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| Image: Flickr user - Asia Society |
By Mercy A. Kuo and Angelica O. Tang
Veteran senior diplomat Nicholas Platt offers insights on U.S. foreign policy.
The Rebalance authors Mercy Kuo and Angie Tang regularly engage subject-matter experts, policy practitioners and strategic thinkers across the globe for their diverse insights into the U.S. rebalance to Asia. This conversation with Ambassador Nicholas Platt – U.S. ambassador to Zambia (1982-84), Philippines (1987-1991) and Pakistan (1991-1992), and President Emeritus of Asia Society – is the third in “The Rebalance Insight Series.”
As a former U.S. diplomat with a career spanning 34 years, you have served in key diplomatic posts in Washington and throughout Asia at the height of U.S. global leadership. You accompanied President Richard Nixon to China in 1972 on a historic trip marking the rapprochement of U.S.-China relations. As a U.S. foreign policy practitioner and strategic thinker, you understand the importance of statesmanship and strategy. What are ways in which the next U.S. president can forge an effective U.S. policy toward Asia?
The next president should start by ordering, and participating personally, in an interagency review of policy toward Asia coordinated by the National Security Council. The result should be an agreed series of long-term goals and objectives, squarely addressing differences in the diplomatic, economic and national security fields. This should provide a strategic framework to guide day-to-day policy decisions. An annual review should measure the extent to which the administration has succeeded in implementing these strategic guidelines.
Read the full story at The Diplomat