My essay this morning in @TheAtlantic on the crippling absence of American diplomacy and leadership against a global threat that the United States cannot defeat alone. It’s compounding our late and disorganized domestic response. Some key points below. theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/…
There had been a bipartisan standard by which presidents use diplomacy to rally friends and even adversaries to address borderless threats that the U.S. can’t effectively confront alone. This is particularly true in the area of infectious diseases. A few examples:
1. Even through the height of the Cold War, the United States led the world and engaged in “science diplomacy” with the Soviet Union to mass produce a polio vaccine and help eradicate naturally recurring smallpox.👇 carnegieendowment.org/2013/03/19/qui…
2. Even in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, President Bush rallied the world to address the scourge of AIDS in Africa, mobilizing over 50 countries and saving millions of lives (now 17M and counting) through mass distribution of anti-viral medication.👇 bushcenter.org/publications/e…
3. President Obama built a coalition of over 60 countries and mobilized American resources and expertise to contain and defeat the 2014 Ebola epidemic in West Africa. He appointed a senior coordinator @RonaldKlain to lead this successful response.👇 obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/ebola-response
I was privileged to serve under both Bush & Obama and saw the priority they gave such programs even in the midst of multiple crises. That’s the nature of the American presidency. It’s also been the nature of American leadership to rally others to help address shared challenges.
The Coalition to Defeat ISIS used a similar model and became one of the largest in history with over 80 international partners. It was built through what used to be the awesome power of American diplomacy and a desire around the world for American leadership on shared threats.
A Coalition to Defeat #COVID19 is similarly needed to coordinate a global response. It would establish international standards (airport screening, for example), surge resources, ensure free exchanges b/w experts and scientists, etc. All of this is vital to protecting our country.
Such a coalition can include existing institutions, starting with the G7 and G20, and relevant public-health organizations such as @CEPIvaccines and @GHSAgenda. But it would have a narrow #Covid_19-focused mission, organized around a core group of key countries from each region.
Unfortunately, even as #Covid_19 accelerates inside our country, the Trump administration seems to view diplomacy as a bludgeon to score points against adversaries and alienate friends rather than an essential tool for helping to protect Americans. Ex. 👉 cnn.com/2020/03/25/pol…
Trump can still reverse this trend. There’s a proven diplomatic playbook for exerting American leadership in a global crisis. He can appoint a respected senior envoy today to help facilitate international coordination and build a broad coaltion of states and expert organizations.
Absent this, a leadership void will be filled in the most opportunistic manner by China as the U.S. becomes the pandemic’s epicenter. Our country is currently on track to be more isolated and vulnerable as the crisis ultimately recedes. It’s another unforced error.
