[willholloway]

As an American it's in my interests to have a powerful United States. Sadly the ruling elite of the country have been fixated on military power. I would much prefer policies that promoted soft power, or the ability to co-opt rather than coerce.

Our global tech leadership would be enhanced if the NSA reoriented with a focus much more on its defensive mission, rather than it's offensive capability.

Freedom is our brand, and they are diluting the hell out of it.

Civilization IV is a great teacher of the concept of soft power, known as culture in the game. When you're citizens are happy and your cities are the envy of the world, other nations want to join with you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_power

[xnull6guest]

Washington believes, and there's probably some truth to it, that the ability to project soft power comes after, or at least in tandem with, hard power guarantees.

The US utilizes soft power all the time and is and has been heavily invested in soft power. But soft power taken too far looks like coups or staged dissent, and America's soft power can sometimes be powerful enough to look like - or actually be - this.

That is to say that the overuse of soft power, or perhaps just the clumsy wielding of it, also dilutes the brand.

The recent investment in Nepal is a great example of soft power done right (IMO).