Read this report on the goals of U.S. diplomacy. Of the many competing goals, which do you think is the most important? Why?
The U.S. Department of
State manages America's
relationships with foreign
governments, international
organizations, and the people
of other countries. The
management of all of these
relationships is called
diplomacy. State Department
diplomats carry out the
President's foreign policy and
help build a more free,
prosperous, and secure world.
The State Department is a vital part of the U.S.
Government because it:
There are more than 190
countries in the world, and
the United States maintains
diplomatic relations with
some 180 of them, as well as
with many international
organizations. Advances in
travel, trade, and technology have made the world
more interconnected today than ever before, making
interactions with other countries and their citizens
more important for the United States.
The State Department has four main foreign
policy goals:
Diplomacy is one of the best ways
to protect the United States and the
American people. We use diplomacy
with other nations to successfully
deal with many challenges that cross
national boundaries and affect us
here in the United States, including:
Americans at home and abroad face threats to their
physical and economic well-being. The State
Department protects our nation, its people, and our
prosperity by helping to:
Here are a few of the many ways the State
Department uses diplomacy to protect America:
International terrorism threatens the United States,
its allies and interests, and the world community.
Defeating international terrorism requires sound
policies, concerted U.S. Government effort, and
international cooperation.
Our work reflects the goals of the National Strategy
for Combating Terrorism:
In the fight against terrorism, the
State Department provides
foreign policy oversight and
guidance to all U.S. Government
international counterterrorism
activities. These include:
The State Department's annual Country Reports on
Terrorism is a congressionally mandated assessment of
trends in international terrorism and the nature of
the terrorist threat. The narrative is focused on
policy-related assessments, a country-by-country
breakdown of foreign government cooperation, and
chapters on State Sponsors of Terrorism, Foreign
Terrorist Organizations, WMD terrorism, and
Terrorist Safe Havens.
Security for Americans begins at home but extends
beyond our borders. In pursuit of
homeland security, the State
Department conducts visa operations and leads U.S. diplomatic
efforts to gain international
cooperation on measures to deter
threats to travel, communications,
and other critical infrastructure
networks – information systems,
transportation, and energy – and
to secure our borders.
Immigrants and visitors have
contributed greatly to our country, and we welcome
their important contributions. Immigrants and many
visitors who want to enter the United States must
apply for a visa from the State Department. The State
Department carefully reviews more than 8 million visa
applications per year. The visa regulations help ensure
that no visas are approved for foreign citizens who
might harm our country, thereby keeping us safe while
continuing to welcome citizens from around the
globe.
The State Department uses diplomacy in all regions of
the world to keep local conflicts from becoming wider
wars that may harm U.S. interests. The State Department joins with other countries in international organizations to promote stability and economic prosperity.
Here are some of the regional issues the State
Department manages:
Middle East Promote and support the development
of democracy in Iraq. Continue to work with Israel, Egypt, other Middle Eastern countries, and the
Palestinians to find a way for them to live peacefully
together.
Western Hemisphere Join with other countries to
confront terrorism and illegal drug trafficking while
promoting institutions that support democracy and
freedom.
Africa Supports democratization, the rule of law, and economic
development by reducing
poverty, fighting disease, and
encouraging regional leadership
for conflict resolution.
East Asia and the Pacific
Work within organizations
such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum to
build prosperity and peace in
the region by creating economic opportunities,
building societies, and preventing threats to
sustainable growth.
South and Central Asia Support the developing democracy in Afghanistan. Work with India and Pakistan, and the international community to deal with problems
between these countries, including the status of Kashmir
and nuclear arms.
Europe and Eurasia Work with European and
Eurasian partners, and with key institutions such as
NATO, on a range of global issues, to promote
stability and international cooperation.
Weapons of mass destruction – such as nuclear,
chemical, or biological weapons – pose a serious
danger to the United States and the world. We must
be concerned about the possibility that terrorists may
acquire these weapons for use against innocent
people. The State Department works to ensure that
more countries do not obtain these weapons and to
verify that international
agreements restricting such
weapons are being honored.
The State Department plays
an important role in
formulating and
implementing international
narcotics and crime control
strategies. Strong law
enforcement institutions,
rooted in democratic principles and protective of
human rights, are vital to preventing transnational
threats, from drugs to organized criminal activity to
terrorism. The State Department helps countries
combat international narcotics production and trafficking, reduce international crime and terrorism, and
strengthen international criminal justice institutions
through bilateral, regional, and global assistance
programs. The State Department's annual report on
international narcotics control outlines the strategies for dealing with these issues.
The State Department plays a critical role in developing
civilian police and supporting justice reform in post-conflict societies. This assistance helps countries recovering from post-conflict or
authoritarian regimes to reform
their police, corrections, and judicial
systems to create the stability
necessary for economic prosperity
and strong democratic institutions.
