May 2-4

“I could not agree more with you that USIA and other related public education mechanisms were very unfortunately marginalized.”

--Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in answer to a question from a retired Foreign Service officer, after her remarks on Foreign Affairs Day (May 1); on USIA see; image from

"We didn't torture.
We DID use the technique called waterboarding.
Therefore waterboarding isn't torture."

--Princess Sparkle Pony, providing the Aristotelian logic behind Dr. Condoleezza Rice's answer to a fourth grader at the Jewish Primary Day School in Washington, D.C. about the methods the Bush administration used to get information from detainees; image from

EVENT

Public Diplomacy: Reaching Difficult Audiences: May 14, 2009, 2:30 - 5:00 PM - Hudson Institute, Washington, D.C. Headquarters. Hudson's Center for Political-Military Analysis cordially invites you to a panel discussion on Public Diplomacy: Reaching Difficult Audiences

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Clinton: U.S. Needs to Get Smarter About Public Diplomacy – Salfordonline: "U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave the keynote address at a ceremony to celebrate Foreign Affairs Day on May 1. In her speech, Clinton emphasized the need to expand connections beyond 'government-to-government' and was adamant that the U.S. needs to get smarter about public diplomacy. According to Clinton, 'public diplomacy is not just lecturing at other people and telling them how great we are and what we hope they will believe about us. It is actually having a real dialogue and listening as much as talking.'" Image from; see also John Brown, "Smart Power in, Public Diplomacy Out?" Notes and Essays.

A President Goes Friending - Jim Hoagland, Washington Post: "Establishing direct strategic presidential communication with the populations of other countries -- especially other countries ruled by hostile governments -- is a top foreign policy priority for the new administration. … [T]here is an increasing tendency in all countries for diplomatic expertise to be devalued, or at least bypassed, in the rush for 'unfiltered' communication and governmental blogging." See also.

‘Stop Explaining!’: A Response - James K. Glassman - Economics, Investing, Public Diplomacy, and More: “William Rugh, former ambassador to Yemen and the UAE, and now an adjunct scholar at the Middle East Institute, wrote a long rejoinder [included in this posting] to my speech at InfoWarCon on April 24 (included in my post, 'Stop Explaining!'). He makes some excellent points, but it is a strangely defensive response. He seems to be criticizing a speech that I didn’t give. … Public diplomacy had a glorious past, especially in the 1950s and 1960s. It helped win the Cold War. Then it severely deteriorated with the fall of the Berlin Wall. My predecessors and I have been rebuilding it. The present of PD is a critical juncture. Are we serious about scaling it up? Will we adopt a mature approach?" See also. Rugh left image from; Glassman right image from

Building Capacity Not Resentment in Pakistan - Taha Gaya, Huffington Post: "Where the U.S. can make progress is in building a long-term relationship with the people of Pakistan by targeting our assistance to those areas most crucial to winning their support including enhancing and strengthening Pakistan's judicial system and law enforcement, creating broad-based and sustainable economic development with an emphasis on increasing local capacity, support for the public education system, refugees and internally displaced persons, and support for healthcare and public diplomacy."

BBC examines Obama's first 100 days. VOA, not to be outdone, examines his first 105 days - Kim Andrew Elliott Discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

U.S. sends musicians to make overtures in war zones - Kim Thai, USA TODAY: "Though U.S. musicians have visited other countries on cultural exchange missions for years, [the State Department’s] Musical Overtures [program] is the first to take them into the dual war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan, says Alina Romanowski, the State Department's deputy assistant secretary for professional and cultural exchanges. The State Department had wanted to send such delegations to both countries for years, but only recently have 'situations on the ground' allowed for enough safety to send musicians, Romanowski says.

This kind of cultural diplomacy dates back to the Cold War, says Dan Morgenstern, director of the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Music was considered 'a good cultural weapon' and the government sponsored jazz musicians specifically because 'jazz was an internationally known, admired and a respected art form identified with the United States,' he says. … Funding for the State Department bureau that runs Musical Overtures and other cultural programs expanded under President George W. Bush from $900,000 to $10 million in 2008. The budget for 2009 is at $8.5 million. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has cited the need for cultural exchanges as part of the Obama administration's emphasis on 'smart power': using non-military means as a way to expand American influence." Romanowski image from

Dancing towards diplomacy: American dispatches dancing troupes – Gwen Gwilym, Cultural Diplomacy News: "Dance companies from all over the U.S. will tour Africa, Asia and South America in a bid to deepen dialogue and exchange with foreign audiences. This week, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), in partnership with Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), announced the launch of DanceMotion USAsm, an initiative that hopes to share America’s dance culture with the world. Members of dance companies from Brooklyn, New York and San Francisco, California will embark on performance and cultural exchange tours in January next year.

