It’s an election-year idea, so who knows if it’ll get anywhere, but it’s worth a shot. From a Kerry speech at George Washington University:

Civil Affairs personnel, almost all of them reservists, are stretched to the breaking point, building schools and hospitals. . . .

In small towns and cities across this country, there are judges, public administrators, educators, economists, civil engineers, and public safety professionals. They represent a vast untapped reserve of citizens capable — and I believe willing — to make their contribution to national security. . . . I propose that we enlist thousands of them in a Civilian Stability Corps, a reserve organization of volunteers ready to help win the peace in troubled places.

Like military reservists, they will have peacetime jobs; but in times of national need, they will be called into service to restore roads, renovate schools, open hospitals, repair power systems, draft a constitution, or build a police force. A Civilian Stability Corps can bring the best of America to the worst of the world — and reduce pressure on the military.

Of course, the subtext to the proposal is that in the 21st century the US is going to have a lot of nation-building to do, which is a little scary. But that doesn’t necessarily mean knocking them down first. And maybe the right wouldn’t yammer about sending the CSC to help out, say, the UN, the way they explode any time anyone talks about US military units operating under foreign command.

Okay, they probably would.

By the way, if you haven’t already, you should check out Kathryn Cramer’s coverage of the ongoing, and increasingly suspicious, South African mercenary / West African coup / US oil interests story.