Trafficking in persons is a modern-day form of slavery involving
victims who are forced, defrauded,
or coerced into labor or sexual
exploitation. Annually, about
800,000 people, mostly women
and children, are trafficked across
national borders, which does not account for the
millions trafficked within their own countries. The
State Department's annual report on trafficking in
persons assesses the government's
efforts to combat trafficking and is an important
diplomatic tool for ending modern-day slavery.
The State Department helps U.S. citizens travel,
conduct business, and live abroad safely by:
The State Department supports
U.S. businesses at home and
abroad. Officers at U.S.
embassies around the world are
experts on the business practices
of foreign countries and what
products and markets are
important in those countries.
They identify opportunities for American firms and
help support them in exporting or working within
the country. The State Department:
Democracy and Human Rights
Promoting freedom and
democracy and protecting
human rights around the world
are central to U.S. foreign policy.
The values captured in the
Universal Declaration of Human
Rights and in other global and
regional commitments are
consistent with the values upon
which the United States was
founded centuries ago. The
United States supports those
persons who long to live in
freedom and under democratic governments that
protect universally accepted human rights.
Tools to advance a freedom agenda:
State Department efforts to promote democracy
seek to:
State Department efforts to
promote human rights seek to:
The State Department also deals with many issues
that are transnational, extending beyond any single
country's borders. Examples include:
Health
HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases pose health challenges for countries
around the world. As the disease spreads
and more people become sick, the political and economic stability of countries is
put at risk. Working with other agencies
within the U.S. Government as well as
other countries, the State Department
prepares for and responds to world
health problems and monitors the
spread of potentially dangerous diseases.
Environment, Science, and Technology
The Department promotes transformational diplomacy
through advancing environmental stewardship,
encouraging economic growth, and promoting social
development around the globe to foster a safer, more
secure, and hopeful world. It also advances critical and
diverse United States interests in the oceans. Science
and technology cooperation led by the State
Department helps make tangible improvements in the
lives of people everywhere. Climate change and energy
security pose serious interlinked
challenges, the scale and scope of which
will require a global response as well as
national actions. The State Department
is working with international partners
on measures to slow, stop, and reverse
greenhouse gas emissions in a way that
promotes sustainable economic growth,
increases energy security, and helps
nations deliver greater prosperity for
their people.
Refugees, Migration, and Population
The State Department helps millions of refugees and victims of conflict or natural disasters around the world. Each year, the United States also allows tens of thousands of refugees to live in America permanently. Population growth affects the environment and the ability of governments to provide services to the growing number of people who live in less space, use more fuel, and require more food.
Mutual understanding between Americans and
people in other countries advances U.S. national
interests by fostering a sense of common interests and
common values. To that end, the State Department
engages international audiences on issues of foreign
policy, society, and values to help create an
environment receptive to U.S. national interests.
We communicate with foreign opinionmakers and
other publics through a variety of public diplomacy
programs, using cutting-edge technologies, including
websites in English and six foreign languages, as well
as traditional text publications. Additionally, experts
in many fields travel to other countries to engage
foreign audiences. The Department also provides information outreach support to U.S. embassies and
consulates in more than 140 countries worldwide.
One of the most effective means of increasing mutual understanding is through people-to-people exchange programs. The State Department annually sponsors more than 40,000 educational and cultural exchanges – including visitors to the United States and Americans traveling abroad. These exchanges offer firsthand experiences of American society and culture to foreign visitors and provide opportunities for Americans to learn about other countries, cultures, and peoples. Such intercultural experiences personify the universal values of human rights, freedom, equality, and opportunity that all civilized nations share.
U.S. diplomacy requires a group of
highly motivated people to accomplish
the foreign policy goals of the United
States. The Foreign Service and Civil
Service work together both in the
United States and at U.S. missions
abroad to make U.S. foreign policy
happen. In the wake of the terrorist
attacks of September 11, 2001, our
diplomatic presence and programs are
more important than ever before.
The Foreign Service is a group of more
than 11,000 employees who represent
the United States in other countries.
A Foreign Service career is a way of life that requires
uncommon commitment but through which one
can achieve unique rewards. Members of the Foreign
Service can be sent to any embassy, consulate, or
other diplomatic mission anywhere in the world, at
any time, to serve the diplomatic needs of the
United States.
The Civil Service is made up of over 9,000
employees, mostly in Washington, DC, who
provide expertise, support, and continuity
in accomplishing the mission of the
Department. Some Civil Service employees
are the domestic counterparts to consular
officers abroad, issuing passports and
assisting U.S. citizens at home and abroad.
In addition, more than 37,000 Foreign
Service National employees, who are citizens of the country in which an embassy or
other post is located, are a very valuable
part of the State Department team
overseas. These employees provide
continuity by remaining in their jobs while the Foreign
Service officers move in and out of the country.
Both the Foreign and Civil Services offer a variety of
career opportunities.
Source: U.S. Department of State, https://web.archive.org/web/20100412180914/http:/www.state.gov/documents/organization/46839.pdf
This work is in the Public Domain.