November 5

"[T]he vast majority of Public Diplomacy takes place at the Post level."

--Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith McHale, noting that US PD is essentially carried out overseas; McHale image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

10 Questions on Combatting Violent Extremism - Marc Lynch, Foreign Policy: "Obama's initial approach has been outstanding, reframing America's relationship with the Muslim world around a broader lens than terrorism. His personal public diplomacy has achieved its initial goal: a fresh start, a new conceptual frame, and a serious engagement based on 'mutual respect and mutual interests.' His approach resolutely undermines al-Qaeda's efforts to impose a binary 'West vs Islam' clash of civilizations narrative, and very effectively disaggregates the problem and marginalizes al-Qaeda. He also has taken seriously the political grievances which make the al-Qaeda narrative attractive to average Arabs and Muslims who don't share its radical ideology-- pledging withdrawal from Iraq, promising to close Guantanamo, engaging on the Israeli-Palestinian front. ... But there's less good news as well. ... And Obama's window is closing. Arab audiences see Guantanamo still open (including in an endlessly repeating al-Jazeera promo), US troops escalating in Afghanistan, Gaza still blockaded, and no settlement freeze or peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. They have seen little follow-up on the ground on the Cairo address (regardless of what's been cooking secretly in Washington).

A narrative is clearly hardening that Obama has not delivered on his promises, and that he hasn't really changed American policies despite his personal appeal. ... Everyone these days wants to see development agencies, domestic agencies, intelligence, public diplomacy, the State Department, the military and everyone else all integrated into a coherent whole of government approach to problems. But who defines the mission?" Lynch image from

US Eases Pressure on Israel, Leans On Palestinians: I Think They Received the Message,’ Says ADL’s Foxman Nathan Guttman - Forward: "Relations between Washington and Jerusalem are warming, as months-long tensions over West Bank settlements and other issues have gradually eased. ... Amid calls in both countries for Obama to reach out to the Israeli public, the administration is also ratcheting up its public diplomacy efforts. On October 21 Obama sent a video greeting to a conference organized in Jerusalem by Israeli President Shimon Peres, and later that month he recorded another video message that is scheduled to be shown during the annual ceremony commemorating the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin on November 7. In the Israeli press, Obama’s outstretched hand and the administration’s willingness to compromise on a settlement freeze were viewed as a sign of Netanyahu’s ability to stand up to the world’s most popular leader."

The Role of Humanitarians in Government: Perspectives on Advocacy and Impact Advocacy and Impact - Eric P. Schwartz Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration Brookings Institute Washington, DC November 4, 2009 - U.S. Department of State: "[H]umanitarians

in government must raise the profile of our work – among our colleagues in government, within the Congress, and among civil society and the public at large. Public awareness of our issues is a critical pre-requisite to political support for international humanitarian objectives. We must engage in more vigorous public affairs and public diplomacy, information-sharing with Congress and the NGO community, and travel to regions of the world where key humanitarian issues are implicated." Image from

The Art of Diplomacy Without Words – Scotty Greenwood, American Diplomacy: "In addition to the official efforts of the State Department, private initiative has done much to bolster uneven federal budgets and garner public attention to the important role that culture plays in diplomacy.

In fact, due to the tremendous creativity of a few generous visionaries, a unique public-private partnership emerged which both amplifies America’s great creativity and furthers our government’s official diplomatic endeavors. That public private partnership is known as the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies (FAPE)." Image from article: Sol LeWitt (American, 1928-2007) Wall Drawing #1256: Five Pointed StarsFirst installation: American Embassy Berlin, Germany February 2008 Acrylic Paint.

The decision - Spencer Ackerman, The National: "After Obama’s inauguration, the staff of CNAS [Center for a New American Security] appeared to move en masse into the new administration: founders Kurt Campbell and Michele Flournoy became, respectively, assistant secretary of state for East Asia and undersecretary of defence for policy. A bevy of CNAS analysts work at State and Defense, to the point that at the think-tank’s annual conference in June, the State Department’s undersecretary for public diplomacy, Judith McHale, joked that she hoped CNAS would teach her the secret handshake."

Media University for professionals soon: Secretary - Associated Press of Pakistan: "Ministry of Information and Broadcasting would soon set up a Media University to provide required training to mediapersons enabling them to meet the challenges of modern time.

'The Ministry would set up a Media University where special courses would be offered for media representatives,' said Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Mansoor Suhail on Wednesday. ... He said the Ministry is gearing up to play a front-line role in Pakistan’s public diplomacy at home and broad.' Using strategic vision and innovative practices, we need to play a critical role in promoting understanding between government and the people through creative massaging on national interest, progressive attitudes, hope and courage,' the Secretary added." Image from

MPOB Asked To Counter Oil Palm Advert Ban - Bernama: "The Foreign Ministry will ask the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) to counter the recent ban on sustainable palm oil advertising by a United Kingdom (UK)advertising watchdog for alleged misleading claims, its deputy minister Senator A. Kohilan Pillay said on Thursday. ... 'Such bans in the UK are very common and I am very confident that our MPOB can handle this matter amicably and professionally to solve the problem,' he told reporters after launching the ministry's Outreach, Information and Public Diplomacy Programme here."

Events: Culture's Purpose and the Work of Cultural Diplomacy - Matt Armstrong, Mountainrunner.us: "5 November 2009, from noon to 4p at the SIS Lounge at American University is 'Culture's Purpose and the Work of Cultural Diplomacy.'"

SPN 2009 Conference: Final Day - Publiusforum.com: "The Wednesday session began with a breakfast address by James K. Glassman the former Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, U.S. Dept. of State during the George W. Bush administration.

He spoke on Internet freedom (as opposed to net neutrality) and expressed his hope that a thousand Internet flowers would bloom without onerous regulation squelching it all. (I’ll add some photos later once I return home. All the camera stuff is packed up for the trip home at his time). Mr. Glassman is about to begin his new role as the executive director of the forthcoming George W. Bush Institute to be housed in Dallas, Texas at the soon to be built G.W. Bush library." Glassman image from

RELATED ITEMS

Awaiting the Nobel man:

A visit could remove mounting obstacles to peace - Danny Danon, Washington Times: “I appeal to the president to revisit this land and see just how much has changed in the past 12 months. Mr. Obama had recently agreed to attend a major American Jewish gathering in Washington, but this cannot and must not be a substitute to speaking to the people of Israel directly in Jerusalem.’ Danny Danon is deputy speaker of Israel's parliament and chairman of the World Likud. Image from

The Mideast impasse: Is the Obama administration focused on the right 'opportunity' with Israelis and Palestinians? – Editorial, Washington Post: The Obama administration's working assumption has been that energetic diplomacy by the United States could induce both sides to move quickly toward peace. In fact, progress in the Middle East has always begun with initiatives by Israelis or Arabs themselves. At the moment, the most promising idea comes from Mr. Abbas's prime minister, Salam Fayyad, who has vowed to build the institutions of a Palestinian state within the next two years, with or without peace talks. Negotiations between the current Israeli and Palestinian leaders could provide indirect support for that initiative, even if there is little progress. But the administration would do well to refocus its efforts on supporting Mr. Fayyad.