December 8

“I'm too unsociable to socially network.”

--International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy commentator Kim Andrew Elliott

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

President Obama and the Muslim World - Omid Safi, Beliefnet.com, NY: “The solution begins when we realize that we need to change not just the impression of the United States, but also the reality of our presence in the world community. This was one of the great errors of the Bush administration. Immediately after 9/11, they hired a Madison Avenue advertising executive (Charlotte Beers) to serve as an undersecretary for public diplomacy. They simply do not understand that the reason much of the world came to hate our government is because of the policies of our government. They do not hate us (pace the pundits post-9/11) because we are 'free,' 'civilized,' and 'democratic.' No, they hate our policies, because we have become synonymous with aggression, privilege, militarism, support of dictators, unilateral action, disregard for civilian life, and ultimately, Empire. How to fix it? Change the impression of the United States by changing the policies of the United States.”

The Case for a New Public Diplomacy – China Media Blog: “Conventional diplomacy will form a part of the Obama administration's effort to enlist that support, as it should. But in the current environment in China and the world, it will not be enough. Once in office, the President-elect and his team will need to undertake an unparalleled effort of public diplomacy to engage China's wider policy environment. This effort must shun the neo-propagandist tools and tactics of the Cold War, creating instead strategies, approaches, and messages more appropriate to a world rendered naked by the Internet.”

Obama should keep Bush’s commander in global ‘war of ideas’ - Morton Kondracke, The Dickinson Press: “To fight terrorism of the kind that brutalized Mumbai, India, President-elect Barack Obama should retain James Glassman, the Bush administration’s commander in the 'war of ideas' against extremism. In just six months in office, Glassman has invigorated and modernized U.S. programs to not just improve America’s image in the world, but confront radical ideologies, including on the Internet. … Glassman has redefined the concept of public diplomacy in several dramatic ways — one of which is ‘public diplomacy 2.0,’ whereby the United States now successfully challenges al-Qaida on the Internet.”

How To Use The Web To Change The World - IAEC Consultants: ”If you are interested in how to use the Web to create a grassroots political movement, tune in today and tomorrow to the Alliance of Youth Movements Summit, which is being sponsored and livestreamed by Howcast. Right now, James K. Glassman, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, just finished talking about How To Build a Movement Against Terrorism and up next is Oscar Morales, an engineer deom Columbia who set up a Facebook group called One Million Voices Against the FARC that organized in mass demonstrations on the street in that country.”

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Donate $100,000 to Global Action for Children - KD Griffin, Red Carpet Babies: Celebrating the joy of babies . . . : “Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have given Global Action for Children an early holiday gift. ‘Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and their family have given Global Action for Children an end of year holiday gift of $100,000,’ the GAC’s executive director, Jennifer Delaney, said in email to supporters. … The organization is calling for President Elect Obama to establish a position that will oversea foreign. Delaney stated: ‘Establishing an executive-level office to oversee and coordinate foreign assistance programs for children in developing countries will ensure aid is spent on building healthy future civil societies, economic growth and political stability in developing countries-not to mention fulfilling a critical U.S. public diplomacy goal.’”

Senator Nanny? Fran Wants It! Appoint her, or she’ll run - Diana Scholl, Intelligencer: “Fran Drescher wants to replace Hillary Clinton in the Senate. She says she’s qualified. ‘I’ve just been given the appointment of U.S. diplomat,’ she said at a party for Le Cirque: A Table in Heaven at that restaurant on December 3. ‘My title is public diplomacy and envoy for women’s health issues, and I just got back from a four-country European tour of duty. I believe next I’ll be sent to the Middle East.’”

RELATED ITEMS

University brings American-style learning to Iraq: At the year-old American University of Iraq–Sulaimani, students are encouraged to think independently - Jane Arraf, Christian Science Monitor

Where Obama Can Go: Nixon went to China. Sadat went to Jerusalem. What next? – James Taranto, Wall Street Journal: But there is a city that, although not a national capital, is for all intents and purposes the capital of all Islam--a place where Obama could credibly speak to all Muslims, Sunni and Shiite, from Morocco to Malaysia to Michigan. All the new president has to do is give a speech in Mecca.

Foggy Bottom woes: Clinton choice spells trouble - Armstrong Williams, Washington Times: “The position of secretary of state is not a consolation prize. Mrs. Clinton certainly won´t treat it that way. Her antics and brokering of deals on how many times she gets to stand with Mr. Obama have signaled the beginnings of a rogue element. … While globe-trotting is certainly the most glamorous aspect of her job, it's not the most important. This position is bureaucracy, defined. I don't see Mrs. Clinton embracing those elements wholeheartedly. And you definitely can't hand those 'mundane' tasks off to subordinates.”

