September 30

"Propaganda leaflets kill Afghan girl: A box of information leaflets dropped by an RAF transport aircraft over Helmand province killed a young Afghan girl after it landed on top of her."

--Headline in telegraph.co.uk; image from Propaganda Leaflets from the Second World War

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

USIA: Gone but not Forgotten – Nicholas Cull, Layalina Productions: "Ten years on from the demolition of USIA we need to do more than commemorate or mourn. The think-tanks have reported.

The authors have published and the analysts have spoken. Now is the time to act to rebuild America's capacity in the field of public diplomacy so that the future of America's foreign policy will be more closely attuned to the currents of international opinion than its past. There is a world to gain. There is a world to lose." On USIA, see. Image: 21st Century United States U.S. Information Agency (USIA) Archive, USIA 1953-1999 Commemoration, Clinton Administration Foreign Policy, Terrorism Policy, ... Albright, Hillary Rodham Clinton (CD-ROM) (CD-ROM)by U.S. Government (Author)

Fall of the Wall: 20 Years Later - Helle Dale, Heritage Foundation: "The value of providing information to parts of the world where censorship was the rule was ... clear to both Democratic and Republican administrations. John F. Kennedy was keenly aware of its importance and made Edward R. Murrow director of USIA, giving him direct access to the Oval Office and a seat at the National Security Council. However, it was Ronald Reagan, who had the clearest vision of the potential of public diplomacy as an instrument of national power, combining a clear ideological, anti-communist vision and talents as a 'great communicator.' Reagan brought a new infusion of resources and intiative to the ideological struggle with the Soviets, revitalizing the USIA, and providing it with a new clear mandate and strategy."

The Place of Exchange in Public Diplomacy – Melany, Exchange This! Thoughts From a J-1 Visa Sponsor, Global Current: "Exchange holds an important place in our hearts, and we are very excited to see it take a central role in U.S. public diplomacy.

As a J-1 sponsor we have been able to witness the tremendous impact of J-1 exchange programs on the lives of thousands of people and we are confident that these programs will not dissappoint as a tool to promote international understanding and cooperation. … Global Current is proud to be a part of the movement to promote exchange and we encourage all J-1 participants and host companies to recognize their integral role in making exchange programs happen and how these exchange programs fit into a larger effort to facilitate international understanding and cooperation." Image from article

26 Foiled Terror Plots Show Success of Information Sharing - Jena Baker McNeill, WebMemo #2634, Heritage Foundation: "President Barack Obama pledged that his Administration would continue to increase U.S. capacity and international partnerships to track down, capture, and kill terrorists around the world. Congress and the Obama Administration can work together to fulfill this promise by [inter alia]: … Expanding the VWP [Visa Waiver Program]. VWP allows pre-approved travelers from member countries to visit the U.S. for 90 days without a visa. Since the program underwent extensive security upgrades in 2007, it has become a valuable security device and a useful tool for public diplomacy and economic expansion. By continuing to add VWP countries, the U.S. can develop even more valuable information-sharing frameworks with countries around the globe."

Muscatatuck Urban Training Center: Indiana Guard helps prepare federal employees bound for Afghanistan - Nicole Gaudiano, indystar.com: "As the role of civilians becomes more important in Afghanistan, the Obama administration is stepping up the frequency of a training course at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center that lets federal employees work alongside service members before they go overseas.

'If it works in the military, it should work on the civilian side, too,' said Sen. Ted Kaufman , D-Del., who spoke with more than 30 trainees during a 'town hall' meeting Monday. … This week's trainees will leave for Afghanistan on Saturday. President Barack Obama announced in March that an increased civilian presence would be part of the comprehensive strategy for Afghanistan. The idea is to use agriculture specialists, teachers and lawyers to help promote a more effective Afghan government . … Kaufman said more time, money and effort need to be put into public diplomacy." Image from

Interview with Radio Martí "probable reason" for Cuban blogger's arrest (updated) - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

Kosovo, South Ossetia, and the Rhetoric of Self-Determination - Chris Borgen, opiniojuris.org: "I am especially interested in how Russia, in particular, has used the language of international law as a tool of public diplomacy in an attempt to spin the perceptions or 'control the narratives' related to both Kosovo and South Ossetia."

Bertha's Bolsheviks - Matthew Vadum, Spectator: "The despot [Chavez] sends the equivalent of millions of dollars to the U.S. every year as part of his public diplomacy campaign aimed at getting the American public to warm up to his government.

Venezuelan oil flows to Citizens Energy Corp., a nonprofit headed by former Rep. Joe Kennedy II (D-Mass.) that gives some of the home heating oil away and sells some at a discount to poor people." Chavez image from

Senior Vice President for Middle East Operations and Development – Zawya: "Khalid Latif has been named Senior Vice President, Middle East Operations and New Business Development, of J/Brice Design International, Inc. … Latif brings tremendous intellectual depth to the post. His scholarly work includes a wealth of research and position papers such as, Enhancing US-Saudi Relations, Public Diplomacy in Saudi Arabia: Suggestions for New Strategies, US-Saudi Relations: Rebuilding the Strategic Consensus and Investor Perceptions and Establishment of Image-Building Objectives."

My contributions to Communication Scholarship: The journey of a journalist (Part 8) - Shelton A. Gunaratne, Sri Lankan Guardian: "I consider the following publications to be the best of my modest scholarly contributions to communication studies through 2000: …

'Public diplomacy, global communication, and world order: An analysis based on theory of living systems' (2005). Current Sociology, 53 (5), 749-772." Image from

Choosing an Embassy/Consulate for the Summer internship - Ren's Micro Diplomacy: "Last night, I started the application for the DoS summer internship. If I wanted to be in DC, the decision would be easy, but choosing an overseas embassy has me at a standstill. Do I choose the location I’ve always dreamed of…or the place that most fits my skills…or a country that probably won’t be in high demand? It’s too bad there isn’t more information available online that describes the type of public diplomacy projects each embassy and consulate are undertaking. I’d like to be able to see which PD offices are the busiest and make my decion accordingly. Any suggestions?"

Second Posting Assignment – “Say Everything” - Jenalysis, Jen's Analysis: "Before beginning my Masters studies I worked for a foreign Embassy in Washington, D.C. in the Public Affairs Department.

It was my role to engage and teach the public about the policies of the goverment through all sorts of medium including lectures and newsletters. During my time at the Embassy my department experimented with using Social Media for our public diplomacy efforts." Image (not related to article) from

RELATED ITEMS

Success Against al-Qaeda Cited: Infiltration of Network Is a Factor as Administration Debates Afghanistan Policy - Karen DeYoung and Walter Pincus, Washington Post: Those within the administration who have suggested limiting large-scale U.S. ground combat in Afghanistan, including Vice President Biden, have pointed to an improved counterterrorism effort as evidence that Obama's principal objective -- destroying al-Qaeda -- can be achieved without an expanded troop presence.

Decision Time for Obama - Michael Gerson, Washington Post: If General McChrystal is to be believed, America is not merely failing to win in Afghanistan; it is losing.

It may require a jolt of resources to revive the patient and convince a skeptical American public that progress is possible. An incremental approach may simply bring defeat more slowly. Image from

Obama's war-plan do-over - Monica Crowley, Washington Times: The Afghanistan war, like the Iraq war, cannot be done on the cheap. In order to press an effective counterterrorism strategy, the military needs its requested resources, a clear, definable mission and a united front of unwavering support from the commander in chief and his administration. Below image from


Advice From NATO: The alliance's chief doesn't believe in an Afghan 'exit strategy' – Editorial, Washington Post: If Mr. Obama decides to abandon or scale back the fight against the Taliban, not only U.S. and Afghan interests will be affected; the Atlantic alliance will suffer its own strategic setback.

Forget the Nukes: The Most Fruitful Target Is Iran's Weakening Regime - Robert Kagan, Washington Post: Sanctions will not persuade the present Iranian government to give up its nuclear weapons program. Ahmadinejad and Khamenei see the nuclear program and their own survival as intimately linked. But the right kinds of sanctions could help the Iranian opposition topple these still-vulnerable rulers.

A Human Rights Lever for Iran - Andrew Albertson and Ali G. Scotten, Washington Post: Washington has been unable to force concessions from the Iranian regime on its own. By broadening our support for the aspirations of ordinary Iranians, the Obama administration can continue to tilt the balance of power in its favor. Below image from


Obama's Iran talks will fail - Editorial, Washington Times: When the G5+1 talks fail to change Tehran's mind about pursuing nuclear weapons, Mr. Obama will have to choose between allowing Iran to gain nuclear weapons or rethinking his aversion to the use of American force. If long-term U.S. interests matter, that's not a hard choice.

Talking With Myanmar – Editorial, New York Times: Change is unlikely to come quickly to Myanmar. But President Obama is right to try to nudge the process forward with limited engagement.

Twilight of Pax Americana: Since the end of WWII, the world has depended on the United States for stability. But with American military and economic dominance waning, capitalism and global security are threatened - Christopher Layne and Benjamin Schwarz - latimes.com: The coming era of de-globalization will be defined by rising nationalism and mercantilism, geopolitical instability and great power competition.

In other words, having enjoyed a long holiday from history under the Pax Americana, international politics will be headed back to the future. Image from

Israel's propagandists shoot themselves in the foot as they shoot off their mouths - Greg Felton, Media monitors Network

IMAGE
Courtesy JM

September 29

"It's not appropriate for me, as American ambassador, to say the people I work for didn't do something appropriately. And I'm not going to say that. What happened happened."

--Outgoing Bush-appointed U.S. ambassador to Poland Victor Ashe, a former mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee, regarding Washington's decision -- announced on September 17, the date when the Soviet Union invaded Poland in 1939 -- to back out of the missile shield agreement forged by the Bush administration -- and opposed by Russia -- which has evoked memories among Poles of Cold War helplessness, of being brushed aside as casualties of great power politics. Image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

US Embassy Warsaw sees insensitive timing of Obama’s - Ted [Lipien], Blogger News Network: "Displaying unprecedented boldness for a US diplomatic mission, the US Embassy in Warsaw conceded on its official public website that Poles believe that the 'insensitive timing' — as the Embassy put it — of the Obama administration announcement on canceling the US missile shield system in Central Europe 'shows that Obama does not understand Poland.' In what may be a deliberate US public diplomacy effort to repair the public relations damage in Poland, a news item on the embassy website, posted in both English and Polish, acknowledged that 'the timing of Obama’s announcement upset Poland and Polish Americans because it came on Sept. 17, the 70th anniversary of the Russian invasion of Poland at the beginning of World War II.' …

The fear in Poland that history may repeat itself may explain, according to a former US official, the unprecedented frankness of the news item placed by American diplomats in Warsaw on the US Embassy website. Another explanation may be the absence of a US ambassador in Poland, the lack of usual bureaucratic supervision and the desire of the embassy staff to redeem themselves after failing to get the attention of the Obama White House that making the missile announcement on September 17 would be seen as a major offense in Poland. ... It is not clear whether the news on the US embassy website is a purely local initiative of American diplomats in Warsaw or represents a major effort approved in Washington to repair the public relations damage from President Obama’s decision. A former employee of the now defunct US Information Agency, which was once responsible for conducting public diplomacy, said that in any case it was a commendable display of diplomatic frankness and courage." See also Megan K. Stack, “Poles indignant that U.S. altered missile-shield plans,” Los Angeles Times. Image from

The Bear Still Has Teeth - Robert D. Kaplan, The Atlantic: "[T]he the Obama Administration’s decision, earlier this month, to scrap America’s Poland-and Czech Republic -based missile defense plans in favor of a sea-based approach makes eminent sense.

The new system will better protect America’s allies against Iranian missiles. Moreover, we need Russia’s cooperation on matters of geopolitical importance right now, and can’t afford to antagonize the country with new military bases in the midst of its perceived sphere of influence. But announcing our decision on the 70th anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Poland was a strategic communications failure—suggesting to Eastern Europe that it is once again being deserted by its allies and left to the mercies of the Russian bear." Image: Black bear teeth

The September 17 missile announcement: A speculation regarding this public-diplomacy disaster - John Brown, Notes and Essays: "The Russians knew full well the announcement would be a PD disaster for the U.S. in Poland."

Persistent 'Foreign Language Gap' Compromises Diplomatic efforts in Afghanistan, GAO Report Says - Karen Schuberg, cnsnews.com: "State Department press officer Fred Lash told CNSNews.com that finding language-proficient employees 'has probably been a problem for years' because many of the positions are in spots that 'are difficult to fill--they’re hazardous and they’re at hardship posts, things like that.' …


When asked about potential difficulties in conducting diplomatic negotiations given the dearth of language-proficient [diplomatic] personnel, Lash said the State Department has been training some military personnel in language and cultural sensitivity. 'We have a military unit somewhere (that)has been undergoing cultural and language training but there’s just not as much of it. There needs to be more of that, too,' Lash said. 'Along the public diplomacy line we’re kind of far behind largely because of staffing and budget, but I think there are people that are working on bringing us up to par,' Lash said. Image from

Waiting for 'smart power' – Marc Lynch, Foreign Policy: "The Obama administration came in with a unique promise to transform America's public diplomacy and global engagement. Obama himself captivated international attention and created a fresh start to reconfigure American relationships. His conception of a global engagement rooted in 'mutual interest and mutual respect' beautifully captured this potential. The people around Obama really seemed to understand the appropriate role of public diplomacy and strategic communications -- from Hillary Clinton's 'smart power'

and Robert Gates's call to build State Department capacity to key actors at the NSC. Obama's personal interventions have been fantastic -- the interviews, the speeches, the key symbolic gestures (such as promising to end torture and close Gitmo). But this makes it all the more baffling that the government as a whole has so often failed to capitalize on the openings these moves have created. … I don't know why it has proven so difficult for the U.S. government to mount public diplomacy and strategic communications campaigns in support of key administration policy goals. Is it something about the organization of the government, leadership, or the allocation of the resources? Is it that deeds have not kept up with words, harming the credibility of such communications campaigns? Is it the cultural clash between traditional public diplomacy and the demands of goal-oriented strategic communications? Is it that the State Department hasn't stepped up as the Pentagon's strategic communications operations have been scaled back? Is it a backlash against the over-selling of stratetic communications in recent years? Or is it something else?" See also. Image from

Strategic Communications: The Debate continues – John Brown, Huffington Post: “[T]he ‘Commander's Initial Assessment’ of the situation in Afghanistan, signed by General Stanley A. McChrystal, Commander - Afghanistan/International Security Assistance Force, is now available to the public. …

While in no way does this document make a convincing case that the war in Afghanistan can be 'won' by more 'sensitive' and 'sensible' strategic communications or public diplomacy, it at least reflects an admission of the tremendous difficulties the U.S. faces in reaching and earning the trust of the Afghan population." For the Assessment, see. McChrystal image from

Politics, Terrorism, and the Sunni Divide - Samuel Helfont, FPRI: "By viewing the Muslim Brotherhood and Wahhabism as two separate movements, U.S. policymakers can address each group separately, forming distinct policies for each. Wahhabism presents a unique challenge for U.S. policymakers in that Wahhabists consider any epistemology not rooted entirely in traditional Islamic sources to be invalid. Therefore, it would be very difficult for the United States to engage Wahhabists in direct public diplomacy or a battle of ideas. After all, they do not accept the modern secular premises—whether liberal, realists, Marxist, etc. — that Western arguments rest upon. However, the United States does have a direct interest in limiting the influence of the more violent Wahhabists, and in empowering the most non-political scholars."

U.S. International Broadcasting: Too Bizarre To Be Explained By Political Science - Kim Andrew Elliott, Newswire – CPD Blog & Blogroll, USC Center on Public Diplomacy:

"In the Arab nations, as in much of the rest of the world, audiences for broadcast news have migrated from radio to television. Alhurra provides newscasts for elites and others interested in the news. Many who still listen to radio do so to hear music. [USG-funded] Radio Sawa was designed to follow that audience. Small elite audiences have their uses, but large audiences consisting of people from all strata are even more desirable. In the Jordan survey mentioned above ['In Jordan, Alhurra has a past-week audience of 23%. This is far lower than Al Jazeera’s 92% and Al Arabiya’s 78%. But 23% is a large audience for international broadcasting. Furthermore, Alhurra is (for now) ahead of the new BBC Arabic TV (at 12%) and well ahead of the other Arabic television services from non-Arab nations'], Radio Sawa has a past-week audience of 21%, well ahead of BBC Arabic radio and French-owned Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East, with 9% each.* The Radio Sawa newscasts and features, multiplied by all the people who listen to them, multiplied again by all the times they are heard over the years, result in the neutralization of a great deal of misinformation and disinformation from less salubrious sources. Bizarre? Well, yes, in the sense that U.S. international broadcasting now has double-digit audiences in, of all places, the Arab world, and larger than, of all stations, BBC World Service." Image from

Am I the only one who has an issue with this? - Leah Farrall, Australia, All Things Counter Terrorism: "A blog focussing on all things counter terrorism with an occasional foray into the world of insurgency This is a screen capture of this blog at the NYT…

I note the title 'At War' Then 'From the Arab Press' Then this: A look at discussions inside the Arab world, as played out on the front page of a major Arabic newspaper. Way to help public diplomacy efforts guys. I think I might actually be almost speechless." Image from article

Nigeria, US forms Partnership Drive - Senator Iroegbu, This Day: "Inline with the vision of the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), and Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation; Nigeria and United States of America (USA) have commenced efforts aimed at promoting sports tourism in the country. Both countries are going to share knowledge and jointly build a mutually beneficial relationship that would see more American tourists coming to Nigeria to watch and participate in traditional and contemporary sports and other related tourism activities in Nigeria. At a recent meeting with the members of the joint action committee of the National Sports Tourism Fiesta, Public Diplomacy Officer at the US Embassy in Nigeria, Mr. Edward Flynn described the idea of sports tourism as an innovative one that deserves all the support it could get."

GNP lawmaker named KOICA honorary envoy – The Korea Herald: "Rep. Hong Jung-wook of the ruling Grand National Party was appointed as an honorary public diplomacy envoy for the Korea International Cooperation Agency yesterday.

Hong, 39, a first-term Harvard-educated legislator, will take part in stressing the necessity and importance of grant-type aid projects with the state-run agency that aims to enhance global ties." Hong Jung-wook image from

RELATED ITEMS

The Neocons Make a Comeback - Bret Stephens, Wall Street Journal: The neocons are back because Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong Il and Vladimir Putin never went away. A star may have shone in the east the day Barack Obama became president. But these three kings, at least, have yet to proffer the usual gifts of gold and incense and myrrh.

A conflict of deception - Cal Thomas, Washington Times: Memo to Mr. Obama: Radical, fundamentalist Muslims believe they have a religious duty to lie and deceive "infidels."

Time to Act Like a President - Richard Cohen, Washington Post: At last week's Group of 20 meeting in Pittsburgh the candidate-in-full commandeered the television networks and the leaders of Britain and France to give the Iranians a dramatic warning.

Yet another of their secret nuclear facilities had been revealed and Obama, as anyone could see, was determined to do something about it -- just don't ask what. The supposedly secret installation had been known to Western intelligence agencies -- Britain, France, the United States and undoubtedly Israel -- for several years. Image from

A Big Card To Play in Iran - Anne Applebaum, Washington Post: What do Iran's rulers truly fear? A sustained and well-funded human rights campaign must be a terrifying prospect.

U.S. Envoy's Outreach to Sudan Is Criticized as Naive - Stephanie McCrummen, Washington Post: Top administration officials are scheduled to meet Tuesday to discuss a major review of the United States' Sudan policy. But even as that document is being finalized, U.S. diplomacy has remained mostly in the hands of Obama's special envoy to Sudan, retired Air Force Maj. Gen. J. Scott Gration, who is pushing toward normalized relations with the only country in the world led by a president indicted on war-crimes charges. Although Gration describes the approach as pragmatic and driven by a sense of urgency, his critics here and in the United States say it is dangerously, perhaps willfully, naïve.

Art of Persuasion exhibit in AOK library presents historically pertinent posters from then and now - Samantha Medema, Retriever: The Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery recently unveiled its newest exhibit, entitled "The Art of Persuasion: Poster Design From 1896 through 2008." The exhibit showcases popular and historical posters and silkscreen prints from around the world, and is largely composed of "selections [that] were drawn from UMBC's Special Collections as well as public and private collections," according to the library's website.

The posters in this exhibit are arranged to follow three themes, "Pleasure & Leisure, Politics & Propaganda, and Commercial Advertising." Some of the most familiar works of art are found within the "Politics & Propaganda" section, which includes pieces like the Uncle Sam "want[s] YOU for U.S. Army" poster, as well as a poster depicting U.S. President Barack Obama, with the words "Yes We Did" written in a banner across the top of the image. This group also includes several WWI and II posters, ranging from images promoting the Red Cross to a particularly shocking image of an arm clad in a Nazi uniform holding a knife through a Bible, entitled "This Is The Enemy." Foreign propaganda posters and images from the Vietnam War era are also housed within this group.

September 28

"In many ways, human beings behave like flocks of birds or schools of fish."

--Nicholas Christakis, a physician and Harvard University sociologist who is co-author of a new book, Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives; image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Has the US turned its back on democracy? - Stephen McInerney, The Daily Star, Lebanon: "Overall, the Obama administration has made some strong first steps toward renewing US relations with the Middle East, but its approach to supporting Arab reform is as of yet less clear.

On the one hand, the administration could be following a careful, thoughtful approach in which support for democratic reformers will follow progress on public diplomacy and other diplomatic priorities. Here, restored relationships with Arab governments will pave the way for cooperation on reform. On the other hand, we could instead be witnessing a longer-term downgrading of support for democracy, which would have dire consequences for citizens of Arab states. While the administration’s public rhetoric and its annual budget each offer some potential signs of support for Arab democracy, fears that the United States has abandoned the cause of Arab reformers will persist until US engagement spurs its autocratic allies to undertake visible, substantive steps toward reform." Image from

Let’s Get Real - Art Woodrow, Blogger News Network: "After World War II, the United States became the world policeman and benefactor. These roles have become counterproductive. Let’s get real; it’s time for other nations to take their proportionate share of these responsibilities. … $395 million Influence Foreign Opinion through Public Diplomacy $522 million Engage and Educate through Exchange Programs. … In spite of these huge expenditures, the United States is unloved."

American willingness to engage - The Slovak Spectator:

"The Slovak Spectator spoke to the Charge d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Bratislava [Keith Eddins] not only about press freedom but also about the recently announced change in the US missile defence plans, foreign aid and its outcomes, visa-free travel, and the widely discussed fee for US-bound travellers that the US is considering. [Eddins:] [N]o public anywhere in the world has sufficient understanding of foreign aid. The American public is notorious in having an impression that we spend 25 or even 30 percent of our government budget on foreign aid, when we spend a fraction of that. Governments need to explain through public diplomacy that foreign aid is an important tool to support stability in regions in need." Engagement ring image from

New report recommends improved ties with Cuba - Tracey Eaton, Along the Malecón: "The author of the CSIS report is Peter DeShazo, former director of the State Department's Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs."

Guerrilla Diplomacy: Rethinking International Relations [Review of Daryl Copeland, Guerrilla Diplomacy: Rethinking International Relations, Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2009] - Peter R. Beckman, American Diplomacy: "As for GD or guerrilla diplomacy--that turns out to be PD [public diplomacy] kicked up a notch, a 'sharper, faster, lighter' version of PD. … [W]hat Copeland’s analysis

really needs is a presentation of PD and GD at work, with extensive case studies--or if those are too sensitive (or unavailable), then with extensive fictional illustrations of what PD and GD might look like on the ground and how the results might feed into policy formulation and implementation, or into building a persuasive brand." Copeland image from

MDC-T trying to re-write history - Nyasha Marunda, The Zimbabwe Guardian: "The art of public diplomacy goes back a long way, as the old expression 'a wolf in sheep's clothing' shows us. Disguise something bad or give it a cuddly name and by the time people find out it has fangs, it may be too late."

