McCain on Stabilization and Reconstruction

In a broad foreign policy address yesterday, Senator John McCain included a passage on the importance of improving civilian capabilities for stabilization and reconstruction in the context of answering "the threat of radical Islamic terrorism":

Prevailing in this struggle will require far more than military force. It will require the use of all elements of our national power: public diplomacy; development assistance; law enforcement training; expansion of economic opportunity; and robust intelligence capabilities. I have called for major changes in how our government faces the challenge of radical Islamic extremism by much greater resources for and integration of civilian efforts to prevent conflict and to address post-conflict challenges. Our goal must be to win the "hearts and minds" of the vast majority of moderate Muslims who do not want their future controlled by a minority of violent extremists. In this struggle, scholarships will be far more important than smart bombs.

In the past, McCain has called for a restructuring of the civilian agencies to improve post-conflict capabilities modeled on the Goldwater-Nichols reforms of the military.