They will also participate in various outreach projects including workshops, master classes and discussions with foreign artists and local audiences. At a press conference recently, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Professional and Cultural Exchanges Alina L. Romanowski emphasized the importance of cultural diplomacy and announced the three dance companies selected to inaugurate DanceMotion USAsm will tour to nine countries including Thailand, Venezuela, Cambodia and Senegal. DanceMotion USAsm is modelled on the Department of State’s very successful music-based exchange program, The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad — administered by Jazz at LincolnCenter — which shares American roots music around the world. See also; Romanovski image from

Two Brooklyn troupes to engage in diplomacy through dance - Erin Durkin, New York Daily News: "From Brooklyn with love. Washington diplomats want to sell the rest of the world on the USA by sending out some special emissaries - two small modern dance troupes from Brooklyn. The Fort Greene-based African-American modern dance companies will head overseas early next year as part of DanceMotion USA, a cultural diplomacy program launched Wednesday by the State Department and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. A company from San Francisco will also make the trip." Image from

Daily News: Two Brooklyn Troupes To Engage In Diplomacy Through Dance – sfcg, The Common Ground Blog - "Question to the Blogosphere: In what ways can public diplomacy enhance awareness around the world of the common humanity the US shares with the rest of the world? Do you think that dance troupes will be a particularly effective tool for public diplomacy in places like Brazil, Venezuela and Nigeria–by whom American dance has been inspired over time? What other types of public diplomacy should America be investigating to improve her image overseas?"

Willis Conover Honored: A Good First Step – Doug Ramsey, all about jazz: "The White House has yet to award a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom to Willis Conover. But there has been progress toward that goal. I was delighted to learn when I got off the road this week that Congress proclaimed April 25 Willis Conover Day. He was honored during celebrations on the National Mall. Finally, his nation has given official recognition to the Voice Of America broadcaster who sent jazz to the world and, without indulging in propaganda or politics, helped to end the Cold War." Courtesy MC. Conover Image from

British Culture Invades Moscow With AngloMoskva Fest: Elmira Kuznetsova - The Moscow Times: "Composer Michael Nyman and film director Stephen Frears are among the guests flying in for the AngloMoskva festival in Moscow from May 1 to 3. 'We relied on our own tastes when choosing the guests,' said Aliona Muchinskaya, the director of Red Square PR company, which is organizing the event. 'We wanted to present culture in its widest aspect possible.' … Organizers said they hope to continue bringing over British cultural figures after the festival. 'We think that ‘cultural diplomacy’ is very efficient,' said Muchinskaya."

As the U.S. Retreats, Iran Fills the Void - Amir Taheri, Wall Street Journal: "The Khomeinist public diplomacy network includes a half-dozen satellite television and radio networks in several languages, more than 100 newspapers and magazines, a dozen publishing houses, and thousands of Web sites and blogs controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The network controls thousands of mosques throughout the region where preachers from Iran, or trained by Iranians, disseminate the Khomeinist revolutionary message." Image from

Governing by Theory is a Bad Idea - Bob Ra, Embassy, Canada: "More of our diplomats and aid workers need to be in the field. We need to increase our support for public and cultural diplomacy. We have to embrace both soft power and hard power, understanding the roles and limitations of each." Bob Rae is the Liberal Party's foreign affairs critic. Image from

A Syrian view on the future of relations with the U.S. – Marc Lynch, Foreign Policy: "This afternoon I headed over to the Middle East Institute to hear Syrian Ambassador Imad Moustapha talk about the future of U.S.-Syrian relations. … His low point came in his response to a Syrian man who asked him to speak about human rights abuses and repression inside of Syria. His response, equating the Syrian questioner with the Israelis and WINEP and then going on about Israeli war crimes, drew audible grumbling from the audience. If the Obama administration has indeed adopted such a fresh new style with Syria, it does not yet seem to be reciprocated in Syrian public diplomacy." Image from

Peres, Livni Heading to the US – matzav.com: "President Shimon Peres flew out to the US in the early hours this morning for a four-day diplomatic visit. … The president's office stated that Peres would also use his visit to embark on a broad campaign of public diplomacy on behalf of Israel."

Israel's Next Ambassador to the United States - The Jager File: “Michael Oren [is] about to be appointed Israel's ambassador to the United States. … There's a sense among some in the US pro-Israel community that while Oren is a fine appointee in terms of public diplomacy and hasbara, he still needs to master the art of the 'Washington insider' - someone who can work behind the scenes to enable American decision-makers to understand what Netanyahu wants, and why.'”

Three new government ministries created - Rebecca Anna Stoi, Jerusalem Post: "The cabinet on Sunday approved the establishment of three new government ministries, and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu appointed fellow Likud MKs to lead them. The new Intelligence Ministry will be headed by Dan Meridor; the Strategic Affairs Ministry, by Moshe Ya'alon; and the Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Ministry, by Yuli Edelstein. The total price tag for the three ministries is expected to surpass NIS 100 million per year."

Japan, Iran agree to work together for reconstruction of Afghanistan - Hamid Golpira, Tehran times: "Later on Saturday, Yasuhisa Kawamura, the deputy press secretary and deputy director general for press and public relations of the Public Diplomacy Department of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, gave a press briefing to reporters in Tehran in which he described some of the details of Foreign Minister Nakasone’s official visit to Iran."