Why Jim Jones Will Make or Break Obama's Foreign Policy: Successful presidents rely on strong national security advisers who can produce a unified strategy while allowing healthy debate - Tim Fernholz, American Prospect: The men and women selected by Obama to head key foreign policy and security offices -- General Jim Jones for national security adviser, Governor Janet Napolitano for secretary of homeland security, Robert Gates for a second term as secretary of defense, Senator Hillary Clinton for secretary of state, Eric Holder for attorney general, and Dr. Susan Rice for ambassador to the United Nations -- are all strong personalities, but it is the ins and outs of their relationships with each other that will determine the new administration's foreign policy.


This Wasn't Quite the Change We Pictured - David Corn, Washington Post: During the Bush years, progressives called for ending the Iraq war, closing the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, disavowing torture, restoring the United States' image abroad, redressing global warming and placing diplomatic multilateralism ahead of unilateral militarism. Those are now consensus positions, and Obama's national security aides should have little trouble embracing them.

Remaking the World in America’s Image - William Pfaff, Truthdig: The rule long ago empirically established is that intervention in other countries to remake them invariably inflames and sustains nationalist resistance to the invader. But Barack Obama and his team seem ready to try again.

Mumbai and Obama – Alan Bock, Antiwar.com: One might wish that the United States had never become so deeply embroiled in conflicts halfway around the world that it understands only dimly, but that die was cast long ago. It might even be that the safest course in the near future is disentanglement.


This Old News Just In....Obama Doesn't Plan to End Occupation of Iraq - Jeremy Scahill, CounterPunch: Anyone who took the time to cut past Barack Obama's campaign rhetoric of "change" and bringing an "end" to the Iraq war realized early on that the now-president-elect had a plan that boiled down to a down-sizing and rebranding of the occupation.

Obama vs. Osama: Has he picked the right war? - Michael Crowley, New Republic: The challenge of exiting Iraq was supposed to be the first great foreign policy test of Obama's presidency. But it is Afghanistan that now looms as the potential quagmire.

Why Are They Dying? Shambles in Afghanistan - Brian Cloughley, CounterPunch: Either foreign forces in Afghanistan are given proper military direction and provided with the troop numbers and equipment they need, or the whole dismal campaign should be abandoned.

They Hate Us — and India Is Us - Patrick French, New York Times: America’s so-called war on terror has been, in many respects, a catastrophe. In Pakistan, it has been chronically mishandled, leading to the radicalization of areas in the north that were previously peaceful.

End of the Line for Islamabad: Unless Pakistan changes how it conceives of its interests and strategy, it will remain an unstable and distrusted place - Fareed Zakaria, Newsweek: America also has much to lose if things fall apart in South Asia. If tensions between India and Pakistan rise, distracting the Pakistani military from the jihadists in its tribal areas, it will lead to much greater instability in Afghanistan and a freer hand for the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Washington, too, needs to see results.

Pakistan's Jihad: In the war on terror, Islamabad is both with us and against us - Bill Roggio & Thomas Joscelyn, Weekly Standard: The United States is now faced with an awful truth. Pakistan is both an ally and an enemy. The attacks in Mumbai are only the latest demonstration of the tactics Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is willing to sponsor in its quest for power in the subcontinent and beyond.
Obama could change relations with Cuba - Alan Gomez, USA TODAY: President-elect Barack Obama's stated position that he would like to revisit U.S.-Cuba policies has some viewing his administration as the first chance in decades to dismantle laws that restrict travel, investment, exports and cash mailings to Cuba.

NATO scuttles US plan to encircle Russia - F William Engdahl, Asia Times: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ministers in Brussels have decided to ignore the wishes of the United States and delay the admission of Georgia and the Ukraine, in effect indefinitely, in what the George W Bush administration is sheepishly trying to claim is a positive "compromise".

The US road through Turkey: The two countries share strategic concerns. They should work more closely together - Editorial, Christian Science Monitor

Croatians Arrested For Propaganda On Facebook - Tonetek Blog: Croatian police have arrested members of an opposition party for using the popular social network, Facebook, to comment on and plan against the Prime Minister of the country, Ivo Sanader. A few days ago, the President of the local branch of the youth wing of the main opposition party in Dubrovnik, Mr. Niksa Klecak, was imprisoned for setting up an anti-Sanader forum. He had started a group called “I bet I can find 5,000 people who dislike Sanader”. He was arrested on charges of disturbing the peace, under the cover of an old law that had been laid down in the then nation of Yugoslavia.

How to Make Morgan Freeman Uncomfortable - Princess Sparkle Pony's Photo Blog I keep track of Condoleezza's hairdo so you don't have to: BELOW PHOTO: Kennedy Center 2008 Honoree Morgan Freeman, left, laughs with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice after the State Department Dinner for the Kennedy Center Honors gala Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008 at the State Department in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf). COMMENT: "What, Kennedy Center Honors again? Already? Well, it was the last time for Condi to perform her favorite gig, and it looks like she's wearing about $10 zillion in Harry Winston emeralds and diamonds for the occasion, in addition to a special coneheaded updo and a truly fabulous gown. Looking good!"