November 4

"We will teach them to elect good men."

--Statement reportedly made by President Woodrow Wilson, looking censoriously at some nations to America's south; image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Whaddaya Mean Obama Hasn't Done Anything?- John H. Richardson, Esquire: "In June, Obama reset the tone of our relations with the entire Arab world with a single speech — an accomplishment that the Bush administration failed to achieve despite a series of desperate PR moves (anyone remember Charlotte Beers?) and a 'public diplomacy' budget of $1 billion a year." See also.

A Year of Living Dangerously: Expectations Undermining Public Diplomacy – Helle Dale, The Heritage Foundation: "As for public diplomacy, which had been one of the problem areas of the Bush administration, Mr. Obama and his chosen Secretary of State Hillary Clinton emphasized a new era of communication with audiences world wide. Through the use of the new media, Internet and cell phone technology, the incoming Obama administration’s message was pushed aggressively to young audiences.

Marketing the personal appeal of the president – particularly to audiences in the Muslim world and in Africa – promised to be a major focus. It soon became clear, however, that being popular, even winning t[h]e Nobel Peace Prize and displaying an apologetic attitude about the United States is far from enough to conduct effective foreign policy. In fact, setting the bar of expectations so high has created a problem in itself. ... As far as institutional initiatives on public diplomacy that could facilitate the transmission of the U.S. governments message to foreign publics – as well as foreign leaders – the Obama administration is still working on them through the recently begun Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review. Even the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the body that overseas Voice of America and the other U.S. international broadcasting services, is in a holding pattern with the terms of all nine board members expired and none yet nominated by the White House to fill the posts. The inaction is typical in many ways of the Obama administration’s failure to engage the world substantively – despite all the president’s appealing imagery, symbols and oratory." Image from

The Death of Public Diplomacy is Greatly Exaggerated – Nancy Snow, Layalina Productions: "It's been a year since Barack Obama was elected to office. His rhetoric has helped reshape America's image in the world from being perceived as a unilateral, arrogant power to being seen as a humble nation that listens to and partners with others to achieve shared objectives. All of this is a plus for Americans traveling abroad, overseas visitors to the United States, and those of us who work in higher education where public diplomacy has taken off as a new-and-improved interdisciplinary field. So where's the downside? The downside is an overreliance on the 'Public Diplomat-in-Chief' in the White House. Public diplomacy is best practiced as a symphony, not a one-man band. National reputation does not reside in one person, much less in one electoral outcome. It is deeply buried in the perceptions of countless people around the world, often rooted in their own national cultures, and can be rebuilt slowly and painstakingly only by altering the root causes of a country's good or bad name."

Obama administration adopts Lugar science envoy program - Kokomo Perspective: "In her speech today at the 'Forum of the Future' in Marrakesh, Morocco, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the creation of a U.S. Science Envoy Program which will send three of America's most prominent scientists to travel the world to engage their counterparts, deepen and develop partnerships in all areas of science and technology and to 'foster scientific and technical collaboration.' U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar first proposed the creation of a Science Envoy program in April of this year. His legislation (S.838) was unanimously passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In introducing the bill, Lugar noted that the U.S. has produced more Nobel Laureates in the sciences than any other country. Additionally, he noted that international polling data consistently demonstrates that the U.S. lead in technology advancement and scientific thought garners high praise from nations throughout the world, even in countries not supportive of U.S. foreign policy. 'I am pleased that the Administration agrees with me that scientific cooperation is a vital component of our nation's public diplomacy.

The three Envoys announced today are all recognized experts in their fields and will send a clear message that the United States is committed to deepening our engagement with other nations. The freedom of thought and expression necessary for serious research is a hallmark of our nation's democracy and economic prosperity. I look forward to hearing from the Envoys upon completion of their travel and look forward to more Envoys that will be announced in the coming months,'" Lugar said. Lugar image from

Where was the charm? – Dawn: "[C]onsider Clinton’s own abilities for public diplomacy. Unbeknownst to them, Pakistani audiences may now have witnessed firsthand why Candidate Clinton failed to win the presidential nomination. ... As Pakistanis have now witnessed, town hall after town hall saw Hillary Clinton unable to make the kind of connection based on warmth and humanity that wins over people."