Rebuilding America’s Relationship with the Muslim World - RSA Thursday: "Former director of the Political Islam Strategic Analysis Program at the CIA, Emile Nakhleh comes to the RSA [Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce] to make the case for a renewal of American public diplomacy in the Muslim world.Nakhleh investigates recent U.S. policy toward Islamic nations and offers the new Obama administration a ten-point plan for rebuilding America's relationship with the Muslim world."

Today’s Image of Sudan and Its Long-Term legacy - Alex de Waal, Making Sense of Darfur: Comment by reader Jibreel Mohamed: "The [Sudanese] government is spending millions of dollars on public relations firms. All 100% wasted. The best propaganda is the truth which doesn’t need any spin. If this government is serious about having a better image in America it would make it easier for Americans to get visas so they can come and see for themselves. (Forget about this tit-for-tat harassment: just because the U.S. makes it almost impossible for a Sudanese who is not on official business to come to the U.S. doesn’t mean we should be doing the same.) Remember the British teachers who used to teach in our secondary schools? That was the best ever exercise in public diplomacy. They are all lifelong friends and advocates of Sudan. Bring them back!"

EU calls for Saudi, GCC investments in N-projects - Shahid Ali Khan, Saudi Gazette: “EU officials underscored the need for creating awareness among the people of both the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] and the EU of each others cultures. A public diplomacy program will also be launched to educate the people of each region about diverse cultures. Under the program a number of visits will be exchanged between leaders of both sides."

What Role for Diplomacy in Reconstruction and Stabilization? Presented by The American Academy of Diplomacy, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and the RAND Corporation – events at the Center, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars: "[Among the speakers is] Ambassador Thomas Boyatt, chair of the 'Foreign Affairs Budget of the Future: Fixing the Crisis in Diplomatic Readiness' report, will discuss budgetary needs to enable the State Department and USAID to accomplish their missions in classic diplomacy, training, public diplomacy, development diplomacy, and reconstruction and stabilization."

Fellowship awarded – NewsPress: "Kyle Ensley of Valliant, a senior at Oklahoma State University, is one of 60 students in the nation to receive a $5,000 Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship Award for 2009. …

Perrigo interns with Sen. Lieberman - Rick Miller, Olean Times Herald: "For the past three months, Maggie Perrigo has had a front seat view of politics in Washington, D.C., as a press intern for Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman. Friday was her last day as an intern and next Sunday she's scheduled to receive her master's degree with a dual major in public relations and public diplomacy from Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs."

Public Relations Society of America National Chair/CEO Available for Comment on Imus / Rutgers Situation; PRSA Response to Recent Comments by Don Imus / Perspectives on Effective Apologies Required in Crisis Situations - U.S. Asian Wire: "Rhoda Weiss, APR, Fellow PRSA – the National Chair and CEO of the Public Relations Society of America ... [i]n January 2007, she participated in the U.S. State Department’s Private Sector Summit on Public Diplomacy and was a delegate to the National Security Forum."

RELATED ITEMS

The Mellow Doctrine - Roger Cohen, New York Times: The truth is that foes of the United States have been disarmed by Barack Obama’s no-drama diplomacy. Call it the mellow doctrine. Neither idealistic nor classic realpolitik, it involves finding strength through unconventional means: acknowledgment of the limits of American power; frankness about U.S. failings; careful listening; fear reduction; adroit deployment of the wide appeal of brand Barack Hussein Obama; and jujitsu engagement.

U.S. has a 45-year history of torture: The difference between American involvement in South American atrocities in 1964 and 'enhanced interrogation' now is that some modern-day officials appear proud of themselves - A.J. Langguth, Los Angeles Times

Why the Taliban is Winning the Propaganda War - Jason Motlagh, Time: To counter the Taliban advances in the propaganda war


the Pentagon has reportedly launched a broad "psychological operations" campaign in Afghanistan and Pakistan to take down insurgent-run web sites and the jam radio stations. The Afghan government, for its part, has opened a new $1.2 million media center with international support. Staffed by a team of Western-trained spin doctors, the facility includes a high-tech media monitoring wing and an outreach department tasked with building better working relations with journalists. Image Fox News: It's been likened to Al Qaeda's "Vanity Fair," a new English-language Internet magazine called "Jihad Recollections" that focuses on the terrorist group, its founder, Usama Bin Laden, and how to commit jihad. “What started off as some angry kids in their basement has transformed over the past several years into a robust Al Qaeda propaganda outlet right here in our backyard,” says Jarret Brachman, an Al Qaeda specialist and author of the new book, “Global Jihadism.” Image from

Murphy’s Law: Penetrating Palestinian Propaganda Ploys - Strategy Page: Israeli researchers continue to pick apart Palestinian claims that the 22 Day War last January "indiscriminately killed civilians."

The 10 Worst Countries to be a Blogger‏ - Committee to Protect Journalists. Courtesy Len Baldyga