Mullen talks soft power

Mullen spoke about his priorities in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as the well-being of American military personnel and their families.

Mullen said that “a focus on the broader Middle East” sits at the top of his agenda. He spent the majority of his lecture discussing Iraq and Afghanistan and calling for non-military solutions to the problems of both countries.

He also advocated what he called “a whole-government approach,” which would incorporate other sections of government — such as the commerce, transportation or agriculture departments — to take on tasks currently performed by the military.

“I think we’ve used the military to a point where it is very stretched in many ways,” Mullen said in an interview with The Daily Princetonian. “We’ve used it to provide capability in areas in Iraq and Afghanistan in particular [where] normally civilian capability would be more appropriate.”

“Eighty-five percent of Afghanistan’s gross domestic product is agriculturally based,” he added. “We need people to assist the Afghan people in modernizing their agriculture so they can provide food for their families and have a viable income.”

Mullen explained that members of the military who come from “day jobs” in other fields are currently providing expertise in Afghanistan and other areas because no other government agencies are in a position to do so. He noted that soldiers with a background in farming, for example, are being used to help bring agricultural innovation to Afghanistan.

Mullen said he believes that the main role of the military should be to provide security so that civilian operations can operate successfully. He noted that, in the future, departments other than the military should take ownership of these civilian operations.

These organizations must focus on improving the lives of the Afghan people and ensuring that the United States is not seen as an occupying force, he said.

“The center of gravity in Afghanistan is the Afghan people,” Mullen explained in the lecture. “There still is a universal goal out there to be achieved: Parents want to raise their kids to a higher standard of living, and they’d like to do it in a peaceful environment.”

Sehar Tariq GS, a Wilson School student from Pakistan, said she found Mullen’s emphasis on soft power reassuring.

“I’m glad to see that it’s a top priority,” Tariq said after the lecture. “Clearly, that’s the way forward, and I’m glad to hear he feels that way.”

Mullen also discussed Iraq, calling last week’s elections there “a remarkable achievement for this country.”

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“[They were] free and fair, lots of Iraqis voted, and there’s going to be a substantial change in the provincial government,” he said.

“I hope we will continue to draw down our forces and turn it more and more over to the Iraqi leadership,” he added, emphasizing the need for homegrown leadership from the Iraqi people.

Mullen said his second priority was ensuring the health and security of the military community, including soldiers and their families. Admitting that U.S. forces are “stretched,” he said that more needed to be done for returning troops — especially the wounded — as well as for the families of fallen soldiers.

Mullen said he wanted to “give [soldiers] a little bit more time at home, and that’s a real challenge,” noting that it is not uncommon for soldiers to serve through four or more deployments abroad. Deployments typically last 15 months, but soldiers being deployed now are sent for 12 months. Still, some soldiers already abroad are currently completing 15-month deployments.

Mullen also repeatedly praised the soldiers and their families for their unyielding service and loyalty.

“We’ve asked them as a country to serve,” Mullen said. “They make a difference. They serve a higher calling than just themselves.”