September 19

"US public diplomacy is to actual US policies and actions as Phobos is to Mars."

--Kim Andrew Elliott, "There it is! The Strategic Plan! Next to the Great Pumpkin!"; image from Republic Phobos: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

"She has actually beaten me up a bit to say we need more strategic dialogue."

--National Security Adviser James Jones, regarding Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

President Carter is Right: We Do Have a Racism Problem in America – The American Muslim:

"While the United States is gaining momentum in public diplomacy abroad and reasserting itself as a credible force for peacemaking in the Middle East, the nation must deal with the increasingly hostile and hateful rhetoric that has reared its ugly head in the ongoing health care debate." Image from

Enabling Public Diplomacy Field Officers To Do Their Job – William Rugh, American Diplomacy: “A retired Ambassador who has held a number of important positions in public diplomacy in the Middle East speaks out about what he sees as serious deficiencies in the current structure of public diplomacy in the State Department. In particular he believes that public diplomacy’s field operations are important and must be strengthened. Within the constraints of political and fiscal realities, Ambassador Rugh proposes some solutions that can be accomplished relatively easily and quickly. –Ed.”

There it is! The Strategic Plan! Next to the Great Pumpkin! - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy: Elliott comment on Morgan Roach, The Heritage Foundation, 16 September 2009: "It seems that the offices under the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs are in business and functioning.

Or does Heritage want, as is its wont, another bigger government endeavor using more tax money? Even if that were to happen, public diplomacy cannot work miracles. US public diplomacy is to actual US policies and actions as Phobos is to Mars. From the back of my napkin, here is what public diplomacy can do (and to a large extent is already doing) to reach a large number of people: 1) Shop interviews with US officials and spokespersons on popular and influential media in the target countries, especially when and where events precipitate a need for those interviews. 2) Where possible, place issue advertisements in media of the target countries, to set the record straight in the wake of misinformation or disinformation. 3) Operate a website, in as many languages as possible, where official statements about US policies can readily be accessed. America.gov could serve that function, but it presently concentrates on offering 'news,' as in public relations positive news, and only in seven languages." Image from

Holbrooke: Deal with Taliban Propaganda Head-On – RFE/RL: "U.S. Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke said at an RFE/RL event that 'the profileration of extremist propaganda by the Taliban needs to be dealt with head-on.' 'We need to go beyond traditional diplomacy,' he said.

'In the tribal areas along the border, radio is the primary means of receiving information, so I'm pleased that RFE is expanding its broadcasts into the Pashtun areas of Pakistan.' Holbrooke spoke at an RFE/RL reception in Washington, D.C.'s Newseum marking the launch of a new initiative to broadcast six daily hours of programming to Pashto speakers along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. See also (1)(2)(3). Holbrooke image from article

Renewing America’s Voices – Ideas For Reform - Walter Roberts, Barry Zorthian and Alan Heil, Public Diplomacy Council: "On October 1, the Broadcasting Board of Governors will mark the tenth anniversary of its establishment as the sole overseer of U.S. publicly funded overseas broadcasts.

We recommend a bipartisan Executive and Legislative Branch commission to review U.S. international broadcasting." [Posting lists eight “principles” for such a review]. Image from

Group Seeks Info on 'Cuban Five' Propaganda - Dan McCue, Courthouse News Service: "A group trying to free five convicted Cuban spies sued the U.S. government, seeking information they say will show that U.S. journalists were paid to prejudice their coverage of the 'Cuban Five,' inflaming the Miami citizenry and assuring the convictions. The National Committee for Free the Cuban Five charges the Broadcasting Board of Governors and its Office of Cuba Broadcasting - which operate Radio Marti and TV Marti, which broadcast to Cuba - may have violated federal law against domestic propaganda."

Radio Free Asia in the news ... and comment - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

Social Networking Media and the Revolution that Wasn’t - Jonathan Acuff, Saint Anselm College Blog - "In contrast to view presented by commentators from conservative think tanks, there is no reason to simplistically read the events of June [in Iran] as validation of the neoconservative position that all people everywhere desire American style institutions. Neoconservatives have been quick to use the protests as validation for the 'strategy' of airstrikes against Iran’s nuclear program paired with increased public diplomacy, the view offered by former President Bush’s Ambassador to the UN John Bolton in a recent Wall Street Journal editorial.