Clinton clarifies statement on jewish settlements - Jackie Northam, 89.3 KPCC - "Clinton's handlers were firm that she had not made a mistake in Jerusalem by omitting the Obama administration's stand on settlements. They said her need to clarify her remarks was simply public diplomacy."

Reading Ramadan in Istanbul- John Feffer, Foreign Policy In Focus: "The Obama administration's reappointment in June of Farrah Pandith as special representative to the Muslim world does not bode well for relations with Iran or other Muslim countries. 'Pandith's work on the 'War of Ideas'

under the Bush administration seems to clash with the Obama administration's vision of conducting public diplomacy and cultural engagement,' writes FPIF contributor Anne Hagood in Engaging with the Muslim World Will Require More Than a Special Representative. 'The very term 'War of Ideas' has now become an anathema to this current administration. Could her appointment reflect internal disagreements at State Department between pro-Obama and pro-Clinton factions? Or could this also be a further example that the United States fails to understand the very population its foreign policy is targeting, a problem that has plagued the previous administration?'" Image from

Cuban-Americans' Change of View Means U.S. Travel Ban Could End: Joe Raedle, Time: "Whenever Congress has tried in the past to strike down the Cuba travel ban — even when a majority of Americans said they wanted to get rid of it — the biggest obstacle has always been the staunch resistance of politically potent Cuban-American voters.

But the newest bill, the freedom to travel to Cuba act, introduced this year in both the House and Senate, suddenly has Cuban-American backing — and as a result a decidedly better chance of passing. In a recent statement, Indiana Senator Richard Lugar, a Republican and co-sponsor, called this 'a very good time for public diplomacy with Cuba.'" Image from

Ex-MNA says US re-contacted him for Afghan Taliban dialogue – Daily Times, Pakistan: "The US has once again approached a former parliamentarian, known for his contacts with the Taliban, to initiate dialogue with Afghan Taliban. Talking to Daily Times at the Peshawar High Court, former MNA and World Prisoners Relief Commission of Pakistan Chairman Javed Ibrahim Paracha, said senior officials of the US embassy telephoned him on Monday seeking his assistance for initiating talks with Afghan Taliban commanders. Earlier on November 17, 2005, Javed said then US under-secretary for public diplomacy and public affairs, and US military officials in Islamabad, met him because of his contacts with the Taliban in Afghanistan. 'US officials had offered me $500,000 in that meeting for mediating. I refused that offer and had asked US officials to first take permission from the government and corps commanders,'” he said.

Debate Still Rages Over Who Won the Cold War, Mark Snowiss, Voice of America:

Helle Dale, a foreign affairs specialist at the conservative Heritage Foundation: "The critical importance of American leadership … happened through military deterrence of the Soviet Union … and it also happened through the power of international broadcasting and public diplomacy from the United States that carried on the ideological fight behind the Iron Curtain." Image from

New RFE/RL service to South Ossetia and Abkhazia begins, with target hinting of "technical means to hinder" - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

Kaust And Social Networking: The New Face Of Saudi Arabia- Abeer Al-Najjar, Newswire – CPD Blog & Blogroll, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: "I believe that regional governments from now on will have to take a pro-active approach in conducting their public diplomacy campaigns and efforts. Learning from the business world, they have to be PREPARED before crises happen and have their plans in place. One good example of indirect and productive public diplomacy efforts in this region is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) prestigious project, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).

KAUST is meant to be a leading research university and has been received very well in the foreign media, bringing very good publicity to the country in the international press. ... The campaign in support of KAUST is very active online too, as many of the students have created their own pages and groups. The university itself has clearly incorporated a social media policy; if you visit the university’s multimedia homepage, it will take you to its pages on Flickr, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, in addition to embedded mini-videos of several university professors and employees praising the University." Image from

Prospects Shine for Corporate Diplomacy at the Second Annual Arabia CSR Awards - Nick Lombardo, Fused Frame: "Last week, the second annual Arabia CSR Awards ceremony took place in Dubai. The Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) recognized leaders of corporate social responsibility from North Africa and the Middle East. The three top winners of the large, medium, and small categories were, respectively, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Abraaj Capital, and Global Village. The event was a celebration of Arab leadership in the forging of best corporate practices not only in the region, but also the world as a form of corporate public diplomacy."

