June 19

--From: "The portrait of Vladimir Putin as a woman which got artist arrested by secret service" by Will Stewart, Daily Mail; courtesy MP

"Sometimes it really ain't about us."

--Matt Welch, writing about the US role in events in the Middle East

"We don't engage in soft power or smart power because we're humanitarian, but because of cold calculation of our national security."

--Richard Armitage, former U.S. deputy secretary of state

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

New Middle East Events Prove it: Obama Right About Most Everything - Matt Welch, Reason: "Hendrik 'Rik' Hertzberg … is back at his New Yorker 'Comment' perch declaring that every recent positive bit of news out of the Middle East just might be the result of Obama's June 4 speech in Cairo. … [Hertzberg:] ‘[M]ost analysts...agreed that Obama's speech, and the carefully constructed edifice of public diplomacy of which it was the keystone, was a factor in the outcome.’ … . [M]y eyes tend to glaze over when New York- or D.C.-based commentators write with confidence about events in the Middle East. Apparently the greater the distance, the easier it is to just ditch the whole correlation/causation stuff, throw in a couple of 'to-be-sure's, then carry on to the conclusion that the policy and/or politician you support is creating whatever positive 'effect' is currently taking place (you'll note that the headline on Hertzberg's piece is 'The Obama Effect').” Image from

H.R. 2410: A New Multilateral Diplomacy Cone? – Diplopundit: "TITLE IV—Section 402 of H.R. 2410 also provides for the promotion of FS assignments to international organizations and what looks like the possible establishment of a 6th Foreign Service cone (in addition to Political, Economic, Consular, Management, and Public Diplomacy) … . I have read the reported version of this bill more than once … . If employees feel that their careers will be negatively impacted by taking a year or two out for advanced schooling or assignments in multifunctional areas or multilateral organizations, there may not be many takers." Image from

06/17/09 - Committee on Foreign Affairs (Washington, DC) - TV Marti: An Idea Whose Time Has Come and Gone Statement of Philip Peters Vice President, Lexington Institute Before the Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight Committee on Foreign Affairs U.S. House of Representatives - Cuba - L Direct News Service - "Mr. Chairman, members of the Subcommittee: I appreciate the opportunity to join you today to discuss TV Marti

in the context of U.S. policy toward Cuba. I support public diplomacy in the large sense of that term, encompassing information and ideas that our government directs to foreign publics; scholarship and visitor programs that give foreign nationals chances to live, study, and work in America; and policies that allow free, unregulated contact between Americans and people overseas. Vigorous public diplomacy is an expression of American confidence, and it's an underrated, cost-effective foreign policy tool that boosts our influence around the world. TV Marti is a classic instrument of public diplomacy, an attempt to go beyond the radio signals of the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty, and Radio Marti, and to bring television programming to our neighbors in Cuba." Image from

VOL. V NO. 13, June 05-June 18, 2009 – The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media:

"McHale Addresses Security Issues: After two weeks in office, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Judith McHale, speaks for students from the YES program and receives mixed reviews from the blog world.
Obama Establishes New Boundaries: Many consider Obama’s speech in Cairo to be a victory in public diplomacy since Obama laid the foundation for an ongoing dialogue between the US and the Muslim world. The White House employed new media to further continue the conversation initiated by the speech.
Satellite TV Expands in the Mideast: Pan Arab free to air satellite television continues to rapidly expand in the Middle East, facilitating better information and a freer environment.
Iraqi Media Struggles with Propaganda: Despite an environment free of the restrictions imposed under the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, the media in Iraq still faces major challenges hindering freedom of expression and often bordering with propaganda.
Religious TV Spurs Tensions: As religious channels are enjoying some popularity in the Middle East, they often tend to reflect political tensions when they do not actually encourage sectarian conflicts.
Iran Bans Media Coverage: Since the elections the Iranian government has increased its efforts to curb the flow of information. The government has slowed the speed of the Internet, limited access to websites and has banned foreign media from reporting in the streets.

New Media at Work in Lebanese Elections: The 2009 Parliamentary elections in Lebanon yielded an unexpected victory for the American-backed coalition, causing analysts to give the Obama Administration credit for swaying, in part, Christian voters.
Cinema Re-opens in Saudi Arabia after Three Decades: Saudi cinema re-opened for the first time in three decades as the Saudi film, 'Menahi' screened in theaters. Although there were minor protests at the premiere by religious conservatives, many Saudis see the re-opening of the cinema as an important in the progress of Saudi society and culture.
Arab Press Skeptical of Obama’s Speech: As President Obama delivered a speech in Cairo addressing Arab populations and reiterating a new engagement with the Muslim world, the Arab press welcomes his words with a mix of skepticism and enthusiasm.
Obama’s Speech in Cairo Reflects a New Direction of US Foreign Policy: President Obama’s speech in Cairo reflects current aims of the new administration’s foreign policy in the Middle East and suggests that US policy will take a new direction."
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Twittering; or, where are the Emily Dickinsons at the State Department? - John Brown, Huffington Post: "The State Department is (at least officially) gung-ho about using Twitter to help ensure that its 'public diplomacy' (engaging, informing, and influencing key international audiences) can communicate in the 21st century. ... Foggy Bottom does need a few good Emily Dickinsons. Maybe then its twittering might work."

