Date: September 5, 2007

To: Condoleezza Rice

From: John Doe, Jane Doe University
Subject: Democracy Promotion and Minding the Freedom Gap
Executive Summary: Democratic promotion is an American identity and recently there has been
stagnation in democracy which is a threat to U.S. national security. We need to spread democracy
for global peace and international stability.
Democracy promotion is a central feature of American identity.
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Carter Administration in 1976 created Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

Reagan Administration in 1983 created National Endowment for Democracy
Clinton Administration in 1994 created OTI and Office of Democracy and Governance
Bush Administration in 2002 created Middle East Partnership Initiative and Millennium
Challenge Corporation
The four NED found the USG democracy promotion since 1983
George Soros privately funded Open Society Institute plays an important role in helping
countries transition from communism in Central and Eastern Europe

The Growth of Democracy

This network of U.S. government funded NGOs and private foundations has been credited with
aiding the rise of democratic governance since the second half of the twentieth century. In 1900
there were ten democracies in the world but has increased to 30 by mid-century. Over the past
three decades, many countries have converted into a democracy with the aid of the United States
and accelerated by the demise of the Soviet Union. But since 1998, there has been a freedom
stagnation in which there have 120 electoral democracies.
What accounts for this stagnation?
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The primary cause is the democratic pushback led by Russia and China
Democratic successes in Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan have instilled fear in
authoritarian countries from Africa to Asia who fear democratic overthrows
Leaders around the world are cracking down on democratic promotion efforts under
banner of non-interference
Countries feel that liberalization is a U.S. driven phenomenon creating global resentment
towards U.S.
Many perceive that U.S. is spreading democracy by force

Why should we care about freedom stagnation?

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We have sometimes embraced authoritarian allies to support security interests creating a

U.S. double standard.
Studies have also how that nationalism and religious extremism strive in emerging
democracy
Democracies can empower both political moderates or radicals and create a platform for
domestic terrorism due to openness
Correlation between states and regions that lack freedom and threaten U.S.

Balkans to Middle East to Central Asia are devoid of freedom and will cause U.S.
headaches

Benefits of Democracy
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Democracy benefits U.S. security

Americas soft power: USIA, Voice of America and Radio Free Europe helped resist
communist societies and containment in Cold War.
There are few wars between liberal democracies.
Freedom is a perquisite for sustainable development with no famine ever occurring in
well-established democracy
Democracy weaken the roots of terrorism for political dissatisfaction and preventing state
failures
Freedom is a weapon against Islamic fundamentalism in Middle East

The Need to Develop Priority Countries

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Russia, China, Indonesia, and Pakistan should be given most attention in regards to
Democracy promotion due to geopolitical significance
In China and Russia, efforts should be directed towards enhancing political reform and
stability
We should open up isolated societies such as North Korea and Cuba in which sanctions
should be abandoned for enmeshing the societies in commerce and contact with the
world.
Another possible plan for democratic expansion is to base support on whether countries
have political culture or middle class to make them ripe for successful democracy.

Conclusion
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Ending tyranny and expanding liberty with be a generational struggle

This goal requires institutional and policy innovation on par with the creation of the NSC,
NATO, and UN systems following World War II
To date, there has been little or no major institutional realignment to orient ourselves to
this moral and strategic challenge

Solutions:
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The U.S. should establish a presidential appointee position for deputy secretary of State
for Democracy and National Security Council directorate for democracy which would
help raise the ability of government to coordinate intelligence and rationalize funding
They would help the currently fledgling DRL bureau compete with other functional and
regional bureaus for resources
These positions would also help raise the symbolic support when meeting with
democratic dissidents.
The U.S. should close Guantanamo Bay to demonstrate continued U.S. commitment to
universal human rights
Our goal must be the creation of a global democratic alliance for freedom and peace.