Most academics who study Iran argue that revolution is not necessarily around the corner and that airstrikes would hardly be interpreted by the mass of the Iranian people as a gesture encouraging them to resist Ahmadinejad and Khamenei. Far from it. Such a move would only feed right into the hands of the conservative clerics, who would remind the Iranian people of the U.S.’ unprovoked shooting down of an Iranian airliner in the Gulf in 1988, which resulted in the deaths of 250 Iranian civilians, or the U.S.-led coup that overthrew democratically-elected Prime Minister Mossadegh in 1953 (Operation Ajax). Airstrikes and public diplomacy have not worked particularly well in the Middle East as a whole, and there is little reason to believe that most of the people in the streets of Iran were protesting because they were inspired in any way by our example. After the intelligence fiascos and mismanagement of the Iraq War, it is frankly amazing that major U.S. newspapers are even willing to publish such ill-conceived jingoism." Image from

The Bahamas again on illicit dugs countries list - E.D. Appiah The Freeport News: "The Bahamas remains on a list of 20 countries deemed by the United States to be major producers and traffickers of illicit drugs. Jeff Dubel, public diplomacy chief with the Embassy, said yesterday that The Bahamas' presence on the list is mostly an issue of location, noting that the country continues to make the list not because of drug production, but because of its transport."

"We make an effort towards genuine partnership" “We will work on the Caribbean Security Initiative for citizens” - Rebeca Fernández, El Universal: "Exchange as all equal with other nations in the Western Hemisphere is the challenge faced by the US government as promised by President Barack Obama during a meeting of the Americas held in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Director for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs of the US Department of State John S. Dickson visited Venezuela to learn about the programs and the people responsible for public affairs offices as part of his tour including Colombia. He talked to El Universal about the initiatives on cooperation to be taken by his government together with Latin American nations in the context of a new diplomatic philosophy." Image from

Zimbabwe: international broadcasters criticized, arrested (updated) - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

"Your news is fair," said East Germans to BBC Berlin correspondent in 1989 - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

Australia’s Public Diplomacy Crisis - Nicholas J. Cull, Newswire – CPD Blog & Blogroll, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: In recent years Australia has made great strides in its public diplomacy and has demonstrated a remarkable ability to ‘punch above its weight,’ especially in the realm of international education.

As the US international student recruitment became bogged down in visa bureaucracy and post-9/11 paranoia, Australia surged ahead to take up the slack and recruited large numbers of students from Asia especially. Now this recruitment and Australia’s wider reputation are in jeopardy as a result of a series of brutal racist attacks on Indian students by youths." Image -- "Work and Travel in Australia" -- from

Azerbaijan And Armenia: Online Conflict Engulfs Nagorno-Karabakh Peace Process – Eurasianet.org: "Many nationalist activists here seem to think that Azerbaijan has gotten an upper hand in the online information war," commented Onnik Krikorian, a prominent Yerevan-based blogger and the Caucasus editor for Global Voices Online, an international network of bloggers and citizen journalists. … Emin Huseynzade, the Baku-based Caucasus project manager for Transitions Online, a media development organization and online journal, states that Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also used crowd-sourcing to respond to YouTube videos that are seen as having an anti-Azerbaijan message. … Both Huseynzade and Krikorian say that Armenian and Azerbaijani officials have largely overlooked public diplomacy opportunities available online. Among the few exceptions is DOTCOM, a US State Department-sponsored program that selects 90 students from Armenia, Azerbaijan and the United States to provide coverage of issues of mutual interest, including the Nagorno-Karabakh situation, and to distribute it through international online networks.

British High Commission Vacancies: Communications Support Officer, Kenya - Jobs: Jobs, Careers, Companies recruiting, Graduate Jobs, Hot Jobs, Bank Jobs, Oil and Gas Jobs, Experienced Jobs Name them You will find it here: "British High Commission: Communications Support Officer, Kenya[:]

There is an immediate vacancy for a Communications Support Officer grade LE III at the British High Commission. The successful candidate’s primary role will be to provide smooth administrative and research support to the Communications team, including management of resources and information services and website maintenance, to help ensure the delivery of effective communications, public diplomacy and media work for the British High Commission, including DFID and other key partners." Image from

RELATED ITEMS

The Other Pakistan - Cynthia Schneider, Newswire – CPD Blog & Blogroll, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: "In countries such as Pakistan (or Iran, for that matter), where poets have played significant roles in shaping the national narrative, arts, culture, and media regularly engage with politics. And I don't just mean Twitter.

