Quality Leadership Weblog :-)

Smart Power Para Dime

The acme of skill is to subdue the enemy without fighting – Sun Tzu

 …   if we are to meet the myriad challenges around the world in the coming decades, this country must strengthen other important elements of national power both institutionally and financially, and create the capability to integrate and apply all of the elements of national power to problems and challenges abroad. 

….  I am here to make the case for strengthening our capacity to use “soft” power and for better integrating it with “hard” power.  ….    or as John Hamre once put it, to combine the tools of “intimidation” with the tools of “inspiration,” also called smart power.” 

… To this end, the Department of Defense will soon award a contract to an independent, non-partisan, non-profit group to produce a study that in effect tries to answer the question I posed at Kansas State. If we were to rewrite the National Security Act of 1947 for the 21^st century, what would it look like? What new institutions, arrangements, and authorities would it create? I look forward to seeing the result, which perhaps might form the basis of legislation or at least debate in the next administration.

–  Robert Gates, U.S. Secretary of Defense

 

Elements (DIME) and Instruments of National Power

D - Diplomatic and Political:

Diplomatic recognition, Representation, Negotiation, Advocacy, Signaling, Intimidation, Coalition Building, Consensus Building, Restrict diplomatic activities, Recall Ambassador, Break Diplomatic Relations, Embassy Draw Down, NEO/Total Evacuation.

I – Informational:

Public Diplomacy, Public Policy Statements, Public Affairs / Press Releases, Diplomatic Demarches, Print, Electronic and Film, Information Ops, Psychological Ops, Military Deception, Computer Network Ops, Electronic Warfare, Public Affairs, Operations Security.

M - Military:
Peace through strength; Strength through deterrence and capability. War: (Nuclear, Conventional, Forcible Entry, Strikes/Raids, Unconventional Warfare/COIN), Coercion, Compellance, Deterrence,  Show of Force ,  Freedom of  Navigation Ops, Deploy Carrier Battle Group, Blockade, Upgrade Alert Status, Overseas Presence. Peace Support Ops: Arms Control, Peace Enforcement / Peacekeeping; Non-Combatant Evac Ops (NEO), Humanitarian Assistance, Sect’y Assistance; Mil to Mil contacts, Nation Building, Homeland Security, Military Assistance to Civil Authorities.

E - Economic:

Trade Policy, Trade Promotion, Trade Sanctions, Economic Development, Embargoes, Foreign Aid, Technology Controls, Regulation, Environmental.

References: U.S. Secretary of Defense – Speeches:

(1)    November 26, 2007 Kansas State University.
http://www.defenselink.mil/speeches/speech.aspx?speechid=1199

(2)    January 26, 2008, Center for Strategic and International Studies
http://www.defenselink.mil/speeches/speech.aspx?speechid=1211

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