RELATED ITEMS

Borat vs. Murat - Mitchell Polman, Mediaite: "It’s time for those who care about America, especially those who produce documentaries, to turn their talents to making it possible for private sector initiatives to educate and inform overseas audiences about who we really are as a people.

We speak a great deal in this country about the need for people to not always rely on our government. We should not be relying on the American government to do the job of telling our country’s story." Image from

Rank appeasement? 'Diplomatic engagement' is the tack - Arnaud de Borchgrave, Washington Times: Poland and the Czech Republic, some pundits say, feel abandoned by the United States as a result of Mr. Obama's decision. Wrong. Both Prague and Warsaw had been expecting Mr. Obama's decision since he won the presidency. Mr. Obama has opted for diplomatic engagement, so-called smart power, or a blend of soft and hard power. But the ranks of his detractors grow daily.

Obama the Gambler: Betting That Machismo Is Not Foreign Policy - Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post:

Obama's outreach to the world is an experiment, and not merely to see if the world will respond. He wants to demonstrate at home that engagement does not make America weak. Image from

Obama can't downsize to success in Afghanistan: The president appears to be dragging his feet on more troops for the struggle, but that's what an effective counterinsurgency strategy requires - Max Boot, latimes.com: We do not have to create 'Jeffersonian democracy' in Afghanistan. But we do have to keep it from becoming a terrorist haven. The only way to achieve that minimal objective is with a comprehensive counterinsurgency strategy.

How to win: Classic counterinsurgency - Oliver North, Washington Times: Here's the bottom line, based on months in the field with U.S. and NATO troops and Afghanistan's fledgling security forces: This is a fight we can - and must - win. It is a classical counterinsurgency campaign - not rocket science.

Testing Afghanistan Assumptions: The lesson of Vietnam is don't commit troops without a clear strategy - John Kerry, Wall Street Journal:

Mr. Obama promises not to send more troops to Afghanistan until he has absolute clarity on what the strategy will be. He is right to take the time he needs to define the mission. We should all follow his lead and debate all of the options. Image from

A War President? - Ross Douthat, New York Times: If Obama takes us deeper into a conflict for which he doesn’t really have the stomach, then the outcome will almost certainly be tragic — for him, for us, and for Afghanistan.

Keeping Iran honest: Iran's secret nuclear plant will spark a new round of IAEA inspections and lead to a period of even greater transparency - Scott Ritter, guardian.co.uk: When Obama announced that 'Iran is breaking rules that all nations must follow', he is technically and legally wrong.

There Are Only Two Choices Left on Iran: An Israeli or U.S. military strike now, or a nuclear Tehran soon - Eliot A. Cohen, Wall Street Journal:

The U.S. government has hoped for a middle course of sanctions, negotiations and bargaining that would remove the problem without the ugly consequences. This is self-delusion. It is in the American interest to break with past policy and actively seek the overthrow of the Islamic Republic. Not by invasion, which this administration would not contemplate and could not execute, but through every instrument of U.S. power, soft more than hard. Image from

The U.S.-Iranian Triangle - Roger Cohen, New York Times: Isolated, nuclear negotiations will fail. Integrated, they may not. Iran’s sense of humiliation is rooted in its America complex; its nuclear program is above all about the restoration of pride. Settle the complex to contain the program. Triangulate. Think broad. Think E.U., not Versailles.

Propaganda campaign meant to marginalize Iran ahead of nuclear talk - Tehran Times: TEHRAN -- Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani says that the new propaganda campaign about Iran’s nuclear activities was launched by the West to help them impose their will on the Islamic Republic during the upcoming talks between Iran and the 5+1 group.

Burma Review: A new Obama administration policy is promising but incomplete – Editorial, Washington Post

What We Can't Conquer, We Buy - Siv O'Neall, OpEdNews: The policies of the United States from the very beginning of the colonial days down through the centuries of heedless murder and takeover of lands belonging to foreign countries and to native Americans have always been greedy, callous and self-righteous.

The people in power decide that their country has to go to war for conquest and increased power, wars to dominate, to oppress, to minimize people who are different from us. And the ‘enemy', the people who are sacrificed on the altar of greed, are always depicted as inferior, as barely human. The propaganda machine gets turned on and the ‘Gooks', the ‘terrorists' or whatever name they may have been labeled with, are now seen as not really worth humane treatment. The death of a ‘Gook' or the suffering of a ‘terrorist' is of no importance. The term ‘collateral damage' for the deaths of civilians in the enemy country is a clear sign that those uncivilized people are of no importance. Image from

The El Paso Museum of Art announces Recycle/Reuse: WWII Propaganda Prints - Newspaper Tree: Recycle / Reuse: WWII Propaganda Prints examines the vintage concept of recycling as depicted in World War II posters. This exhibition is open to the public September 27, 2009 through March 2, 2010 in the Gateway Gallery at the El Paso Museum of Art. This exhibition is free to the public. Related merchandise is available for purchase in the Museum Store.

ONLY IN BELARUS

“Per person, the world's leading potato eaters are in Belarus.”


-- Associated Press, “International Research Team Cracks Potato Genome,” New York Times; image from

September 27

“Question: Why do WASPs not engage in more orgies? Answer: Too many thank-you notes to write.”

--Francine Du Plessix Gray, in her review of Cheerful Money: Me, My Family, and the Last Days of Wasp Splendor by Tad Friend; image from article

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Perhaps a record for the amount of misinformation packed into two sentences - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy: "'The State Department has been reluctant to push for more funding for democracy promotion in Iran. Nor have the organs of U.S. public diplomacy, such as the Voice of America, made a concerted effort to encourage democratic change.'" Lawrence J. Haas, The North Star National, 25 September 2009. [Comment by Elliott:] The Voice of America and other elements are not 'organs of U.S. public diplomacy.'

And, as news organizations, they do not 'encourage democratic ch[a]nge.' Instead, they overcome the misinformation and disinformation from Iranian official domestic media, providing Iranians the information they need to form their own opinions about current events. This is an essential building block in the development of democracy. As for 'concerted effort,' VOA's Persian News Network has, with the addition of a two-hour breakfast show, increased to seven hours per day of original television content, repeated over 24 hours. VOA PNN radio is five hours per day (5 1/2 according to this schedule). RFE/RL's Radio Farda is 24 hours a day. Also, the official US public-diplomacy product is available at america.gov/persian. Can't get much more 'concerted' than that." Image from

Foreign languages more foreign to US students - Associated Press, Canton Repository: "American companies lose an estimated $2 billion each year because of employees’ inadequate language skills and poor cultural competence, according to the Committee for Economic Development in Washington, D.C. 'It’s always been a good thing to know more about the world and to speak another language, but now it’s become an issue of our economic security, our national security and our public diplomacy,' says committee President Charles Kolb. 'Speaking a second language gives our young people an edge in terms of the competition we’re facing around the globe. Believe me, you win kudos if you’re negotiating in another country and you’re fluent in that language.'”

The Return of Victor Ashe - Roane County Democratic Party: "Victor Ashe, who served 16 years as mayor of Knoxville, ended a stint of more than five years as ambassador to Poland on Friday and is returning to his home town. …

[Ashe:] My time as Mayor gave me a good foundation and framework to understand the politics, public diplomacy, personal relationships, public relations and the need to reach out to all segments of the Polish society I encountered while Ambassador." Ashe image from

Play Fair - James Hayes-Bohanan, Environmental Geography: "Coffee is not the only industry that treats its producers unfairly. Dean Cycon is supporting fair trade in manufacturing -- something that the world could use much more of. By supporting a fair-trade factory in Pakistan, Dean is also doing a critical bit of public diplomacy. The more good will that is spread in this critical part of the world, the better."

What a long, strange week it's been

– Paul Rockower, Levantine: Numerous references to Rockower's public-diplomacy related academic pursuits. Image from

The British press' Obama complex - Kenneth P. Vogel, NBC Miami: "Stories about the special [U.S./UK] relationship … have been a staple of British media since the Cold War and have shaped the way Brits see the world, said Nicholas Cull, a U.K. native who directs the masters program in public diplomacy at the University of Southern California. 'British people come here and they’re surprised that America has special relationships with a lot of countries,' he said. 'It’s rather like finding out that you’re father is a bigamist. I found it to be a very strange experience to find that the story that I’d heard growing up wasn’t necessarily so.'”

China according to The Global Times - Madhurjya Kotoky, The Public Diplomacy Blog: "I read the Global Times fairly regularly. I find it an interesting public diplomacy initiative of the Chinese. The Global Times,

the Chinese say, is an attempt to promote an 'accurate' image of China abroad since international reporting, especially the Western media, on China is often flawed, lacking in understanding of China and the Chinese culture. Almost Al-Jazeera like, its an attempt to get a share of voice in a world dominated by Western media conglomerates and present the Chinese viewpoint on important developments. Intended for an international audience/readership, the Global Times also tries to allay fears of a resurgent China threatening to disturb the present international order." Image from

Public diplomacy and social media – the dissertation - abeccacaddy, little online pick 'n' mix: "Basically my dissertation aimed to analyse Israeli use of social media after Operation Cast Lead – the Israeli military operation at the end of 2008. I began by looking at a broad spectrum, but narrowed the research down to the efforts of the Israel Consulate in New York – who generated a lot of on and offline buzz by holding a ‘citizen’s press conference’ on Twitter. I focused on the @IsraelConsulate Twitter account, IsRealli.org blog and Israel Politik blog. I found that the Israel Consulate’s use of social media was a bold, brave step in the right direction, utilising some vital conventions and paving the way for public diplomacy in this relatively new space. However, some of the blogs simply acted as news feeds, pulling in biased information from different sources with little consideration of feedback and engagement. The ‘citizen’s press conference’ seemed impressive, with a lot of direct engagement between the consulate and Twitter users across the globe. However, elements of the event showed how inadequate Twitter can be to communicate in this manner with sensitive and often confusing information."

CULTURAL DIPLOMACY

Cuba's Mega–Rock Concert: A Win-Win for Juanes - Tim Padgett, Time: "President Obama has pledged to thaw U.S.-Cuba affairs as a way to promote democracy on the island. Though he favors keeping intact the 47-year-old trade embargo against Cuba, he eliminated restrictions on travel to Cuba for Cuban-American families, and his Administration is now in talks with Havana about improving immigration and postal service between the two countries. Erikson says the concert by Juanes, who lives in Miami,

was a reminder of the 'soft power tool kit' the U.S. should wield more often. 'Obama needs to bring more of that kind of cultural diplomacy back into the arena,' he says, 'but so far it's taking a backseat.' Obama, however, seems less than impressed with such arguments. Sunday morning, in an interview with the Spanish-language television network Univisión, he said that while he didn't think events like the Juanes concert hurt U.S.-Cuba relations, 'I wouldn't overstate the degree that it helps.' If that indifference seems to contradict the spirit of U.S.-Cuba engagement that Obama expressed in his presidential campaign and at the Summit of the Americas earlier this year, it may be because he's found that conservatives can still give him headaches over Cuba and the Latin-American left." See also. Image (from article) Singer Juanes of Colombia performs during the concert for Peace Without Borders, featuring some 15 Latin-American, Spanish and Cuban performers, at the Revolution Square in Havana, Cuba, on Sept. 20, 2009

How Helpful Is Cultural Diplomacy? – Michael Kaiser, Huffington Post: "[W]hile some American embassies abroad have been active in bringing American artists and arts groups to 'their' countries in recent years, this is still a very minor activity of the Department of State. But does traditional cultural diplomacy work? Do we need state-supported tours by American performing arts groups when without federal funding so many of our performers and performing arts groups are appearing all over the world [?] … My response, not popular with my peers running arts organizations across the United States, is no. …

But that does not mean that cultural diplomacy should be discarded. … Given our reliance on private funding, Americans have a great deal to teach abroad. We can teach how we build sponsorship by corporations and especially individuals. We can teach how we use marketing to expand the reach of our arts organizations. We can teach the importance of long-term program planning for building new sources of support. I have been pursuing this form of cultural diplomacy for six years, and have now taught arts managers in 60 countries. … While the Kennedy Center's international work is privately funded, maybe the State Department could support a program that allows other American arts organizations to teach abroad. (The money saved could be given to arts organizations to invest in programming, marketing and touring.)" Image from

David Pogue on Twitter as a tool of cultural diplomacy - Gina Chen, Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard: "Can Twitter be a tool of cultural diplomacy? That was the heady topic David Pogue, New York Times technology columnist and CBS News tech correspondent, addressed Monday during a symposium at Syracuse University. He was part of a panel trying to figure out how to transcend conflict through culture.

Now, the way I understood it, cultural diplomacy is just a million-dollar term for a rather simple concept: Sharing culture through the arts, music, etc., as a means to help all of us who live on this earth get along. Pogue explained that Twitter could be part of this because it has the potential to cut out the traditional separations between groups of people. … Panelist Marjane Satrapi, author and illustrator of the Persepolis graphic novels, urged that Twitter is 'too fast and furious' to do the slow work of cultural diplomacy. But I agree with what Pogue was saying." Pogue image from article.

Women's rights prove to be progressive everywhere - Krystie Yandoli, The Daily Orange: "[Marjane] Satrapi is the author of the famous, autobiographical graphic novel series, 'Persepolis.' It is the story of a young female growing up in Iran during the 1979 Iranian Revolution and Iran-Iraq war. The main character, Marji, takes us through her daily life with illustrations that are often more powerful than the actual words on the page. Satrapi came and spoke as part of a panel at the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in as a part of The Cultural Diplomacy Symposium, specifically on the United Nations' International Day of Peace yesterday."

MetroStar Systems Announces the X-Life Games "Who Am I?" Poetry Contest – News Blaze: "MetroStar Systems, a leader in full-service IT solutions and Social Media strategies, has announced a Poetry Contest dubbed, 'Who Am I?' in support of their already popular and renowned X-Life Games project. The contest, which started September 14 and ends October 20, will be orchestrated through the existing X-Life Games Facebook Fan Page. The concept of cultural diplomacy is a key initiative of the X-Life Games mission.

The contest encourages participants to be creative and express themselves by composing and submitting a poem that describes 'who they are' while sharing ideas of tolerance and respect for other cultures, societies, and environments around the world." Image from

The Embassy: A Multi-Disciplinary Group Show will be Held during Frieze Art Fair - artdaily.org: "LONDON.- The Embassy is a multi-disciplinary group show being held during Frieze Art Fair. A parody of outmoded cultural diplomacy, The Embassy is that of an anonymous country, a dystopia whose tyrannical government has tested the patience of its people and brought them to tipping point. Less than 100 metres from Regents Park, the BBC headquarters and opposite the Chinese Embassy, The Embassy will take place at the former residence of the Sierra Leonean ambassador to Britain, 33 Portland Place. As the Internet allows the art, culture and news reportage of countries to become ever more accessible to each other, what were once bastions of this exchange – the embassies of countries wishing to create a dialogue with their host nation – now retreat behind metres of concrete, becoming fortresses of espionage. Globalisation has rendered the sometime patronising kind of cultural exchange once conducted by embassies dated. Yet, occupying a privileged position apart from their host nation – indeed, retaining their sovereignty in a foreign land – these buildings and their interiors provide a revealing glimpse of how a country chooses to represent itself abroad. The Embassy tells the story of a deposed diplomat representing a government that has just been overthrown at home. A pastiche of the manner in which embassies promote their country’s culture abroad and set across the two floors of 33 Portland Place, works from over 15 artists will speak of themes relevant to the mismanagement of a country – greed, egotism, repression, theocracy, malnutrition, gluttony, tyranny, currency, geography and sex – because the dictator always gets the best lines. … A mixture of painting, sculpture and installation, works featured in The Embassy include a national anthem by the pianist Rosie Chan, a presidential palace built from mud by Alastair Mackie,

an emblem by Tom Gallant and straitjackets made from reconfigured military uniforms by Michael Lisle-Taylor. Image (from article): Alastair, Mackie Mud-hut."

Let's Beat the Extremists Like We Beat the Soviets - Andrew J. Bacevich, Washington Post: "During the Cold War, containment did not preclude engagement, and it shouldn't today. To the extent that the United States can encourage liberalizing tendencies in the Islamic world, it should do so -- albeit with modest expectations. Sending jazz musicians deep into the Eastern Bloc in the old days was commendable, but Louis Armstrong's trumpet didn't topple the Soviet empire."

RELATED ITEMS

Brand Ghana CEO to speak at Branding Africa Masterclass - Bizcommunity.com - Mathias Akotia, announced as the CEO of the newly formed Brand Ghana office, will provide the opening keynote presentation at the Nation Branding Africa Masterclass event in Ghana next week.

The Brand Ghana office was launched on 16 September 2009 by the President of Ghana, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, to build a “compelling image for Ghana”. Akotia has stressed that, whilst appointed by the Government, his vision is to evolve Brand Ghana as a non-partisan, non-political entity owned by Ghanaians. The Nation Branding Africa Masterclass will be led by Simon Anholt, a leading expert on managing and measuring national identity and reputation. Via. Image from

McChrystal Says Insurgents Are Winning Communications Battle - Walter Pincus, Washington Post: The United States and its allies in Afghanistan must "wrest the information initiative" from the Taliban and other insurgent groups that have undermined the credibility of the Kabul government and its international backers, according to the top U.S. and NATO commander in the country. "The information domain is a battlespace," Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal wrote in an assessment made public on Monday, adding that the allies need to "take aggressive actions to win the important battle of perception." As an initial step, McChrystal wants to change the goal of public relations efforts in Afghanistan from a "struggle for the 'hearts and minds' of the Afghan population to one of giving them 'trust and confidence' " in themselves and their government. At the same time, he said, more effort should be made to "discredit and diminish insurgents and their extremist allies' capability to influence attitudes and behavior in Afghanistan." Below image from


Go All-In, Or Fold: In Afghanistan, Splitting the Difference May Be Obama's Most Dangerous Choice - Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Washington Post: All the options Obama faces in Afghanistan are unpalatable. The idea of sending thousands more troops will be a tough sell to Congress. Pulling back to a far more narrow mission could open Obama to charges of flip-flopping -- he told veterans as recently as last month that the conflict in Afghanistan is a "war of necessity" that is fundamental to American security.

Obama's choice in Afghanistan: With support for the war slipping, the president must decide whether a counterinsurgency strategy involving more troops is the way to win - Doyle McManus, latimes.com: Obama may well give the generals the 12 to 18 months they've asked for to give counterinsurgency a try. That's probably the right answer, but he should do so only if Afghanistan has a working government first.

Obama at the Precipice - Frank Rich, New York Times: How can American forces protect the population, let alone help build a functioning nation, in a tribal narco-state consisting of some 40,000 mostly rural villages over an area larger than California and New York combined? Even if we routed the Taliban in another decade or two, after countless casualties and billions of dollars, how would that stop Al Qaeda from coalescing in Somalia or some other criminal host state?

Obama's A-Team:

Remarkable Cohesion on National Security - David S. Broder, Washington Post: Official Washington is starting to realize that in addition to his personal skills, Obama has assembled a highly professional and effective national security team that serves him and the nation very well. … What got me thinking about the skill with which this team has functioned was the Sept. 17 announcement that the United States was abandoning its plans for anti-missile installations in Poland and the Czech Republic and, instead of targeting long-range Iranian missiles, would use seaborne weapons to combat Iran's short-range missiles. A-Team image by djhomicide from

Beware of Iranians Bearing Talks - Ray Takeyh, Washington Post: Ahmadinejad should not be afforded the luxury of international forums and dialogue with the great powers without being held accountable for his country's flawed electoral processes and its entanglements in terrorism, as well as its nuclear violations.

Nuclear Pushback - Jim Hoagland, Washington Post: The Obama White House has made the president's personal popularity and the need to change America's image the driving forces of its foreign policy. It needs to show some substantive results for that effort. Otherwise more Americans will join foreign analysts in asking the question that politicians and PR practitioners most fear: "Where's the beef?"

Image from

Obama's nuclear-free fantasy: Mr. Obama Punts . . .. . . And the left cheers as the president embraces what it once decried as a lawless detention scheme – Editorial, Washington Post: The Obama administration announced last week that it did not need and would not seek new legislation to govern indefinite detention of some terrorism suspects at the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In so doing, the administration has chosen the politically expedient and intellectually dishonest route.

Strategic realities trump feel-good slogans – Editorial, Washington Times: If nuclear arms are outlawed, only outlaws will have nuclear arms.

Combative cartoons: Samples from the forthcoming book "Dr. Seuss & Co. Go to War" - Andre Schiffrin, Los Angeles Times: The forthcoming "Dr. Seuss & Co. Go to War" offers the work of many others who became famous in the New Yorker magazine and elsewhere.

Along with columnists such as I.F. Stone and Max Lerner, they pointedly showed the concerns of the American left before and during the war. The biggest surprise in the new compilation is the nearly 50 cartoons by artist Saul Steinberg -- he of the famous cover for the New Yorker showing the rest of the United States seen from Manhattan. Steinberg had been drafted into the Office of Strategic Services, the CIA's predecessor. His talents were soon recognized, and he was asked to draw cartoons for the newspaper that the OSS sent into Germany. Making fun of Hitler was unthinkable and highly dangerous in Nazi Germany. Steinberg's cartoons, published in the new book -- amazingly for the first time in the United States -- show his brilliant satire and political insights.

September 26

"What is truth? said jesting Pilate; and would not stay for an answer."

--Francis Bacon; Bacon image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

U.S. public diplomacy under the radar screen - Pavol Demes, The German Marshall Fund of the United States: "When the Obama Administration announced on September 17 that it was calling off plans for land-based missile defense in Europe, it sparked off a lively debate, not just in the Czech Republic and Poland, but across all of Central Europe.

The central issue was not so much the military installations but uncertainty about U.S. policy towards the region. In truth, U.S. public diplomacy had failed for the second time: the first time, when the plans were announced; and the second time when the project was terminated, causing growing concern among elites as well as publics in our region. In short, the United States must do a better job at formulating and communicating its policies toward Central and Eastern Europe. Otherwise, it risks losing the pro-Atlantic sympathies of Central Europeans, and its public diplomacy will fail for a third time. … I believe that the upcoming commemorations of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Iron Curtain provides an opportunity for clear signals by a still very popular U.S. President to Central and Eastern Europe." Image from

Obama's Announcement About Iran's Secret Enrichment Facility - Brookings Institution: "The Obama Administration should gain some boost for its public diplomacy efforts to persuade skeptical governments and the international community more broadly of the dangerous nature of Iran’s nuclear program. But here too, there is probably less than meets the eye; at this late date in the debate, the Iranian regime has relatively few defenders, and anyone who still needing convincing that Iran’s massive, frantic nuclear investments involved something more worrisome than civilian power generation probably will find a way to disregard this latest evidence. … [T]he difficulty with assembling international support for robust economic measures against Iran has never involved doubt over Iran’s intentions or differences over the desirability of preventing Iran from crossing the nuclear threshold. Rather, the long track record of Russia and China on this issue has made it clear that neither capital will fully jettison its strategically and economically valuable relationship with Tehran in order to curtail Iran’s nuclear ambitions."

