The philosophy is that the military can secure an area, while civilians implement quick impact development projects meant to win the support of Afghans. Hillary Clinton calls the strategy “smart power” and praises the inter-agency coordination it has brought to U.S. involvement there.

In a bid to streamline diplomacy and foreign aid, the State Department will "fundamentally change our management approach by turning to the expertise of other federal agencies where appropriate -- before engaging private contractors," according to the department's inaugural quadrennial review.

The Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR), was led by the state department and USAid to look at how diplomacy and development can work together more effectively. It was leaked ahead of schedule last month.

There hasn't turned out to be any striking difference between what politicians and diplomats say publicly and what they are saying among themselves. Imagine: All the secrets of the U.S. State Department were exposed and not a single person had to resign!

Last week’s unveiling of the State Department’s first-ever comprehensive strategic review – titled the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR) – has been a long time coming. After a full year of delay, the department has finally admitted what government officials, academics, civilian workers and others have been saying for decades: the U.S. foreign policy apparatus is failing.

Bollywood finds mention in WikiLeaks in a confidential cable sent by U.S. diplomats in India suggesting that the appeal of Bollywood stars in Afghanistan could aid international efforts to stabilize the country. Media reports here over the weekend have quoted the March 2007 cable that was a response to a request from Washington for "specific, concrete ideas for opportunities for India to use soft power in helping Afghanistan's reconstruction."

In their eagerness to promote the Obama Administration policies to overseas audiences, the Voice of America (VOA) English Service reporters and editors have been toeing the White House line on the proposed START arms reductions treaty with Russia and failing to report in a balanced way...

Mea Popelka's family loved hosting a Swiss foreign exchange student so much, they tried to do it again this year. But their application fell victim to a rule that says each high school may take just three exchange students a year, and all three have to come through different agencies. Before they could turn in their application, another family registered a student, snagging that spot first.