September 16

“James Glassman, if you were born to Sarah Palin, your name would be: Claw Washout Palin: Who knows, Claw Washout Palin, you just might be president one day!”

--Result obtained by typing in the name of the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs at the Sarah Palin Baby Name Generator website

VIDEO

The visiting United States Under-Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs has been speaking on the continuing need for discussion, dialogue and education in the fight against extremism around the world - recent posts - blip.tv (beta)

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

James K Glassman: America knows that bullets alone will not win this war - Independent.co.uk: "Public diplomacy is, very simply, diplomacy aimed at publics, as opposed to officials. While some people associate it with marketing -- with building a national brand -- the truth is that public diplomacy, like official diplomacy and like military action, has as its mission the achievement of the national interest. Public diplomacy performs this mission by understanding, informing, engaging, and persuading foreign publics. … There is now a broad consensus in Washington that public diplomacy is essential to defeating the violent extremist threat, to promoting freedom and social justice. In fact, I would argue -- and many in the Pentagon would agree -- that, in this struggle, ideas are more important than bullets."

With friends like these, the US hardly needs enemies - Roula Khalaf, Financial Times: The Bush team, in its last months in office, says the purpose of public diplomacy is not so much to improve the US’s image as to undermine that of al-Qaeda. “Much of the public diplomacy effort in the past has focused on our image, on how we are seen by others,” said James Glassman in a speech at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London to mark the seventh anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

War of Ideas Update – Abu Aardvark: A blog by Marc Lynch: “This morning I went to hear Under Secretary of State Jim Glassman and Ambassador Dell Dailey speak at GWU's Homeland Security Policy Institute on the topic of ‘Toward a Comprehensive Approach to Countering Terrorism.’ … . His [Glassman’s] innovation has been in all but name to reorient public diplomacy efforts from ‘public diplomacy’ towards ‘strategic communications’ (though he doesn't use precisely that language). What I mean is that instead of focusing on the long-term project of building understanding of America among foreign publics (exchange programs, speaker series, and so forth) or of improving America's image in the world (trying to 'move the needle' on the favorable ratings in the Pew Global Attitudes surveys), Glassman prefers to narrow the focus to 'creating a hostile environment for violent extremism.'”

Upcoming Event: A Foreign Policy and U.S. Relations with the Islamic World -- Reforming U.S. Public Diplomacy and Strategic Communication: Views from Congress – Brookings Events: On September 23, the Brookings Institution will host Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) and Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) for a discussion on the future of U.S. public diplomacy and strategic communication. With increasing force and frequency, members of the United States Congress are calling for reforms to U.S. public diplomacy, strategy, organization and practice. These proposed reforms seek to improve U.S. relations with foreign societies, advance American interests abroad and counter extremist ideologies. Seven years after 9/11, the question remains: is the United States communicating effectively with foreign publics? Is it undermining support for extremist ideologies around the world?

Sarah Palin, the American scarecrow - Jean-Paul Marthoz, Atlantic Progressives: The U.S. public diplomacy service is already spending millions of dollars to repair the damage of the Bush administration on the image of the United States in the rest of the world. It will go bankrupt if it has to try to offset the world’s reaction to Palin’s moving into the vice-presidential mansion. Courtesy Gerald Loftus.

Reason 11 to Vote Obama: Engage the Country – Alaskan Librarian: Obama will set up an America’s Voice Initiative to send Americans who are fluent speakers of local languages to expand our public diplomacy. He also will extend opportunities for older individuals such as teachers, engineers, and doctors to serve overseas.

Public Diplomacy and Propaganda: Their Differences – John Brown, American Diplomacy: When public diplomacy and propaganda are used as state instruments, they serve a country’s interests. But at their best and at their worst, they do so in significantly different ways.

International Education: The Neglected Dimension Of Public Diplomacy: Recommendations for the Next President
By NAFSA: Association of International Educators - John Brown, Internet Article Reviews, American Diplomacy

The United States Meets Germany: A Forum for Young Leaders, Berlin, November 10th-14th, 2008 – Announcements of Interest, American Diplomacy: The United States Meets Germany: A Forum for Young Leaders is designed with the intention of bringing together young, influential people from both sides of the Atlantic in order for them to gain insight into cultural diplomacy, exchange ideas and experiences and learn from influential players already working in the field.

US university dean to speak at AUD - Trade Arabia, Bahrain: The Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Communication at the American University in Dubai (AUD) will start its academic events for the current Fall semester with a lecture entitled, “Public Diplomacy, a New Tool for Dubai." The lecture will be delivered today by Dr. Ernest J. Wilson III, Dean and Walther H. Annenberg Chair in Communication, at the University of Southern California, the institution with which AUD is collaborating.

State Department to World: “Tell me a story” – America.gov: In a new kind of public-private partnership, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs James Glassman launched the State Department’s Democracy Video Challenge on September 15 at U.N. headquarters. The launch was timed to coincide with United Nations’ first International Day of Democracy. Partners for the online video contest include the State Department, democracy and youth organizations, academia, and the news, film and entertainment industries.

