December 6

“The basic business of a search engine is to copy everything.”

--Columbia University law professor Tim Wu; image from

EVENT – Kennan Institute

Russia on the Pacific: The Rising Role of the Russian Far East Among Pacific Rim Nations December 14 2009, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Rock Brynner, Adjunct Professor, Marist College, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

"In the Twenty-First Century, all that is more true than ever, as the [Russian] Federation invests heavily in connecting the Russian Far East even more firmly with Asian and other Pacific Rim countries through trade, cultural exchange, and most of all, with its hosting of the Asian-Pacific Economic Conference, to be held in Vladivostok in 2012, for which $5 billion has been allocated by Moscow." Image: Yul and Rock Brynner, father and son

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

White House aims to rekindle relations with 'anchor state' - Emile Hokayem, National: "In unusually blunt comments in Newsweek, the US assistant secretary of state for European affairs, Philip Gordon, admitted that there are 'more points of disagreement than of agreement' between the two countries [U.S. and Turkey]. This largely derives from a profound lack of trust dating from 2003, when the Bush administration decided to invade Iraq. Relations between the two countries tanked over Turkish concerns that US adventurism would embolden Kurdish separatism and dissolve Iraq’s territorial integrity, stirring powerful anti-American sentiments. Mr Obama has tried to overcome that legacy, multiplying gestures of goodwill toward Ankara, experts say. He delivered a well-received speech to the Turkish Parliament in April as part of his outreach to the Muslim world and regularly praises Turkish democracy for its achievements. He also upholds the Turkish model as a way to harmonise political Islam and modernity. This public diplomacy, however, has not succeeded in taming anti-US feelings, Steve Cook of the Council on Foreign Relations said."
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Banning Minarets - Banning “flags” of identity in Switzerland - Ghassan Michel Rubeiz, Global Arab Network: "The West works hard to secure military presence in the Middle East and elsewhere on Muslim territories.

Western governments search with diligence for new ways to win the hearts and minds of Muslims in Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The West invests heavily in public diplomacy to create a culture of exchange and understanding with Arabs and Muslims. Banning minarets in the heart of Europe undermines the strategic Western interests in the Muslim world." Image from article

Pakistani officials meet with VOA delegation - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy: "The meeting may have had to do with the relays of VOA broadcasts by PBC transmitters."

Helle Dale wants public diplomacy to Afghanistan to be more "uniform" - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy: "The Pentagon still has plenty of psyop and information operations in Afghanistan. The challenge is to coordinate Defense and State communications efforts. It would seem the former would want to concentrate on their areas of operations, while the latter would address the Afghanistan population as a whole.

State would 'take the lead,' as we are frequently reminded by Pentagon officials." Image from

What? - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy: "'The Voice of America (VOA), the propaganda arm of the State Department with round-the-clock illegal broadcasts into Iran, is designed to whip up a frenzy and topple the government. ... Senator Jesse Helms had the foresight to object to the violation of the Smith-Mundt Act when in 1994 the USIA launched its Internet service. The internet service allowed for text and audio feed of VOA. The USIA moved its services from a domestic to a foreign server. However, today, VOA continues to film domestic audiences on the White House lawn - presumably, to no one's objections, including the President's. I am at a loss how Iranians here can be active participants in your propaganda aimed at undermining the regime. Furthermore, how is possible and construed legal for such demonstrations, interviews to be put on youtube and placed online? Perhaps you believe the illegal activities of VOA on the White House lawn would be construed as 'engagement' given that the loud crowd was addressing those Iranians who could afford satellites.' Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich (has a Master's in Public Diplomacy from USC Annenberg for Communications [sic] and USC School of International Relations), Countercurrents.org, 3 December 2009. At USC, they must have taught her about Smith-Mundt, and that knowledge seems to have run amok."

In Africa, has reliance on BBC and VOA changed "dramatically"? - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy:

"In Africa, reliance on international broadcasts is less than in previous decades, but, given the several African countries that still do not enjoy free and diverse media (see, for example, Zimbabwe, below), the reduction in such reliance is not so dramatic." Image from

USIA revival meeting? - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy: "Reviving USIA, or a USIA equivalent, won't win the proverbial hearts and minds. It will create a new, large senior level bureaucracy, which will win the hearts and minds of those who think they can wangle the resulting plum jobs."

