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Bipartisan coalition pushes 6 ways to fix U.S. foreign policy

The Washington-based U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, a mix of do-gooders, corporate types, and NGOs is out with a new report on enhancing United States soft power. The group, dubbed the "strange bedfellows coalition," typically attracts an interesting mix of Republican and Democratic boosters, and this year’s report is no different with contributions by former State ...

The Washington-based U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, a mix of do-gooders, corporate types, and NGOs is out with a new report on enhancing United States soft power.

The Washington-based U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, a mix of do-gooders, corporate types, and NGOs is out with a new report on enhancing United States soft power.

The group, dubbed the "strange bedfellows coalition," typically attracts an interesting mix of Republican and Democratic boosters, and this year’s report is no different with contributions by former State Department Director of Policy Planning Anne-Marie Slaughter and former Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN).

The coalition’s raison d’etre is better funding for the international affairs budget, also known as the 150 account, which funds a range of State Department activities from foreign aid to international development programs to democratic governance projects. This year’s report, obtained in advance by The Cable, highlights six recommendations ranging from increased funding for the civilian side of the State Department’s national security staff to more public-private partnerships to new methods of streamlining the interagency process for a more consistent U.S. foreign policy.

"This report outlines progress we’ve made in being more strategic about U.S. leadership in the world and a way forward to prioritize what we’re doing right in development and diplomacy," says Slaughter.

It’s not an easy time for the coalition as sequestration forces budget cuts in and around government and an increasingly vocal brand of Tea Party Republicanism calls for steeper and steeper cuts to foreign aid. You can read the full report here.

 

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