The news of the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake in southern Turkey and Syria has been distressing, to say the least. Massive urban destruction, millions without basic services, thousands of people still trapped under rubble, and so far, more than 20,000 people have been declared dead.
The quake hit a challenged region at a deeply inopportune moment. Syria has been enmeshed in a civil war that has lasted over a decade, often spilling over into the Turkish borderlands; the epicenter of the disaster heaped even greater cataclysm on an area that has already dealt with so much. What’s more, the harsh winter weather has made rescue efforts more difficult and survival less likely.
The international response has been swift, with relief agencies from around the world converging on the region to lend assistance and provide support. Still, there is much to be done. The U.S. has already begun its disaster relief in Turkey, but it can and should do more. Not only is this a righteous undertaking, but it is also well within the ambit of our geopolitical interests. This sort of emergency aid, provided by competent American experts on the ground, is a perfect example of something the United States truly excels at: soft power.
Soft power, a concept coined by the political scientist Joseph Nye Jr., is “a country’s ability to influence others without resorting to coercive pressure.” In his book on the subject, Nye details three key sources of a nation’s soft power: culture, political values, and
