Almost a year ago today in his second inaugural address, President Bush laid out a vision that now leads America into the world.  “It is the policy of the United States,” the President said, “to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in the world.”  To achieve this bold mission, America needs equally bold diplomacy, a diplomacy that not only reports about the world as it is, but seeks to change the world itself.  I and others have called this mission “transformational diplomacy”…

So I would define the objective of transformational diplomacy this way: to work with our many partners around the world, to build and sustain democratic, well-governed states that will respond to the needs of their people and conduct themselves responsibly in the international system…

To advance transformational diplomacy, we are and we must change our diplomatic posture.  In the 21st century, emerging nations like India and China and Brazil and Egypt and Indonesia and South Africa are increasingly shaping the course of history.  At the same time, the new front lines are appearing more clearly, in transitional countries of Africa and of Latin America and of the Middle East.  Our current global posture does not really reflect that fact…

A newer more economical idea is what we call an American Presence Post.  This idea is simple.  One of our best diplomats moves outside the embassy to live and work and represent America in an emerging community of change…

Over the past 15 years, as violent state failure has become a greater global threat, our military has borne a disproportionate share of post-conflict responsibilities because we have not had a standing civilian capability to play our part fully.  This was true in Somalia and Haiti, in Bosnia, in Kosovo, and it is still partially true in Iraq and Afghanistan.  These experiences have shown us the need to enhance our ability to work more effectively at the critical intersections of diplomacy, democracy promotion, economic reconstruction and military security.  That is why President Bush created within the State Department the Office of Reconstruction and Stabilization…