3D Security Initiative

Last week I participated in a conference at the University of Pittsburgh's Matthew B. Ridgway Center for International Security Studies - co-hosted with Physicians for Social Responsibility and the Stanley Foundation - entitled "Securing Our Survival: Meeting the Threats of Nuclear Weapons and Global Warming."

I joined experts on nuclear weapons and the security implications of climate change to discuss the role of diplomacy and conflict prevention in laying out the range of programs needed to increase US and global security.

You can watch my presentation on "The Role of Diplomacy and Conflict Prevention" as well as presentations by the other experts by clicking here.

My key points in the presentation included:

1. Engage and Negotiate with enemies and allies to address these issues. We need to see diplomacy as a security tool rather than appeasement.

2. Fund Diplomacy as if it were a security strategy. I compare budgets for military and non-military security strategies.

3. Use Multi-Track Diplomacy that includes negotiating and conflict resolution program at the community, middle, and top levels of society.

4. Understand the Psychological and Cultural Dimensions - and the need to have diplomats with greater language and cultural skills.

5. Use Principled Diplomacy that addresses the root causes of conflict rather than an over-reliance on coercive diplomacy.