Nato hails UAE role in Afghanistan - GulfNews: "Nato officials praised the UAE's humanitarian role in Afghanistan in the field of rebuilding, relief and peacekeeping operations. Jean-François Bureau, assistant secretary general for Public Diplomacy,

said Nato highly appreciates the UAE's role in Afghanistan which he described as a very important and effective role in extending humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people." Bureau image from

Tales from a last class- Paul Rockower, Levantine: "Sadly, I had my last class at USC. I still have one more course in the form of a directed research project on de facto diplomacy- public diplomacy of unrecognized states. But in terms of classes, lamentably I am done. The last one was a fitting conclusion, ending with the stellar Theories of Diplomacy class with Prof. Wiseman."

Russian musical kicks off film fest - Mike Dunham, Anchorage Daily News: "The Anchorage International Film Festival bills itself as 'North America's northernmost independent film festival.' But the movie kicking off this year's incarnation is the product of a studio effort with big bucks behind it. Those aren't Hollywood dollars, however -- they're rubles. 'Hipsters,'

which will be screened as part of the gala opening celebration tonight at Bear Tooth Theatrepub, is a glitzy, energetic, big-cast be-bop musical performed in Russian. The film chronicles, in an almost comic-book format, the 1950s conflict between Russian government authorities bent on keeping all things Soviet, 'normal' Russians primarily interested in surviving for one more day, and teens craving American pop culture -- 'stilyagi' or 'hipsters.' ... Hipsters furtively seek out Voice of America on their radios and copy American records onto X-ray gels known as 'bones.'" Via; "Hipsters" image from

CULTURAL DIPLOMACY

Friendlier Obama tune on Cuba brings musical detente - Esteban Israel, Anthony Boadle, Washington Post: "Cuban musicians are returning to perform in the United States after a long freeze on such visits, seizing the opportunity of friendlier overtures toward Havana from U.S. President Barack Obama. Well-known Cuban musicians are being granted visas to perform at U.S. venues in a sign that Obama's administration is quietly promoting cultural contacts as part of a strategy of warmer 'people to people' ties with the Communist-run island. The more relaxed atmosphere between the Cold War era enemies is perhaps most evident in the arts, which in the past has provided a bridge between the two neighbors which have not had formal diplomatic ties for close to half a century. ...

Yet booking a Cuban artist remains a complicated task, says San Francisco-based promoter Bill Martinez, who organized the recent tour by Septeto Nacional. 'It is difficult to book Cuban groups because of the lack of confidence from the venues, cultural centers and potential collaborating presenters. They don't believe the visas will be issued and this makes it very difficult to get commitments or confirm logistics,' he said. State Department officials have to be begged for visas and under U.S. regulations Cuban artists are entitled to receive only transport, lodging and a per diem but not performance payments as they would anywhere else. ... The real test for the new wave of cultural diplomacy will be Miami, center of a 1.5 million-strong Cuban exile community that has not always welcomed musicians from the island. ... But recent opinion polls suggest many exiles are warming to closer people-to-people contacts across the Florida Straits." Image from

National Security Gala Breakdown for Business Executives - NewsBlaze: "[Secretary of State Hillary Clinton:] In about 10 days, we will be hosting the first-ever Pakistani American diaspora community effort to create a nonprofit known as the American Pakistan Foundation, to collaborate on people-to-people exchanges, cultural diplomacy, and other advocacy to build a stronger partnership with the people of Pakistan." See also (1) (2) (3)

Museum Director Laurie Norton Moffatt Cultural Delegate to Russia [this entry was also posted in PDPBR December 5] - JClowe, Norman Rockwell Museum: "Norman Rockwell Museum Director/CEO Laurie Norton Moffatt has been appointed by the American Association of Museums (AAM) to serve as an official delegate on a cultural diplomacy trip to Russia with the United States Department of State and the President’s Committee for the Arts and Humanities.


Ms. Laurie Norton Moffatt will be joining a delegation of American and Russian officials and several private sector leaders in Moscow from December 7 to 9, to discuss ways to continue fostering positive relations between the United States and Russia, and how various organizations might support the objectives of the commission. ... 'I am honored that the AAM has invited me to represent our country through this unique opportunity,' says Norton Moffatt, who serves as a board member of the national organization. 'While I am representing the nation’s museum and cultural community, I will also be an ambassador for Norman Rockwell Museum; Norman Rockwell is an American icon, and should serve as a wonderful entry point for the Russian people to learn more about our country’s rich cultural tradition.' Comment by John Brown ['Your comment is awaiting moderation']: Dear Ms. Moffatt, During your stay in Russia could you perhaps consider raising the possibility of organizing a joint U.S.-Russian exhibit comparing the works of Norman Rockwell with those of Socialist Realist artists. I found great interest for such a project among my Russian friends and contacts (I served as Cultural Affairs Officer at US Embassy Moscow from 1998 to 2001), as well as among Americans interested in Russia. For an interesting account of the Rockwell/Socialist Realism issue, see Tomas Pospiszyl, 'Socialist Evening Realistic Post.' The author writes: 'It does not take an experienced connoisseur to notice the uncanny similarity between the widely popular art of Norman Rockwell and certain artworks of Socialist realism.' The contentiousness of such a viewpoint is what would make a Rockwell/Socialist Realism exhibit so fascinating. May I note that my preferred venue for the exhibit would be Las Vegas."

