Robert Gates, the U.S. Defense Secretary, offers a welcome perspective on the role of the Departments of Defense and State arguing for a clear division of labor. Gates wants the State Department to take care of the foreign policy and let the military focus on its primary responsibilities. The following quote is instructive:
It is important that the military is – and is clearly seen to be – in a supporting role to civilian agencies…
For a detailed post of this, see Daniel Drezner’s blog.
