4/1/11 

As the budget debate continues in Washington, fringe conservatives have put core elements of 21^st century American national power - including diplomacy and development - on the budget chopping block.  Specifically, the House of Representatives is seeking to cut 16 percent from the Obama administration's request for the international affairs account for the remainder of fiscal year 2011, through the "Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act (H.R. 1)".  Making drastic cuts to this account would have a harmful impact on our country's ability to advance its interests, by defunding - especially through threat of a government shutdown - our diplomats and development workers just as they are being asked to shoulder an ever-increasing burden in support of our nation's security.

Diplomacy and development are pillars of American national security. The State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development are playing an active and vital role in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt and Tunisia, advancing core American security goals.  Their work is essential to overall success, and its importance is recognized by U.S. military leaders. For instance, former CENTCOM Commander General Anthony Zinni has stated, "For the United States to be an effective world leader, it must strategically balance all three aspects of its power - defense, diplomacy, and development."

In addition, retired Admiral James Loy, who served as commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard from 1998 to 2002 and deputy secretary of homeland security in the George W. Bush administration further expands: "I strongly believe the International Affairs Budget must remain under the banner of national security. Significant cuts will jeopardize our investments in places like Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, and put American lives at risk. Development and diplomacy programs funded by the International Affairs Budget keep us more secure by addressing complex threats in the most dangerous corners of the world, from global pandemics and infectious disease to instability caused by food shortages and natural disasters. A strong civilian capacity prevents conflicts before they occur. Addressing the challenges of today with civilian tools costs far less in dollars than sending in the military, but more important, in terms of our most precious resource - the lives of our men and women in uniform. At just over 1 percent of federal spending, the International Affairs Budget is an incredible return on our investment." Loy also states that, "It may seem unusual for a military man to speak out for more resources for the State Department or the U. S. Agency for International Development, but I'm not alone. A recent poll showed that more than 90 percent of active duty and retired military officers agreed the tools of diplomacy and development are critical to achieving U.S. national security objectives." [Anthony Zinni, 3/5/08. NSS, 5/10. James Loy 2/28/11]

Fringe conservatives seek to strip vital diplomacy and development funding, harming our national security and potentially costing lives. In testimony yesterdayUSAID Administrator Rajiv Shah said that, "We estimate, and I believe these are very conservative estimates, that H.R. 1 would lead to 70,000 kids dying... of that 70,000, 30,000 would come from malaria control programs that would have to be scaled back specifically. The other 40,000 is broken out as 24,000 would die because of a lack of support for immunizations and other investments and 16,000 would be because of a lack of skilled attendants at birth." 

And as Commander in Afghanistan General David Petraeus recently testified, "I am concerned that levels of funding for our State Department and USAID partners will not sufficiently enable them to build on the hard-fought security achievements of our men and women in uniform." Ranking Member of the State Department and Foreign Operations Appropriations subcommittee Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) also explained that it is about more than just immediate crises, "Drastic cuts to USAID would risk a great deal in stability and security around the world which could spawn the kinds of threats that cost this country the lives of men and women in uniform and billions in treasure." Center for a New American Security expert Andrew Exum puts it more bluntly, saying, "To not understand [the importance of funding USAID and the State Department] is embarrassing because it means you're an elected policy-maker and still uneducated about the wars we've been fighting for almost 10 years now. [Raj Shah, via the Cable, 3/31/11. Nita Lowey, via the Cable, 3/31/11. David Petraeus, via AP, 3/14/11.  Andrew Exum, 1/21/11]

Fringe conservatives be warned: a government shutdown will harm our national power. The failure to pass a fiscal year 2011 budget will imperil diplomatic and development efforts across the globe, including the immediate challenges we are facing in the Middle East. As Administrator Shah told Congress earlier this week, "USAID also has led the humanitarian response to recent events in the Middle East. As we speak, USAID teams are working on the Tunisian border with Libya and in Egypt, helping deliver assistance to those affected by conflict. In eastern Libya, we have delivered health kits capable of providing basic care to 40,000 people, with more en route. We have also provided key support to the World Food Programme, which has moved more than 10,900 tons of food in and around Libya, enough to feed more than 650,000 people." Ensuring that the emerging democracies in the Middle East survive economically is crucial during their political transition period.  Without a budget for such programs, those efforts will become impossible.  American efforts to steer the uprisings in the Middle East towards stable democracies are too important for budgetary games.

However, a failure by fringe conservatives to understand 21^st-century national security, which leans heavily on diplomacy and development, and the need to fund the civilian tools of foreign policy will likely come back to bite them politically. As David Corn writes for AOL News, "Much of the tea party crowd -- in and out of Congress -- would cheer a government shutdown. These folks see the federal government as the enemy. They'd be delighted to strangle it, even if only for a few days. Yet independent voters, whom both parties need to court, would probably not be as happy. These people usually want their representatives in Washington to make the system work. They aren't looking for showdowns or games of chicken. By forcing a shutdown, Boehner can appease his right -- but at the cost of potentially alienating the middle." [Rajiv Shah, 3/30/11. David Corn, 2/22/11]

What We're Reading

A senior aide to one of Col. Muammar Qaddafi's sons has reportedly held secret talks in London with British authorities about defecting from the Qaddafi regime.

Dueling protests gripped Yemen's capital, as tens of thousands of people prayed in the streets for the end of President Ali Abdullah Saleh's rule while his supporters staged large demonstrations of their own, warning of the chaos that would come to Yemen if he were driven from power.

The Syrian government, in a gesture to protesters who have shaken the country for the past 13 days, announced that it will draw up new anti-terrorism legislation as a first step towards lifting the country's 48-year-old emergency rule.

Six American soldiers have been killed in a single operation in eastern Afghanistan over the past two days, a spokesman for the international coalition said.

Troops supporting the UN-recognized president of Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara, appear poised for a final assault to oust his rival, Laurent Gbagbo, who refuses to give up the presidency.

Japanese and American forces combined efforts in a final three-day search for thousands of people still missing in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan three weeks ago, marking a last sweep before officials in Tokyo shift their focus to a daunting national reconstruction effort.

Italy has transferred 1,716 North African migrants - most of them Tunisian - from the island of Lampedusa to a temporary camp site in the southeast of mainland Italy.

Mexico's Attorney General, who had been leading efforts to tackle Mexico's violent drugs cartels and reform the justice system for 18 months, has resigned.

The United Nations' top court has dismissed a case filed by Georgia that accuses Russia and separatist rebels of ethnic cleansing.

Portugal's President Anibal Cavaco Silva announced urgent elections following the prime minister's resignation and the dissolution of parliament.

Commentary of the Day

President Shimon Peres writes that Israel welcomes the Arab Spring and sees a window of opportunity, arguing that democratic and science-based economies desire peace.

The New York Times says that President Obama's path to energy independence is the correct one, but Republicans are standing in the way.

Steve Coll advises coalition forces to refrain from arming the Libyan rebels because it falls outside of the humanitarian mission.