Calpernia,
Thanks for exposing this bit of junior secretary's idiocy to the bright lights of clear analysis.
Here's what the dope should've said.
First, it is not the job of the military to build nations, rather, it is their job to protect this nation by killing it's enemies and destroying their weapons of war. To distract them from that goal is a major mistake.
The task of nation-building is the job of the State Department, and uses the help of both Treasury and Commerce. The military provides security.
We can only hope that the current administration will implement a general staff system whereby senior political operatives in the executive branch coordinate the work of the top four Cabinet Secretaries. Too long have they wandered around with only their own preferences for guidance.
It's been a major failure of this administration, and of all previous administrations - except perhaps for George Marshall's - to coordinate the actions of our senior government managers.