Iran: Obama’s getting it, but it’s time to go all the way and support freedom for the people - Lawrence J. Haas, The North Star National:

"[T]he State Department has been reluctant to push for more funding for democracy promotion in Iran. Nor have the organs of U.S. public diplomacy, such as the Voice of America, made a concerted effort to encourage democratic change. Fine. But the president and his team need not worry any more about that dynamic. The regime has clearly lost its credibility at home, and it will be hard-pressed to recapture the legitimacy that it once claimed. The regime’s days are clearly numbered." Haas image from

Analysis: Obama strikes a tough tone on Iran: But the diplomacy needed to get Iran to halt its nuclear program will require more than tone - C.M. Sennott - GlobalPost: "At the Group of 20 summit in Pittsburgh, President Barack Obama locked arms with the leaders of France and the United Kingdom to warn Iran that it must immediately halt its nuclear program. … In the city of bridges, Obama essentially threatened Iran that it has just burned one too many with the international community. But in choosing to do so on the public stage of Pittsburgh’s G20 summit with all the world’s media watching and looking for any story more interesting than a long-winded communique on the economy, Obama was essentially doing what he does best. That is, public diplomacy. And, as always, his tone is pretty close to perfect. He sounded firm, convincing and respectfully multilateral, and that tone goes a long way to swooning the world. It gets people around the globe to believe that the real America is rational and a natural leader in a dangerous world. This is a decidedly different image from the unilateral and seemingly belligerent America put forward by President George W. Bush. But former diplomats and Middle East analysts believe Obama will need more than perfect pitch in the public diplomacy of Iran, which interlocks directly with the profound policy challenges on Afghanistan, Iraq and the wider goal of global nuclear proliferation. This is chess on many levels, not pop music."

Obama’s Mideast Strategy: Useless if Not Harmful – Jewish Internet Defense Force: "[B]y reinforcing Islamists’ version of history and calling it 'public diplomacy,'

Obama has systematically alienated the Israeli people, who have increasingly backed Netanyahu’s more skeptical approach to both U.S. policy and peace making." Image from JIDF homepage.

VOL. V NO. 20, September 11-September 24, 2009 - The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media

RFE/RL's Nasibova wins a Rafto - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy: "I've never heard of RFE/RL referring to itself as 'Voice of the West,' especially as it positions itself as the voice of the target country."

Lying About War: Deliberate Propaganda And Spin By The Pentagon - Diane Farsetta, Sheldon Rampton, Daniel Haack, and John Stauber of the Center for Media and Democracy - The Media Freedom Foundation: "Public diplomacy is a catchall term for the various ways in which the United States promotes itself to international audiences (as opposed to 'regular' diplomacy, which targets foreign governments). These include international media, such as the Voice of America; cultural and educational exchanges, such as the Fulbright Program; and a wide range of information activities, including foreign press centers, speaking events and publications. As the University of Southern California’s Center on Public Diplomacy notes, the term 'was developed partly to distance overseas governmental information activities from the term propaganda, which had acquired pejorative connotations.'

In the United States, public diplomacy’s legislative history also involves propaganda. The Smith-Mundt Act of 1948, which provided a legal framework for public diplomacy activities, forbids the government from disseminating within the United States information intended for foreign audiences. Other legislation, such as appropriation bills, theoretically reinforces the ban on using taxpayer money for 'publicity or propaganda purposes.' … A January 2009 public diplomacy conference was organized in Washington, DC to critically reconsider Smith-Mundt. Many presenters supported changing the Act; specifically, removing or watering down its restriction on domestic dissemination. … 'Let me posit what I believe should be the rule,' said outgoing Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs James Glassman, a keynote speaker at the conference. Domestic dissemination should be permissible, he suggested, 'if the intent of the work involving domestic audiences is to influence foreign audiences.' According to Glassman the government’s motivation behind engaging US residents is key. … We know that the conveniently slippery standard of intent has already resulted in fake TV news that would make Soviet-era propagandists proud. … Instead of loosening propaganda restrictions by relying on intent, why not adjust to the global information era by ensuring clear attribution of all government communications? Truth is an obvious second standard, but public diplomacy, by definition, deals with issues in which the US government is an interested party. It’s therefore naive to claim that a standard of 'truth'—which must transcend, or at least fairly acknowledge, competing interests—could be upheld." See also John Brown, "The Anti-Propaganda Tradition in the United States, " Public Diplomacy Alumni Association. Image from

Welsh Assembly Government in New York promoting Wales - News from Wales and the World! September 23rd - 2009!:

"The role of the representative of the External Affairs Department of the Welsh Assembly Government in New York is to raise the profile of Wales in the USA through event marketing, media outreach, publicity and public diplomacy.
http://www.wales.com/en/content/cms/English/USA/USA.aspx" Image from posting.

Arrivederci Pittsburgh - Η Λαρισα Δεν Αντεχει Αλλο!!!From Larissa Greece We Say!!!! No More!!!!!!!!!!: "The primary purpose of public diplomacy is to explain, promote, and defend principles to audiences abroad. This objective goes well beyond the public affairs function of presenting and explaining specific policies of various Administrations. Policies and Administrations change; principles do not, so long as a country remains true to itself. By all accounts, Americans have been absent from the battlefield of ideas. ... Public diplomacy has a particularly vital mission during war, when the peoples of other countries, whether adversaries or allies, need to know why we fight. What are the ideas so dear to us that we would rather kill and die than live without them? And what antithetical ideas do our enemies embrace, about which they feel the same way? After all, it is a conflict of ideas that is behind the shooting wars, and it is that conflict which must be won to achieve any lasting success. The main reasons for failure stem from intellectual confusion regarding what it is we are defending and against whom we are defending it."

Profiles in International Education: David Comp - Jessie Voigts, Wandering Educators: David Comp:

“Next on my plate is completing my dissertation for my degree in Comparative and International Education. I’m at the dissertation proposal stage and my current topic/working title is Towards the Development of a Methodology to Measure Public Diplomacy Outcomes of International Education Programs.” Comp image from

RELATED ITEMS

Fed Up With War - Bob Herbert, New York Times: "If the conflict in Afghanistan is as crucial to American national security as President Obama has said,

then he needs to make that case to the public, clearly and compellingly. Image from

Vietnamization is not an option: Victory not yet beyond our reach - Martin Schram, Washington Times: Our body politic would be healthier if "everybody ought to take a deep breath" while Washington takes the time to get it right, at last, in Afghanistan.

Osama Betting on a U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan - Bill Roggio, Weekly Standard

The Big Cheat – Editorial, New York Times: Iran has a long history of lying and cheating about its nuclear program, so the news that it has been secretly building another plant to manufacture nuclear fuel is hardly a shock.

But it provides one more compelling reason (are any more needed?) why the United States and other major powers must be ready to quickly adopt — and enforce — tough new sanctions if negotiations fail to persuade Tehran to abandon its nuclear ambitions. Image from

Another Nuclear Plant: The calculations of Iran's nearness to building a bomb -- and the urgency of stopping it -- just changed – Editorial, Washington Post: The United States must make clear to those governments that it will not settle for inaction against a regime that is brazenly defying international treaties and U.N. Security Council resolutions. At the same time, the administration should reassess the intelligence community's conclusion about whether and how quickly Iran is seeking a weapon.

Toward peace in the Middle East: Breakthroughs require real leadership from all sides - Aaron David Miller, Los Angeles Times: When breakthroughs in Arab-Israeli peacemaking come, they come with unforeseen and unpredictable urgency driven by big men and big events.Today we have neither, just the prospects of a long, hard slog.

The BBC - History and propaganda - Michael Greenwell, OpEdNews: "This podcast is about the BBC. I speak with Professor David Miller of the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland."

Over 60…And Getting Younger: September 25, 2009 - Stanley Greenberg, Plainview Old Bethpage Herald:

"I was surprised when my professor at SUNY-Old Westbury, John Friedman, listed all the subtle types of propaganda in my 'Politics and the Media' course. I never realized the varieties of propaganda that are used in daily life and in political campaigns." Image from

September 24-25

“The VOA News in Special English, a brand of English I suspect no one spoke.”

--Nigerian author E.C. Osondu, reminiscing about listening to VOA as a youth at the insistence of his father; Osondu image from

"When the [German] unifications papers were signed, I jokingly said to [German Foreign Minister] Hans-Dietrich Genscher: The next time we will negotiate about the German-Chinese border."

--Former Secretary of State James Baker

CONFERENCE

Thursday, September 24, 2009: New Approaches to U.S. Global Outreach -- Monday, October 5 George Washington University's Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication, in association with the GW Public Affairs Project and our friends and colleagues at the Public Diplomacy Council (PDC),


are hosting a two-panel conference on Monday, October 5 at GW's Marvin Center under the heading "New Approaches to U.S. Global Outreach: Smart Power on the Front Lines of Public Diplomacy and Strategic Communication."

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

President Obama and Secretary Clinton Have Set Profound, Positive Examples – [Judith McHale, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, speaking at the newly established Harvard Public Diplomacy Collaborative] – News Blaze: "The State Department's public diplomacy operations must carry out this mission in partnership with colleagues throughout the U.S. Government, not in isolation. But there is a tremendous amount that we can do-and are doing-to build credibility, trust, and relationships. … We cannot sit behind embassy walls and speak only to the people who agree with us.

We have to engage, even when we disagree with others. We have to communicate-two-way communication, not one-way messaging-through both government-to-people dialogue and people-to-people dialogue. President Obama and Secretary Clinton have set profound, positive examples for this type of public diplomacy during the first year of this Administration. … Public diplomacy also means understanding and articulating mutual aspirations, such as improving social welfare, economic growth, increased trade, respect for the popular will, and democracy. … [T]aken together, these are core elements of our public diplomacy: A clear and full recognition and understanding of the perceptions, concerns, and interests of other countries and their citizens; An accurate and multidimensional portrayal of America - our policies, our actions, and our society; and A strategic and sustained dialogue on mutual interests and aspirations-one in which we engage, not just lecture." McHale image from

Opinion: Assessing Obama's foreign policy touch: Far from the UN, here in the real world of Pittsburgh, there's more to diplomacy than just words - C.M. Sennott – GlobalPost: "President Barack Obama’s public diplomacy is as graceful and seemingly effortless as that three-point jump shot he hit with TV cameras running during the campaign. … His public diplomacy skills were on display Wednesday when President Obama spoke before the U.N. General Assembly. He was warmly greeted and stressed the need for nations to work together to solve the issues that connect us all from climate change to terrorism. The words, as always, were eloquent. The world’s leaders nodded their heads in agreement. President Obama defined 'a new era of engagement with the world' after eight years of President George W. Bush’s clumsy unilateralism and contempt for the U.N."

Obama Triangulates His Country: Obama forswears America’s preeminence - Rich Lowry, National Review: "Obama’s version of American leadership consists mostly of a public diplomacy of self-flagellation and commitment to fashionable causes. …

Obama hopes that all our self-effacing niceness will catalyze the world into ending its 'bickering about outdated grievances.' But the world’s geopolitical and ideological disputes aren’t 'bickering,' and just because grievances are old doesn’t mean they are any less real or deep-seated (in fact, it usually means the opposite). Obama’s presidency does not constitute Year Zero in international affairs." Image from

House votes to extend Radio Free Asia and Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy: "'H.R. 3593 - To amend the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994 to extend by one year the operation of Radio Free Asia (Rep. Royce - Foreign Affairs) ... To amend the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 to reauthorize the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy (Rep. Watson - Foreign Affairs).' Congress Matters, 23 September 2009. [Elliott comment:] These are suspension bills, which 'dispose of non-controversial measures expeditiously.' Both were passed by the House in a few minutes. Non-controversial? Radio Free Asia is a very good station, so renewing it for a year is, on its own, a no-brainer. But the splitting of US international broadcasting resources to East Asia into two stations whose efforts overlap, and who compete with each other, when the government should be trying to save money, is a matter that deserves a thorough, unsuspended debate in the near future. The Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy has no decision-making power. It issues reports that are widely ignored. Eliminating it would not make a perceptible dent in the pesky federal deficit. Shutting down all of the advisory commissions in Washington might."

High-Tech Diplomacy - Evgeny Morozov, Newsweek: "Diplomatic agencies aren't known for being innovative, but partnering with tech firms might change that. Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft have a responsibility to wield their newfound soft power for the benefit of the United States and the world. U.S. diplomats need to embrace fully the powerful diplomatic arsenal that Silicon Valley has to offer." At Twitter, Morozov describes his article thus: “my Newsweek op-ed argues that US tech companies could help reshape American public diplomacy.” Below image from



Inside the Fed CIO Council's Social Media Policy - Michael Singer, Internet Evolution: "The Federal CIO Council this month released a set of guidelines for social media tools for government agencies, which is triggering a new round of discussions in CIO circles about the benefits and dangers of sites like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. While the 19-page document does not break any new ground, it does provide a clear outline for department heads for mitigating security breaches and other risks. … [A]t the Black Hat security conference this year talked about how information can be stolen from Web surfers through the use of dynamic cross-site scripting attacks. The pair bragged about acquiring 150 friends, including defense industry executives and the chief security officers of major corporations. This is not to say all social media are frowned upon in government dealings. Colleen Graffy, formerly the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, successfully used Twitter to connect with foreign media before her visits to their respective countries. The report highlighted this so-called 'Ambient Awareness' to provide a human face to Ms. Gaffy's duties overseas, which resulted in better foreign press."

State Department Gets an “F” in Language Designate-Positions – Morgan Roach, The Foundry, Heritage Foundation:

"America’s public diplomacy will not improve if her ability to communicate with the local officials and population is absent. Such shortcomings are unacceptable and will only hinder America’s engagement in the areas of most strategic importance." Image from

Can you read this? US suffers foreign language weakness - Kista Ramsey, Cincinnati.com: "American schools have been losing the language race for decades - a loss that translates into ever greater economic disadvantages for U.S. businesses and national security concerns. Each year, U.S. companies lose an estimated $2 billion because of employees' inadequate language skills and poor cultural competence, according to the Committee for Economic Development. 'It's always been a good thing to know more about the world and to speak another language, but now it's become an issue of our economic security, our national security and our public diplomacy,' says Charles Kolb, president of the Committee for Economic Development in Washington, D.C. 'Speaking a second language gives our young people an edge in terms of the competition we're facing around the globe. Believe me, you win kudos if you're negotiating in another country and you're fluent in that language.'"

A ‘broad’ apology to Sarah Palin - Jim Galloway, Atlanta Journal Constitution: [Copy Paste from Sarah Palin facebook:] “EMany have asked to see my remarks as presented in Hong Kong. Here is an excerpt: … The reality is that Muslims from Algeria, Indonesia, Iraq, Afghanistan and many other countries are fighting al Qaeda and their allies today.

But this will be a long war, and it will require far more than just military power to prevail. Just as we did in the Cold War, we will need to use all the tools at our disposal – hard and soft power. Economic development, public diplomacy, educational exchanges, and foreign assistance will be just as important as the instruments of military power." Image from

Institute of International Education 90th Anniversary Gala Dinner Honored ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson, Maestro Lorin Maazel, and the Founders of the Iran Opportunities Fund – press release, Trading Markets: "In celebrating IIE's 90 year history and achievements, the gala also featured special awards to outstanding individuals who have participated in and supported IIE's work in international educational exchange. These included world-renowned conductor and Fulbright alumnus Lorin Maazel and three women leaders who worked together to found the Iran Opportunities Fund at IIE. Senior State Department official Mark J. Davidson also attended, representing Judith A. McHale, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. IIE administers the Fulbright Student and Scholar Programs (http://www.fulbrightonline.org) for the U.S. Department of State."

US to engage Burma (Myanmar): Clinton: After years of imposing sanctions, the US will now also engage Burma, Clinton said. The closed regime may also be reaching out: It attended its first UN meeting this week in 14 years - David Montero, Christian Science Monitor: "Just as the Obama administration is reaching out to Myanmar, so too is Myanmar trying to reach out to the world, as National Public Radio’s Michael Sullivan points out in this transcript: ...

MICHAEL SULLIVAN: Myanmar’s military rulers don’t seem to have much use for public diplomacy, which is what makes Prime Minister Thein Sein’s trip so unusual. He’s the first senior member of Myanmar’s military to attend the U.N.’s annual gathering in 14 years." Image from

‘One of the most important and best relationships in the world’ - Shyam Ranganathan Narayan Lakshman, The Hindu: "Timothy J. Roemer, nominated by President Barack Obama as the 21st U.S. Ambassador to India, presented his credentials to President Pratibha Patil on August 11, 2009. ... [Roemer:] The President has also told me in no uncertain terms, he said in our first meeting, he said, ‘You know, Tim, I am sending you to one of the most important countries in the world. They have over a billion people in India. And one of your goals will be to try to meet every one of those people.’ Now he said it with a smile on his face but this President of ours thinks in terms of broad and big and ambitious terms. … He expects me to meet as many people as I can.

Public diplomacy is an important, a vital goal for the President of the United States. … It is for me to meet everyday Indians to see what families are experiencing, to see how we can listen and learn, to see how we can improve the people to people ties because of course it is the people to people ties that have been leading this relationship over the last few decades. 95,000 Indian students are in American schools, we have several million Indians engaged and active in the American community. … At the same time that we talk about national security issue, it is vitally important for the US and India to talk about … the public diplomacy issues that the President has tasked me with – getting out and meeting people, broadening and deepening this relationship.” Roemer image from article.

U.S. Consulate General Jerusalem Sponsors Mural Projects in West Bank - WAFA - Palestine News Agency: "The U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem sponsored a series of school beautification projects in Jenin, Hebron, Nablus, Salfeet, and Bethlehem. … Over 500 youth participated in the school beautification projects. Esperanza Tilghman, Public Diplomacy Officer for the U.S. Consulate, emphasized that 'the Consulate is a strong supporter of programs designed to engage Palestinian youth in activities that will inspire them to become leaders in their communities.'”

The Goldstone Report - Ian Williams, Foreign Policy In Focus: "Judge Richard Goldstone's report on the war in Gaza threatens the Obama administration's global public diplomacy options and its scrupulously graduated approach to whatever passes for a Middle East Peace process. State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly complained that Goldstone opted for 'cookie-cutter conclusions' about Israel's actions, while keeping 'the deplorable actions of Hamas to generalized remarks.' However, Kelly urged the Israeli government to investigate further."

ICC may try IDF officer in wake of Goldstone Gaza report - Yotam Feldman, Haaretz: "A senior prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague said Monday that he is considering opening an investigation into whether Lt. Col. David Benjamin, an Israel Defense Forces reserve officer, allowed war crimes to be committed during the IDF's three-week offensive in the Gaza Strip this winter. … Benjamin served for many years as legal adviser to the GOC Southern Command, and later headed the Military Advocate General's department on international law.

In August, he visited South Africa to attend a conference organized by the local Jewish community on international law during wartime, with special reference to the Gaza war. Benjamin later described the trip as a 'personal hasbara [public diplomacy] trip.'" Image from

New French Consul General Outlines Priorities - Phil Bolton, GlobalAtlanta: "France’s recently arrived consul general to the Southeast outlined his strategic priorities during a reception held by the French American Chamber of Commerce, Atlanta chapter at the Piedmont Driving Club in Midtown Sept. 15. … In addition, he said that the consulate would continue to develop cultural initiatives in the wake of the Louvre Atlanta project, a three-year partnership between the High Museum of Art and the Louvre museum. Carole Scipion recently joined the consulate as cultural attache.

Image from article: From left, Michele Oliveres, president of the French American Chamber of Commerce, Atlanta chapter; Pascal Le Deunff, Consul General of France and Frederic Mot, executive director of the French chamber, at the Piedmont Driving Club reception."

Social media and cultural relations: some reflections from a practitioner. Part two - The Yoosk Team: "First a bit about Yoosk (which is derived from ‘you ask’). Yoosk gathers questions from the public for named political, business and civil society leaders, arranges for the interviews to be conducted by a member of the target community and then publishes the answers. We use a set of web tools and associated methodology to help clients conduct domestic and international engagement exercises and this latter activity falls into the sphere of cultural relations. Yoosk FCO: public diplomacy through direct conversations with political leaders[:] The website www.yoosk.com/fco has been used to gather questions from the UK’s Muslim community and from the Jordanian public around visits by the UK’s Foreign Secretary, David Miliband. The fact that the questions are unmoderated and openly displayed so that the public can vote on which they most want answered makes a clear statement that the UK are open for transparent dialogue. Furthermore, these questions are then delivered by people that the target audience recognise as not being part of the establishment, bringing fresh voices to media content that would normally be the preserve of established reporters."

Presidential leadership – Editorial, the Armenian reporter: "[T]he Armenian government has an important role to play.

It needs to engage and persuade civil society. Just as President Obama has taken to the airwaves to explain his policies, advocate for them, and respond to his critics, Armenia's President Serge Sargsian has begun an intensive outreach effort. Having called for such an effort in our recent editorial, 'A time for more public diplomacy,' (July 18), we are pleased now to welcome it." Image from

European allowances for children whose parents work abroad - Financiarul: "The Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE) and the Social Alternatives Association concluded a partnership for the project ‘Combating negative effects of migration among children and elderly,’ which is to cover the period over 2009-2011, informed MAE release, on Wednesday. … The cooperation between MAE and the Social Alternatives Association is in compliance with the Ministry’s strategy of communication and public diplomacy, emphasizing the importance of the cooperation with the associative environment."

RI seeks out results at 5th Interfaith dialogue - Endy M. Bayuni, The Jakarta Post: "Predominantly Muslim Indonesia is pushing for government, civic and religious leaders in Asia and Europe to move beyond dialogue and engage in more concrete collaboration. The opening of the Fifth Asia European Meeting (ASEM) Interfaith Dialogue on Thursday also saw co-host Finland calling for more women to sit in on the conference that is still dominated by men. 'As our regional interfaith dialogue series matures, it should be oriented toward concrete cooperation on issues of common concern,' Andri Hadi, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry's director general for information and public diplomacy affairs, said in his statement at the opening ceremony of the two-day gathering."

CPD Conversations in Public Diplomacy Daryl Copeland - Guerrilla Diplomacy - Events Detail, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: "The USC Center on Public Diplomacy is proud to host Daryl Copeland

for a book talk on his recent publication, Guerrilla Diplomacy: Rethinking International Diplomacy. Guerrilla Diplomacy offers both a call to action and an alternative approach to understanding contemporary international relations." Copeland image from

Writing and Publishing in the Field of International Education - David Comp, International Higher Education Consulting Blog™: "I've always wondered where the best place is for international education practitioners/researchers to submit their work for publication. … [A] publication route is to submit work for publication in journals/publications focusing more generally on higher education, public diplomacy, policy, or on many other topics where we educate/inform those outside of our field in order to gain more support and understanding of our field (also critical need for this)?"

PD for PR - Paul Rockower, Levantine: "A little public diplomacy for a public diplomacy photo show. I made the CommLine, the Annenberg newsletter and also their website."

James Baker on the Fall of the Wall: 'Without American Leadership There Would Have Been No Unification' – Spiegel: "In a SPIEGEL interview, former US Secretary of State James Baker, 79, discusses the fall of the Berlin Wall, German unification and resistance from France, Germany and even inside the White House to a reunited Germany. SPIEGEL: In early 1989, a strategic paper from a State Department led by you saw Gorbachev engaged in a 'public diplomacy blitzkrieg.' Had the United States temporarily lost its leadership role in Europe? Baker: Without American leadership there would have been no unification. Do not forget that Gorbachev wanted many things but not unification. France and Great Britain were also highly skeptical. They were very concerned that history would repeat itself. But we didn't feel that way here."

RELATED ITEMS

Obama's powerful presence: The president's popularity -- on view at the U.N. -- has helped reduce global tensions and deprived America's enemies of propaganda points - Editorial, latimes.com: Neoconservative thinkers have ever understood is that words, resolutions and friendly dialogue have considerable power in themselves.

