Bond: Putting Sneakers on the Ground Now Can Prevent Sending Combat Boots in the Future

Press Release

Speaking to an audience of Webster University students, faculty and members of the St. Louis community, U.S. Senator Kit Bond continued his call for the U.S. to employ a Smart Power strategy in engaging the Muslim countries of the world, particularly in the much overlooked region of Southeast Asia.

"For America, it took the terrible events of 9/11 to teach us that our nation cannot afford to retreat into isolationist thinking -- we must be forward-looking and engaged across the globe. This deadly wakeup call made clear the importance of one foreign policy imperative -- understanding and reacting appropriately to the Muslim countries of the world," said Bond.

Bond praised the students at Webster -- and the members of ONE Webster -- for developing an international perspective. Unfortunately, too many Americans continue to ignore the reality that, thanks to an ever growing global economy, all nations are more interdependent. While the world is becoming more interdependent economically, some of the religious and cultural differences dividing the many nations of the world could not be more profound. The Senator emphasized that it wasn't until the terrorist attacks on 9/11 that America finally realized the importance of addressing these differences and engaging Muslim countries around the world.

In fact, despite the importance of the Muslim world to our national security, most Americans really know very little about Islam. This lack of American understanding of the Muslim world is compounded by our scarce engagement with Southeast Asia -- a region that is home to many of the world's Muslims. The Senator, an expert in the region, emphasized that we have an opportunity to engage Southeast Asia now, improve our standing in the region, build friendships with the moderate people and governments, and help counter growing extremism being spread by terrorist groups like Jemmah Islamiyah and Abu Sayef.

A key to bridging our differences with Muslim countries in Southeast Asia and around the world is "Smart Power" -- the term used for the combination of America's military, diplomatic and economic efforts in foreign countries. Smart Power can consist of military force if necessary, but focuses on the employment of economic development, educational, and diplomatic strategies in areas that are hostile or neutral towards the U.S. Traditional Smart Power initiatives include the Peace Corps, humanitarian food aid, educational exchanges, and USAID Foreign Service Officers. Other forms include increased trade and private, free-enterprise investment.

"Smart Power strategies like these can help us develop better relationships with mainstream, peaceful Muslims, relationships based on mutual understanding," said Bond. "Encouraging a better relationship and fostering economic growth -- we believe -- will eventually mean that fewer of their people are tempted to adopt radical means to achieve political ends. To put it in sound-bite form: if we put more sandals and sneakers on the ground now, we can prevent having to put boots on the ground in future."

While the concept of Smart Power has been around for some time, America has largely failed to use these tools in dealing with other countries and cultures, particularly the Muslim world. When our nation has used Smart Power, the results have been inspiring, like the outpouring of good will toward our nation after America's military and diplomatic response to the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia. The Senator is particularly proud of the Smart Power work being done by the Missouri Guard in Afghanistan, where citizen soldiers are training Afghans in sustainable agriculture methods and techniques. Thanks to the Guard's work, Afghan farmers are now improving their lives and land and Nangarhar Province went from being one of the largest poppy-producing provinces to virtually none today. The export of plant biotechnology to the developing world is also a successful form of Smart Power. Biotechnology is providing crops that are more tolerant of drought and resistant to insects and weeds, and increasing the nutritional value of food. For the developing world -- plagued by hunger and disease -- biotechnology offers the promise to help end famine and alleviate poverty.

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