Media, Law & Policy

Smullen on the state of the State

Thursday, September 28, 2017, By Sawyer Kamman
Maxwell Senior Fellow in National Security and Director of National Security Studies, professor Bill Smullen offers his thoughts on the current state of the State Department.
“As the Nation’s chief diplomat, a Secretary of State must be active and visible in forming and routinely declaring U.S. foreign policy,” says Bill Smullen who served as Chief of Staff to Secretary of State Colin L. Powell and of the U.S. Department of State before coming to Syracuse University.
“Tillerson appears more committed to making the State Department more efficient. Speaking to the American people and nations around the world more frequently and publicly would be my recommendation. Leaving that charge to others, like the seemingly ever – present U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley, mutes Secretary Tillerson’s diplomatic voice. Helpful to that cause would be the goal of filling vacant senior positions in the department. He can’t do the job well without the advice of strong advisors.”
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