Eleanor Finch
Diplomacy is a strategic board game created by Allan B. Calhamer in 1954 and released commercially in the United States in 1959. The game proceeds by seasons, beginning in the year 1901, with each year divided into two main seasons: the Spring and Fall (Autumn) moves. Each season is further divided into negotiation and movement phases, followed by retreat or disband adjustments. The rebuilding period in Diplomacy refers to the phase after Autumn or Autumn's Retreats, where players can build or destroy units. This phase is crucial for players to strategize and rebuild their positions before the next season.
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What You'll Learn
Funding for diplomatic capability
Congress has played a pivotal role in restoring funding for diplomatic capability, with an overwhelming bipartisan vote to reject deep cuts in spending on foreign affairs. This vote signaled a recognition of the importance of diplomacy in maintaining America's global standing and addressing escalating threats. However, holding spending steady does not equate to enhancing diplomatic capabilities. America's spending on core diplomacy has witnessed a significant decline over the years, while countries like China have substantially increased their investments.
To rebuild America's diplomatic capability, several key steps need to be taken. Firstly, funding must be restored and directed towards hiring new diplomats and rebuilding staffing levels. This includes increasing promotion numbers to meet the requirements outlined in the department's workforce planning reports. Secondly, there should be a concerted effort to address gaps in specialist staffing, particularly in embassies, to ensure adequate mentoring and high-impact diplomacy. Thirdly, bureaucratic processes need to be streamlined to allow members of the Foreign Service to focus on their core duties. By setting baseline metrics and targets for reducing time spent on bureaucracy, the efficiency and impact of diplomatic efforts can be improved.
Additionally, it is crucial to advocate for maintaining or replacing funding categories that support diplomatic capabilities. For instance, the proposed elimination of non-defense OCO funding in FY2020 would have significantly impacted the international affairs budget and, consequently, core diplomatic capability funding. The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) has played a vital role in this regard, effectively communicating the importance of diplomacy to members of Congress and incorporating bipartisan themes of safety and prosperity into its advocacy work. By tying diplomatic efforts to individual congressional districts or states, AFSA has successfully garnered support for increased spending on diplomacy.
In summary, funding for diplomatic capability is critical to America's global leadership and national security. Congress has taken important steps to restore funding, but more needs to be done to upgrade diplomatic capabilities. By increasing funding, addressing staffing shortages, streamlining bureaucratic processes, and advocating for sustained or alternative funding sources, America can enhance its diplomatic capabilities to match the evolving global landscape.
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Staffing and promotions
To achieve this, promotion numbers must be increased to at least the levels outlined in the department's workforce planning reports. Specifically, this means a minimum of 102 promotions into the Senior Foreign Service annually. This will enable the high-impact diplomacy required to compete in the current environment and sustain America's global leadership.
The new Secretary of State will play a pivotal role in overseeing these staffing and promotional initiatives, ensuring that America's diplomatic capability is enhanced to meet the evolving challenges and opportunities on the world stage.
Additionally, it is important to recognize that diplomatic capability is not solely dependent on the number of staff but also on their skills, expertise, and effective deployment. As such, efforts should be made not only to increase staffing numbers but also to provide ongoing training and development opportunities, fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptation within the diplomatic service.
By investing in both the quantity and quality of its diplomatic staff, America can strengthen its global position and more effectively pursue its national security interests through diplomacy.
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Specialist staffing gaps
The US has the highest military spending in the world, with a budget of $700 billion, yet its spending on core diplomacy is just $5 billion. This lack of investment in diplomacy has impacted the country's ability to maintain its global standing. The additional funding from Congress is a step towards addressing this issue and ensuring America's diplomatic capability is competitive in the current environment.
The importance of restoring diplomatic capability extends beyond international relations. It is also a matter of national security. America's embassies play a crucial role in this regard, and ensuring adequate staffing at these posts is essential. By investing in diplomacy, the country can address escalating threats and sustain its global leadership.
The State Department's ability to mentor the next generation of Foreign Service leaders has been hindered by staffing gaps. Filling these gaps will not only strengthen America's diplomatic capabilities but also contribute to the development of future leaders in this field. This will have a positive impact on the country's long-term diplomatic efforts and global influence.
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Global leadership
The United States' global leadership position is under threat due to a lack of investment in diplomatic capabilities. While the US military spending is far greater than the next ten countries combined, core diplomacy spending is only $5 billion, barely enough to keep ahead of other rising powers.
To maintain its global leadership position, the US must upgrade its diplomatic capability. Congress has recognised this and has voted to restore funding for diplomatic capabilities, with the intention of hiring new diplomats and rebuilding staffing levels, including at embassies. This will enable the mentoring of the next generation of Foreign Service leaders and allow for high-impact diplomacy.
The US Foreign Service has long sustained America's global leadership with limited resources. Now, with increased funding, the US has an opportunity to strengthen its global leadership position and meet the expectations of its citizens.
The US must act quickly and decisively to seize this moment and ensure it remains a global leader, able to compete on the world stage.
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National security
For a country like the United States, diplomatic capability is essential to retain its global leadership position, which is strongly favoured by its citizens. The National Security Strategy acknowledges the escalating threats and underscores the need to "upgrade our diplomatic capability to compete in the current environment."
Congress has taken steps to address this by approving funding to restore staffing levels and promote new hires in the diplomatic corps. This includes the intention to fill gaps in specialist staffing and restore staffing at embassies to pre-Iraq War levels. Increasing the number of diplomats and support staff is a critical aspect of enhancing national security.
Additionally, the promotion of diplomats into the Senior Foreign Service should occur at a rate of at least 102 per year, as outlined in the department's workforce planning reports. This will ensure that the next generation of Foreign Service leaders receives the necessary mentoring and that high-impact diplomacy, as described in the NSS, can be achieved.
By strengthening its diplomatic capabilities, a nation can effectively protect and advance its national security interests on the global stage, fostering a safer and more stable environment for its citizens.
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