The Importance of Soft Power

It is no surprise that the Bush Presidency has shattered any level of soft power or public diplomacy force the US had before he stepped into office. It is also no surprise when one of the world's leading foreign policy thinkers happens to come out in support of Barack Obama - in a strictly academic and apolitical way, of course.

Joseph S. Nye penned a very interesting piece on The Huffington Post about the prospect of Obama's candidacy from a soft power perspective. Needless to say, Nye knows a thing or two about international relations, and soft power in particular. The Distinguished Professor at Harvard and former Dean of the Kennedy School of Government explains that "it is difficult to think of any single act that would do more to restore America's soft power than the election of Obama to the presidency." As simple as that.

Soft power is just part of the pie, understood; a country must be ready to use diplomacy and military force as well. But it goes a great way towards helping restoring American power, as "it matters greatly whether the big kid is seen as a friend or a bully."

With soft power you are a leader by example and admiration, not by fear or negotiation. It is a completely separate and crucial aspect of foreign policy, one that the AGREE-OR-NUKE McCain team just doesn't seem to get.