IT is customary to mount works of art on walls during exhibitions. But the United States Department of States smARTpower Sharing Culture presentation organized by the Public Affairs Section of the US Consulate General held in collaboration with Women and Youth Art Foundation, Ibadan last week was devoid of any such thing.

Clinton paid special homage to VMI graduate George C. Marshall, who served as the 50th Secretary and State from 1947 to 1949, in addition to tenures as Secretary of Defense and U.S. Army Chief of Staff. She called Marshall “one of the greatest Americans of all time” and credited him with laying the foundation for the “smart power” strategy she has implemented during her time as Secretary of State.

“We need to combat terrorism with all the resources we’ve got, with the smart power, with the aid budget, with the diplomacy, with political moves, with bringing together and forming great networks and alliances,” Cameron said. Adding further, he said, “Britain has a lot to offer on that front.”

The U.S. State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has recently announced an expansion of its TechWomen program, an international exchange and mentoring program that is designed to leverage technology as a way to empower women around the globe.

To be successful and competitive in the long run, the private sector must manage global issues with numerous geographic and geopolitical challenges with creativity and dexterity, re-defining traditional notions of global engagement and public diplomacy along the way. A hybrid form of Smart Power on steroids.

“This is what Secretary Clinton talks about with smart power — you need to use all your tools for diplomacy, not just traditional tools,” Bazbaz said. “Trips like this — public diplomacy programs — really make a difference. USC did a great job representing the United States.”

Obama's new engagement policy in Asia, which promotes the use of "smart power", has received positive reaction among Asian members. On the other hand, China has increased its presence through financial aid, investment projects, cultural and social programs. What Asia does not want to see is a power contest between the two superpowers in the region.

Pentagon officials talk about “demilitarizing” US foreign policy, which one can understand after the long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But the conventional wisdom now puts too much weight on “soft” power. We should not overestimate how much the world loves us because of our virtues, nor underestimate how much our influence still depends on hard power and our ability to provide protection in a pinch.