Commit to Afghanistan or Get Out: We shouldn't send Americans to fight and die if we're not in it to win - Kori Schak, Wall Street Journal: What the president's review will reveal is a shocking incapacity by the nonmilitary parts of our war effort. Its talk of the need for "smart power" notwithstanding,

right now the administration has only a military strategy for Afghanistan. We need to turn our attention to the failures of the nonmilitary parts of our strategy and bring them up to the standard at which our military is performing. Image from

The Afghan Imperative - David Brooks, New York Times: Since 1979, we have been involved in a long, complex conflict against Islamic extremism. Afghanistan is central to this effort partly because it could again become a safe haven to terrorists, but mostly because of its effects on the stability of Pakistan.

Intelligence is a critical need - Rep. Peter Hoekstra and Rep. John Shadegg, Washington Times: Intelligence is a linchpin of success in any counterinsurgency environment. If the president decides to commit additional troops - clearly necessary to military victory - he will only handicap them if he does not free our intelligence community to do its job.

Rep. Peter Hoekstra of Michigan is the top Republican on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. John Shadegg is an Arizona Republican. Image from

Keep Gitmo: Quality-of-life improvements continue despite President Obama's assurances of its closing. Although the base has become a model detention center, the legal limbo of detainees is a major problem - Judith Miller, latimes.com

White House Regroups on Guantanamo: Counsel Craig Replaced as Point Man on Issue as Deadline for Closing Looms - Anne E. Kornblut and Dafna Linzer, Washington Post: With four months left to meet its self-imposed deadline for closing the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the Obama administration is working to recover from missteps that have put officials behind schedule and left them struggling to win the cooperation of Congress. It's time for the Obama administration to acknowledge that Gitmo, or another center like it, will be needed as long as the war on terrorism -- no matter what our commander in chief calls it -- endures. But to ensure that such places do not become legal black holes, detainees should be assured of some kind of periodic, independent review of the allegations against them.


Reagan's Missile Defense Triumph - Andrew Nagorski, Washington Post: The Obama administration's line, as spelled out by the president, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and others, is unambiguous when it comes to embracing missile defense as a necessary component of the U.S. arsenal. Image from

Banish the Cyber-Bigots - Michael Gerson, Washington Post: The Nazis would have found much to admire in the adaptation of their message on neo-Nazi, white supremacist and Holocaust-denial Web sites.

Thirteen Striking Propaganda Posters - Stew, Gunaxin: Used throughout wars and specific country’s ruling parties, the posters provided the perfect outlet for the voices that no one really wanted to hear.

Much we know today has solid roots in using propaganda to ’spread the word’. Any time you hear someone announce that giving in to whatever is being sold in order to ’save yourself’, you’re hearing propaganda; even in its most basic sense, promoting one thing over another is still the same thing. Image from article

September 23

"Never mind the facts. Just give me the truth."

--A fictional Benjamin Franklin, uttering lines evidently inspired by Groucho Marx, in the play by Trevor Griffith, "A New World: A Life of Thomas Paine"; cited in Times Literary Supplement (September 18, 2009), p. 17; image from

IMAGES

Below Images from Modernizing Propaganda: Avant-Garde Postcards – Challis, Inspire 76: These images are from the Leonard A. Lauder Collection of Japanese Postcards at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. They feature some very avant-garde propaganda postcards that were distributed in world war 2.

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

The Field: Where Foreign Policy Succeeds or Fails Public Diplomacy Today Part 4 - Patricia H. Kushlis and Patricia Lee Sharpe, Whirled View: "Public diplomacy’s role is to move governments by inspiring their citizens to see American goals as good for them, too. … Informational, educational, cultural—these are the co-equal mutually-supportive elements of an effective PD program.

Properly orchestrated, they enhance the overall American image, making the U.S. better understood and more attractive as an ally. … The heart of a public diplomacy program abroad has always been the American Center, a welcoming full service information operation with a good collection of American books and journals and banks of computers and a congenial professional staff to help each visitor, whatever his or her rank, make the best possible use of them. To save money in recent years, American Centers have been closed and materials have been transferred to a minuscule 'American Corner' in a local library."

Twitter Diplomacy: One-Way Broadcast or Dialogue? – Joshua S. Fouts, DIP's Dispatches from the Imagination Age: "In conversations over the past few months with US Foreign Service officers, for forthcoming articles I am writing about the role of social media in foreign policy and public diplomacy, a theme has appeared: In the rush to use social media and appear technologically au courant, diplomats have expressed frustration that they are simply being told to use the technology without any context. … I find that Twitter's potential is maximized when it is treated as a conversation. Indeed, diplomacy and especially public diplomacy, is often most successful when the audience feels like they are being listened to. In 1992 when I was at the Voice of America, the mantra in the halls was 'from monologue to dialogue,' which was an effort to demonstrate that VOA was not just about broadcasting a message, but engaging listeners in a conversation."

Public diplomacy: Virtual Student Foreign Service - newmark: craig from craigslist indulges himself: "The State Department is really serious about using the Net to get people to reach out to people in different countries. This is the '21st Century Statecraft' stuff, person-to-person public diplomacy. I figure it's our way of reminding the world that our government and people are serious about American values again. The next step is the 'Virtual Student Foreign Service' where students considering this form of public service can actually do something real."

More Problems at State - Jobs at home – Legit work: "Josh Rogin at ForeignPolicy.com tells us about a forthcoming GAO report on the State Department.

These conditions clearly indicate major impediments to effective public diplomacy as well as demonstrate the need for Defense Department strategic communication and military public diplomacy resources (primarily, but not exclusively, MIST – Military Information Support Teams). Too many public diplomacy officers circulate only within the elite circles in their countries because of the lack of resou[rces]."

Imbalance Between Departments of Defense and State Dangerous for U.S. Foreign Policy - Vanessa Parra, Reuters AlertNet: "A shortage of qualified and available U.S. Foreign Service Officers and other personnel has created a vacuum that the U.S. is forced to fill with military personnel, said a new report by Refugees International released today. Drawing on the Full Strength of America: Seeking Greater Civilian Capacity in U.S. Foreign Affairs highlights the urgent need to build up U.S. civilian agencies in light of the severe inequity between the Department of Defense and the State Department. One example lies across the Sahel and Maghreb, where soldiers are conducting development and public diplomacy tasks because there aren't enough civilians."

The Neocons, the BNP and the Islamophobia Network - Tom Griffin, posted by Garibaldi at loonwatch.com: "The CSP [Center for Security Policy] and the Policy Forum have been endorsed by some of America’s wealthiest conservative foundations.

The Philanthropy Roundtable recommended both organisations in its 2006 publication, The Struggle Against Radical Islam: A Donor’s Guide (pdf) which criticised the US Government for failing to develop political warfare and public diplomacy programmes modelled on those of the Cold War, and called on private sector donors to fill the gap."

CNN interview with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "NETANYAHU: I think that people should not rush to judgment. I think that these are two new administrations, my own new government and the new government in Washington. We have found a way to communicate. I think we have resolved a lot of the issues between us. We can have differences. That happens among the best of friends. It even happens in our own families. But I think there's a growing closeness that I have found. What people don't know - and I'm not referring to the public diplomacy - but I want to tell you something about private diplomacy. There's virtually not a day that goes by that the Obama administration and my own government don't communicate on a very senior level on very important matters in a very confidential and respectful way."

Pakistan-US ties should be built on trust and confidence: FM Qureshi – Associated Press of Pakistan:

"Questioned about reasons behind rise in anti-American sentiment in the Pakistani public, the foreign minister [Qureshi] felt the US had failed in public diplomacy."

Abdullah Bin Zayed holds meetings on the sidelines of Climate Change Summit - WAM - Emirates News Agency: "The UAE minister's [H.H Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan] meeting with Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Anders Fogh Rasmussen discussed a number of security issues such as the situation in Afghanistan and joint efforts to enforce stability and security in the country. In the meeting, Rasmussen thanked the UAE for playing host for the forthcoming conference on public diplomacy next October."

CPD Conversations in Public Diplomacy -- Teresa La Porte: The Public Diplomacy of the EU – Events Details, USC Center on Public diplomacy:

"The USC Center on Public Diplomacy is proud to host CPD Visiting Scholar, Teresa La Porte, for a Conversation in Public Diplomacy. Teresa La Porte will lead a roundtable on the public diplomacy of the European Union, exploring how the EU communicates to member States. La Porte image from article."

Clinton & Congress – Kim, Scrivners:

"When I have some time, I'll have to post a bit about what I'll be doing in public diplomacy and why I chose this career path instead of teaching. (I often get confused responses and questions about how I ended up in government after studying literature for so long.)"

International Religious Freedom Report 2002 – posted at Rohingya Info Corner: "Burma has been ruled since 1962 by highly repressive, authoritarian military regimes. … In November 2000, the U.S. Government actively supported the decision of the International Labor Organization to implement sanctions against the regime based on the Government’s continued systematic use of forced labor for a wide range of civilian and military purposes. The U.S. Embassy has promoted religious freedom in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human rights. This has involved numerous contacts with government officials, private citizens, scholars, representatives of other governments, international media representatives, and international business representatives. Embassy staff have met repeatedly with leaders of Buddhist, Christian, and Islamic religious groups, members of the faculties of schools of theology, and other religious-affiliated organizations and NGO’s as part of their reporting and public diplomacy activities."

Michael Kaiser’s Cultural Diplomacy: Would a ‘Pepsi Ballet’ Help U.S. Artists? – Leonard, Clyde Fitch Report: "While Kaiser [President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts]argues against cultural diplomacy in the way it has been practiced, on and off, since the end of World War II, he is not suggesting that America roll up its cultural carpet and bring our talent back home.

His idea is that cultural diplomacy must be reconstituted, reframed, reimagined and reimplemented to increase our bang for the buck . … [H]e seems to suggest that the nation’s directly encourage private industry to financially support what the government cannot. … It’s difficult to imagine, for one thing, how this plays out: Would the U.S. government permit Pepsi, say, to brand itself as part of a performing-arts tour to foreign countries in exchange for sponsorship support? When the State Department pays for a visit by American artists to another land, the artists are representing the U.S. as a nation. When Pepsi pays for a visit by American artists to another land, the artists are representing, well, who?"

RELATED ITEMS

Below images from The Smithsonian Institution's an online collection of seed catalog art; via. See The Armed Propaganda Teams of Vietnam, SGM Herbert A. Friedman (Ret.), which states: "This article will discuss the Armed Propaganda Teams of the Government of Vietnam in depth. ... The Van Tac Vu teams are mentioned in ... [an] official memorandum dated January 1968. It says in part: ... The second mission of the teams is called 'cultural seed planting,' in which the teams visit the village school and the children are taught patriotic songs of Vietnam and told in simple terms the goals of the government and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam."

Under Attack - Mark Dillen, Public Diplomacy:

Yes, the achievements of Barack Obama and his campaign staff in last year’s election can offer inspiration and ideas to political organizers around the globe. But the problem is that the same skill set can be applied to manipulate public opinion while the real news is concealed or ignored.

Exclusive: GAO report finds State Department language skills dangerously lacking - Josh Rogin, The Cable, Foreign Policy: About a third of Foreign Service officers in jobs that require language skills don't have the proficiency required to do their jobs, hurting America's ability to advocate its interests around the world, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office.

U.S. ambassador needed - James Mancham, Washington Times: Unlike China, Russia, India, the United Kingdom, France and even Cuba, the United States does not maintain an embassy in Seychelles. What weather conditions need to be in place for the United States to reopen its embassy and play its own role of people-to-people diplomacy? Sir James Mancham, K.B.E., is the founding president of the Republic of Seychelles.

Worst foreign policy ever – Editorial, Washington Times: Then there is the catalogue of Mr. Obama's embarrassing moments on the world stage, a list which includes: giving England's Queen Elizabeth II an iPod with his speeches on it; giving British Prime Minister Gordon Brown a collection of DVDs that were not formatted to the European standard (by contrast, Mr. Brown gave Mr. Obama an ornamental desk-pen holder made from the oak timbers of Victorian anti-slaver HMS Gannet, among other historically significant gifts);

calling "Austrian" a language; bowing to the Saudi king; releasing a photo of a conference call with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which the president was showing the soles of his shoes to the camera (an Arab insult); saying "let me be absolutely clear. Israel is a strong friend of Israel's"; saying the United States was "one of the largest Muslim countries in the world"; suggesting Arabic translators be shifted from Iraq to Afghanistan where Arabic is not a native language; sending a letter to French President Jacques Chirac when Nicolas Sarkozy was the president of France; holding a town-hall meeting in France and not calling on a single French citizen; and referring to "Cinco de Cuatro" in front of the Mexican ambassador when he meant Cinco de Mayo. Also of note was Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton giving Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov a "reset" button with the Russian word for "overcharge."

The Bagram difference - Equating the Afghanistan air base with Guantanamo is a mistake, but detainee rights are still a concern – Editorial, latimes.com: Inmates in U.S. custody, including Afghan citizens, should have the assistance of lawyers in petitioning for release. Detainees seized far from the battlefield should be taken into American custody, where they should be tried as terrorists, with all the protections and avenues of appeal available to criminal defendants.

Obama Is Considering Strategy Shift in Afghan War - Peter Baker and Elisabeth Bumiller, New York Times: President Obama is exploring alternatives to a major troop increase

in Afghanistan, including a plan advocated by Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. to scale back American forces and focus more on rooting out Al Qaeda there and in Pakistan, officials said Tuesday. A shift from a counterinsurgency strategy to a focus on counterterrorism would turn the administration’s current theory on its head.

Cracks in Iran’s Clique - Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times: Obama officials want to be careful not to say that all they care about is a deal that neutralizes Iran’s nukes, and, if we get that, we have no problem with those in power in Tehran. That would be a rebuff of Iranian democrats.

A Middle East Handshake: President Obama is learning why Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking isn't easy – Editorial, Washington Post: The summit President Obama convened Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas fell well short of the administration's hopes.

A Cold Shoulder To Liberty - Michael Gerson, Washington Post:

The Obama administration includes some very principled, liberal defenders of human rights such as U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice and National Security Council staffer Samantha Power. But it seems dominated, for the moment, by those who consider the human rights enterprise as morally arrogant and an obstacle to mature diplomacy.

The Obama doctrine - Frank J. Gaffney Jr., Washington Times: Undermine our allies. Embolden our enemies. Diminish our country. Those nine words define the Obama doctrine with respect to American security policy.

Schools Look Abroad to Hire Teachers - Sam Dillon, New York Times:

Some American school districts have turned increasingly to overseas recruiting to find teachers willing to work in their hard-to-staff schools, according to a new report by a national teachers union. Courtesy LB

Conference Report: Strategic Communication in Countries Emerging from Violent Conflict – Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner.us

The Power of 140 Characters: Twitter in the Middle East [originally posted at July 26th, 2009: Tel Aviv Notes, Dayan Center, Tel Aviv University (PDF)] posted by Tal Pavel, advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org Via

September 22

"He can send more troops and it will be a disaster and he will destroy the Democratic Party. Or he can send no more troops and it will be a disaster and the Republicans will say he lost the war."

--One observer, characterizing the American president's dilemma, at its most extreme, regarding Afghanistan; image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

The right move in Europe: Improved opportunities with NATO, Russia - Christopher S. Chivvis, Washington Times: "The challenge will lie in determining the minimum NATO must do to reassure Eastern European states about NATO's commitment to their security. This will be tricky, but doing any more than the minimum will play into Russian attempts to portray reassurance as a sign of NATO hostility.

At the same time, it will be necessary to convince Germany that beefing up security for Eastern Europe will actually improve NATO-Russian relations in the long run. This, in turn, will require effective and proactive public diplomacy. Whether the shift in missile defense strategy will lead to greater Russian cooperation on Iran, as some hope, remains to be seen. But it is the right thing to do if it removes a major bone of contention within NATO itself." Image from

Tom Jocelyn & the Fallacy of Foreign-Policy Egocentrism - The Gormogons: "Obama’s popularity abroad can be a useful tool for public diplomacy in democratic countries—or perhaps to inspire oppressed populaces like Iran’s. It cannot, however, be relied upon as a diplomatic asset, especially when dealing with countries which have chosen for their own reasons to regard us—the sole, massively militarily superior superpower—as their enemy. As we’ve said again and again, this appeal—essentially, 'like us!'—is read as weakness, and (even good-faith) supplication gets slapped down."

Pakistan's Foreign Minister One-on-One: Mahkdoom Qureshi Talks Exclusively with Katie Couric; Says That Despite Strong Ties, U.S. Has "Failed In Public Diplomacy" - Katie Couric, CBS News: "Couric: How is anti-American sentiment right now in Pakistan? Qureshi: I think you have failed in public diplomacy. You have not reaped - sort of the - the rewards of what you have given.

Couric: Isn't sending billions of dollars in aid to Pakistan, though, a pretty powerful message to the Pakistani people? Qureshi: You see, giving money is one thing. But cultivating the people is something totally different. President Obama is now reaching out to the Muslim world. Why is he doing that? Because he realizes that the strategy of the past was not working." Qureshi image from article.

Obama’s Mideast Strategy: Useless if Not Harmful - Eric Trager, NewMajority.com: "[B]y reinforcing Islamists’ version of history and calling it 'public diplomacy,' Obama has systematically alienated the Israeli people, who have increasingly backed Netanyahu’s more skeptical approach to both U.S. policy and peace making. Polls currently show that Netanyahu’s approval rating among Israelis is at 65% – staggeringly high, especially by the standards of Israel’s fractious political system – while only 4% of Israeli Jews see Obama as pro-Israel."

Occupation in Iraq a partnership of forces: Deployed troops: Plan is to enable Iraqis until U.S. can fade to background - Scott Fontaine, The News Tribune:

"A provincial reconstruction team is a State Department-run effort that combines military and civilian workers to help improve governance, economics, infrastructure, rule of law and public diplomacy." Image: "Provincial Reconstruction Team - Iraq - Baghdad #E05050View detailsPrice: $15.95"

This Week in Congress - David Waldman, Congress Matters (blog) - "On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for legislative business. On Friday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business. 1. Suspensions (13 Bills) … H.R. 3593 - To amend the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994 to extend by one year the operation of Radio Free Asia (Rep. Royce - Foreign Affairs) … H.R. 2131 - To amend the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 to reauthorize the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy (Rep. Watson - Foreign Affairs)"

Leadership Award - Laura, U.S./Middle East Relations: "The Institute for International Education (IIE) will award three Iranian-American women at its 90th anniversay gala with the first-ever Women's Global Leadership Award.

The gala will take place in New York on Wednesday, September 23. Laya Khadjavi, Roya Khadjavi-Heidari, and Nazgol Saati Shahbazi are being honored for their efforts in setting up the Iran Opportunities Fund, a unique private-public partnership that enables international scholarly exchanges. Thirty Iranian graduate students have arrived in the United States over the past three years to teach Persian at American colleges and universities. Congratulations to these three enterprising, deserving women for enabling improved relations through public diplomacy." Image from

Mideast Awaits Fireworks and Surprises from Manhattan - Benjamin Joffe-Walt, The Media Line: "'I don't expect any breakthrough in relations between Iran and the United States and I would be very surprised if Obama and Ahmadinejad met,' Dr Seyyed Mohammad Marandi, a lecturer in North American Studies at the University of Tehran told The Media Line. 'I think that's highly unlikely.' … Dr Marandi argued Ahmadinejad would likely use the U.N. as a platform to reach out to his global supporters, rather than as a place for engagement with Western powers. 'I think Ahmadinejad will be using the U.N. as a public diplomacy tool, as his audience is not so much the U.N. and the U.S. but the developing world and the Islamic world,' he said. 'That's the audience Ahmadinejad tends to focus on.'" See also.

When in New York? The American people must understand that Libya has also been a victim of Lockerbie and it is interested in finding out the truth as much as every other party, says Mustafa Fetouri – Middle East Online: "Libya must present its opinion openly and welcome any dissent at the UN as what is important is our point of view getting cross. This could be the first ever opportunity we speak publically about Lockerbie in the United States; a country lost the most in the Lockerbie tragedy.

PR efforts should not be discounted either. The US public opinion is media driven and can only hear us if we manage our PR professionally. This is where skillful and professional public diplomacy comes in and could be very effective. The American people must understand that Libya has also been a victim of Lockerbie and it is interested in finding out the truth as much as every other party." Lockerbie image from

Canada should Invite more International Students to boost the Economy- suggests a Report - Angad Info Immigration Consultants: "Mr. R.M. Touhey … published a study … titled, 'A New Direction for the Canada – India Relationship' [which] analysed that Canada is lagging behind in taking sufficient number of international students than other developed countries. The report outlines three such areas that should be emphasized to develop an underdeveloped and under-articulated relationship: Canada must strengthen its meagre public diplomacy/advocacy efforts in India. A Canada-India Council that will work to enhance the flow of knowledge and people between Canada and India needs to be created. Such an organization would facilitate advocacy and Track Two efforts with other interested organizations. Post-secondary linkages with Indian students, universities and colleges must be strengthened. … Canada and India should bolster their nascent science and technology (S&T) linkages."

International Peace Day: FoxNews ignores the Most Successful Social Networking Awarenss Campaign - Col. David J. Wright, Globcal, Goodwill and Diplomacy Online: "It is not spam if it is International Peace Day. The entire Internet has been fired up by Peace and Goodwill from everyone.

There is nothing more important or nothing more popular ever discussed within social network platforms globally and probably nothing more important in our world today. The 'People's Democratic Public Diplomacy Movement' has won over the attention of the entire globe, it is democracy pure and simple, people want peace and they will have it this day. Thinking about it a little more, it is very clear to see that diplomacy and progress cannot occur with dis-accord, war, famine and injustice, we need to find common ground to establish equality and harmony on the planet, what a great start to unite all people and start a global conversation. Peace it is so simple and so pure and a common need of mankind." Image from

Rock Star in Dhaka: Beijing bound! – sshah, Beijing Travel - Culture and Recreation: "Today I got my assignment for Beijing. I won’t be there until July 2011, but it’s still exciting. I’m slated for a year of consular work and a year as Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer–one of, like, six or something… it will be a huge change from being captain, first mate, and chief bottle washer of the Cultural Affairs ship here in Dhaka. But it will be a great chance to see the workings of a larger section and embassy, drill down into one specific area in depth, and learn from some more seasoned public diplomacy hands."

RELATED ITEMS

Kremlin Spin Machine Goes into Overdrive - Nathan Hodge, Wired: We can’t help but marvel at the Kremlin’s new-’n'-improved spin machine. Last week, President Barack Obama announced a major shift in missile-defense strategy, scrapping the previous administration’s plans to station missile interceptors and radars in Eastern Europe.

It was supposed to be all about making sensible decisions about technology — and confronting the threat from Iran. But in Russia, the whole episode has been portrayed rather triumphantly as a climbdown by the Americans. Image: Russian Spinning: Flax Held on Frame, Leaving Both Hands Free to Manage the Thread and Spindle. From Hull House Museum.

UNESCO's book burner – Editorial, The Washington Times: UNESCO's stated mission is to serve as a "laboratory of ideas" while promoting education and "working to create the conditions for genuine dialogue based upon respect for shared values and the dignity of each civilization and culture." In yesterday's fourth round of voting, Egypt's Faruq Hosni earned an exact 29-29 tie with Bulgaria's Irina Bokova, a long-respected diplomat and scholar. Mr. Hosni has rightly drawn widespread criticism for his association with censorship and extreme cultural bias rather than openness.

AP sources: Obama may change Afghanistan course againAP, USA TODAY: — President Obama may change course again as the war worsens in Afghanistan, steering away from the comprehensive counterinsurgency strategy he laid out this spring and toward a narrower focus on counterterror operations aimed at al-Qaeda.

U.S. Commanders Told to Shift Focus to More Populated Areas - Greg Jaffe, Washington Post: Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top military officer in Afghanistan, has told his commanders to pull forces out of sparsely populated areas where U.S. troops have fought bloody battles with the Taliban for several years and focus them on protecting major Afghan population centers.

But the changes, which amount to a retreat from some areas, have already begun to draw resistance from senior Afghan officials who worry that any pullback from Taliban-held territory will make the weak Afghan government appear even more powerless in the eyes of its people. Image from

General's Review Creates Rupture: As Military Backs Call for More Troops In Afghanistan, Civilian Advisers Balk - Karen DeYoung, Washington Post: Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal's grim assessment of the Afghanistan war has opened a divide between the military, which is pushing for an early decision to send more troops, and civilian policymakers who are increasingly doubtful of an escalating nation-building effort.

The Hard and Bitter Truth - Bob Herbert, New York Times:


As President Obama tries to decide what to do about Afghanistan, reality is insisting that he take into account the worn-down condition of our military after so many years of fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the soaring budget deficits and sky-high unemployment numbers here at home in a country that is hurting badly and could use its own dose of nation-building. Mr. Obama, in the face of these daunting realities, is said to be re-thinking his plans to ratchet up American involvement in Afghanistan. One can only hope. Image from

More Than a Numbers Game in Afghanistan - Eugene Robinson, Washington Post: What Obama needs to do is downsize the mission. Our only goals should be to satisfy ourselves that Afghanistan will not again be a terrorist haven and to leave as quickly as possible. We need to use not just force but also diplomacy -- which means, yes, talking to the Taliban.

Wavering on Afghanistan? President Obama seems to have forgotten his own arguments for a counterinsurgency campaign – Editorial, Washington Post

Obama goes wobbly on Afghanistan: The White House leans toward cutting and running – Editorial, Washington Times

Obama's Befuddling Afghan Policy: Why is the president hesitating on more troops to fight his 'war of necessity'?- Leslie H. Gelb, Wall Street Journal: Defeat for America in Afghanistan and Pakistan can be avoided only if Democrats acknowledge that the Afghans need major help for two to three more years, and Republicans admit that the political clock at home won't give them much more time than that.

Letting Europe Drift - Anne Applebaum, Washington Post: In Europe, President Obama is still the most popular American leader in recent memory.

Yet he has failed to capitalize on this popularity, in part because he has failed to use it. His only message in Europe so far -- "send more troops to Afghanistan" -- has been clouded by his own ambivalence about the Afghan mission. Image from

Is the U.S. Losing the Pacific? The trend isn't America's friend - Mary Kissel, Wall Street Journal

The Obama Show – Stanley Fish, New York Times:

"I’m sure that Hilary [sic] Clinton is doing important work as secretary of state, but the only time she’s been in the news beyond a single cycle was when she bridled at a question about her husband." Image from

September 21

"Oh, yes, and Mr. President, about those Poles, grant them visa-free travel to the United States!"

--New York Times columnist Roger Cohen, referring to the U.S. president’s cancellation last week of plans to place missile interceptors in Poland and a radar station in the Czech Republic, an announcement made on Sept. 17, the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland; image from

ANNOUNCEMENT

(courtesy of John Ferguson, Executive Director, American Voices):

"American Voices is back from a busy summer of cultural engagement with the Middle East and Central Asia through our YES youth performing arts academies and donations of music scores and instruments in Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt and Lebanon. Please find links below to ... YouTube channel and teaser for the documentary currently in production, Camp Unity, about our programming in Iraq." Ferguson image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Public Diplomacy 2.1: TEDGlobal Fellow Evgeny Morozov argues that the US should upgrade its social media outreach - design mind: "American diplomats should stop trying to explain the country’s often inexplicable foreign policy in 140 characters or less.


Instead, they should use the Internet to sell the very idea of America, and there is no better way to do this than to open up the country’s vast cultural riches to the rest of the world — in cyberspace. Allowing the global public to view what America’s best universities, libraries, and museums have to offer from the comfort of their browsers must be at the heart of any 'public diplomacy 2.0' efforts." See also. Image from

Obama has hung the Iranian democracy protesters out to dry in the 2010 budget – Iranian.com: "Congressional Research Service report--May 19, 2009--Obama has hung the Iranian democracy protesters out to dry in the 2010 budget. Page 44: As shown, $67 million has been appropriated for Iran democracy promotion ($19.6 million through DRL and $48.6 million through the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs/USAID). Of that, as of October 2008, $42.7 million has been obligated, and $20.8 million disbursed. Additional funds, discussed in the chart below, have been appropriated for cultural exchanges, public diplomacy, and broadcasting to Iran. However, the Obama Administration did not request funding for democracy promotion in Iran in its FY2010 budget request, an indication that the new Administration views this effort as inconsistent with its belief in dialogue with Iran."

Obama’s Cowboy Foreign Policy - B. Daniel Blatt, GayPatriot: "Yeah, people may like Obama more abroad. So, I guess it does help to some extent being the anti-Bush. But, with Obama, it’s all about feelings, not results. He hasn’t been able to translate the good will he has gained in foreign circles into working relationships with our allies abroad.

And what his predecessor may have lacked in popular approval, he often made up for in strong personal relationships with world leaders not bound and determined to frustrate U.S. foreign policy. If his image were such that President Obama and Secretary Clinton thought we needed to 'reset' our foreign policy, well, that has more to do with the Presdent’s standing abroad (as measured in popular polls) and media coverage of the previous Administration than it did with his relations with our allies. Oh, yes, and the ineptitude of his Administration’s public diplomacy. Alas, that his successor’s public diplomacy doesn’t seem much better." Image from

One in five Iranians "follow" VOA or BBC - Kim Andrew Elliott Discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy: "Twenty percent is a large audience for international broadcasting. The question does not specify how often they they view or listen. The standard measure in international broadcasting audience research is viewing or listening or accessing in the past week."

Boca man recalls how his Army unit spread messages through music in Iraq on a makeshift radio station - Andrew Marra, Palm Beach Post: "On the barracks rooftop it seemed like poor weaponry, throwing out feeble FM frequencies in the hail and thud of Sadr City sniper fire, mortars and bombs. But on the streets of that immense Baghdad slum, where Army Sgt. Alan Coffman often went door-to-door in the sand-strewn streets with a helmet, gun and translator, it sometimes seemed like one of the best things going. It wasn't quite Radio Free Europe, but then again no one had instructed Coffman and the rest of his team on just how to start it up. ... [T]he only FM music station broadcasting in a sprawling Shiite slum in suburban Baghdad that is home to more than 1 million people [was] [t]he 'radio in a box,' as they called it, [with] an eight-mile range, a playlist of Iraqi pop garnered from local CDs and - inserted between songs - pro-American messages translated into Arabic. It was all part of the job for Coffman and his team. He was a psychological operations guy." Via

The Giant’s Rival, Part Two: The US Response - Paul G. Buchanan, Scoop.co.nz: "The US has political authority over Guam, the Northern Marianas and American Samoa. It maintains close ties to the Freely Associated States (FAS--Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and Palau) and maintains military bases on Guam and the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. … Otherwise the US maintains a limited diplomatic presence throughout the region, having reduced its consular presence in the 1990s. After the 2007 PICL meetings the US opened a public diplomacy office in its embassy in Fiji,

following the restoration of the Peace Corps regional office in Suva in 2004 (the US embassy in Fiji is the hub of its diplomatic presence in the PIF outside of Micronesia)." Image from

The 21C Family of Man opening - Paul Rockower, Levantine: Rockower, in remarks at the opening of his 21c Family of Man photo exhibit: “While the world may indeed be a narrow bridge,

it is the role of public diplomacy to widen that bridge. It is the task of public diplomacy to widen that bridge so that more and more people will not live in fear of the world that exists on the other side, and so that they will not be afraid to cross that bridge.” Image from

Scotland's standing 'needs work’: "Scotland's former 'ambassador' in the United States has called for a diplomatic charm offensive to help patch up relations with America - BBC: Susan Stewart, who was a Scottish affairs official in the US, said a campaign of public diplomacy is needed after the Lockerbie bomber release. … American relatives of those killed in the Lockerbie bombing expressed outrage at the Scottish government's decision to free Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds in August. Their opposition was echoed at the highest levels in President Barack Obama's administration. But the former first secretary for Scottish affairs at the British embassy in New York believes the damage to Scottish-American relations can be repaired."

Lessons to Be Learned From Dow 36,000 - Barry Ritholtz, The Big Picture: "1. Call it the audacity of cluelessness: Let us congratulate James K. Glassman and Kevin Hassett, the authors of the incredibly money losing advice in their book Dow 36,000, on their 10 year anniversary. The book forecast that lofty number would be obtained in 3 to 5 years; it was published precisely 10 years ago today. … Perhaps even more astonishing is that these two authors continue to work in fields that rely on their judgment and analytical abilities: Glassman served in the Bush administration as undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, 'leading U.S. efforts against terrorist ideologies.'”

(That ought to help you sleep at night). Image from

Reading :: The Reagan Imprint: Ideas in American Foreign Policy from the Collapse of Communism to the War on Terror By John Arquilla - Clay Spinuzzi, Spinuzzi:A blog about rhetoric, writing, reading, information technologies, telecommunications, research methods and methodologies, genre theory, activity theory, actor-network theory, distributed cognition, work fragmentation, lifehacks, net culture, and distributed knowledge work: "Arquilla singles out five ways in which 'Reagan transformed American grand strategy' (p.215): [among them] From propaganda to public diplomacy. Arquilla emphasizes that Reagan was the first president to use the term 'information strategy' – and the first president of the Cold War to actively pursue one. The Great Communicator rejected "the propaganda that had characterized the war of ideas before him," and in contrast, 'his strategy consisted of steadily increasing presssure on our adversaries by communicating directly with those people they were oppressing' (p. 219)."

September 20, 2009 Expanded Office Hours – paul, 217.1a Introduction to the Graphic Arts - "Hello, everyone! Hope you have a great holiday tomorrow - if you're around Newhouse, check out the public diplomacy panel at 2pm featuring David Pogue (NYT tech editor) and Marjane Satrapi (of Persepolis fame). This isn't for extra credit, but it looks like an awesome panel."

About Me - Just Thought You Should Know: Traveling, Self-Reflection, Frustrations, Life, Food, and the Freedom to Write When I Want About What I Want: KRISTINA

"SoCal native, traveler, bibliophile. Pursuing marketing, corporate comm, public diplomacy, & csr. Teaching English in Samut Prakan, Thailand, from October 2009 - March 2010."

CULTURAL DIPLOMACY

Art, Reality and Cultural Diplomacy - Rita J. King, DIP's Dispatches from the Imagination Age: "The central question of cultural diplomacy in many ways is: If humanity is to earnestly attempt to outpace our current path of collective destruction with acts of trailblazing creativity, how can this sacred act, which undermines the underlying conditions that lead to violence, best be accomplished?"

In Castro Country, Giving a Concert for Peace Cuban Exiles Decry Event, but Leading Latin Music Acts Perform Before Hundreds of Thousands in Havana - William Booth, Washington Post: "Rock-and-roll diplomacy came to the communist isle on a smoldering afternoon, as hundreds of thousands of Cubans filled the Plaza of the Revolution in Havana on Sunday and sang along to a dozen international musical acts led by the Colombian singer and peace activist Juanes.

The free 'Peace without Borders' concert was criticized by hard-line Cuban exiles in Miami as a propaganda coup for the Castro brothers, and that it might have been. But for thousands of young Cubans, it was a rare treat to hear a lineup of global Latin music stars, such as Olga Tanon of Puerto Rico and Miguel Bosé of Spain. … Juanes had previously met with Obama administration officials, and being a 17-time Latin Grammy winner who has become a kind of roving diplomat in Latin America, he got to see Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. She gave her blessing to his participation in the concert. … Next up … : The New York Philharmonic is coming to play a series of concerts at the Teatro Amadeo Roldan in Havana at the end of October."

RELATED ITEMS

The Bad News: America’s good news only Ambassadors - Patricia H. Kushlis, Whirled View: [S]kewed, feel-good reporting from an Embassy too often helps to produce skewed, bad analysis that can result in skewed and hence bad policy decisions.

Attitudes and Action: Public Opinion and the Occurrence of International Terrorism - Alan B. Krueger and Jitka Maleková, Science: The predictors of terrorism are unclear. This paper examines the effect of public opinion in one country toward another country on the number of terrorist attacks perpetrated by people or groups from the former country against targets in the latter country. Courtesy Alan Kotok. Full text by subscription.

This week, the world is watching Obama: As the president steps before the United Nations for the first time -- then meets with G-20 counterparts -- he sees a chance to prove himself at home

- Christi Parsons and Paul Richter, latimes.com. Image from

Our Missile-Defense Race Against Iran: The Bush-era plan was the best of the realistic alternatives - Ilan Berman, Wall Street Journal

Last Chance for Iran - Daniel R. Coats, Charles S. Robb and Charles F. Wald, Washington Post: President Obama's primary objective during and after negotiationswith Iran must be marshaling international support for more robust sanctions.

Back to Bagram – Editorial, New York Times: As it works to shut down the detention camp at Guantánamo Bay, the Obama administration faces a no less pressing challenge in bringing the larger military detention center at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan squarely within the rule of law and fundamental notions of fairness.

More of world's talented workers opt to leave USA - Emily Bazar, USA TODAY:
More skilled immigrants are giving up their American dreams to pursue careers back home, raising concerns that the U.S. may lose its competitive edge in science, technology and other fields. "What was a trickle has become a flood," says Duke University's Vivek Wadhwa, who studies reverse immigration. Image from

Information as the New Arms Race: An official report last week reveals weaknesses in our effort to prevent another 9/11 - L. Gordon Crovitz, Wall Street Journal: The document refers to the mission objective to "combat violent extremism" versus what the Bush administration's determination to "defeat terrorists at home and abroad." Combating is weaker than defeating. Also, a mission that had been defined in 2005 as to "prevent and counter the spread of weapons of mass destruction" has been reduced to "counter WMD proliferation." Another change: the deletion of the Bush mission of "promoting the growth of freedom and democracy."

September 20

"It wasn't that the shield was that important, but it's about the way, the way of treating us."

--Lech Wałęsa, the former Polish president and Solidarity leader, regarding the US decision to drop the missile defense shield in Poland; Wałęsa image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Good Will, but Few Foreign Policy Benefits for Obama -

Peter Baker, New York Times: "As President Obama welcomes world leaders to the United States this week, he has gone a long way toward meeting his goal of restoring the country’s international standing. Foreign counterparts flock to meet with him, and polls show that people in many countries feel much better about the United States. But eight months after his inauguration, all that good will so far has translated into limited tangible policy benefits for Mr. Obama. … James K. Glassman, who served as Mr. Bush’s last under secretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs and now leads the former president’s new research institute, said popularity only went so far. 'I wouldn’t say it’s not important to be well liked. It is important. But there are other factors involved,' he said. 'What you need to do is find out where you have mutual interests.'” Image from

American Diplomacy Failed Obama in Poland – Ted Lipien, Blogger News Network: "While American and international media blames President Obama for choosing to announce his decision on the removal of the missile defense system from Poland and Czech Republic on the 70th anniversary of the Soviet attack on Poland on September 17, 1939, surprisingly so far no one has called it a failure of American diplomacy. … If only one US diplomat, one foreign service officer at the State Department, did his or her job well, some of the international headlines making fun of President Obama’s lack of appreciation of history would not have been written. Where was the US Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith McHale, one of President Obama’s appointees? ... Where was the US Ambassador to Poland Victor Ashe? …

At a lower level of US diplomatic corps, where was the PAO (Public Affairs Officer) at the US Embassy in Warsaw and dozens of other foreign service officers, each costing US taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars? Where was the Polish Desk officer at the State Department? Where were all the public diplomacy experts President Obama had promised to bring on board to correct the mistakes of the Bush Administration, whom he accused of dealing harshly with the rest of the world and of not listening to what others were saying?" Image from

US international broadcasting: where duplication knows no frontier. Not even the Pakistan/Afghanistan frontier - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy: “[RFE/RL report:] 'RFE/RL will launch a new 6-hour RFE/RL Radio Azadi radio program for Pashto speakers in the dialect of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border area.' … Mentioned nowhere in all these reports [RFE/RL’s and others] is that for the past three years,VOA's Deewa Radio has been broadcasting to the same frontier region, in the same Pasto language. And contrary to bogus characterizations that VOA limits itself to news about crop yields in Nebraska, Deewa reports extensively about events in its target region. And, so, in one of the most difficult parts of the world to get news out of, and one of the most difficult to transmit news back into, in one of the most difficult language groups from which to recruit journalists, US international broadcasting will be dividing it resources between two stations whose efforts will largely overlap. No wonder the United States is being 'out communicated.' Make no mistake. The new RFE/RL service, in the tradition of RFE/RL's gutsy journalism, will do a very good job. But VOA's Deewa Radio is also doing a very good job.

Together, they could achieve the excellence required to compete amid the improving domestic media of the Middle East. One might think that USIB has reached its nadir of organizational inefficiency. I'm afraid, however, the downward slope might continue. Don't be surprised if Urdu is RFE/RL's next language service, authorized by members of Congress oblivious to the already formidable efforts of VOA's Radio Aap ki Dunyaa. USIB is subdividing itself into oblivion." Image from

9/19 E-mail to PDPBR compiler from Deirdre Kline, Director of Communications Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc.: "John, Hi there, I hope you are doing well. I wanted to touch base because there have been recent reports in the press regarding MBN and the Office of the Inspector General. I wanted to clarify for you that in September 2009, the State Department/BBG Office of the Inspector General informed the BBG that it would be conducting a routine inspection of MBN.

This is one of the various inspections of BBG domestic and overseas offices and functions that are conducted each year. This is not an investigation as reported by some media outlets." Image (Weitz, Mower, Kline, Musa, and Asadova) from Events Detail: Public Diplomacy: Reaching Difficult Audiences (Hudson Institute)

Inter-sectoral approach to Early Childhood Development - nelldd, Tomorrow's Youth Organization: "[N]ot only do early childhood programs have profound and lasting impact on children, but also that they provide access to entire families, and thereby communities. What better public diplomacy instrument could the State Department be looking for?"

We must stay course in Afghanistan - Demetrius Minor, Augusta, letter to the editor, Augusta Chronicle: "Abandoning Afghanistan to the Taliban and al-Qaida would be a perfect public diplomacy storm of military failure, sacrificing international goodwill and eroding American credibility."

China on my mind - Saurabh Joshi, StratPost:South Asian Defense & Strategic Affairs: "[I]t has certainly become clear that the Indian government does not speak with one voice on China, even though it may be of the same mind. This has lead to the existing varying views about the approach to China between the Ministry of External Affairs, the intelligence agencies and the armed forces being manifested in leaks to the media, leading to a confused message to the country.

And not only has the Indian government failed to stay on message, it has failed to deliver the message properly by omitting any substantial communication on the issue. The government’s sorry excuse for public diplomacy and advocacy has been epitomized by a statement calling India’s eastern frontiers most peaceful, made by the Indian Foreign Minister Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna." Image from

An Interview to G Magazine (Globes – Israel) - David Saranga:This blog is about Public Diplomacy and the implementations of Social Media in this field: "Here is the link to the interview which Uri Leventer from G magazine (the weekend supplement of the Israeli newspaper Globes) did with me, summarizing four years of Public Diplomacy 2.0 activity in New York. Right now it’s only available in Hebrew….soon it will be translated into English. Special thanks to Shahar Azran the photographer who was inspired by our activity with the Afro-American community and the Apollo theater (more about this activity you can read here and here)."

CULTURAL DIPLOMACY

Syracuse University symposium to explore cultural diplomacy - Melinda Johnson, Syracuse.com: "Syracuse University will host a Cultural Diplomacy Symposium on Sunday and Monday. Writers, a choreographer and academics will discuss the power of culture in the world of politics. Sunday's program will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the singing of the 'Lost Boys' of Sudan. Joseph S. Nye Jr., University Distinguished Service Professor and former dean of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, will speak on the past, current state and future of cultural diplomacy at 6:30 p.m. in Goldstein Auditorium in Schine Student Center.

A panel discussion will follow. On Monday, a panel discussion on 'Transcending Conflict Through Culture,' will be 2 to 5 p.m. in Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium in Newhouse III. Participants include graphic novelist Marjane Satrapi, journalist Paul Salopek, New York Times technology columnist David Pogue and choreographer and dancer Shen Wei of Shen Wei Dance Arts. The panel discussion will be Webcast at 7 p.m. Monday at http://video.syr.edu/live." See also. Image from

Improving South Korea’s image abroad Park No-ja - The Hankyoreh: "[N]ot only has the Lee Myung-bak administration failed to present policy for building inter-Korean trust to underpin the proposal for joint arms reductions given in the Aug. 15 celebratory address, it has focused its energies solely on destroying whatever trust has been built up over the previous decade. No matter how much money it sinks into cultural diplomacy, an administration that does not know how to implement peace policies amounting to anything more than talk has no chance of successfully promoting the country’s image."

Sergio Rivadeneyra, charge d’affaires of the Mexican embassy in Ha Noi, spoke to Viet Nam News on the occasion of Mexico’s National Day today - Viet Nam News: [Question:] Last year, a series of cultural activities were held in Ha Noi by the Mexican Embassy for Mexico’s Independence Day, creating further friendship between the two nations. So how do you assess the cultural co-operation between our two countries? [Rivadeneyra:] Indeed, as I was mentioning earlier, Mexico deploys a specific and targeted Cultural Diplomacy around the world. Here in Viet Nam, we have tried to cover many areas of Mexican culture: we organised one Mexican Cinema week; one Culinary Week with two Mexican chefs who also performed some music; we had an exhibition of paintings by Mexican painter Teodulo Rimulo; and we hosted a Mexican Pavilion at the HIWC Bazaar. These are an ongoing effort.

This week the Embassy and the Vietnam News Agency are inaugurating a photo exhibition called 'The Colours of Mexico' at No 29 Hang Bai Street, which is open to the public and brings together three collections of photos: one from the Vietnam News Agency, one from the Embassy, and one directly from Mexico based on Tina Modotti’s work during the 1930’s in our country. Next month we’ll organise another Mexican Cinema Week at Cinematheque (22A Hai Ba Trung). In November we’ll organise our Pavilion for the HIWC Bazaar. So, as you can see, on the cultural side we have been rather busy, but we have been extremely grateful for the help and support that we have received from many different public offices, in particular the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Vietnam News Agency." Rivadeneyra image from article

RELATED ITEMS

A Better Missile Defense for a Safer Europe - Robert M. Gates, New York Times. Below image from


Sources: U.S. spy 'surge' in Afghanistan CIA buildup rivals peaks during Vietnam, Iraq wars - Greg Miller, Chicago Tribune: The CIA is in the midst of a major buildup in Afghanistan, part of a broad intelligence "surge" that will make the agency's station there among the largest in CIA history, according to U.S. officials. When complete, the CIA's presence in the country is expected to rival the size of its massive stations in Iraq and Vietnam at the height of those wars. Precise numbers are classified, but one U.S. official said the CIA already has nearly 700 employees in Afghanistan.

Looking to fool us twice - James G. Zumwalt, Washington Times: While Washington will engage Tehran in talks, only a fool

enters them optimistically. Those talks will fail, leaving the United States to decide if Iran's final run to the nuclear weapons finish line will be an unencumbered one. Image from

The clocks are ticking on Iran: The Obama administration, Israel, the European powers -- all have much at stake in upcoming talks with Tehran - Doyle McManus, latimes.com: The confrontation with Iran is moving into a critical period. To Iran's nuclear technology clock, and Israel's existential threat clock, add a third clock: Obama's promised results clock. The clocks are running.

Settling for Failure in the Middle East - Stephen M. Walt,

Washington Post: To succeed, Obama must use his bully pulpit to explain to the American people that the two-state solution is by far the best outcome for Israel and that time is running out. Image from

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

September 18

“Why by and large, [is] the world’s greatest communication’s nation being out-communicated by people who stand for such repressive activities?”

--Special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke, referring to the Taliban; Holbrooke image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Missile Diplomacy Disaster - Helle Dale, The Foundry, The Heritage Foundation: "Of all the days President Obama could have chosen to announce that the United States will abandon its plans for a missile defense site in the Czech Republic and Poland, September 17 was possibly the worst he could have chosen.

As any Pole could tell you, this was the date the Soviet army invaded Poland in World War II, after Nazi Germany had launched its assault on the country on September 1. Doesn’t anyone at the State Department, the Pentagon or the National Security Council engage in cultural intelligence at all? In addition to the implications for U.S. and European vulnerability to missile attack, from a public diplomacy standpoint, the decision as well as the timing is a disaster." Image from

Obama’s second Polish joke: the Obama Doctrine – Neo-con: "Obama’s first Polish joke was snubbing the September 1st ceremonies in Gdansk marking the seventieth anniversary of the German invasion of Poland. Let’s review: ‘The lack of understanding of European history and sensitivities was not lost on the Polish chattering classes. They have been in a justifiable uproar over this mother of all snubs, feeling a mixture of humiliation and neglect. For an administration that pledged to prioritize public diplomacy, this treatment of an ally was appalling. Unsurprisingly, popular opinion of the United States took a serious nose dive in Poland’ [Washington Times]. … In his second Polish (and Czech Republic) joke, the scrapping of the missile shield negotiated by President Bush, Obama has offered the excuse of saying his decision was based on intelligence and strategy rather than the desire to court Russia and wink at Iran at Poland and Czech expense. And perhaps it was, but the Poles and Czechs don’t appear to think so, and I can’t really blame them."

Obama drops missile shield, favors ships - McClatchy Newspapers, Pittsburgh Tribune Review: "Riki Ellison, who directs the nonprofit Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance in Washington … is pessimistic that there will be an announcement of Russian concessions that would be paired to the scrapping of the defenses in Europe.

To him, Obama is embarking on a faith-based form of public diplomacy that assumes potential enemies such as Russia will warm to America if we unilaterally desert friends, such as the Poles and the Czechs, a policy he equated ith 'appeasement.'" Image from

Barack Obama at the United Nations - Saying all the right things: A love-fest on the East river, harder going in the real world - The Economist: "Mr Obama excels at public diplomacy. His speech in Cairo in June received rave reviews in much of the Muslim world. But there is more to diplomacy than speeches. … For many of his admirers around the world, the truest test of Mr Obama will not be whether he can make a breakthrough in the incorrigible Middle East, but whether a president who acknowledges the overwhelming danger of global warming can galvanise multilateral action on climate change. There too, however, public diplomacy has its limits. Mr Obama’s eloquence may blow away his audience in New York. But foreign governments know that, with less than three months to go before the world’s climate summit in Copenhagen, the Democrats’ cap-and-trade bill faces an uphill battle in Congress."

Holbrooke: Why Are We Being Out-Communicated by the Taliban? – Spencer Ackerman, Washington Independent: "Speaking at a celebration of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s new Pashto service — to be broadcast into the Afghan-Pakistani border region — Richard Holbrooke, the Obama administration’s special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, returned to one of his oft-expressed themes. 'Why,' Holbrooke asked, 'by and large, [is] the world’s greatest communication’s nation being out-communicated by people who stand for such repressive activities?' … . Holbrooke … pledged that he wasn’t going to set up his own broadcasting networks, as they’d lack credibility. 'A lot of this can’t be done in American voices,

we understand that,' he said. Instead, the administration should help sponsor local radio — the primary communications medium in Afghanistan and much of Pakistan — and explain the U.S. message in relevant ways. 'The key is Pakistanis themselves, and [the U.S. should] support them any way we can, in the media area and however else.' Holbrooke is here with his strategic communications advisers, Ashley Bommer and Vikram Singh. One absence: the undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, Judith McHale, whom Holbrooke singled out for praise and cooperation, particularly for taking her first trip abroad in her new job to Pakistan. For a view as to structural problems afflicting U.S. public diplomacy efforts, don’t miss this latest post from Matt Armstrong at Mountain Runner." Image from

Public Diplomacy: sure bureaucracy is a problem but so is absent leadership - Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner.us

WHAM: Winning the Hearts and Minds of the Global Community - Brandon Kaster, Global Security Monitor: "There is recent discussion in Washington as members of the U.S. government deliberate about the methods needed to turn their goals-to win the hearts and minds of the global public-into reality. Specific initiatives, such as President Obama’s speech to Muslims in Cairo and the new 'Regional Marketing Campaign' for the Sahel region in Africa attempt to re-engage the worlds public with hopes to displace terrorist driven influence. …

The [Sahel] program, lead by the newly created combatant Africa command (AFRICOM), will incorporate private contractors, the public diplomacy arm of the State Department, and individual embassies in western Africa. … [A]n interagency approach to the practice of public diplomacy should be implemented- characterized by a horizontal combination of DOS and USAID expertise as well as DOD funding and action oriented resolve." Image of Sahel region from

Alhurra Targeted for Review by State Dept. Inspector General - Dafna Linzer, ProPublica: "The State Department Inspector General has begun a comprehensive inspection of Alhurra, its sister station Radio Sawa and its parent company, the Middle East Broadcasting Network. Alhurra, set up under former President George W. Bush to broadcast an American perspective of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, was the subject of a joint investigation last year by ProPublica and CBS' 60 Minutes."

CCTV, CNBC, France 24 added to Russian cable system - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy: "VOA Russian was forced into mostly-internet delivery because it was taken off Russian television stations."

Rebooting American Foreign Policy: The Institute for World Politics is becoming an influential force - Mark Hemingway, National Review Online: John Lenczowski, IWP’s president and founder: “I was interested in the related question of public diplomacy, which is relations with foreign societies and not just governments.

I worked on these things during the Reagan administration, and I found that the foreign-policy establishment had a tin ear towards them … . I would argue — as we’ve seen how history has played out — that public diplomacy played the decisive role in putting the most important straws on the Soviet camel’s back, when it came to the collapse of the Soviet empire, which the materialistic foreign-policy culture cannot and does not to date understand.” Lenczowski image from

Herzog calls for legal authority to defend Israel internationally - Aluf Benn, Haaretz: "Welfare and Social Affairs Minister Isaac Herzog is leading an effort to form a new international authority that would handle Israel's position in legal battles concerning the Middle East conflict. … Specifically, a battle is currently being waged to counter the report released earlier this week by the United Nations Goldstone Commission, which charged Israel with committing war crimes in the Gaza Strip during its offensive there last winter. Advocacy and public diplomacy, according to Herzog, is not enough. A legal offensive, he says, must be undertaken in an effort to impress upon the international community the need to alter laws on warfare so as to make them more suitable to the realities of the 21st century - when countries such as Israel must deal with terrorism waged from inside civilian areas."

Mission accomplished - Lily Galili, Haaretz: "There is no lack of difficulties in foreign relations and hasbara, a term for Israeli public diplomacy that entails official efforts to promote the country and explain its policies.

Just last week, the Swedish foreign minister canceled a scheduled visit here, academics around the world continued to call for boycotts against Israel, and important artists backed out of the Toronto Film Festival, merely because films being screened there depict Tel Aviv as a normal place." Image from

Quds Day in Iran: Velvet Revolution Trumps Nuclear Negotiations - Mehdi Khalaji and Patrick Clawson, metransparent.com: "Ahmadinezhad … has long wanted to use international negotiations to raise his profile, as evidenced by his letters to various world leaders and his offers to debate President Barack Obama. The Iranian president’s main objective, it would seem, is to use his platform to promote his ideological, apocalyptic, and anti-Western agenda, which fits his argument that public diplomacy is the main field of battle for Islamic radicals."

Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun Meets with Editor-in-Chief Reuters News - press release, MFA China: "On September 16, 2009, Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun met with David Schlesinger, Editor-in-Chief Reuters News. … On the same day, Director-General Ma Zhaoxu of the Information Department and David Schlesinger exchanged views on topics such as China's foreign policies, the role and guidance of the media, and public diplomacy."

Spokesman to the Nation - Alibaba News Channel: "Zhao Qizheng, former Minister of the State Council Information Office recently wrote a new book: Dialogue Between Nations—Speeches by Zhao Qizheng, which was published by Foreign Languages Press.

'My new book aims to show English readers China's enthusiasm for carrying out public diplomacy,' Zhao said at the launch ceremony for the book at the Beijing International Book Fair on September 3." Image from article

Cairo Diaries: The Strike of Swine '09 & Other News - A. Byrd, Catch Me If You Can: "On a whim I decided to apply again for the Department of State internship for this upcoming spring. Myself and about 10 other University of Delaware students had also applied last fall for summer ’09 but none of us were selected, as it is incredibly selective. So knowing this, I didn’t have high expectations, but just yesterday I received an email from DoS stating that I was selected as an alternate for the program. I am now required to complete a security clearance, which is an incredibly extensive process. Since many people don’t accept the internship, or don’t pass security clearance, there is still a good chance that I will be selected for the internship, pending clearance. I initially applied to the US Mission to the UN in NYC and the Bureau of Public Diplomacy in DC. Although I had the most amazing experience at the United Nations last winter, I really hope I will receive the Public Diplomacy spot. My ultimate goal would be to enter the US Foreign Service in the Public Diplomacy track, so it would be very helpful to see if I actually enjoy the work that these diplomats do on a daily basis."

Say Yes initiative - Julia Terruso, The Daily Orange: "Syracuse University was the backdrop for Vice President Joe Biden’s meeting on education Wednesday, literally. Behind Biden sat 35 SU and community activists and above them hung an orange and blue banner that read, 'A Strong Middle Class: Syracuse University, Scholarship in Action.' …

Attia Nasar, a graduate student in the public diplomacy program, attended the meeting, updating her Twitter account with Biden’s jokes and points throughout." Image from

RELATED ITEMS

Poles, Czechs: US missile defense shift a betrayal - Vanessa Gera, Associated Press, Washington Post

Obama’s Decision to Be ‘the Anti-Bush’ Won’t Help Russia in the Long Run, Moscow Analyst Suggests - Paul Goble, Window on Eurasia: Russian officials and mainstream media outlets are celebrating the decision of US President Barak Obama not to place missile defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic for now as a victory for Russia, but some Moscow commentators are expressing concerns about the limited nature of the decision and about what Russia may have traded away.

Obama's refusal to deploy missile defense system is of propaganda character: Iranian expert - T. Jafarov, Trend News. Below image from

Obama's anniversary gift to Russia The White House abandons Warsaw and Prague – Editorial, Washington Times: The president's national-security team may say they didn't notice that the announcement came on the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939, but everyone in Eastern Europe did. For an administration whose claims of heightened cultural sensitivity border on sanctimony, the timing was an unforgivable faux pas. The anniversary gift compounds the message that Washington is bent on courting Moscow regardless of the broader implications for global security.

Placating Russia Won't Work - David J. Kramer, Washington Post: The administration's capitulation to Russian pressure is a serious betrayal of loyal allies in Warsaw and Prague whose governments pursued politically unpopular positions at the request of the Bush administration to help confront a rising threat from Iran. (Announcing this policy change on Thursday, the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland, added unnecessary insult to injury.)

Missile Strike: A new defense plan for Iranian missiles bruises some European friends -- and brings smiles to Moscow – Editorial, Washington Post: In adopting its new course, the Obama administration has clearly bruised some of the staunchest U.S. allies in Europe while encouraging the Kremlin's hard-liners. It needs to do more to repair that collateral damage. Below image of SM-3 interceptor from


Obama's Missile Offense: It's better these days to be a U.S. adversary than its friend – Review & Outlook, Wall Street Journal: President Obama promised he would win America friends where, under George W. Bush, it had antagonists. The reality is that the U.S. is working hard to create antagonists where it previously had friends. That's one conclusion to draw from President Obama's decision yesterday to scrap a missile-defense agreement the Bush Administration negotiated with Poland and the Czech Republic. Both governments took huge political risks --including the ire of their former Russian overlords -- in order to accommodate the U.S., which wanted the system to defend against a possible Iranian missile attack. Don't expect either government to follow America's lead anytime soon. Officials in Warsaw surely noticed that President Obama cancelled the missile system 70 years to the day that the Soviet Union invaded Poland as part of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact with Nazi Germany.

Missile defense shield won't be missed: It appears only the GOP supported deployment of the expensive, unproven technology in Poland and the Czech Republic - Editorial latimes.com: The shield was the biggest irritant in relations between the United States and Russia, whose support is badly needed on sanctions that could halt Iran's development of nuclear weapons, among other issues.

Missile Sense – Editorial, New York Times: President Obama made a sound strategic decision, scrapping former President George W. Bush’s technologically dubious plan to build a long-range missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic. Neither Poland nor the Czech Republic was ever worried about Iran or particularly committed to the need for missile defense. What they fear is Russia. And what they wanted was the security of a closer relationship with Washington -- and the American military personnel -- that came along with the interceptors and radar. Below SM-3 image from


Goldstone report: Israel's failings: A U.N. report finds war crimes in last winter's fighting; now Israel must be held accountable - George Bisharat, latimes.com: Israeli abuses are deeply resented around the globe. For too long, we in the United States have abetted Israel, bestowing on it roughly $3 billion annually in aid since 1973 and vetoing scores of resolutions in the Security Council that attempted to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law. See also.

Propaganda or Masterpiece? – Andy Whitman, Razing The Bar: Commissions -- and frequently state-sponsored commissions -- of works of art have characterized every age, from the Greek and Roman eras to the present day. And governments have employed artists for their own ends since time immemorial. Jacques-Louis David's paintings of the emperor Napoleon

glorified and mythologized a tyrant, and they were paintings that were frequently commissioned by Napoleon himself. A significant number of the architectural wonders of Europe were commissioned by governments. In the modern era, we remember with horror the propaganda generated by Goebbels and the Nazis, and the stylized Russian worker posters of Stalin's totalitarian regime. But we overlook the film reels of our gallant boys in World War II, and we tend to think of the massive temples and obelisks scattered around Washington D.C. as national monuments, not propaganda. Image from article

September 17

"Jeszcze Polska nie zginęła,
Kiedy my żyjemy.
Co nam obca przemoc wzięła,
Szablą odbierzemy."

"Poland has not perished yet
So long as we still live
That which alien force has seized
We at sabrepoint shall retrieve."

--First lines of the Polish National Anthem; image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

September 17 could be a new date in US-Polish relations – Ted Lipien, FreeMediaOnline.org: "Stratfor global intelligence analysis website reports that 'rumors are flying late Sept. 16 that the United States could be shelving its plans to build a ballistic missile defense (BMD) system in Poland and Czech Republic. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates reportedly will hold a news conference on the issue sometime Sept. 17 or Sept. 18, and U.S. security officials are apparently in Poland briefing Warsaw on the development.' If these reports are accurate and indeed the announcement is made on September 17, the date might have a historical significance that the Obama White House may have not intended. 70 years ago the Soviet Union invaded eastern Poland on September 17, 1939 under the terms of the Hitler-Stalin Pact while western and central parts of Poland were being overrun by German armies. … These may be completely different times and different political stakes, but the Obama Administration has already demonstrated its lack of historical sensitivity and public diplomacy strategy when it refused Poland’s invitation to send a high level representative to the official observances in Gdansk of the 70th anniversary of the start of World War II. Prime Minister Putin was there and even made sort of an apology for the Hitler-Stalin Pact. The Poles are proud and they think in historical terms. This may turn out to be a new public diplomacy disaster for President Obama." Image from. Update (2:40 pm): White House to Scrap Bush’s Approach to Missile Shield - Peter Baker, New York Times: "[T]he decision is sensitive in Europe and Russia. As details began to leak, the White House arranged for a post-midnight call from Mr. Obama to the Czech prime minister and a call in the morning to Poland’s prime minister. It also dispatched top officials to Prague and Warsaw to explain the decision and calm any anxieties. But it made for unfortunate timing, as Thursday was the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland at the start of World War II, a date fraught with sensitivity for Poles who viewed the Bush missile defense system as a political security blanket against Russia. Poland and many other countries in the former Soviet sphere worry that Mr. Obama is less willing than Mr. Bush was to stand up to Russia."

Missing in Action: Obama’s Public Diplomacy – Morgan Roach, The Foundry, The Heritage Foundation: "Despite the plethora of reports vying for executive acceptance, it would be an understatement to say that the administration has been slow in formulating a strategic plan for remedying America’s neglected state of diplomatic outreach. For example, the late nomination and subsequent Senate confirmation of Judith McHale, Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs raises many questions over Obama’s dedication to public diplomacy. Considering Obama vigorously campaigned for robust public diplomacy, it is surprising that he has not delivered on his adamant campaign. Furthermore, Obama’s eloquent speeches, (expertly read from a teleprompter,) are no replacement for strategic policy. Until the president takes the initiative to implement actions that follow up on his eloquent promises,” the United States will continue to find itself disadvantaged by a credibility gap in the international community."

Embassy expansion plans on track - Tariq Butt, The News, Pakistan: "Public hue and cry over the possible expansion of the US embassy in the federal capital notwithstanding, the allotment of an additional piece of land measuring 18.5 acres to the US embassy in Islamabad by the Capital Development (CDA) for its extension is in final stages. … The expansion of US embassy has been justified on the future increased presence of Americans in Pakistan in connection with the utilization of the annual $1.5 billion funding for the next five years under the Kerry-Lugar bill. On 19 August, US Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith McHale was quoted as saying that the embassy expansion reflected Washington’s added focus on its relations with Pakistan. She said the US was focused on efforts to expand its relations with Pakistan and intended to fulfill its commitments with the people of Pakistan. 'The expansion of US assistance to Pakistan in the years ahead requires more personnel in our embassy as we are going to assist Pakistan in various fields of economy. A small number of US marines would also be deployed in the Islamabad embassy, which is a routine matter and it must not be a cause for concern for Pakistani people.'” Image from

Daily Appointments Schedule for September 16, 2009 – U.S. Department of State: "4:30 p.m. Secretary Clinton meets with Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith McHale and Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke, at the Department of State. (CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)"

Internet censorship: reality lies somewhere between "myth and reality" - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy: "So social media and other internet content flow, more or less, within China.


Things may be a bit more restricted in Iran. And information from outside, from Western news organizations such as VOA, RFA, RFE/RL, and BBC, is blocked. One possible scenario: the few savvy internet users who can use proxy sites and other workarounds can retrieve VOA, RFA, RFE/RL, and BBC content and repost it on their blogs or through their Twitter, Facebook, and other social media accounts. At least for a while." Image from

U.S. Embassy Launches Youtube Channel For Indonesian Viewers - Bernama: "The U.S. Embassy launched its own YouTube channel, featuring over 100 short videos covering a wide range of topics about the United States. Located at www.youtube.com/pasjakartaindonesia, the clips featured on the video-sharing website are in Indonesian or have Indonesian subtitles, a release from the US embassy made available to Antara news agency here on Thursday, said. … The launch of a YouTube channel is the latest in a series of innovative steps that the U.S. Embassy has taken to use technology to conduct public diplomacy in Indonesia."

Fulbright Foreign Student Program for Master's or phD at USA universities - Jigar Patel: "A mainstay of America’s public-diplomacy efforts, the Fulbright Foreign Student Program brings citizens of other countries to the United States for Master’s degree or Ph.D. study at U.S. universities or other appropriate institutions. The program has brought some of the world’s finest minds to U.S. campuses and offers program participants insight into U.S. society and values."

General Questions about the Exchange Visitor Program (J-1 Visa Program) - myJ1visa.com:Information and News for the J1 Program - "What is the role and responsibility of the State Department’s Office of Private Sector Exchange? The State Department’s Office of Private Sector Exchange in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is responsible for designating and monitoring eligible U.S. government, academic and private sector entities to administer their own exchange visitor programs in order to further promote international exchanges and the U.S. government’s public diplomacy efforts."

Hybl hosts advisory group – Pam Zubek, Colorado Springs Independent: "Just back from a trip to Armenia, local philanthropic kingpin Bill Hybl hosted a gathering last week to honor the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, which he chairs under a presidential appointment. …

The commission advises the president and Congress on policies affecting foreign relations. In June 2008, it issued a report critical of how the government recruits, tests, trains and evaluates personnel. 'While it did ruffle some feathers,' Hybl says, 'it was meant to make the State Department more responsive and more effective.'" Hybl image from

Public Diplomacy Front Line Letter to Principals - Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner.us: "The posts (notes in Facebook lingo) by the Facebook group 'Public Diplomacy Officers for Change' are required reading. In their words, past reports on the future of public diplomacy fail to 'truly identify what we as the next generation of public diplomacy officers need to be effective in our jobs. What we don’t need is a return to USIA.

What we need is a new foundation for public diplomacy professionals to build on.'” See also; foundation image from

Public Propaganda, The Human Terrain System, and Staged Democracy in Afghanistan - Maximilian Forte, Open Anthropology: "Some interesting reports have surfaced over the past three weeks concerning initiatives with links to the U.S. Army’s Human Terrain System (HTS), along with reports about control exercised over U.S. journalists, both of which come under the rubric of public propaganda (what proponents call 'public diplomacy' and others call 'strategic communications')."

US Spec Ops operates psywar websites targeted at UK - Lewis Page, therearenosunglasses: "The secretive US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has awarded arms globocorp General Dynamics a $10m contract to set up a network of psychological-warfare 'influence websites' supporting the Global War On Terror. France and Britain are specifically included as 'targeted regions'. … Now SOCOM’s Joint Military Information Support Command, which 'orchestrates a 24/7 multi-media campaign formatted to the cultures and languages of relevant audiences' in 'what has become a tough, entrenched war of ideas' has deployed what it calls the Trans-Regional Web Initiative (TRWI).

Specs on the programme were issued last year (pdf) and earlier this month General Dynamics was awarded $10,116,177 to run the Initiative for the first year. …[R]ather than a normal media boss, the Initiative websites will be controlled by managers reporting to SOCOM based in US regional command HQs around the world – managers holding US Top Secret/Secure Compartmented Information clearances, with 'extensive public diplomacy, journalism, and mediarelations skills'. Rather than ads or venture capital, the cash will come from SOCOM’s psyops war chest." Image from

Peres: Goldstone report mocks history - shalhevet Zohar, Jerusalem Post: "President Shimon Peres on Wednesday slammed the Goldstone Commission's report on Operation Cast Lead, saying it 'makes a mockery of history and fails to distinguish between aggressor and those acting in self-defense.' … Also responding to the UN report, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gabriela Shalev said that it would hamper Middle East peace efforts. Speaking to Army Radio, Shalev added that 'the international atmosphere is very influential. We have already begun a public diplomacy campaign in world capitals in order to explain the extent to which the report is biased, one-sided and political.'"

How the Palestinians should respond to Netanyahu - Abraham Zavala, Abraham's life!!!: "Future public diplomacy efforts by the Palestinians and Arab States should also focus their attention on the mainstream American Jewish Community. A large number of American Jews support Obama's efforts to push Israel toward a settlement freeze, a fact Netanyahu is keenly aware of."

RELATED ITEMS

Rethinking Bagram: The administration's new proposal for reviewing detentions in Afghanistan – Editorial, Washington Post: The administration inexcusably continues to resist necessary reforms for those detainees -- among the longest held -- who were captured beyond the Afghan battlefield.

It also leaves open the possibility of future renditions to Bagram of terrorist suspects captured outside Afghanistan. Image: Sarah and Bailey, two of five Minnesota Vikings cheerleaders who toured and performed at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, May 19, 2008, display their Army T-shirts as they share words of encouragement to a standing-room-only crowd of servicemembers. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace, Combined Joint Task Force 101.

Obama Offers Ways to Rate Efforts in Afghan Region - David E. Sanger, Thom Shanker And Eric Schmitt, New York Times: The Obama administration delivered to Congress on Wednesday about 50 measures to determine whether a broad military and nation-building campaign to stabilize Afghanistan and Pakistan was succeeding, paving the way for the White House to argue that the American combat effort in the region would not be open-ended.

Afghanistan is not Vietnam ... yet – Editorial, Washington Times:

Congressional Democrats may yet find a way to abandon the Karzai government to an ignominious fate while minimizing the damage to Mr. Obama's presidency, but the message to the world would be the same as it was in 1975: The United States cannot be trusted, and Washington is willing to abandon vulnerable allies because of short-sighted domestic political score-settling. Image from

How to Talk to Iran - Roger Cohen, New York Times: In the end, talks are essential because there is no viable alternative.

How low will Israel stoop to win the propaganda war? - Stuart Littlewood, Redress Information & Analysis: “The Israel Project”, a US media advocacy group, has produced a revised training manual to help the worldwide Zionist movement win the propaganda war, keep their ill-gotten territorial gains and persuade international audiences to accept that their crimes are necessary and conform to “shared values” between Israel and the civilized West. Below image from


Propaganda war: Truth is first casualty - Marvin Kurz, Jewish Tribune: If you repeat the same libel over and over again, at what point does it become true? That must be the question that occupies the minds of Israel bashers like Naomi Klein and John Greyson. Their letter of ‘objection’ to a film series dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the city of Tel Aviv has been taken up as a rallying call for a boycott of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

Indian propaganda against Pak will fall flat: FO - GEO Pakistan: Foreign Office Spokesman, Abdul Basit said Indian propaganda against Pakistan cannot succeed.

Report: European survey shows CNN International losing elite audience - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

September 16

“We allow no geniuses around our Studio.”

--Walt Disney

SITE OF INTEREST

Walt & El Grupo; above image from site

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Detentions come back to bite - Leah Farrall, The Australian: "The detention policies of the Bush administration and its sanctioning of detainee torture destroyed America's international image and much of its soft power influence. Apologists for these policies say they kept the country safe and so the ends justify the means. But an al-Qa'ida article … [by] Abu Walid al-Masri,

one of Taliban leader Mullah Omar's most trusted advisers [centers] on a sustained kidnapping campaign targeting foreign civilian and military personnel in the country. Its purpose: to take hostages and hold them to secure the release of all Muslims taken prisoner in the war on terror. … The emergence of a systematic kidnapping campaign in Afghanistan would be a public diplomacy nightmare for Barack Obama, who is already struggling to contain detainee issues fallout. Many people remain angry at America's treatment of detainees. Some would celebrate an evening of the score and perhaps even sanction it. The ends justifies the means is about to blowback on to the Afghan conflict. This may be the real legacy of Guantanamo." Image from

Multilateralising the effort: Obama, Iran and the IAEA – posted by scott, Politics: Policy debate with a difference: "[P]olicy should first acknowledge Iran’s rights under the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT), but couple this with an insistence that these rights carry with them responsibilities - foremost among them the obligation to cooperate with the IAEA. This really should be the focus of the diplomatic effort - a push for full compliance, but done in a way that is much more visible, and public. Despite all Obama’s talk of multilateralising the effort, there is still appears to be very little room in America’s public diplomacy or her national conversation for developments at the IAEA. The lead UN agency on counter-proliferation is barely reported by the mainstream press and we are no closer to resolving America’s ambivalent relationship with the UN and its agencies. This has to change. The alternative is to let the increasingly hysterical Israeli Right shape perceptions on the issue with all that implies for America's international position."

Remarks at the German Marshall Fund - James B. Steinberg, posted at press release, US State Department, posted at Scoop.co.nz: Deputy Secretary of State Steinberg:

“I think we have a predicate for – that both sides of the Atlantic work – to work together as we move forward with the review of our military posture and our civilian strategy. I think it is going to be challenging, and it’s going to require quite a significant investment of energy and public diplomacy by leaders on both sides of the Atlantic.” Steinberg image from

A Journalist in Limbo: U.S. Allies Deserve Better Government Cooperation - D. Jeffrey Hirschberg, Washington Post: "Rahman Bunairee, a 33-year-old reporter for the U.S.-government-funded Voice of America (VOA) … [r]ather than being welcomed to our country, Bunairee was interrogated at length by Customs and Border Protection officials, who ultimately rejected his visa, deemed him an 'intending immigrant' and threatened to deport him. This courageous journalist wound up in jail in Hampton Roads, Va. … Bunairee's suffering has lasted too long. He should be granted immediate authorization to work. … Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, federal agencies have greatly increased cooperation and coordination to confront extremist and terrorist threats and to keep our country safe. But the legal limbo in which Bunairee remains ensnared shows that the system needs to work better. The VOA and other news outlets must be able to recruit the talented and courageous journalists to report about Pakistan and other global hot spots." D. Jeffrey Hirschberg is a member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the independent federal agency that supervises all U.S. government-supported, non-military international broadcasting. Via.

First Round of Democracy Definers Find Fame - Will You? – Broadcasting Ourselves, The YouTube Blog: "Today is the International Day of Democracy and what better way to celebrate than to announce the second round of the Democracy Video Challenge, a partnership between YouTube, the State Department, and several public and private partners who want you to fill in the blank in this sentence: 'Democracy is...' Last year, over 900 videos were submitted from over 95 countries and the six winners are currently in the United States, touring film studios, the United Nations, and the State Department as part of their two-week, all-expenses-paid trip to the U.S. This morning, they appeared on the Today Show with Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, Judith McHale.

The second Democracy Video Challenge starts today, and you can learn more about it on the State Department's YouTube channel. If you're a filmmaker, a democracy advocate, or just someone who has an idea about what democracy means, head over to the State Department's channel and get to work completing the phrase 'Democracy is…'” McHale image from

Get Smart: Combining Hard and Soft Power - Joseph S. Nye Jr., Foreign policy, July/August 2009: "'Smart power' is a term I developed in 2003 to counter the misperception that soft power alone can produce effective foreign policy. Power is one's ability to affect the behavior of others to get what one wants. There are three basic ways to do this: coercion, payment, and attraction. Hard power is the use of coercion and payment. Soft power is the ability to obtain preferred outcomes through attraction. If a state can set the agenda for others or shape their preferences, it can save a lot on carrots and sticks. But rarely can it totally replace either. Thus the need for smart strategies that combine the tools of both hard and soft power. … Contextual intelligence is needed to produce an integrated strategy that combines hard and soft power. Many official instruments of soft power -- public diplomacy, broadcasting, exchange programs, development assistance, disaster relief, military-to-military contacts -- are scattered across the U.S. government. There is no overarching policy that even tries to integrate them with hard power into a comprehensive national security strategy. The United States spends about 500 times as much on the military as it does on broadcasting and exchange programs. Is this the right proportion? And how should the U.S. government relate to the generators of soft power in civil society -- including everything from Hollywood to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation?" Below Nye image from

US international broadcasting would be part of an "overarching strategy." Too bad about the audience - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy: "It's nice that Professor Nye wants to give international broadcasting more of the military budget. But his essay reminds us of the perilous state of US international broadcasting. USIB must be independent to achieve the credibility necessary to attract an audience. If USIB is subject to an 'overarching strategy' to 'integrate them with [shudder] hard power,' the result may be an organizational structure that America's distinguished experts can comprehend. The audience, however, knows that 'integrated' news is not really news. They will tune to BBC or Al Jazeera for something closer to what they are looking for. (Professor Nye is associated with Harvard's new Public Diplomacy Collaborative.)"

Deconstructing the Interactive Shibboleth Public Diplomacy Today Part 3 - Patricia H. Kushis and Patricia Lee Sharpe, Whirled View: "[P]ublic diplomacy today is fortunate to have this vast array of communications media at its disposal, some one-way, some interactive, each ready to serve a specific communications need, each demanding verve, intelligence, field knowledge and general good sense in its application. Meanwhile, plain old person-to-person interaction is still the gold standard for sharing sensitive information, for explaining complicated issues to key players and for hammering out agreement." Image from

A Point of Clarification on Public Diplomacy Talk at IHEC Blog – David Comp, International Higher Education Consulting Blog™: "A colleague recently (and thankfully) commented on a previous IHEC Blog post where I was writing about public diplomacy. I realized from the comments that I should be more clear when I’m writing about public diplomacy. When I’m writing about public diplomacy on IHEC Blog I’m almost always focusing on the sliver of public diplomacy that involves international educational exchange programs. To be sure, public diplomacy involves much more than international exchange programs and I will work to be more clear in future posts to indicate/remind that my focus is on international exchange programs."

Bin Laden's book club - Stephen M. Walt, Foreign Policy: "The 9/11 Commission reported 'it is simply a fact that American policy regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ... is [a] dominant staple of popular commentary across the Arab and Muslim world.' Similarly, the State Department's Advisory Group on Public Diplomacy for the Arab and Muslim World found that 'citizens in these countries are genuinely distressed at the plight of the Palestinians and at the role they perceive the United States to be playing.' Not only is Bin Laden personally motivated by this issue -- as his own family and prior statements attest -- he knows it is a good way to attract support."

How Not to Increase U.S. Tourism - Helle C. Dale, WebMemo #2612,Heritage Foundation: "Last week, the U.S. Senate's passed S. 1023, the 'Travel Promotion Act of 2009' (TPA). This legislation, if it passes the House, could, ironically, make foreigners less inclined to visit the United States. By imposing fees on travelers applying for travel to the U.S. through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), the TPA will increase the cost of visiting America--hardly a sensible way to entice tourists, particularly in the current global economic downturn. … For example, in addition to fingerprinting and pre-registration, travelers from VWP countries will now be asked to fund American travel promotion. These new restrictions would have a major detrimental impact on U.S. public diplomacy: Does anyone really imagine this will make visiting the U.S. more attractive? Rather than passing legislation increasing the cost of visiting the U.S., Congress should [inter alia]: … Establish a government-wide strategy for public diplomacy and strategic communication to guide legislative and executive branch efforts on outreach to foreign publics."

Outgoing Commander Bolsters Korea-US Alliance - Jung Sung-ki – Korea Times: "[Outgoing deputy commander of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC Gen. Lee Sung-chool] Lee has been recognized for spearheading a public diplomacy effort to secure extended public and parliamentary support for the alliance.

He actively supported the Good Neighbor community outreach program organized by the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) and often hosted roundtable meetings between USFK officials and South Korean lawmakers or policymakers." Image from

Environment pollution and quality of water to be debated in Baku - Financiarul: "Romania’s Embassy in Baku, a NATO contact point embassy to Azerbaijan, over September 14-15, 2009 attends the workshop on water management, which is organized in Baku as part of the NATO programme on Science for Peace, carried out by the NATO Public Diplomacy Division in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan."

Every Nation Is Free To Determine Its Policies To The Benefit Of Its Citizens: Russian Politics, Policy-Making And American Missile Defence - Mikhail Tsypkin, International Affairs 85: 4 (2009) 781–799 posted by Alex Romaniuk, aromaniuk.livejournal.com: "[T]he main countermeasure to missile defence threatened by the Kremlin—to deploy Iskander operational tactical missiles in the Kaliningrad province in order to target the proposed interceptor site in Poland—makes no military sense. According to the former director of the main think-tank of Russian strategic nuclear forces, General Vladimir Dvorkin (ret.), there are no realistic scenarios for the use of these missiles. …

Iskander missiles seem to have become simply the magic bullet of public diplomacy for the Kremlin, which recently threatened again to deploy them in Kaliningrad, this time in the event of American surface-to-air Patriot missiles being deployed in Poland." Image from

Goldstone's daughter: My father is a Zionist and loves Israel - Jerusalem Post: "Nicole Goldstone, the daughter of [UN investigator] Richard Goldstone, whose report on Operation Cast Lead alleged that Israel committed war crimes in Gaza, maintained on Wednesday that her father 'is a Zionist and loves Israel.' … Meanwhile, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gabriela Shalev said that the UN report would hamper Middle East peace efforts. Speaking to Army Radio, Shalev added that 'the international atmosphere is very influential. We have already begun a public diplomacy campaign in world capitals in order to explain the extent to which the report is biased, one-sided and political.'" See also.

Your Alma mater is YOUR brand - Olga Slavkina, Schmoozy Fox: "So, choose your college or university smartly. Its brand will end up being part of your personal brand, and you can take advantages (in case you make smart decisions) from that throughout your life. It also means that colleges, universities and other educational establishments have to devote a significant amount of time to positioning themselves. They have to take a long-term view on their brands in order to attract the kind of students who would fit their culture and style most.

Some MBA programs are excellent examples of how to do it smartly. Also, the Fulbright program, a US public diplomacy initiative that goes back to 1946, is a great example of consistent educational branding, based on consistent values. Your Alma Mater is YOUR brand!" Image from

Questions & Answers - Scholarships for SC/ST Students in India – Govt of India Scholarship: "NDAYISHIMIYE on September 12th, 2009 11:52 am I am Ndayishimiye jean paul from Rwanda, I have born in DR/CONGO i am living in rwanda since 2000 yerars i have achieved first degree in law faculty so please i want to benefit that scholarship that you offering but is it posible to gime it in law faculty? or in public diplomacy?or internatiponal Relation? thank you."

Thorp Reed & Armstrong Brings the Expertise and Insight of the G-20 Summit Directly to Pittsburgh`s Business Leaders and Community – Reuters: "European Union Minister Counselor Anthony Smallwood: Mr. Smallwood is the Head of Press and Public Diplomacy for the European Commission Delegation to the United States."

RELATED ITEMS

Afghanistan’s Other Front - Joseph Kearns Goodwin, New York Times: Afghans’ lack of faith in their government is as damaging as the armed insurgency. Indeed, our failure to combat corruption not only undermines our efforts to build governmental institutions deserving of the confidence and support of the Afghan people, but also threatens all our labors in their country.

Afghanistan: Should we stay or should we go? - Dick Polman, Post-Bulletin:

By what measure can we guarantee that the country will be permanently inhospitable to al-Qaeda? Image from

Who's Afraid of A Terrorist Haven? - Paul R. Pillar, Washington Post: The Obama administration and other participants in the debate about expanding the counterinsurgency effort in Afghanistan should present a convincing case about how a terrorits haven would significantly increase the terrorist danger to the United States. That case has not yet been made.

A Test for Iran: Tehran's treatment of Western nationals it has accused of fomenting unrest will show its seriousness about talks – Editorial, Washington Post

Venezuela drapes peace base in anti-American propaganda
- Neda Vanovac, Colombia Reports: Venezuela constructed a fence across the 'peace base' near the Colombian border and swathed it in an aggressive anti-American banner, in protest of the U.S. military bases pact.

"We swear there will be a war to the death if the Yankee empire desecrates the sacred soil of the land of Bolivar. Gringos: We're waiting for you here," is written in large black and red letters on the fence installed by Venezuela on the Base of Peace, just one kilometer from the Colombian border at Arauca.

The Israel lobby’s global propaganda manual - Paul J. Balles, Redress Information & Analysis

Propaganda Art From Mao to Now - Ray Ally, X-RAY China: art, branding, communication, design, experience: “Last weekend I visited a new exhibition celebrating 60 years of Chinese art from the period 1949-2009. It had opened at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing as part of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the People’s Republic of China. Now 60 years might not seem a long time given China’s 5,000 year history. However the last six decades has seen a revolution in China’s social economic and political situation. The exhibition features over 700 works from a wide range of artists, which charts China’s rapid development over this time.

I was especially interested in viewing the art of the 1950s, which was one of the heydays of poster propaganda art. … The exhibition is impressive in size and scale but is it real art, or is it just political propaganda? Art and politics might seem like polar opposite subjects and in some ways they are. However many artists and critics argue alike that all art is political. Well I agree, as all artists are making a statement with their work, so they all become propaganda artists of their time."

September 15

--Above and below images from World War II Propaganda Posters

VIDEO

U.S. Condemned For Pre-Emptive Use Of Hillary Clinton Against Pakistan - The Onion; Courtesy MP.

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Taking Celebrity Diplomacy Seriously in International Relations - Andrew F. Cooper, International Relations: "Celebrities, both in the world of entertainment and business entrepreneurship, are vibrant and embedded actors on the global stage and as such, need to be taken seriously as a component of International Relations. …

[C]elebrity diplomacy is both complementing and challenging traditional forms of statecraft. 'Old school' national diplomats may talk about public diplomacy, but they still are most comfortable behind closed doors or with set scripts. Celebrities know, aided by the sophisticated experts with which they surround themselves, how to work the media. … The buzz that celebrity diplomacy provides certainly cannot be discounted. While traditional statecraft is usually opaque to the uninitiated, celebrities mesh international problem solving with the world of entertainment. But some components of this phenomenon provide not just a different sort of excitement, they offer some prospect of hope that issues too long neglected can be ratcheted up on the global agenda."

Iranian prosecutor says BBC, Radio Farda use internet to spread "false information" - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

Iranian discussions: readers are concerned - Bruce Clarke, examiner.com:

"Previous articles about Iran have drawn numerous readers’ comments. The most recent article about discussions with Iran solicited numerous comments. … In describing a strategy for Iran we sought to deny them both nuclear weapons and dominance of the area. Several readers thought that this was unrealistic. The strategy took on more relevance when I pointed out the public diplomacy necessary to build a strong coalition of Sunni states to oppose Iran."

New Media Tools and Public Diplomacy - Kund Florian, Brand Encounters: "An interview with Elliot Schrage, VP of Global Communications, Marketing, and Public Policy, Facebook. (By Council on Foreign Relations)."

Events Detail: The 21st Century Family of Man: Photography as Public Diplomacy – Events Detail, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: "USC Annenberg celebrates the opening of the exhibit 'The 21st Century Family of Man: Photography as Public Diplomacy,' featuring images by photographer and current public diplomacy student Paul Rockower.

This selection of photographs pays homage to 'The Family of Man' exhibition that opened at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1955. The exhibition’s world tour proved a tremendous public diplomacy success for America. On display in Rockower’s exhibit is a 21st century interpretation of this successful instance of public diplomacy, echoing the richly textured chronicle of the human condition across the globe."

Diplomacy at it's [sic] best... – Schatz, Changing Ways: "The Tourism Promotion Act of 2009, which passed in the Senate but not yet in the House, is supposedly designed to 'address the decline in overseas nationals visiting the US and to act as an economic stimulus and exercise in public diplomacy'. It calls for charging each tourist from $10 to $20 for the right to enter the country. (In addition to having to request authorization in the first place through ESTA and being fingerprinted on arrival). … Why would anyone want to come visit the US if you can just go to Spain or Italy or France of Sweden or Britain or New Zealand or Australia or most any other developed nation without all this hassle?"

Symposium on Northeast Asian Security Opened in Vladivostok – http://vostokmedia.com/n55180.html:

"The list of participants includes Michael A. Richards, Public Diplomacy Advisor to the Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, Pamela Milligan, US Navy Brigadier-General and Tomas Armbruster, Consul-General of the USA in Vladivostok."

From “Brand Estonia” to The Swedish Institute - Kolja Bienert Blog: "After stumbling upon some “Brand Estonia” memorabilia I decided to do some fresh reseach on different countries’ branding strategies and discovered new best practices from Sweden. Those interested might know the outstanding multi-interest website “Sweden.se – The official gateway to Sweden” and it is interesting to discover other activities of the country’s branding strategy orchestrated by a single public agency, the Swedish Institute. Amongst others, the Institute’s website features a link to Matt Armstrong who, in his own words, 'organized and chaired the successful 2009 Smith-Mundt Symposium, a first of its kind discussion that brought together the full spectrum of parties interested in public diplomacy, strategic communication and global engagement.'”

Italy - Lectio magistralis by [Foreign] Minister [Franco] Frattini at the University of Vilnius: “Nato’s new strategic concept: the Italian vision” – ISRIA: "In recent years, NATO has already reacted pragmatically to changing circumstances and new demands: only think of our commitment in Afghanistan or against piracy.

But we need a new manifesto that develops the Alliance’s strategic vision of the 21st century in clear terms for the policy makers and the public opinion, both within and outside the Euro-Atlantic context. In this respect, the Strategic Concept will be also, more than ever before, an instrument of public diplomacy. We cannot operate, in Europe or elsewhere, without explaining 'who we are and what we are doing'. We also need a 'guide' on NATO’s role, potentiality and level of ambition to refer to in order to determine the necessary resources and capabilities for it to perform its functions to best effect. This is the overall meaning of the Alliance’s new Strategic Concept which we will soon be writing together."

Pakistan, China signed above 50 new initiatives, 36 MoUs in one year: Zardari – Associated Press Of Pakistan: "President Asif Ali Zardari Tuesday said during last one year, Pakistan and China have identified more than 50 new initiatives for joint collaboration and signed more than three dozen MoUs. … Responding to a question about his visits to China, the President said during all his visits, he focused on familiarizing himself with the Chinese experience of growth and development. 'I have been impressed by all round development your great country has achieved. One is inspired by the remarkable achievements of the Chinese people and wise stewardship of its leaders. I think there is a great deal Pakistan can learn from the Chinese experience and its development model,' he said. 'The goodwill must act as a precursor for adding greater commercial and cultural content to the economic and public diplomacy between the two countries,' the President added.

Thread - What beyond nations? - Audra Joy, SIS 640 CommuniacsThe Creative Domain Of The Fall 2009 Sis 640[Au]:

"[Manuel] Catells seems to take a rather lofty view of a global government or rather an intergovernmental institution. … Finally, though, he makes this final statement: 'Public diplomacy is not propaganda...It is to induce a communication space in which a new, common language could emerge as a precondition for diplomacy, so that when the time for diplomacy comes, it reflects not only interests and power making but also meaning and sharing.' (p.45) Like I said, lofty."

Boren Scholars Named For Language, Culture Pursuits – Katie Martha, University News, Georgetown University: "The National Security Education Program recently awarded two David L. Boren Undergraduate Scholarships and seven Boren Graduate Fellowships to Georgetown students for their pursuits in language and cultural studies. … Clayton Keir (G’10), a security studies graduate student, will travel to Tajikistan to study Farsi and research Iranian public diplomacy."

Search for more vacancies,eg bank jobs, telecom, msc, bsc, hnd, ond jobs or the companies name - Dan Royal Job/Vacancies: "British High Commission, Nairobi Jobs:

Communications Support Officer 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."

RECENT PD ITEMS ON TWITTER

markejohnson: PHOTOGRAPHY AS PUBLIC DIPLOMACY at USC Annenberg http://bit.ly/4FZtoV (via @HondoMesa) 26 minutes ago from Tweetie

socialfeds: #gov20 The Public Diplomacy Blog: Leveraging Web 2.0 to engage the Indian diaspora http://bit.ly/2tIBnJ about 1 hour ago from twitterfeed

HondoMesa: PHOTOGRAPHY AS PUBLIC DIPLOMACY at USC Annenberg http://bit.ly/4FZtoV about 1 hour ago from bit.ly

greggyour: Things not looking good at State Department for public affairs and public diplomacy efforts. http://bit.ly/IfE1y about 2 hours ago from bit.ly

ExecSoren: Successful, thought-provoking USC event on public diplomacy this evening at the Newseum in DC. Well done. about 12 hours ago from txt

HondoMesa: Public Diplomacy often on a tight rope... but PD will keep you from falling off ♫ http://blip.fm/~ddjn0 about 13 hours ago from Blip.fm

dhaaron: Looks like our Public Diplomacy efforts vs. A.Q. have caused a shift in their PR efforts: http://tinyurl.com/nqnunq about 13 hours ago from TwitterGadget

ExecSoren: The topic of public diplomacy

seems to have hit a nerve here. A lot of attendees here with their own agendas. about 14 hours ago from txt

ExecSoren: The topic of public diplomacy seems to have hit a nerve here in DC. A lot of attendees here with their own agendas. about 14 hours ago from txt

LampaGJ: At "A new public diplomacy" event hosted by @publicdiplomacy at the Newseum. Arrived late to a full house! about 15 hours ago from Tweetie

wendycarrillo: At USC Center for Public Diplomacy "Toward a New Public Diplomacy" book launch at Newseum in DC about 15 hours ago from TwitterBerry

ExecSoren: Attending an interesting USC event in DC on public diplomacy. about 15 hours ago from txt

levydr: Surrounded by bureacrats and State department folk for a panel on New Public Diplomacy (@ Newseum in Washington) http://bit.ly/1a1lY4 about 16 hours ago from foursquare

RELATED ITEMS

Downsized diplomatic muscle: Eating humble pie in search of meaningless agreements – Tony Blankley, Washington Times: Since our founding, the United States has protected its sovereignty and national interests through the practice of a proud and defiant diplomacy (backed up by ample martial capacity) -- admittedly at the price of fairly constant warfare. Now we are entering a new and great experiment: practicing diplomacy with a humility almost worthy of the Prince of Peace. We shall see if such methods work in this world.

