The Changing Profile of Development in United States Foreign Policy

Abstract

This is a study of the profile of development in United States foreign policy in the 21st century. It cites the foreign policies of both former President George W. Bush and current President Barack H. Obama that promote equal reliance on defense, development, and diplomacy, or the 3Ds as well as the current administration’s consistent advocacy for smart power, or equally relying on elements of both hard and soft power as the catalysts for the more recent changesin the profile of development in the US. It provides a brief history of US development as a tool in foreign policy as well as a narrative of the current state of US development programs that show how development went from a foreign policy tool to contain communism, to what it is today: a means for the US to prevent or combat terrorism and other national security concerns by promoting economic development, responsible governance, and individual liberties in weak or failing states.

It documents the state of current development reform as well as real world examples of initiatives that support the argument that the 3Ds concept as well as advocacy for smart power have impacted the profile of development in US policy. This thesis also deconstructs both smart power and the 3Ds and lays out the positive and negative ways these two elements have impacted development. In conclusion this study finds that the US has yet to elevate development to an equal level with defense and diplomacy as called for by the 3D policies of both the current and previous administrations. However, the steps the current administration has taken in the process of elevating development, to include continual advocacy for smart power, have had a positive influence on US development. As a result there have been several productive initiatives that reflect that development in the US is not only an important tool in national security but has the potential to be a strong resource in advancing other US interests overseas as well.