The words of Rumi and other poets, whether in verse or set to rock music, inspire the citizens of today's Pakistan, as well as its large diaspora. Poetry and art in all its forms are simply part of the fabric of life, and often can convey ideas that might not be acceptable in political forums. The curator of the current exhibition of contemporary Pakistani art at the Asia Society, Salima Hashmi, noted, 'When political parties are silenced, there is room for poets and artists.' Whether through works of art, poetry, rock music, or soap operas on TV, arts, culture, and media provide a means and a medium to reach broad swaths of the population 'under the political radar' with ideas about society, politics, and religion." Schneider image from

U.S., Iran: So much to talk about – Editorial, latimes.com: Upcoming discussions with Iran should address its nuclear program and its awful human rights record.

Iran’s Captives – Editorial, New York Times: If Iran’s leaders are truly serious about trying to change international and American opinion, they will have to start behaving like a responsible government. One immediate step they can take is to release the five American citizens they have unjustly and cruelly imprisoned.

Shattered Confidence In Europe

- Ronald D. Asmus, Washington Post: Missile defense assumed a political significance in the region that transcended the merits of the actual program. And that is why abandoning the program has created a crisis of confidence. We must take real steps toward solving this problem by providing strategic reassurance to Central and Eastern Europe through the front door of NATO and not the back door of missile defense. Image from

Official: Russia scraps plan to deploy missiles near PolandUSA Today: Russia has scrapped a plan to deploy missiles in a region near Poland after President Obama dumped his predecessor's plan for a U.S. missile defense in Eastern Europe, a Russian deputy defense minister said Saturday.

Russia’s Reaction on Missile Plan Leaves Iran Issue Hanging - Clifford J. Levy and Peter Baker, New York Times: President Obama’s decision to cancel an antimissile defense system in Eastern Europe earned a strong welcome from Russian leaders on Friday. Now, the question is whether Russia will do more to help prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

A Team Player Who Stands Apart: Tension Between Leading or Blending In Marks Clinton's Tenure at State - Glenn Kessler, Washington Post: Some at State have questioned whether Clinton's proclivity for throwing verbal bombs has undercut her public authority. "When Condi spoke, you knew that was policy," said one senior State Department official, referring to Clinton's predecessor, Condoleezza Rice. "When this secretary speaks, you don't really know."

Ironically, the press operation at Clinton's State Department is so constrained that virtually every public statement issued by its spokesmen must be reviewed by James B. Steinberg, the deputy secretary of state. He said that is an effort to ensure the government speaks with a single, carefully vetted voice. Image from

Branding Israel - Amir Gissin, National Post: For the past two decades, more than 30 countries and hundreds of cities and regions all over the world have been engaged in a "branding" process. It is a comprehensive, holistic attempt to present an attractive image of a place, which should lead to increased tourism, foreign investment and export. No other country was ever criticized for branding itself; but in Israel's case, branding is deemed a demonic exercise of the "Israeli propaganda machine." This even though the Israeli government sponsors award-winning films with self-critical view points that often deal with the conflict that the critics claims we are trying to hide. An odd machine. Amir Gissin is consul general of Israel for Toronto.

Hollywood fights back against anti-Israeli sentiment: Ad denounces boycott demands made at Toronto International Film Festival - Tina Daunt, Los Angeles Times

The Revolution Will Be Illustrated - Steven Heller, New York Times: “The stories of some of the men and women who saw their early revolutionary struggles transformed into almost unspeakable tragedy are recorded here, alongside hundreds of examples of indelible images created by the designers, artists and photographers who shaped the iconography of the first workers’ state,” David King writes in his introduction to RED STAR OVER RUSSIA: A Visual History of the Soviet Union From the Revolution to the Death of Stalin (Abrams, $50).

And if the first 200 pages of this 350-page volume are any indication, the graphics used to promote the workers’ paradise deserve admiration. But the rest of this extraordinarily illustrated book provides witness to the corrosive effects of ham-handed propaganda, and to the role of state-sanctioned imagery in demeaning and subjugating the arts. Image from