The Bush Administration’s 2006 National Security Strategy promotes diplomacy, development and defense as equal “pillars” supporting a more integrated and effective security policy. While a 3D security frame offers hope for needed change, a 3D security or “whole of government” approach holds both opportunities and dangers.

There is a danger that promoting development and diplomacy as security strategies will mean that these programs are taken over by the military or by short term political goals.

While communication between the defense, development, and diplomacy communities is necessary, there should also be firewalls between the programs so that each maintains a level of independence to achieve their unique goals.

There is also a danger that 3D security approach will be implemented in a top-down approach where defense, development, and diplomacy become tools for imposing foreign development or democracy plans onto local “host” nations. In this scenario local civilian populations are marginalized as one of many “stakeholders” as opposed to playing central roles in decision-making. By identifying fragile and failed states as security threats, a 3D security framework could suggest that militaries and development organizations in the Northern Hemisphere have the right to interfere and dictate the development paths of countries in the South.

In order to promote the best and most effective forms of development and diplomacy, we work with military, government, and other non-governmental organizations to enhance communication between development, diplomacy, and defense communities. We organize and facilitate meetings among both nongovernmental and government level development and diplomacy groups. We also meet with military leaders at the Army War College, the National Defense University, and Joint Forces Command to discuss these issues.

3D Security Initiative's Coordination Efforts to Date:

• Effective Development Assistance in a 3D World Retreat: In partnership with the Aspen Institute's (AI) Global Interdependence Initiative program on "Effective Aid, Effective Advocacy," we co-facilitated this retreat on May 16-17, 2006 at AI's Wye River Estate with high-level representatives from government, military, and nongovernmental organizations in Defense, Development, and Diplomacy. The group developed a set of principles for assessing the opportunities and dangers of a 3D security approach.

• Strategic Communication on Conflict Prevention Seminar. In partnership with the Alliance for Peacebuilding and the US Institute of Peace, we co-hosted and facilitated this seminar on January 25, 2006. Attended by fifty top leaders in the field of Conflict Prevention, the seminar aimed to improve the community's communication strategy on conflict prevention and security.

• Balanced Security Outreach Task Force. In partnership with the Aspen Institute, we convened the first Task Force meeting on July 20, 2006 to promote more effective communication on 3D security approaches. We raised funds for the Program on International Policy Attitudes to assess U.S. attitudes toward a balanced security toolkit.

• Lisa Schirch and Jayne Docherty of the 3D Security Initiative attended the National Security Strategy Seminar at the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks in Pennsylvania in July 2006. They discussed the US National Security policy and current challenges facing the U.S.

• Lisa Schirch of the 3D Security Initiative was part of a small group consultation with United States Joint Forces Command to discuss their 3D Security research agenda on "Unified Action" in September 2006.

• Lisa Schirch took part in the National Defense University's "Defense Transformation and Interagency Operations" from January 30- February 1, 2007