Influencing the Debate in the Obama Administration

Jan 27, 2009

January 28, 2009

To: Joe Volk
From: Ruth Flower
Re: Influencing the Debate in the Obama Administration

One of FCNL's early goals with the new administration is to put our issues "on the radar screen." With this in mind, we have worked with several members of Congress to shape questions to some of the officials nominated by President Barack Obama. We can't claim that these senators asked questions that FCNL wrote, but we can say that we worked with various senators to provide them with background to shape questions for the new administration in several areas. The answers, of course, are not necessarily FCNL policy, but we are helping to shape the debate. Here are three questions from the confirmation hearings of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice.

Militarization of Foreign Assistance

Question: "[Foreign Assistance] is one of the most powerful tools of soft diplomacy. How do we ensure that we elevate Foreign Assistance? How do we ensure that we appoint a high-profile manager to lead that agency? A strong independent voice for Foreign Assistance, building up the staff at AID [U.S. Agency for International Development], making sure that a lot of what's gone to the Defense Department - simply by the lack of having the appropriate structure and effort at State - comes back to State where it really should be done in cooperation with the Defense Department. Give me a sense of confidence that under your leadership, this is something that we're going to see pursued vigorously."

Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton: "Well, you have my commitment that it will be pursued vigorously. It is an area that I care deeply about. It is where, you know, much of my early public voluntary efforts were directed. And I am hopeful, Senator, that we're going to put in place a system that will, number one, rationalize what we have there now - and not only within the State Department or USAID. But as you know, there are pockets of foreign aid programs across the government that are technically under the coordination of the secretary, but are not really working together as they should."

The Responsibility to Prevent War:

Question: "What lessons have you learned from Rwanda that you would consider applicable to your work if confirmed as the Obama administration's ambassador to the United Nations?"

U.N. Ambassador-designate Susan Rice: "We need to be more adept with the United Nations and others in the international community at preventing conflict in the first case and preventing conflict that exists from evolving into something much worse. And too often, our prevention has been belated, haphazard, unsustained, and has not recognized that we not only have a diplomatic challenge at hand in prevention, but a long-term economic challenge, because there's a strong relationship between persistent and deep poverty and the outbreak of civil conflict."

Cluster Bomb Treaty

Question: "A spokeswoman for the Obama Transition Team was quoted on December 3 in the Chicago Tribune that the next President would 'carefully review the new treaty and work closely [with] our friends and allies to ensure that the United States is doing everything feasible to promote protection of civilians.' Can you confirm that this policy review will take place? If so, what is the time frame for the policy review? Please outline the broad principles that are likely to guide the Obama Administration's policy review on cluster munitions."

Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton: "The incoming Administration has not taken a position on the new cluster bomb treaty. I look forward to working with the President-Elect and the rest of the national security team on this issue in order to develop a policy that upholds our moral obligations while protecting our troops. The new Administration will carefully review the treaty in consultation with military commanders and work closely with our friends and allies to ensure that the United States is doing everything feasible to promote protection of civilians - especially children."