Missouri Sen. Kit Bond doesn't often seem
to be on message with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when it comes to foreign policy.
But in his new book on Southeast Asia, the outgoing lawmaker is touting the
"smart power" approach.
"I believe the best defense we have against future attacks is to build
strong friendships with the moderate people and governments of the region,"
Bond said at a private reception held late last week to unveil the volume,
entitled The Next Front: Southeast Asia and the Road to Global Peace with
Islam, "We can do this -- in part -- by exercising Smart Power. Smart
Power is using a combination of military power, and economic, diplomatic and
humanitarian initiatives. Smart Power recognizes that before a person can
choose his politics, he must have enough to eat, and a safe community in which
to live."
Bond wrote the book, which has been in the works for five years, with
unlikely coauthor Lewis Simons, a 1986 Pulitzer Prize winner. He and Bond "are about as far apart on the political spectrum as you can
get," Bond said.
The fact that Bond gave credit to Simons for his contribution shows
that he doesn't see eye-to-eye with Clinton on everything.
Also attending the soirée were such bigwigs as Director of National Intelligence Adm. Dennis
Blair, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee's top Republican Richard Lugar, R-IN, U.S. Institute of Peace President Richard
Solomon, Australian Amb. Dennis Richardson, and Singapore's
Amb. Chan Heng Chee.
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