State Dept. seeks democracy videos: Government teams with media orgs on contest - Sam Thielman, Variety: The U.S. State Dept. has revealed its latest diplomatic tool: user-generated content. At the U.N. on Monday, representatives revealed the Democracy Video Challenge, a government initiative co-sponsored with half a dozen high-profile media orgs including NBC Universal, the DGA and the MPAA.

U.S. State Department takes to YouTube for Public Diplomacy - Steve, Citizen Tube: Today the U.S. State Department launched a YouTube contest asking global citizens to complete the sentence, "Democracy is..." Regional winners from around the world will be selected, and finalists will get to travel to D.C., NYC, and Hollywood to meet with film professionals.

State Dept. seeks democracy videos: Government teams with media orgs on contest - The Martini Shot: Writer/Director/Raconteur Rich Martini's Blog - “The U.S. State Dept. has revealed its latest diplomatic tool: user-generated content. At the U.N. on Monday, representatives revealed the Democracy Video Challenge, a government initiative co-sponsored with half a dozen high-profile media orgs including NBC Universal, the DGA and the MPAA . … So, to all you would be filmmakers out there - good luck defining Democracy as the State Dept defines it!!! You're in for some real prizes. Either way, this disclaimer at the bottom solves it all: This site is produced and maintained by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Information Programs. Links to other internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views contained therein.”

I didn’t Like it, So I Responded: A Man’s True Character in Times of Desperation – republicrites: "I think it is safe to say that our relationship with the international community is fragile in some cases, and completely broken in others. As Margaret D. Tutwiler, in her first public appearance as the State Department official in charge of public diplomacy, acknowledged in 2004 - America’s standing abroad had deteriorated to such an extent that 'it will take us many years of hard, focused work' to restore it."

Russian ‘brand’ takes a hit after losing the media wars - Jay Bookman, Atlanta Journal Constitution: In the Georgia-Russia war, public-relations and public-diplomacy experts marvel at the preparation and effectiveness of Georgia’s media “blitzkrieg.”

A ‘community organizer’ frame of mind - Yossef Ben-Meir, Zimbabwe Guardian, UK: "Community organizers know that public trust is generated in reaction to the empowerment people feel when their ideas for projects are implemented and the benefits are tangible; this may inform, at least in part, the approaches of community organizers to public diplomacy, the 'war of ideas', and addressing root causes of terrorism."

Harper Cuts [Canada] – hysperia, mirabile dictum: "Foreign Affairs and Public Diplomacy Program ELIMINATED."

Ehud Olmert is a fool – genesis, in delicto: “Israel entered the realm of pathetic, post-pioneer prime ministers a long time ago, with the election of Netanyahu (who incidentally I happen to prefer as Israel's next PM). So we don't expect a great deal anymore. But seriously - Olmert has got to go. … [H]e doesn't know the first thing about public diplomacy. He's not only corrupt, but incompetent too!”

A documentary introduces viewers to the Shillong Chamber Choir and the man behind it, writes: A choir from the abode of clouds - Utpal Borpujari, News on North East: “[I]t was quite a change for Urmi Juvekar when she got down to make a film on a choir from Northeastern India, looking not only at its specialised music but also bring out to the outside world a story unknown. … Now, Neil and his group's story is set to reach across to more parts of the world through Juvekar's film, that is one of the several the Ministry's Public Diplomacy Division has commissioned on the Northeast to bring the politically- charged region closer to the outside world.”

RELATED ITEMS

World opinion counts too in America’s poll - Gideon Rachman, Financial Times: The fact that the rest of the world overwhelmingly favors Mr Obama deserves to be a factor -- no more than that -- in the choice that Americans will make in November. Either candidate is going to have a chance to introduce himself to the world in the first few months of the presidency. Both would find it useful to be as charming as possible.

Obama's Foreign Policy Mentor: Where John McCain goes, Barack eventually follows - Matthew Continetti, Weekly Standard: Obama’s overall course is steadily toward the center. Toward an internationalist foreign policy well within the tradition of recent presidents. Toward a substantial American engagement with the world and the maintenance of American primacy. Toward McCain.

Willing To Win in Afghanistan? - Anne Applebaum, Washington Post: The enemy in Afghanistan cannot dislodge a Dutch or American base, cannot rule the country, and cannot win mass popular support. But with a handful of weapons and some homemade bombs, the enemy can make the coalition forces in Afghanistan pay a high price for their good intentions -- and erode support for the Afghan mission in foreign capitals.

Iraq's Nouri Maliki breaking free of U.S.: As the prime minister asserts his independence, Iran gains influence and America loses some - Ned Parker, Los Angeles Times

Georgia offers fresh evidence on war's start - C.J. Chivers, Dan Bilefsky and Thom Shanker, International Herald Tribune

Rethinking U.S. role - Bruce Fein, Washington Times: Not a syllable in the Constitution or Declaration of Independence suggests the president has either the duty or authority to carry freedom to the four corners of the Earth. And Mr. Bush's concoction of a moral obligation is unconvincing.

AMERICANA

Florida Awash In Various Provocative Campaign Signs - Wonkette