Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 21 to 26 of 26

Thread: Health Diplomacy

  1. #21
    Council Member LawVol's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Kabul
    Posts
    339

    Default

    I agree that USAID and State are the best mechanisms for long term "teach a man to fish" projects, but what about the short-term in the immediate aftermath of combat ops or upon initial intervention for more permissive environments? Most of the time the military is the only presence and I would think that having the skill sets necessary to answer the mail from a humanitarian perspective is a crucial need. From what I'm seeing the military doesn't seem to want to put much resources into this aspect of small wars. Of course to do this, we'd need a new approach that values non-lethal power as much as lethal power and that just isn't as sexy as putting rounds down range.

    If you can point me to any good website discussing approaches to distributing humanitarian aid (from food to schools to health care, etc.) especially those looking at military involvement, I'd certainly appreciate it.
    -john
    -john bellflower

    Rule of Law in Afghanistan

    "You must, therefore know that there are two means of fighting: one according to the laws, the other with force; the first way is proper to man, the second to beasts; but because the first, in many cases, is not sufficient, it becomes necessary to have recourse to the second." -- Niccolo Machiavelli (from The Prince)

  2. #22
    Council Member redbullets's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Springfield, Virginia
    Posts
    61

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by LawVol View Post
    From what I'm seeing the military doesn't seem to want to put much resources into this aspect of small wars. Of course to do this, we'd need a new approach that values non-lethal power as much as lethal power and that just isn't as sexy as putting rounds down range.

    If you can point me to any good website discussing approaches to distributing humanitarian aid (from food to schools to health care, etc.) especially those looking at military involvement, I'd certainly appreciate it.
    -john
    I don't think the military would need to value non-lethal power as much as lethal power - just value it more, as a contiguous part of overall military operations. Additionally, I think it would help if DOD accepted that the NGOs are never going to act the way that DOD seems to think they should/will. Accept the reality of the environment, and adapt accordingly (kind of like they should have done earlier in Iraq, at least at the senior levels).

    There are a variety of good sources of relief and development thinking out there. You can check out the SPHERE standards (http://www.sphereproject.org/), they've been around for a while. InterAction (www.interaction.org) publishes its Monday Developments, which is both industry news/opportunities and more in-depth writing on program delivery and outcomes. There's also the European version of InterAction, the International Council of Voluntary Agencies (http://www.icva.ch/). I have found the Humanitarian Practice Network (http://www.odihpn.org/) to often contain a lot of useful information and articles - a lot of folks in our community seek to publish there. There are also many sector- or cluster-specific publications. The Humanitarian Mine Action (demining) community has the Journal of Mine Action published by James Madison University's Mine Action Information Center. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) regularly publishes results of public health surveys and other efforts from various crises. There's a periodical called Disasters out there, that we've even published in, but I can't find the link to it. Some of my guys feel its a pretty good publication.

    Cheers,
    Joe

    Just because you haven't been hit yet does NOT mean you're doing it right.

    "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist." President Dwight D. Eisenhower

  3. #23
    Council Member Barnsley's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    14

    Default Good Stuff

    I have been out of touch for a few weeks. I have just read up to date the comments on this whole health diplomacy issue and the civ/mil relationship quandry.
    i am trying to write a paper on the subject right now. I am probably going to steal the best quote I have heard to date as the title, 'When Bloody Hands Meet Bleeding Hearts'
    Thanks for the lead to Proceedings!
    i will write longer later. This site is truly a great help in sorting out my often muddled thinking. Thank you all.

  4. #24
    Council Member Barnsley's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    14

    Default Take a Look

    If you have a continuing interest in this subject, you might want to take a look at the following URL www.stabilisationunit.gov.uk/
    It is the new Brit approach to civ/mil ops
    The short speech by the boss has some good thoughts.

  5. #25
    Council Member Barnsley's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    14

    Default Sources for LawVol

    Quote Originally Posted by LawVol View Post
    I agree that USAID and State are the best mechanisms for long term "teach a man to fish" projects, but what about the short-term in the immediate aftermath of combat ops or upon initial intervention for more permissive environments? Most of the time the military is the only presence and I would think that having the skill sets necessary to answer the mail from a humanitarian perspective is a crucial need. From what I'm seeing the military doesn't seem to want to put much resources into this aspect of small wars. Of course to do this, we'd need a new approach that values non-lethal power as much as lethal power and that just isn't as sexy as putting rounds down range.

    If you can point me to any good website discussing approaches to distributing humanitarian aid (from food to schools to health care, etc.) especially those looking at military involvement, I'd certainly appreciate it.
    -john
    John
    look for anything by Hugo Slim
    Particularly a piece called 'The Stretcher and the Drum'

  6. #26
    Registered User Nathan Hale's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    東京
    Posts
    3

    Default

    Forget teaching men to fish; repairing a man's hairlip, cleft palate or cogenital birth defect so that he can finally get a date is going to generate more soft power and long-lasting good will towards the United States than all the fish in the world.

    NGOs, State Dept, and USAID are (as others have noted) often better-suited for long-term contributions, but for quick, short-term operations, the military possessess the logistical capabilities and manpower necessary to excel where others struggle. The US Navy can port at a remote Indonesian island, perform surgeries and provide medical examinations for local children, then depart entirely on their own power. An NGO seeking to do the same would have a nightmare trying to arrange transportation, secure lodging for the doctors, etc.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •