September 25

"President Bush made a farewell speech in front of the United Nations General Assembly. You know, the President is not an eloquent speaker, but I thought he spoke quite powerfully today, especially at the end of his speech when he looked out at all the delegates representing all the nations of the world and . . . said, 'Can we borrow some money?'"

--Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel

"It is very much being able to look off the tip of Alaska … Metaphorically, I'm talking about."

--A Sarah Palin aide, regarding the Republican Vice Presidential candidate’s foreign-policy experience

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Senator Brownback Introduced Legislation That Would Abolish the Broadcasting Board of Governors – Ted Lipien, Free Media Online: U.S. Senator Sam Brownback (R-KA) introduced legislation that would establish the National Center for Strategic Communications, an agency similar to the now defunct U.S. Information Agency. Brownback’s proposal would abolish the existing Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy at the State Department and the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG). Their functions would be transferred to the new National Center for Strategic Communications where they would be managed by single director.

A Reliance on Soft Power - Reforming the Public Diplomacy Bureaucracy - Testimony of the Honorable Douglas Bereuter, Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia, U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
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New: Assistant Secretary of State for International Information Programs (IIP) - MountainRunner: “A new post has been established at the State Department: Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP). The President nominated Mike Doran, currently Deputy Assistant Secretary for Support to Public Diplomacy at Defense, for this new position. The elevation of the leadership of IIP will undoubtedly strengthen the bureau, even if Mike doesn’t get confirmed. … Interestingly, it comes the day after the Brownback bill was introduced in the Senate. This bill, which is intended to provoke discussion (it has) rips out all of Public Diplomacy, eliminates the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy job (the language of the bill, number forthcoming, doesn’t indicate the if an Under Secretary is reconstituted for Public Affairs or a lesser position is to be created), repeals the Smith-Mundt provision preventing domestic dissemination, defines Strategic Communication and its goals, creates a National Center for Strategic Communication (NCSC) based largely on the National Center for Counter Terrorism (NCTC), among other things.”

Bipartisan Group of U.S. Leaders Calls for 'Changed Course' in Relations With the Muslim World – MarketWatch: The bipartisan Leadership Group of the U.S.-Muslim Engagement Project released its report entitled Changing Course: A New Direction for U.S. Relations with the Muslim World. The report argues that the Global War on Terror has been an inadequate framework for improving our security and preventing future 9/11s. It proposes a comprehensive strategy with concrete actions to reverse extremism, increase U.S. and international security and improve U.S. relations with Muslim countries and communities. It proposes, inter alia, to transform public diplomacy by dramatically expanding government-civil society partnerships, people-to-people exchange and cultural engagement and education.

Buried Draft Post from April 2007: “Entrepreneurial Public Diplomacy” as 5GW – PurpleSlog: “Phil writes a comment at Mountain Runner on public diplomacy that is very interesting: We are all aware of how non-state actors like al-Qaeda and Hezbollah can run more effective PD operations than the most advanced states. There is a lesson in this. The solution to our PD problem will not come from government, rather it will come from citizens who have an interest in public diplomacy who will take the initiative and use the technology we all have access to and just do it. We need to start thinking in terms of an “entrepreneurial public diplomacy.”

Signing Ceremony of MOU Treaty - Press Release, U.S. Department of State: “Deputy Secretary Graffy: My name is Colleen Graffy and I am the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. The Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte and the Foreign Minister of Ireland Micheál Martin are signing today the memorandum of understanding between the governments of the United States of America and the Government of Ireland on a 12-month Intern Work and Travel Pilot Program.”

U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation Awards Support Major Projects at Cultural Sites in Afghanistan, Cambodia, and Guatemala - Media Note, Office of the Spokesman, U.S. Department of State: Washington, DC: “The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) is pleased to announce awards of more than $2.2 million for major cultural preservation projects in Afghanistan, Cambodia, and Guatemala through the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation. These awards for large-scale preservation projects at cultural sites are the first of their kind in the history of the Ambassadors Fund program.”

Jazz Diplomacy for Troubled Times - jazz.com: The Rhythm Road represents one of the ways in which Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC), and for that matter, U.S. diplomacy, are quietly changing at the grassroots. "It's important for people to understand the United States through our culture, which really allows for diversity and freedom of expression," said the State Department's Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Professional and Cultural Exchanges, Alina Romanowski.

Visa Waiver Program Hearing Should Consider DHS Progress toward Increased Security - Jena Baker McNeill, Heritage Foundation Web Memo #2076: The Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which allows citizens from pre-approved countries to travel to the U.S. for up to 90 days without a visa, is a fabulous way to accomplish several important goals: building a community of free nationals; fueling economic, cultural, and social ties; and increasing American public diplomacy.

Nepal to Participate in Democracy Video Challenge - THT Online: On September 15, 2008, the United Nations’ first International Day of Democracy, the US Department of State and private sector partners launched a worldwide video competition aimed at enhancing the global dialogue on democracy. The US Embassy in Kathmandu in a release said that Nepal was among the first countries enrolled in the challenge and all Nepalis were invited to participate in the contest.

Primorsky Society of Russian-Chinese Friendship celebrates a 50th anniversary - Vladivostok News: On the 25th of September the Primorsky Society of Russian-Chinese Friendship celebrates its 50th anniversary. The event that took place in FENU attracted students, activists and scientists. According to Mikhail Titarenko, the chairman of the central society of Russian-Chinese friendship, the members of this society have successfully pulled off the assigned tasks. He expressed his thanks to the members who have transformed the neighborly Russian-Chinese relations into the strategic by means of public diplomacy.

America's role in South-east Asia - Tommy Koh, Strait Times: “Here is what I would tell either a President John McCain or a President Barack Obama: … America's interests would be better served if it were to exercise its public diplomacy effectively. We urge you to launch programmes to build cultural, artistic and intellectual bridges between the US and South-east Asia. Americans should and can compete with the Alliance Francaise, British Council, Goethe Institute and the Confucius Institute.” The writer, Singapore's Ambassador-At-Large, is chairman of the Institute of Policy Studies.

Malaysia Needs To Strengthen Its Public Diplomacy Programmes - Salmy Hashim, bernama.com: “Malaysia needs to strengthen its information and public diplomacy programmes overseas to reposition the country as a robust and forward-looking nation, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said … Malaysia is currently in the spotlight over the power struggle between the ruling Barisan Nasional and the Pakatan Rakyat. The West, including the United States, had sometimes issued caustic remarks over recent political developments in Malaysia.”

Israeli Opinion Leaders visit NATO HQ – News, North Atlantic Treaty Organization: On 15 September 2008, NATO’s Public Diplomacy Division organized, in the context of the public diplomacy activities for the Mediterranean Dialogue, a visit to NATO Headquarters of high level opinion leaders from Israel.

American University Hosts Region's Largest International Affairs Graduate School Fair - Media Newswire: American University's School of International Service will host the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) graduate admissions fair for prospective students from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 14, in the Katzen Arts Center. APSIA students receive substantive research and policy-oriented training and education, including in public diplomacy.

Institute for European Defence and Strategic Studies - Pinkindustry’s Weblog: “The Institute for European Defence and Strategic Studies (IEDSS) was set up in London in 1979 ostensibly to study political change in Europe and to assess its impact on strategic and defence issues. It was particularly concerned with those developments which affected the Western Alliance. In the case of the IEDSS the Heritage Foundation provided start-up capital and the overwhelming bulk of continued financial support … [was] regarded as being part of US public diplomacy.”

Grassroot Institute Selects New Analyst: Georgetown Grad to tackle Public Policy Issues - Tom McAuliffe, Hawaii Reporter: The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii announced yesterday that Pearl Hahn has joined the organization as a Policy Analyst. Hahn is a graduate of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Government. She has also held positions at The Department of Homeland Security and the Public Diplomacy Council.

RELATED ITEMS

Flight of the Diplomats: Midlevel foreign-service officers are fleeing the US State Department in droves. Guess who's taking their place? - Joshua Kurlantzick, Mother Jones: Across the world, the brain drain has left US embassies understaffed -- nearly 1 in 6 positions is vacant -- and in the hands of inexperienced people.

No Bailout for Ailing Peace Corps - William Fisher, Global Geopolitics Net Sites/IPS: As the U.S. government continues its planning for a 700-billion-dollar bailout of the financial sector, the Peace Corps -- one of the United States’ most successful foreign policy programs -- is being cut back due to a budget shortfall of 18 million dollars. Foreign policy experts have expressed dismay at the programme’s current dilemma.

GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media and Simon Anholt Release Global Reputation Study Ranking 50 Countries – PRNewswire: Germany is viewed as the best overall "brand," receiving the highest ranking of the 50 nations measured. The United States ranks seventh overall behind Germany, France, U.K., Canada, Japan and Italy, respectively.

Wall Street's Blow to U.S. Prestige?: The surprising answer is no. Most business people still view the U.S. as a beacon of free enterprise and praise its swift response to the crisis - Jack Ewing, Business Week: As the world grapples with the fallout from Wall Street's shenanigans, there's no shortage of consternation, and even anger. But so far the international image of the U.S. economic model has shown amazing resilience.

Park Avenue diplomacy - Maureen Dowd, International Herald Tribune: After losing its moral superiority abroad with phony evidence for attacking Iraq, the U.S. has now lost its moral superiority in the financial arena.

International doubts – Editorial, Washington Times: The Bush bailout is perceived as a band-aid to complex economic problems that cannot be solved by simply shifting the financial responsibility onto taxpayers. The very foundations of American capitalism are being tested in this crisis. By changing the rules rather than letting bad investors reap the consequences for their actions, the Bush administration is telling the world that America no longer has a fair and free economy: We make up the rules as we go.