Top image ("Norman Rockwell in Russia" from article; lower image from Coxsoft Art News, with the following observation: "A stolen Norman Rockwell painting - Russian Schoolroom, also known as The Russian Classroom or Russian Schoolchildren - has been found at the home of US movie director Steven Spielberg. His staff saw an FBI theft notice and realised the work was stolen. Spielberg innocently bought the painting from a legitimate dealer 18 years ago. ... Note: these are the best graphics I could find."

RELATED ITEMS

Book Review: 'Stones Into Schools: Promoting Peace With Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan' by Greg Mortenson: Halting an endless cycle of war with education, from the co-author of the bestselling 'Three Cups of Tea.' - Bernadette Murphy, latimes.com:


Mortenson believes that conflict in the region will not be won by combat and airstrikes but with books, pencils and notebooks -- the tools of socioeconomic growth. Image from

The War in Pashtunistan - Scott Shane, New York Times: The fate of Mr. Obama’s surge depends a lot on the hearts and minds of the Pashtuns — and who seems a winner.

The Demons That Haunt the Pakistanis - Sabrina Tavernise, New York Times: Washington now sees the Taliban and Al Qaeda as the biggest threat in the region, and is exasperated that Pakistan sees things differently.

Obama’s Logic Is No Match for Afghanistan - Frank Rich, New York Times:

Obama’s speech, for all its thoughtfulness and sporadic eloquence, was a failure at its central mission. On its own terms, as both policy and rhetoric, it didn’t make the case for escalating our involvement in Afghanistan. Image from

Mission impossible - Oliver North, Washington Times: The president’s speech did provide another Obama "first." Giving the enemy a timetable for withdrawing American troops while simultaneously committing additional combat forces to a war zone is unprecedented. No commander in chief has ever done such a thing before - because it makes no sense from either a political or military perspective.

Why Obama may fail - Claude Salhani, Washington Times:

Perhaps the most difficult aspect of meeting the criteria set up by Mr. Obama in his Tuesday speech, is another all-important factor the president did not mention: That is the need for the different tribes in Afghanistan to agree and to realize that to achieve their full independence from both the Taliban and from American and NATO forces, they must first get their own house in order. And that is a long shot. Image from

May It All Come True - Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times: What B.H.O. can’t afford to forgt is that in the end it’s not about how many troops we send or deadlines we set. It is all about our Afghan partners.

Prisoner of context - Jim Hoagland, Washington Post: We are condemned to fight al-Qaeda on the ground in Afghanistan with greater and greater force because we cannot fight it directly on the battlefield elsewhere. Welcome to Obama's Catch-22.

Vietnam to Afghanistan: Obama is expanding the war in Afghanistan, but that doesn't mean it will become another Vietnam War – Editorial, latimes.com:

We remain skeptical about this war -- about its cost and about our chances of achieving our long-term goals in such a faraway and difficult-to-govern country. But at least we should view it for what it is. Win or lose, Obama's war in Afghanistan is his war. Image from

Obama's COIN toss: In Afghanistan, we have a plan -- but that's not the same as a strategy - Eliot A. Cohen, Washington Post: Obama set out his objectives for Afghanistan, focused on thwarting al-Qaeda, and enumerated some of the means, chiefly a 30,000-troop, 18-month surge. But what about the hard part: setting priorities, establishing a sequencing and laying out a theory of victory?

Who loses the Iran game - David Ignatius, Washington Post: “How will the confrontation over Iran's nuclear program evolve during the next year? If a simulation game played at Harvard last week is any guide, the situation won't look pretty: Iran will be closer to having the bomb, and America will fail to obtain tough U.N. sanctions; diplomatic relations with Russia, China and Europe will be strained; and Israel will be threatening unilateral military action. My scorecard had Team Iran as the winner and Team America as the loser.”