Devex: Investment in diplomacy, development more effective than defense, says senior U.S. military official
“One of the United States’ top military officials spoke out Monday about the importance of diplomacy and development alongside defense in keeping the country safe. ‘Dollar for dollar, every dollar spent on diplomacy and development — the growth of democratic institutions or at least civil institutions in countries that allow their leadership to be sensitive to the needs of their citizens — are immensely more effective … than having to deploy soldiers, sailors, airmen, or marines to a crisis where we have to fix a problem. We’re an immensely expensive enterprise,’ said General Paul Selva, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff…” (Saldinger, 6/19).