What I said to NPR
The State Department braces for looming cutbacks by the Trump administration
I was interviewed by NPR's Michele Kelemen this week about the possible cutbacks and reform at the U.S. Department of State.
Give it a listen:
I told her that I believe it's the wrong strategy for supporters of diplomacy to simply defend the status quo without offering viable alternatives. As I've been writing for years, the status quo is not producing sufficiently effective foreign policy and the influence of career foreign policy professionals was trending towards zero.
Instead of playing defense, I suggested that we — those of us who care about national security — must continue to put forward good ideas for reform and look for opportunities to steer this ship in a productive direction.
I know many people (some of whom are friends and colleagues) are scared by what may happen at the State Department. I'm not trying to diminish that fear. But reform is arriving, like it or not, and there will hopefully be plenty of chances for people to make a positive impact.
Here’s a link to the original NPR article and audio:
Dan - Times like these, it's hard to be nuanced, because nuance tends to get ignored or smashed into pieces by the sledgehammer swung blindly in the dark. You make a terribly nuanced point.
In principle (love that diplomatic phrase), of course it make sense to support reform, IF the objective of the reform is to make the institution better, faster, stronger, more relevant and effective, more prepared to take on the task at hand etc.
Of course that IF is a pretty big IF in the current case. And to me, we need wait no longer to discover the real objective behind the proposed reform/downsizing, notwithstanding the platitudes mouthed by the hollow and powerless (not to say craven) secretary of state. If we're going to throw out the architecture of the global system without second thought, and take the side of our principal strategic enemy against our (former?) allies, partners, and friends, what might the purpose of reform be? If we're going to abandon our longstanding ideals, values, and interests without clear explanation, to what end reform?
For that reason alone, this moment calls for more categorical pronouncements in defense of our democracy, our constitutional system, and the institutions that sustain them, including our career diplomacy.