Not So Smart Power

Any serious thinking person seriously cringed at the recent testiment that a certain political party is totally unserious about Nat'l Defense and Foreign Policies.

“This is what we call smart power. Using every possible tool and partner to advance peace and security. Leaving no one on the sidelines. Showing respect even for one’s enemies. Trying to understand, in so far as psychologically possible, empathize with their perspective and point of view. Helping to define the problems, determine the solutions. That is what we believe in the 21st century will change — change the prospects for peace. “

Ex Sec o State HRC totally blew it.

Smart Power is all about engaging disparate allies and fence sitters to hop on the cool train and confound, deter, restrain and ultimately defeat Great Satan's enemies.

Like getting the Royal Saudi Air Force, the Royal Jordanian Air Force and Little Satan's Air Force to help with a Persian air raid against new clear chicanery...

Smart Power is NOT about chatting up enemies with respect.

Indeed, it is all about disrespect – either for their illegit regimes, policies or their perceived national interests. Multilateral in Ancient Speak.

"The many financial, cultural, rhetorical, economic, espionage-related, and military actions that states can take short of general war to influence political outcomes abroad. It most crucially should involve a revival of political warfare: the non-violent push of ideas, people, facts, and events with which our adversaries would rather not contend"

 

See, the original thinker upper of Smart Power – Dr Nye defines Smart Power as a sweet hot mash up betwixt Hard and Soft Power. Like “Speak softly and carry a big stick” or in Cold War, hard power was used to deter Soviet aggression and soft power was used to erode faith in Bolshevikish Communism.

Another contender for the Soft Power thinker upper status is ex Ambassador Susan Nossel, yet her piece in Foreign Affairs is more like a pity party about how the bi partisan neocons totally twisted Progressive Foreign Policy interventions to be about intervening when American interests where at stake instead of the Progressive belief of intervening only when American interests would not or ever be served.

Even so - she advocates disrespecting enemies with Smart Power: 

Using diplomacy, understanding of history, personal bridges (personality analysis of leaders), supporting the cause/issue through scientific research/analytic arguments, molding public opinion, pointing out human-right violations (if present) and (indirect/limited) use of hard power (war-readiness demonstration through technological and operational superiority in military exercises/war games as well as published/presented work in science of weaponry, special taxes on imports from non - coöperating countries, sanctions, embargos, suspension of privileges to use air space, airports and sea ports). 

HRC's crazy assetted chiz about respecting enemies is a total buzz kill – a real live WTF moment. And shows again the unseriousness of a certain political party in the modern world.



Pic - "Military Power is the bedrock of a nation's power - from which all power flows"