Read this–a case for more diplomacy as a useful long-term investment, including training, personnel, and public diplomacy–written by Henry Kissinger, George Shultz, James Baker, Lawrence Eagleburger, Warren Christopher, Madeleine Albright, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice:
A recent report — “Foreign Affairs Budget of the Future,” by the American Academy of Diplomacy, in cooperation with the Stimson Center — has documented the problem and the need.
The report makes the point that sending diplomats abroad without language skills is like deploying soldiers without bullets. Yet nearly 30 percent of positions that require foreign language skills are filled by officers without them. Why? Because State lacks the personnel to send to language training at a time when nearly 20 percent of regular positions in embassies and in the State Department are unfilled.
via U.S. must deploy more foreign diplomacy personnel – Eight former secretaries of state – POLITICO.com.
Globo Diplo 