Re-branding America As A World Destination - Nellie Day, NuWire Investor: "While America still represents some of the world’s most loved brands, including Coke, McDonald’s and Sony, its reputation has taken quite a hit in the past 10 years or so. It has been marred not just by foreigners who have had bad experiences at America’s airports and borders, but also by Americans who travel overseas and don’t seem to appreciate another culture’s way of life. … Becoming an expert in public diplomacy and international relations may seem like daunting tasks, but Miller [Thomas Miller, vice president of Business for Diplomatic Action, a non-profit that educates the private sector on ways it can foster public diplomacy and mutual understanding among different countries through business-focused initiatives] assured that it’s much easier than it sounds. Adopting the mant[r]a of 'When in Rome' while traveling abroad can do wonders when it comes to creating a positive reputation, as can participating in a number of organizations that promote positive global relations." Image from

Both Japan, U.S. must improve their 'soft power': experts - Mariko Kato, Japan Times: "'I'm afraid that the U.S., and sometimes rightly so, is accused of confusing public diplomacy with loud speech,' Armitage [Richard Armitage, former U.S. deputy secretary of state] said, explaining that Japan has the opposite problem. 'For far too long, Japan has spoken too softly,' for example in lauding its humanitarian efforts," he said.

Tsvangirai newsletter: American propaganda gone awry: The Western (and especially American) propaganda machine is now in full swing. It is now embedded within the inclusive Government of Zimbabwe – Opinion, The Zimbawe Guardian: "The American brand of advertising, a multitrillion-dollar brand of mass consumerism, bolstered by cultural and military dominance and championed by worldwide symbols like Marlboro, McDonalds, Boeing, Coca-Cola and General Electric, is slowly hitting Zimbabwe . … At election time we saw this brand of American public diplomacy employed in Zimbabwe."

An International Economic Forum under the Hanse days- 29 in Novgorod - Russia IC: "An International Economic forum begins today in Novgorod under the Hanse days, an annual complex of the different measures, which happens for the 29th time now. More than 250 mayors of Russian and North-European cities, businessmen and diplomatic officials have come to participate. The source of information is the administration of the Novgorod region. … The ideology of the contemporary Hanse is maintaining tolerance, developing of the international co-operation through the education, tourism and public diplomacy."

Vladivostok is the First Sister Town of Wonsan, North Korea - Vostok-Media:

“'Vladivostok and DPRK has been in friendly relationships for many years' – said Alexander Zubovitsky [Vladivostok mayor deputy], and these relationships are strengthened by public diplomacy – exchange of cultural delegations, organization of joint concert programmes as well as internships of lecturers and students of universities." Image from

Commission out of Azerbaijani and Armenian intelligentsia offered to form - Trend News Agency: "The Union of Azerbaijani Intelligentsia considers it possible to create a joint commission out of Azerbaijani and Armenian intelligentsia or the Union of Elders for implementation of public diplomacy in the solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh problem."

Filmmaker Jennifer Taylor: “There are so many things that surprised me” – altmuslim comment: "Filmmaker Jennifer Taylor gives some insight into the people at the heart of her documentary film 'New Muslim Cool', talks about avoiding the typical traps found when telling stories about Muslims, and explains how labels become meaningless for a community that increasingly blurs the lines between ethnicities, beliefs, and cultures. ... [Taylor]: 'It's a film about a guy who goes into the prisons and he teaches Islam. Of course, that's what people think. Even though he's Salafi, he's trying to bring a totally different message of mercy. I think on many levels, the film will work for more multifaith engagement and public diplomacy outside the United States, or maybe some of these cultural exchanges. I also think it can have even a more specific change agent role in the lives of some young people who really are looking for positive role models. But who are [also] cool.'” Image from

Hilary Scott creates the stuff an imaginary museum curator would collect - Wicked Local Somerville: “'Beyond Belief: The Curious Collection of Professor Rufus Excalibur Bell …' [is] a new exhibition opening Saturday, June 20 . … Although Bell is an imaginary character, the dragons, gargoyles and myriad of fantastic creatures he’s 'discovered' come alive through the talents of Somerville artist Hilary Scott. … An academic by training, he [Scott] taught international relations for Tufts University. He has a doctorate in international law and is the recipient of several postgraduate fellowships in public diplomacy and security studies."

RELATED ITEMS

Iran Leader's Top Aide Warns U.S. on Meddling
- Thomas Erdbrink, Washington Post

A Different Iranian Revolution – Shane M, New York Times: There is strong evidence that Iranians across the board want a better relationship with the United States. But if Mr. Moussavi were to become president and carry out his campaign promise of seeking improved relations with America, we would probably see a good 30 percent of the Iranian population protesting that he is “selling out” to the enemy. Image from

Fragile at the Core – David Brooks, New York Times: There is no formula for undermining a decrepit regime. And there are no circumstances in which the United States has been able to peacefully play a leading role in another nation’s revolution. But there are many tools this nation has used to support indigenous democrats: independent media, technical advice, economic and cultural sanctions, presidential visits for key dissidents, the unapologetic embrace of democratic values, the unapologetic condemnation of the regime’s barbarities.