Palin’s American Exception - Roger Cohen, New York Times: “American exceptionalism, taken to extremes, leaves you without the allies you need (Iraq), without the influence you want (Iran) and without any notion of risk (Wall Street). The only exceptionalism that resonates, as Obama put it to me last year, is one ‘based on our Constitution, our principles, our values and our ideals.’”

Neocons, Ex-Israeli Diplomats Push Islamophobic Video - Ali Gharib, antiwar.com: Critics allege that the movie "Obsession" is "hate propaganda" which paints Muslims as violent extremists and, among other things, explicitly compares the threat posed by radical Islam to that of Nazi Germany in the 1930s.

New Censors’ Obsession: The truth is out there. It may be suppressed - Seth Leibsohn, National Review: Obsession was put together in the aftermath of 9/11/01 to help educate Americans and other English speakers about the roots and methods of terrorism, the uses of propaganda in the Middle East, and the tactics of recruitment — including the recruitment of children and suicide bombers (too often, the same thing). It was one of many civilian-distributed educational efforts that sprung up after 9/11 to help educate on a topic of obvious concern and too little knowledge.

Wise advice from the old pros – Editorial, Boston Globe: If the presidential candidates and their advisers took seriously their rhetoric about the value of experience, they would heed what five former secretaries of state said last week about United States policy toward Iran. During a forum at George Washington University, Henry Kissinger, James Baker, Warren Christopher, Madeleine Albright, and Colin Powell all agreed that the United States should open high-level talks with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Obama goes over the top in bashing Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: Once again, U.S. politicians, including both Sarah Palin and Barack Obama, pile on the Iranian president. Why does Larry King (!) sound like the adult in the room? - Juan Cole, Salon: It is clear that for the U.S. to go to war over an imaginary threat of genocide (Iran does not have the ability to kill large numbers of Israelis and consistently denies that it wants to) at a time when its military is overstretched by two protracted guerrilla wars, when its financial system is near collapse, and when the resulting run-up in oil prices would cripple the U.S. and world economies would be a folly so great that only a lunatic would contemplate it.

Appease Iran? - Daniel Pipes, Jerusalem Post: Post-1917 and after the Bolshevik Revolution concessions failed to mollify the new kind of ideologically-driven enemy -- Hitler in the 1930s, Brezhnev in the 1970s, Arafat and Kim Jong-Il in the 1990s, and now, Khamene'i and Ahmadinejad.

Dining with the Enemy: What do you serve an Iranian Islamist who is hungry for power? - Clifford D. May, National Review: In recent days, Iran’s military has been testing those missiles, launching them from ships in the Caspian Sea. Could they be developing the skills needed to target an American city? Despite all this, a group of left-leaning American religious leaders this week invited Ahmadinejad to dinner. The Mennonite Central Committee, the World Council of Churches, and the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker group, billed the event as a “dialogue.”

Decency, Toughness ... and No Shortcuts - Bing West, Atlantic: The basic cause of the turnaround in Iraq was the decency and strength of the American troops whom the Sunnis came to know on the streets.

What the Russians Left In Their Wake in Georgia - Melik Kaylan, Wall Street Journal: Alongside the various human atrocities, such as the bombing and purging of civilian areas, the invaders looted and destroyed numerous historical sites, some of which were profoundly revered by the Georgians as sacred building blocks in their national identity.

Rice admits Bush officials held White House talks on CIA interrogations: Her written statement to Senate investigators is the first official high-level acknowledgment of meetings that led to harsh methods such as waterboarding - Greg Miller, Los Angeles Times


Condi Veep Rumors Never Really Die; They Get Reborn with Down Syndrome - Princess Sparkle Pony's Photo Blog: I keep track of Condoleezza's hairdo so you don't have to

Does the Cold War Have Lessons for Today? [review of For the Soul of Mankind - Melvyn P. Leffler] - Carolyn Eisenberg, Truthdig: Mikhail Gorbachev had a dream, and it was of a safer world in which military alliances would disappear and the habit of using force was replaced by a habit of diplomacy. Yet the Americans never bought into Gorbachev’s vision. Instead, they took the occasion of Soviet collapse to engage in new interventions and to build up NATO close to its borders. The Russian attack on Georgia is the unhappy consequence of American provocation.

ONE MORE QUOTATION

"Those who are most susceptible to propaganda (and advertising) are the intellectuals...In fact, those who are fascinated by technique are the intellectuals, the technicians, the scientists, the upper classes, the journalists, the various shapers of public opinion, the artists, the priests and pastors (when they want the church to change and to adjust to modern tastes), the responsible economists (bankers, etc.), the professors (who have suffered enough from being told that their teaching is worthless!), and the high-level administrators. These are the ones who are fascinated and who show no critical spirit, or who, when they believe (like many artists) that they are engaging in violent criticism of our society, fail to see that they are simply reproducing in a kind of parody the technical world itself with all its perversity, thus strengthening the perverse effects and in so doing reinforcing the myth."

--Philosopher Jacques Ellul