Clinton proposes 5K new State Dept employees. Good or bad?

[Stinky The Clown]

Hillary Clinton's State Department Wish List

— By Siddhartha Mahanta
| Thu Dec. 16, 2010 9:11 AM PST

If Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah have their way, the United States diplomatic corps might get a major boost in power and personnel. Realistically? They probably won't.

On Wednesday, Clinton, Shah, and other top officials announced the release of the first-ever Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR). Modeled after the Defense Department's own quadrennial assessment, the QDDR represents the culmination of a two-year effort to consolidate and bolster "civilian power"—a concept Clinton defines as the "combined force" of government officials working on diplomacy, development, and crisis and conflict-related projects. "The QDDR is a blueprint for how we can make the State Department and USAID more nimble, more effective, and more accountable," Clinton said. What will more civilian power look like in practice? Clinton and Shah hope to hire 5,500 new foreign and civil service personnel, and hand more autonomy to ambassadors and chiefs of mission.

>snip<

http://motherjones.com/mojo/2010/12/hillary-clinton-state-department-wish-list

How do you see this? I see it as better than hiring more Blackwater thugs.

[pocoloco]

1. Batshit Crazy!!

[TheKentuckian]

2. At least if no Blackwater thugs are hired it would not increase the number.

The fear is they be the suit version of the pricks, maybe even their suits.

[SoCalDem]

3. How about just staying OUT of other countries' business?

Maybe we'd be "safer" if we did not go around telling other people how WE want them to "behave".

[snot]

4. I see it beefing up Hillary's purview with people beholden to her.

Not saying it would necessarily be bad; I'd certainly rather spend on the State Dept. than on weapons.

[Speck Tater]

5. Since nobody else will want it, I'll volunteer for beach duty anywhere in the Caribbean. nt

[Occam Bandage]

6. Who wants diplomatic solutions to the world's problems?

We can solve every problem the world has by buying another carrier battle group.

[DURHAM D]

7. Good.

The State Department has been shit on and underfunded for decades. Repubs hate State and until now so did the DOD.

[WinkyDink]

8. I guess we need more spies.

[northoftheborder]

9. I view this as positive. The State Dept. has been weakened over the years.....

...... even as the Dept of Def. has tried to take over diplomatic roles..... and not being very successful. That's not their role.