New vision for diplomacy

         Secretary of State Hillary Clinton explains how she plans to redefine U.S diplomacy. In an essay in the November/December issue of Foreign Affairs, Clinton previews the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review or QDDR. The review is meant to balance a similar quadrennial review by the Defense Department that projects their strategy and priorities. Clinton says their new approach to development will focus on American leadership through civilian power. Clinton and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates have talked about "demilitarizing" foreign policy and that they believe the QDDR will suggest how to do that. Clinton also says "Economic growth is the surest route out of poverty, and expanding and strengthening middle classes around the world will be key to creating the just and sustainable international order that lies at the heart of the United States' national security strategy." She also describes the QQDR as a blueprint for reforms to be implemented over the next four years. The goal of these reforms are to modernize and coordinate diplomacy across U.S. government agencies to create a stronger bond between diplomacy and development and ensuring that development undertaken by the U.S. has a lasting and "sustainable" impact.
         I think we are in great need of this change, because it provides an outline for how the United States undertakes "stabilization" efforts in post-conflict areas instead of just going in and enforcing democracy into their government. I agree with Clinton and Gates about "demilitarizing" foreign policy, because we send our troops everywhere that involves U.S presence or guiding and i can see how that can be threatening to the civilians of the foreign country.