On Sunday morning, Admiral James Loy, USCG (Ret.), made the case for smart power on “This Week in Defense News.” The former Coast Guard commandant and co-chair of the USGLC’s National Security Advisory Council said that amidst international turmoil, in Egypt and elsewhere, the last thing the U.S. should do is reduce its engagement with the world. In addition, Admiral Loy pointed out that the use of smart power is fiscally responsible. “The notion of smart power, where you’re blending diplomatic tools and economic tools with the classic military tools, allows you to better use the taxpayers dollar in a wider sense,” he said. Click here to watch the full interview.

Must Reads

Who’s In the News

Hillary Clinton calls historic meeting of ambassadors (Jennifer Epstein – Politico)

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called top envoys from all U.S. embassies to gather in Washington on Monday for a wide-ranging foreign policy meeting. Ambassadors from almost all 260 U.S. embassies, consulates and other posts in more than 180 countries are expected to convene at the State Department for what’s being billed as the first-ever meeting of its kind.

Smart Power

The Miracle of Vaccines (Melinda Gates – The Huffington Post)

At the foundation, I’m surrounded by a lot of people who take unusual pleasure in statistics. But this statistic should impress everybody: Pneumonia kills more kids than AIDS and malaria… Combined. This week, before Davos, I traveled to Kenya, where the country just started rolling out a new vaccine for pneumonia. I wanted to actually see the difference the vaccine could make in people’s lives.

In Davos, USAID Backs Private Sector-led Farm Scheme (Ma. Rizza Leonzon – DEVEX)

The U.S. Agency for International Development is backing a new agricultural framework that was forged at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The new framework, titled “Realizing a New Vision for Agriculture,” has the support of 17 global firms. It seeks to encourage private sector investments to boost agricultural growth and in global food and nutrition initiatives.

Politics/Foreign Policy

U.S. wary of what’s next for Egypt (Ben Smith & Laura Rozen)

Amid all the turmoil and diplomatic lingo surrounding Egypt, the growing certainty of a major change in its government is sharpening the question: what comes next? No one knows for sure but there are plenty of possibilities — and few of them will make life easy for the United States in the short term.

As Egypt crisis continues, would US cut foreign aid? Unlikely. (Brad Knickerbocker – Christian Science Monitor)

As it watches the widening political protest in Egypt, the Obama administration finds itself with few options that could help resolve the situation. In essence, it’s a balance between security and democracy. Unwilling to call for an outright end to the 30-year reign of President Hosni Mubarak – the bottom line for those protesting in the streets of Cairo and elsewhere in Egypt – the White House threatens a “review” of foreign aid.

In Haiti, Hillary Clinton meets with candidates, pushes Preval on elections (Mary Beth Sheridan, Washington Post)

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton turned her attention Sunday from Egypt to a crisis closer to home – a disputed presidential election in Haiti that threatens to stall its recovery from a massive earthquake.