'No Comment' Is Not an Option - Paul Wolfowitz, Washington Post: Like the rest of the world, President Obama must have been surprised by the magnitude of the protests in Iran.

Iranians are protesting not just election fraud but also the growing abuses of the Iranian people by a dictatorial regime. Now is not the time for the president to dig in to a neutral posture. It is time to change course. Image from

Hope and Change -- but Not for Iran - Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post: And where is our president? Afraid of "meddling." Afraid to take sides between the head-breaking, women-shackling exporters of terror -- and the people in the street yearning to breathe free. This from a president who fancies himself the restorer of America's moral standing in the world.

Whose Side Are We On? You Have to Ask? With Twitter's help, the youth of Iran take on the ayatollahs – Peggy Nooman, Wall Street Journal: Iranians on the street made sure they got their Twitter reports and videos here. They trust us to spread the word through our technology. A lot of the signs they held were in English. They trust us to be for change and to advance their cause, and they're right to trust us.

This Is for Real - David Ignatius, Washington Post: President Obama was right to speak carefully about the events in Iran during the first week of protest. But it's time for him to express his solidarity with the Iranians who are so bravely taking to the streets each day. He can do that without seeming to meddle if he chooses his words wisely. Image from

U.S. Pursues a New Way To Rebuild in Afghanistan - Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Washington Post: Members of Obama’s national security team have concluded that the country requires not just more money and personnel for reconstruction but also a fundamental overhaul of the U.S. approach to development. They want to implement broad-based initiatives aimed at improving the lives of as many Afghans as possible, shifting away from an approach employed during the Bush presidency that focused on generating discrete "success stories" and creating long-term economic sustainability through free-market reform.

In Afghanistan, halting civilian deaths in strikes is a tough mission: The U.S. has made the goal a top priority. But the nature of the war calls for split-second life-or-death decisions, almost guaranteeing more accidental casualties - David Zucchino, Los Angeles Times: Air Force commanders and pilots say they have not been given new procedures as a result of the renewed focus on civilian deaths. But they have received a clear message that finding ways to reduce such mistakes is paramount, particularly because the Taliban uses such incidents for propaganda purposes.

The language that absolves Israel: A special political vocabulary prevents us from being able to recognize what's going on in the Middle East - Saree Makdisi, Los Angeles Times: A special vocabulary has been developed for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the United States. It filters and structures the way in which developing stories are misread here, making it difficult for readers to fully grasp the nature of those stories -- and maybe even for journalists to think critically about what they write. The ultimate effect of this special vocabulary is to make it possible for Americans to accept and even endorse in Israel what they would reject out of hand in any other country. Image from

Militants, 'hacktivists' exploit Web, eye recruits - Lolita C. Baldor, AP: Terrorist groups that have long used the Internet to spread propaganda are increasingly tapping the Web to teach Islamic extremists how to be hackers, recruit techies for cyberwarfare and raise money through online fraud, U.S. officials say.

On A Potential War With And Propaganda About Iran - Vahab, Countercurrents.org: Many people, other than whatever they gained through deliberate propaganda, don't know much about Iranians.

American Propaganda, Terrorism, and Jihad - Savo Heleta, gather.com: The New York Times published a front-page story on May 21 claiming that 1 in 7 prisoners released from Guantanamo had returned to waging "jihad." Quoting an unreleased Pentagon report, the NY Times wrote that many of the former Guantanamo detainees had "returned to terrorism or militant activity" as soon as they were released. What exactly do the Pentagon and the New York Times mean by the "return to terrorism and militant activity"?

Russian Cinema: Propaganda or Just Good Business? - Dmitri Travin, ISN: Today's propaganda teaches audiences that Russia is surrounded on all sides by perfidious enemies.

In recent years we have been told that these enemies are Poland, Estonia, Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, the UK, and, of course, the USA. The American style is very common in Russia today. Our spin doctors even create political anti-Americanism using American political experience. For example, a typical rally in support of Putin and his policies has nothing at all in common with gloomy Soviet rallies, which no one went to unless they had to. Political events today are organized as entertainment to attract young people. Image: Movie Photos: Taras Bulba

AMERICANA

Florida town orders employees to wear underwear and cover wounds – Boing Boing: City workers in Brooksville, Florida have been handed a new set of workplace rules. Now, they must wear underwear, use deodorant, and cover their open wounds. There's your new tourism slogan: "Come to Brooksville: We've Covered Our Wounds!" Fighting for the great American tradition of going commando at work was the city mayor, Joe Bernardini, who was the only member of the council to vote against underwear. He expressed concern over how the new code could be enforced, while also getting a headstart on being charged with harassment: "They said you had to wear undergarments," the mayor was quoted as saying, "but who's going to be the judge of that? Sometimes when it comes to certain people going bra-less, it's obvious. ... But who's staring to see if that person doesn't have underwear on?" Brooksville Image from: http://www.bikersdestination.com/