WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the U.S. strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan relies heavily on civilian efforts, and she is calling for all U.S. diplomats to contribute.
In a cable to U.S. embassies and consulates abroad, Clinton says the success of President Barack Obama’s plan depends on the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, whose ranks in Afghanistan and Pakistan are in line for boosts.
“The major shift in this strategy is to emphasize our diplomatic and civilian efforts to achieve our objectives,” she wrote in the cable Friday. “That means more civilian expertise working on the ground; it means pursuing greater regional diplomacy; and it means sustained high-level attention and focus in Washington.”
Clinton leaves Monday for the Netherlands, where she said she will seek foreign support at an international conference on Afghanistan. The Associated Press
