policy
GENERALS AND PASTORS MAKE SOME NOISE
Written by Liz Schrayer, USGLC
EVANGELICALS, CATHOLICS SPEAK
OUT. More than 100 top Christian lead-
ers — including two 2017 inauguration
ceremony speakers — captured the
attention of lawmakers in a letter to
Capitol Hill: “It is our moral responsibil-
ity to urge you to support and protect
the International Affairs Budget” noting
“we cannot turn our back on those in
desperate need.” Adding to the chorus
of voices, the heads of World Vision and
Catholic Relief Services penned The
Christian, Conservative Case for Foreign
Aid in the Washington Post with signifi-
cant coverage of the letter in conserva-
tive press.
ACTIVE DUTY. In a remarkable show of
force, five of our nation’s most senior
generals testified on Capitol Hill over
the past two weeks warning Congress
against cuts for their civilian counter-
parts on the frontlines: General-turned-
Secretary Jim Mattis called diplomacy
30 iF Magazine | April 2017
and development “part and parcel” for
how to defeat ISIS. Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford
says the ISIS fight requires all our ca-
pabilities: “diplomatically, economically,
and militarily.” The NATO and EUCOM
Commander said diplomatic cuts “make
the job more difficult.” When asked if
he thought the State Department was
taxpayer waste, the CENTCOM Com-
mander said point blank: “I do not.” And
the AFRICOM Commander stated “we
can’t kill our way to victory” in the fight
against ISIS and Boko Haram.
TAKING THE HILL. Reinforcing the troops,
top retired military leaders marched on
Capitol Hill to share the letter signed by
more than 120 retired three and four-
star generals and admirals in support of
our civilian agencies. In a wide range
of meetings from the Freedom Caucus
Chairman to House Minority Leader,
they told lawmakers that “Now is not
the time for retreat” and urged support
for America’s diplomats and develop-
ment professionals. Check out the CNN
coverage.
ON THE RECORD. This week, Sen-
ate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
weighed in again, telling the Associ-
ated Press: “America being a force is a
lot more than building up the Defense
Department. Diplomacy is important,
extremely important, and I don’t think
these reductions at the State Depart-
ment are appropriate.” And on the
same day, former Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright and former National
Security Advisor Stephen Hadley testi-
fied on Capitol Hill against “gutting” the
State Department and America’s civil-
ian programs.