Gates Sees Terrorism Remaining Enemy No. 1 - Josh White, Washington Post

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates says that even winning the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan will not end the "Long War" against violent extremism and that the fight against al-Qaeda and other terrorists should be the nation's top military priority over coming decades, according to a new National Defense Strategy he approved last month.

The strategy document, which has not been released, calls for the military to master "irregular" warfare rather than focusing on conventional conflicts against other nations, though Gates also recommends partnering with China and Russia in order to blunt their rise as potential adversaries. The strategy is a culmination of Gates's work since he took over the Pentagon in late 2006 and spells out his view that the nation must harness both military assets and "soft power" to defeat a complex, transnational foe...

... "The use of force plays a role, yet military efforts to capture or kill terrorists are likely to be subordinate to measures to promote local participation in government and economic programs to spur development, as well as efforts to understand and address the grievances that often lie at the heart of insurgencies," the document said. "For these reasons, arguably the most important military component of the struggle against violent extremists is not the fighting we do ourselves, but how well we help prepare our partners to defend and govern themselves."...

It's Time to Stop Selling Ambassadorships - Barbara Bodine, Politico

After World War I, the US professionalized its diplomatic and consular corps. Yet, without parallel in the industrialized world, the United States continues to raffle off to well-heeled political donors ambassadorships to many of our most strategically important allies, as well as to some of the cushiest spots on earth. The US ended the sale of military commissions over 100 years ago; it is inconceivable today that we would sell off military commands. We should not sell off diplomatic commands - the last vestige of the 19th-century spoils system.

The American Academy of Diplomacy, which counts among its members all living ex-secretaries of state, recently called upon Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain to pledge to end this practice and accord the nation’s diplomacy and diplomats the same recognition we accord our senior military officers, who dedicate their careers to national service...

... How do you explain to a student or any aspirant to the Foreign Service that, while the US government expects that level of commitment, no matter how well and how long you serve, it is likely that a political donor with little relevant experience will end up with the top job of your profession?

It is time to end the last great vestige of the 19th-century spoils system. The American people, our foreign policy, our national security, and our current and future career Foreign Service officers deserve better.