Meeting Mr. Panarin – John Brown, Notes & Essays:

"This evening (November 3), at the invitation of the Russian Cultural Center in Washington, I took part in a panel discussion with Dr. Igor Panarin, former KGB analyst and currently professor at the Moscow State Diplomacy Academy under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Note: In February 2005, Panarin proposed the 'creation of a State Commission for Public Diplomacy of Russia (later renamed to a Council for Public Diplomacy).' The topic of Panarin's discussion at the Center -- billed as a Lecture-Debate -- was ['] his unique perspective on the future of the United States. Will the world crisis lead to disintegration of the U.S.? What will be the aftermath of the current financial depression for the world's leading economies?[']" Panarin image from

Prejudice and Pride in Poland - Karl Naylor, Eastern Europe Watch: "Both Poland and Israel are regional powers and frontline states acting to expand US geopolitical influence in Central Asia and the Middle East, especially with regards Russia and Iran which is precisely what the missile shield was about. The Great Game for oil and gas requires a public diplomacy that can make sense of the aggressive expansionism, building the necessary military-financial ties with the USA and preparing for the coming epoch of resource wars which will be a feature of the 21st Century."

Death on the Tisza - Douglas Muir, A Fistful of Euros: "Serbia is continuing with its policy of claiming Kosovo’s territory while trying to pretend that the two million Albanians who live there don’t exist. Serbia’s formal position is that the Kosovar Albanians are Serbian citizens.

But when fifteen 'Serbian citizens' drowned trying to cross a river from Serbia to Hungary, the official response has been… complete and total silence. Had the dead been ethnic Serbs from Kosovo, then Serbia would have been the one declaring a day of national mourning, and elected officials would have been standing in line to speak at the funerals. Official Kosovo… well, no mourning. But I suspect they would at least have made a public declaration of sympathy. That’s not because Kosovar Albanians are nicer or more empathetic than Serbs, but because they’ve consistently been a bit more adroit and thoughtful in their public diplomacy." Image from

’tis not cricket - Pragmatic Euphony: "The refusal of the defence services team to play a cricket match in Srinagar has very little to do with cricket. It is about the politics associated with it and the message it conveys. ... When the defence services themselves are unwilling to play a match in Srinagar, the Indian government’s continued insistence on a peaceful Kashmir has little credibility left in the international fora. ... [T]his cultivated avoidance of acknowledging and promoting the return of normalcy to the state by the army brass lends credence to the charge that the army has developed vested institutional interests in maintaining the status quo in the state. Finally, the damage control exercise by the army is an outstanding example in how not to conduct public diplomacy."

Foreign Diplomatic Relationship with Fiji Hits Bottom of the Barrel: "Fiji's Self Elected Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama Botches Again!!" -Luvei Viti, Children of Fiji: "Fiji people really need to take an intensive close look at the damage this regime is doing to Fiji's relations with Foreign Nations more so now with the most recent announcement. Frank Bainimarama, coup leader, now self elected Prime Minister of Fiji,

has again expressed pointedly negative views about the two big Pacific neighboring Nations, New Zealand & Australia. ... Fiji weakening its Government to Government Diplomacy? As noted by a US expert [PHK] in Whirledview, 'Government-to-government diplomacy is an ancient and essential function, but public diplomacy is a newer tool that only governments with good things to share and relatively little to hide can use effectively. As the diplomatic tool par excellence of democracy, public diplomacy operates by precept and example.' ... Indeed, one can only deduce for themselves the outcome of Frank Bainimarama's most recent outburst on its bigger neighboring Nations, New Zealand & Australia." Fiji image from

Denmark Honored as the Second Most Peaceful Nation in the World- ISRIA: "Ambassador Mr. Friis Arne Petersen and Danish Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy Mr. Klavs A. Holm attended a gala in Washington, DC on Sunday night where Denmark was honored as the second most peaceful nation in the world."

