Experts warn U.S. cuts to diplomacy and assistance undermine ability to consolidate Middle East gains

Witnesses told the Senate subcommittee that military successes must be consolidated with diplomacy, reconstruction and civilian tools — and warned that recent cuts to U.S. diplomatic and assistance capacity threaten that effort.

Dan Shapiro said the State Department had made “drastic cuts to personnel, including experts in nuclear diplomacy, sanctions enforcement, counterterrorism, post conflict transitions, and Israeli Palestinian relations,” and that “just when we need to help stabilize Syria and Lebanon, the elimination of USAID means we don't have functional and adequately resourced foreign assistance programs that can help.”

Shelly Culbertson argued that civilian tools are central to long-term stability: “Civilian displacement, state collapse, and economic despair are not peripheral. They're central to long term global stability.” She urged the United States to reestablish itself as a partner that can coordinate reconstruction, governance and job creation with allies and multilateral institutions.

Brian Hook and other witnesses said that translating military gains into diplomatic and political outcomes requires coordinated follow-through — from sanctions enforcement to reconstruction financing and regional burden sharing — and that Congress and the administration must work closely when rebuilding diplomatic capacity and assistance programs.

Senators asked witnesses about specific programs and the role of a strengthened diplomatic presence in supporting Israel, countering Iranian influence, and enabling reconstruction in Gaza, Syria and Lebanon. Witnesses recommended reversing cuts to relevant personnel and restoring capabilities for international broadcasting, sanctions enforcement and post-conflict program management.