy instruments” to meet these challenges.

Dr. Haass described our development tools as efforts to stabilize countries and set them “on a trajectory where societies and economies can better provide for their citizenry.”  Discussing how important it is for the U.S. to support capacity building around the world, he said “if countries can’t exercise sovereignty, we will pay a price whether it’s in diseases that spread or terrorists that strike out.”

Talking about how necessary this effort is for South Carolina, USC President Harris Pastides said, “I cannot overstate the critical nature of the importance of preparing our next generation of leaders to live in an interconnected world.  I am very proud of the international education exchange programs we have here at the University of South Carolina, as immersing young people into other cultures is a key to building better relations between our country and those around the world.”

Secretary Riley and Ambassador Wilkins also wrote an opinion editorial in The State newspaper, addressing how smart power works for South Carolina.

To watch the entire South Carolina event, click here.

TAMPA — Hours after three U.S. troops were killed in a convoy bombing in northwestern Pakistan, Gen. David Petraeus talked to a crowd of nearly 600 people Wednesday evening about utilizing “smart power” and the challenges ahead in fighting global terrorism.

The moderated conversation Wednesday night at the Renaissance Tampa International Plaza Hotel was a part of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s “Putting Smart Power to Work” campaign meant to increase public awareness and funding for international development and diplomacy.

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The State Department is one of the few winners in the president’s proposed 2011 budget, with funding for the department and related international programs rising to $58 billion. That amounts to a 2.8 percent increase, assuming Congress approves a pending supplemental foreign-affairs budget for this year. Much of the proposed increase would go toward programs in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, which would get a 7.5 percent boost above 2010 levels, according to the State Department. The request includes $1.2 billion for a counter-insurgency fund for Pakistan.

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President Obama on Monday proposed a $5 billion increase in the State Department’s 2011 budget, most of which is intended for programs in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq — the only three countries to also benefit from an additional $4.5 billion this year. Global health and development aid overseas will go up significantly in the fiscal year beginning in October, while the biggest decreases will affect the fight against HIV/AIDS and migration and refugee assistance.

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The needs of Haitian children and families remain great. But this was a good week for Haiti by some measures: More medical care and relief supplies are reaching those who have lost so much, and the World Food Program, with the help of Save the Children and others, is on the brink of distributing a two-week supply of food to 1.6 million people.

In the short term, it’s critical that we continue reaching earthquake survivors with food, water, shelter, and medical attention. The American people have been incredibly generous in their support, so far donating more than $500 million to relief organizations. The other good news of this past week is the international community’s stated commitment to build a stronger Haiti in the long term.

Read full article here.