140conf London - Sporkings: "140conf is fast approaching. In less than two weeks time, London’s o2 Indigo will be hosting the biggest Twitter get-together in the UK. The original scope of #140conf was to explore “the effects of twitter on: Celebrity, 'The Media', Advertising and (maybe) Politics.” Over time the scope expanded to look at the effects of twitter on topics ranging from public safety to public diplomacy."

Conversations in Public Diplomacy: Virginia Haufler – Arts and Events Calendar, University of Southern California: "The USC Center on Public Diplomacy welcomes professor Virginia Haufler for a roundtable discussion.

Haufler will lead a discussion of the public diplomacy involved in governing corporations in zones of conflict, based on her chapter 'Governing Corporations in Zones of Conflict: Issues, Actors, and Institutions' in the forthcoming book Who Governs the Globe?" Haufler image from article

Diplomatic training, research and analysis conference – South African Government Information: "The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) will host a diplomatic training, research and analysis conference from 5 to 6 November 2009. The theme for 2009 is closing the gap between domestic and foreign policies. This conference will present an opportunity to exchange ideas on and address emerging issues and scenarios around South Africa’s Domestic and Foreign policy. ... Thursday, 5 November 2009 ... 16h30 to 18h00: Public diplomacy and consular Facilitator: Dr Eddie Maloka, Special Advisor of the Minister * Mr Dayanand Naidoo (DIRCO) – Consular Diplomacy: challenges and opportunities for the foreign ministry* Dr Moses Montesh (UNISA) - The policing of football hooligans * Mr Virimai Mugobo (Cape Peninsula) - Public diplomacy in the global age* Mr Gampi Matheba (University of Limpopo) - How to domesticise foreign policy and improve relationships between state and non-state actors* Mr Siphamandla Zondi (IGD) – Public diplomacy and the future of South Africa’s international relations Discussion."

RELATED ITEMS

Stumbling and tumbling - Monica Crowley, Washington Times: Goodbye Bushian "cowboy diplomacy," hello Obamaesque cerebral "engagement." Coupled with his "I'm not Bush" charm offensive, Mr. Obama sold "engagement" as a surefire winner. Ten months into Obama’s presidency, what has all of this "engagement" achieved? Not only has it not produced improved relations with our adversaries, but it has also actually made them worse.

Unicorns in Kabul: Karzai is making 'dithering' look like wisdom – George Will, Washington Post: Already the annual cost of America's errand in Afghanistan is larger than that country's GDP. U.S. success depends on Afghans perceiving the central government as legitimate, which they will not do for at least five more years. Below image from



The Karzai calculus: Reform may be a matter of survival- David Ignatius, Washington Post: The best message for Karzai is the truth: Unless he improves governance, the massive American effort won't last more than another year.

How Iran Skirts Sanctions: Could a U.N. agency be helping Tehran to launder money? - Avi Jorisch, Wall Street Journal: With a financial mechanism reminiscent of the Oil For Food scam, it seems Iran is using a United Nations office headquartered in Tehran to skirt U.S. sanctions. Once again, a rogue regime appears to be abusing a U.N. body in obtaining access to hard currency.

Mao-velous Chinese propaganda art at Bloomsbury’s London, Nov. 5 - Auction Central News: On Nov. 5, 2009 Bloomsbury Auctions in London will stage its first-ever sale devoted entirely to artifacts from 'New China' and the Chinese Cultural Revolution (1950-1976). The Chinese Cultural Revolution (from 1966) saw the image of Chairman Mao used as a national rallying point, synonymous with cultural change and the purging of all bourgeois elements.

Propaganda was taken over by Jiang Qing, Mao’s wife who controlled all the arts and demanded standardized performance and imagery – art had to adhere to Mao’s political line, not the personal creative vision of the artist. Image from articole: Circa-1940 portrait of Mao Zedong, colored woodblock print by Qun Li, 19.5 inches by 13 inches, estimate $6,500-$9,800. Image courtesy LiveAuctioneers.com and Bloomsbury Auctions.