Transforming the Department of State: Adapting Operational Capacities and Capabilities to the Post-9/11 Reality, Evolving Interagency Responsibilities, and the Challenges of the 21st Century

摘要

Despite the President's call for transformation of U.S. Government security agencies in his 2002 National Security Strategy, the Department of State (DOS) lags behind many of the other elements of national power in that its capabilities and capacities remain much as they were prior to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Seams and gaps in policy and operations are magnified during times of conflict. Most experts agree that future conflicts will be asymmetrical in nature, with such factors becoming more visible and noticeable than during peacetime. President Bush has indicated that the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) will likely continue for a generation, so transformation of national security agencies is an urgent requirement. The DOS's deficiencies are predominantly in the operational sector. Chronic shortfalls in budget, material resources, an inflexible personnel system, an antiquated organizational structure, and lack of a formal integrated planning process represent significant obstacles that must be overcome for the Department to carry out its operational mission. The overall national interests of the United States requires that these challenges be resolved or mitigated, and that the DOS continue to represent a capable, relevant, and viable element of national power. The purpose of this study is to assess the transformation of the DOS and determine if the proposed changes adequately address the initiatives and recommendations contained in the 2002 National Security Strategy and numerous government-sponsored and independent studies. Measured within the context of the post-9/11 security reality, both existing and emerging capabilities of the Department are contrasted against those in other sectors of the national security establishment. In particular, the author compares the capabilities and performance of the DOS in the stabilization and reconstruction phases of the conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the GWOT, and contrasts it with that of the DoD.