Iraqi who threw shoes at Bush is released from prison: Muntather Zaidi keeps his footwear on this time, but fires off some verbal salvos - Ned Parker and Mohammed Arrawi, latimes.com:

The hurling of the shoe catapulted Zaidi to fame around the world, as people took a vicarious thrill in his confrontation with Bush. Zaidi's family has said that families in other Arab nations have offered their daughters as brides.

Obama Is Pushing Israel Toward War: President Obama can't outsource matters of war and peace to another state – Bret Stephens, Wall Street Journal: The longer the U.S. delays playing hardball with Iran, the sooner Israel is likely to strike.

Chipping Away At Free Speech - Anne Applebaum, Washington Post: There is no law or edict that can force any American company to abide by the principles of free speech abroad. But at least it is possible to embarrass them at home.

Novel Propaganda To Continue Afghan Occupation - Witless Wogs: Illiteracy Slows Afghan Army, U.S. Pullout – Nolocontendere, Piglipstick: Looks Better Now

Report: Propaganda Launched for N. Korean Succession – AP, FOXNews: North Korea has launched a public propaganda campaign to prepare its people for the succession of Kim Jong Il's youngest son.

Why Propaganda Trumps Truth - Paul Craig Roberts, vdare.com: An article in the journal, Sociological Inquiry, ["There Must Be a Reason": Osama, Saddam, and Inferred Justification, Vol. 79, No. 2. (2009), pp. 142-162. [PDF] casts light on the effectiveness of propaganda. Researchers examined why big lies succeed where little lies fail. Governments can get away with mass deceptions, but politicians cannot get away with sexual affairs.

The researchers explain why so many Americans still believe that Saddam Hussein was behind 9/11, years after it has become obvious that Iraq had nothing to do with the event. Americans developed elaborate rationalizations based on Bush administration propaganda that alleged Iraqi involvement and became deeply attached to their beliefs. Their emotional involvement became wrapped up in their personal identity and sense of morality. They looked for information that supported their beliefs and avoided information that challenged them, regardless of the facts of the matter.

Propaganda Class – swiontkowski, Ruminations: "I think the best year of education I had (out of more than 20 years of schooling) was the year I had 7th grade English. We did the usual Shakespeare and American Lit stuff that year, but we also studied mythology, which has helped me immensely to see depth in creative writing; sentence diagramming, which helps me to see sentence structures and thus logical thoughts in my head, a great advantage; and propaganda.

These days, I find that propaganda section most helpful in my life. We studied not just political propaganda, like Russian propaganda (this was midway through the Cold War) but also this nation's own commercial advertising. We studied how businesses used images and language, mostly in magazines, to make us want to buy their products. If nothing else, I learned in that section of my 7th grade English class that people who are trying to sell me something almost never have my best interests in mind; rather, to them, I am a mind to be manipulated."

September 14

“When in charge, ponder. When in trouble, delegate. When in doubt, mumble.”

--American political philosopher James Boren; Boren image from

“Although its roots are plainly widespread, public diplomacy remains an American invention. It speaks of the need, not just to dominate, but to be loved.”

--British researcher Philip Conway, "U.S. Public Diplomacy & Barack Obama: Change or Continuity?"

BOOK REVIEW

Why America Fights: Patriotism and War Propaganda from the Philippines to Iraq by Susan A. Brewer - John H. Brown, American Diplomacy:

"The main value of Professor Brewer’s volume is providing much information on the message and tools of U.S. home front propaganda when the country is at war. But her claim that the motive behind this propaganda is a constant American-elite strategy for global 'expansion' and 'dominance' is rather vague." Image from article.

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

President Obama’s Pitch to the Muslim World: Public Diplomacy or Policy? – Col. Norwell B. DeAtkine, American Diplomacy: "An American expert on Arab affairs evaluates President Obama’s Cairo speech from the Arab perspective and concludes that it is likely to prove much less 'historic' than many Western observers tend to believe."

Call For A New
State Department - Christopher Albon, CTlab: "Matthew Armstrong, public diplomacy expert and blogger, has called for a State Department revolution in a new Foreign Policy piece. Matt argues the State Department has failed to fulfill its core mission of public diplomacy, and in its absence the Department of Defense and other entities have filled the void. The article is more than a hatchet job, offering a lengthly recommendation for where the State Department should go from here." Image from

Toward a "giant shaggy unorganized world" of international newsgathering " – Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy: "In its present structure of competing, overlapping, feudal bureaucracies, the sum of USIB is much less than its parts. The journalism of USIB would also have to remain independent, a requirement that will be undone if calls to 'coordinate' its output under a new strategic communication scheme are enacted."

Public Diplomacy move by US Military: Rendon Group out - PR Strategy and Application's [sic] Blog: "In an earlier post the controversial vetting of embedded journalists by the Rendon Group was discussed. There was concern that the evaluation of positive, negative, and neutral stories, relative to US missions, was being used as part of the background check for vetting embedded journalists. Rendon Group had the vetting contract. Here is part of the story from Stars and Stripes:

'The Bagram Regional Contracting Center intends to execute a termination of the Media Analyst contract,’ belonging to The Rendon Group, said Col. Wayne Shanks, chief of public affairs for International Security Assistance Forces–Afghanistan. The announcement follows a week of revelations by Stars and Stripes in which military public affairs officers who served in Afghanistan said that as recently as 2008 they had used reporter profiles compiled by The Rendon Group, a private public relations firm in Washington, D.C., to decide whether to grant permission to embed with troops on the battlefield.' 'The decision to terminate the Rendon contract was mine and mine alone. As the senior U.S. communicator in Afghanistan, it was clear that the issue of Rendon’s support to US forces in Afghanistan had become a distraction from our main mission,' said Rear Adm. Gregory J. Smith, in an e-mail sent Sunday to Stars and Stripes. Image from

Get Smart: Combining Hard And Soft Power http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/65163/joseph-s-nye-jr/get-smart By Joseph S. Nye, author of The Powers to Lead - Reviewed by William P. Kiehl - American Diplomacy: "For Professor Nye, 'contextual intelligence is the intuitive diagnostic skill that helps policymakers align tactics with objectives to create smart strategies' or to combine hard (military) power with soft (public diplomacy, broadcasting, exchange programs, development assistance etc.) power in an integrated strategy. The fact that the United States spends several hundred times as much on hard power as on soft power troubles Nye as he points out that in the information age, success is not just the result of 'whose army wins but also of whose story wins.'" Kiehl image from

U.S. Public Diplomacy & Barack Obama: Change or Continuity? - Philip Conway, Circling SquaresThoughts and reflections on life and other problems: "I've decided to publish some of my essays from the past year on this blog. Out of eight I've written, there are four that aren't too crap to share with whoever mistakenly stumbles across them. This post contains my dissertation. It may be of interest to students of public diplomacy, or international relations theory. … [The dissertation is] U.S. Public Diplomacy & Barack Obama: Change or Continuity? "

A Visit from Roger Cohen, part 2 - Ren's Micro Diplomacy: "More from Roger Cohen’s talk with our class. Again, paraphrased. … 'My fear with sanctions is two fold Iran has already worked with sanctions for some time and Iran knows how to circumvent them. Sanctions in Iran are basically surtax. You pay 10-15% more for goods, but you get the goods. They come in through Dubai. China in the last decade has become a major trading partner. Iran is awash in Chinese goods. I’m very skeptical that Russia and china will ever really come on board and support sanctions. And then you are back to carrot and stick. You are back to what the bush administration was doing. I don’t think the public diplomacy so far has been very effective. I think BBC Persian is a huge success (TV).'” Image from

Nominal fee for ESTA to communicate US entry policies, promote tourism - American Visa Bureau: "The US Congress has passed a bill to establish a non-profit corporation to communicate United States entry policies and promote tourism, business and scholarly travel to the country. if (The Bill, known as the Travel Promotion Act of 2009, is currently being considered by the House of Representatives and if approved will see a nominal fee added to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) for international tourists. Representative Bill Delahunt introduced the bipartisan bill, along with Representative Roy Blunt, in an effort to address the decline in overseas nationals visiting the US and to act as an economic stimulus and exercise in public diplomacy. The Senate voted 79-19 to approve the Travel Promotion Act, and Delahunt has said he is determined to see the bill enacted into law."

Israeli Minister reaches out to Swedish Jewish community in wake of Aftonbladet scandal - Maureen Shamee, European Jewish Press: "As part of a project to foster close attachment between Israel and the European Jewish community, Israeli Minister of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Yuli Edelstein

will address members of the Swedish Jewish community in a live satellite broadcast on Tuesday. This new project, which is called 'Shevet Achim' (Sitting with Brothers), was formed together with the European Jewish Fund (EJF) established in 2006 at the initiative of Moshe Kantor, President of the European Jewish Congress, for the very specific goal of strengthening Jewish life in Europe." Edelstein image from article

Expanding the Afghan War: The West's insatiable appetite for Global Military Domination - Rick Rozoff, Media Monitors Network: "[A]n American news agency released a report titled 'Middle East arms buys top $100 billion' which said 'Middle Eastern countries are expected to spend more than $100 billion over the next five years' the result of “unprecedented packages…unveiled by President George W. Bush in January 2008 to counter Iran….' The major recipients of American arms will be three nations in the Persian Gulf – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq – as well as Israel. Other Gulf states are among those to participate in this unparalleled arms buildup in Iran’s neighborhood. … A week ago Nicola de Santis, NATO’s head of the Mediterranean Dialogue and the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Countries Section in the NATO Public Diplomacy Division, visited the United Arab Emirates and met with the nation’s foreign minister, Anwar Mohammed Gargash. 'Prospects of UAE-NATO cooperation' and 'NATO’s Istanbul Cooperation Initiative' were the main topics of discussion."

Virtualpolitik: an electronic history of government media-making in a time of war, scandal, disaster, miscommunication, and mistakes - Jan Blogging: "Elizabeth Losh is the Writing Director of the Humanities Core Course at U.C. Irvine where she teaches courses on digital rhetoric and public communication. Her research specialty is digital rhetoric and the discourses of information culture, especially the study of electronic ephemera that expresses themes of nationalism or globalization.

There are many alliances between the 'Virtual State' (that the author defines as – 'the systemization of post-Weberian bureaucracy in cyberspace, organized predominantly around the maintenance of ‘files’) and the advertising and marketing industries that create and coordinate messages. Four specific 21st century fields in government rhetoric (public diplomacy, social marketing, risk communication, and institutional branding) occupy different niches in this larger alliance between government and the persuasive industries. The author emphasises that: 'Without a serious commitment to institution-building, the virtual state is given little to do but surveil its citizens.'”

Recently released books – The Hill Times (Canada): "Displaying start of article containing 361 words - Branding Canada: Projecting Canada's Soft Power through Public Diplomacy, by Even H. Potter, McGill-Queen's University Press, 368 pp. Book's blurb: 'In offering the first comprehensive overview of the origins, development, and implementation of the country's public diplomacy. Branding Canada offers policy advice and advances the thinking on public diplomacy in general.'"

Former NATO Ambassador Volker joins SAIS Center on Transatlantic Relations - Sonja Matanovic, The JHU Gazette: "The SAIS Center on Transatlantic Relations has announced the appointment of Kurt Volker,

a former U.S. ambassador to NATO, as managing director and senior fellow, effective Sept. 8. 'We are delighted to have Kurt Volker join SAIS and the Center for Transatlantic Relations,' said Daniel Hamilton, CTR executive director. 'With 23 years of government service, Ambassador Volker brings to the center a wealth of experience in U.S.-European political, economic and security relations, as well as in media and public diplomacy.'" Volker image from

Commentary: Bush confidante backs Hutchison over Perry - Peggy Fikac, chron.com: "There's an echo of George W. Bush's 'uniter not divider' mantra as his chief loyalist, Karen Hughes, boosts U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's bid to unseat Gov. Rick Perry. Hughes,

who worked with Bush from Texas to Washington, joined Hutchison on her announcement tour last month to pronounce the race a choice between 'someone who divides and someone who delivers.' … Several political scientists saw no drawback for Hutchison in Hughes' message or ties to Bush, particularly in a GOP primary. They said Hughes wasn't seen as part of the hardball politics of Bush advisers like Karl Rove, who also is an informal Hutchison adviser. She left as White House counselor before Bush's first term ended, then became under secretary of state for public diplomacy in his second term. 'She was never really a leading articulator of the divisiveness message within the Bush administration. She kind of pulled away before that really came on line,' said University of Texas at Austin political scientist Bruce Buchanan." Image from

RELATED ITEMS

The ArmorGroup Issue - Life After Jerusalem: The Musings Of An American Indian, Public Diplomacy-Coned Foreign Service Officer: “I had not planned to discuss the ArmorGroup issue here. For those who haven't heard (though I think you'd have to be living under a very large rock not to), there are serious allegations of misconduct on the part of ArmorGroup, the contracting firm that handles security at our embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. … What I do want to say though, is that they are NOT representative of all contractors. I worked with contractors from two different companies while in Jerusalem. I found them to be very professional and I was happy to have them there. They kept us safe, never mistreated or disrespected any of the local staff or local community, and were never outrageous in their behavior. I was happy to have them there protecting me.”

Only Decisive Force Can Prevail in Afghanistan - Lindsey Graham, Joseph I. Lieberman, and John McCain, Wall Street Journal: The U.S. walked away from Afghanistan once before, following the Soviet collapse. The result was 9/11. We must not make that mistake again.

At last, we have the right strategy and the civilian and military leaders on the ground in Afghanistan to carry it out. This is a must-win war. And now is the time to commit the decisive military force necessary to prevail. Image, from an article stating that "As vice president, Cheney was the decisive force pushing America into war."

Growing risk of a Taliban offensive Arnaud de Borchgrave – Washington Times: The Viet Cong strategy was not to take their 27 cities but to show they could enter the cities with impunity and cause much havoc and damage before pulling out. A similar offensive in Afghanistan could be successful with or without coalition troops protecting major cities. Taliban insurgents, looking like any other group of civilians at rush hour, could infiltrate and surround government buildings with concealed weapons. An Afghan Tet offensive is a growing danger.

Time to Deal in Afghanistan - Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post: In a few years, Afghanistan will still be poor, corrupt and dysfunctional. But if we make the right deals, it will be ruled by leaders who keep the country inhospitable to al-Qaeda and similar terrorist groups. Image from

The 'Forgotten War': Iraq is entering a crucial period. Is the Obama administration paying enough attention? – Editorial, Washington Post: The administration cannot afford to remain detached from the momentous political process in Baghdad.

The picnic

that brought down the Berlin Wall: In one of history's hidden turning points, a gambit by Hungarian officials opened the door to the collapse of the Eastern Bloc - Michael Meyer - latimes.com: The founding fiction of our Cold War "triumph" -- that it validated decades of containment and militarist confrontation -- gives way to a more nuanced appreciation of the other forces that were at work. Among them: the actions of others, often unnoticed by the rest of the world. Image from

September 12-13

“In this new age, our consent is gathered every few minutes, not every few years.”

-- Anand Giridharadas, New York Times; image from

"In 1921, the famous American journalist Walter Lippmann

said that the art of democracy requires what he called the 'manufacture of consent.' This phrase is an Orwellian euphemism for thought control."

--Noam Chomsky; Lippmann image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Under the Influence: Getting Strategic Communication Out of the Cave: Andrew Bas, World Politics Review: "As adaptive and creative as the United States claims to be, one would think that, eight years after 9/11, the foreign policy establishment would have come up with a workable way to communicate its strategic message to the rest of the world. It hasn't. Call it the $10 billion bungle, because that's a reliable estimate of how much the U.S. has spent since 9/11 on the effort. …


At least in theory, State is responsible for communicating the country's message to the rest of the world. Yet, when it comes to public diplomacy, for years there has been a lack of leadership. … [I]t's important to remember that America's image problems were not created by any single president, nor will they be undone by one administration alone. Billions more dollars will likely be spent in the ongoing effort. And rather than crafting an appealing message, perhaps the best remedy to the bungle that's been underway for eight years is to simply work on explaining exactly what it is that we're doing." Image from

8th Anniversary of Sept. 11: Do We Understand Them? - Mohamed Elmenshawy - Global Arab Network: "For the Obama administration to continue its focus only on improving the image of the United States abroad, through the approach of 'strategic communication' or 'public diplomacy,' as has been the case in the years since September 2001, is to see only half of the picture. If the United States hopes to better its image in the Muslim world, there will need to be a parallel change in how Americans recognize Muslims. And to start you should listen to the voices of the Arab and Muslim world."

Hitting Bottom in Foggy Bottom: The State Department suffers from low morale, bottlenecks, and bureaucratic inepititude. Do we need to kill it to save it? – Matthew Armstrong, Foreign Policy: "Foggy Bottom could retain a small core staff for its embassies and ambassadors. All other functions -- such as public diplomacy, countering misinformation and propaganda, and development, including provincial reconstruction staffing -- could migrate to the Pentagon or become wholly independent agencies. But atomizing the State Department would ultimately prove dangerous and further the militarization of foreign policy. The Pentagon needs a counterbalance, a vertically integrated State Department that the president, Congress, and the U.S. public can count on. Change, rather than creative destruction, is what Foggy Bottom needs. See also. Image from

Ponder when apportioning blame - Amina Jilani, The Nation, Pakistan: "On September 1, writing in the publication Foreign Policy, James K Glassman, a former US Under Secretary of State for public diplomacy and public affairs in the George W Bush government … related how, on August 17, Judith McHale, his successor in office, had sat down with a Pakistani journalist in a hotel conference room in Islamabad for a one-on-one meeting, part of President Barack Obama’s strategy to convince 'the Pakistani people that the United States is their friend.' … [The journalist] told her: 'You should know that we hate all Americans.

From the bottom of our souls, we hate you.' Now, who is the 'we' to whom the journalist refers? … It is certainly not the 170-odd million who make up this nation. … There may be rightful indignation at the creeping American presence within Pakistan and the perception that it is not the freely and fairly elected democratic government with its ridiculous Cabinet that is in charge, but the Americans on whose bounty we exist. Whilst rightly fretting, the fretters must take into account the deal or arrangement made between, firstly General Musharraf, Benazir Bhutto and the US, the details of which have not been fully revealed, and subsequently, after Benazir’s engineered departure from the scene, the arrangement made with our president who is where he is thanks to his American handlers."

Making Moderates hate Extremists more than they dislike us: Lesson to Sri Lanka - Daya Gamage – Asian Tribune: "Making moderates hate extremists more than they dislike us or the basic need to undermine the message of extremists sound like good policy options the South Asian nation Sri Lanka should adopt when it is on the verge of thinking how to combat the probable rise of a global power center advocated by the pro-Tamil Tiger operatives in Western nations especially in the U.S. spearheaded by now emerged global Tiger leader Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran and his lieutenant Dr. Elias Jeyarajah. … Former Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy James K. Glassman has reiterated his view that public diplomacy 'is not about us, and in order to win the war of ideas the US just needs to undermine the message of extremists' in an article for Foreign Policy."

A Visit From Roger Cohen, Part 1 - Ren's Micro Diplomacy: "New York Times correspondent Roger Cohen stopped by our class last tuesday. I tried to capture as much as possible so I could share his thoughts on post-election Iran. Obviously this is paraphrased, but I’ve tried to stay close to Roger’s original words ‘I’m a journalist, I’m not a public diplomacy expert. I observe it in action- happening or not happening. I do believe the non-relationship with Iran is very dangerous and that we should really try very hard to overcome it.’ " Cohen image from

Under Secretary of State Judith A. McHale Will Participate in the Launch of the Second Annual Democracy Video Challenge - Office of the Spokesman, U.S. State Department: "Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith McHale will travel to the United Nations to participate in the launch of the Second Annual Democracy Video Challenge and to highlight the UN’s International Day of Democracy on Tuesday, September 15. The Democracy Video Challenge enhances the global dialogue on democracy by asking filmmakers, youth and other citizens of the world to create video shorts that complete the phrase 'Democracy is….' Partners for the online video contest include the State Department, democracy and youth organizations, academia, and the news, film and entertainment industry." See also.

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty Faces Ethnic Discrimination Charges at the European Court of Human Rights - Ted Lipien, FreeMediaOnline.org

US Embassy clarifies 'warning on crime' - Ava Turnquest, The Tribune: "US Embassy officials believe The Nassau Guardian exaggerated the importance of a statement placed on its local website, blowing a routine notice out of proportion. The Guardian led its Friday edition with the headline: 'US Embassy issues crime warning', but according to a senior embassy official, this headline might have given a misleading impression. Jeff Dubel, Political Economic Public Diplomacy Chief, said the embassy is disappointed that The Nassau Guardian did not contact the Embassy before printing the story – as much could have been explained."

BBC jazz broadcaster: Willis Conover "one of the five people who destroyed the Soviet Union"

- Kim Andrew Elliott Discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy. Image from

Joe Wilson, You're No Joe Nye – Nancy Snow, Huffington Post: "Soft power is this century's fuel efficiency for the global mind. Inspired by Joe Nye, who will be on our campus next weekend, Syracuse University Chancellor Nancy Cantor called on our students to think about their roles as influential agents of change for the public good. [Cantor said] … 'you will need to listen as well as talk, interact across chasms, and make yourselves vulnerable, letting the tables turn on who is the expert and who is the novice, playing many roles beyond the familiar student and teacher. How do you start the conversations, large and small, weighty and trivial, that constitute good public diplomacy?'"

Dep. FM Ayalon to visit the US - press release, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon will leave tonight for a visit to the United States to lay the groundwork for a strategic dialogue to take place between FM Avigdor Liberman and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The deputy foreign minister will also continue the public diplomacy campaign begun by FM Liberman."

JJ Jonker Roelants – a good friend of Turkey - Gül Demir, Niki Gamm, Turkish Daily News: "Lanky, grey-haired and oh so active, J Jan Jonkers Roelants is constantly involved in some project or other that involves Turkey. He was posted to Istanbul as Holland’s consul general a number of years ago and set in action a series of events that led to his country’s giving greater importance to Turkey.

J.J. Jonker Roelants: [']Turkey is of course a very important country from a strategic point of view but our relations with Turkey effect also the way we look at our citizens with a Turkish background. Cultural exchanges are an important tool of public diplomacy because they appeal to the hearts and minds.[']" Image from


Why Foreign Policy Matters - An Indian Perspective: Shashi Tharoor, Minister of State, Foreign Affairs Government of India, eGov monitor: "I have written elsewhere of the need to develop and exploit India’s considerable 'soft power', by making this integral to the work of our territorial divisions, rather than leaving it solely to umbrella entities like ICCR and the Public Diplomacy Division. This will mean taking Indian literature, culture, music and dance abroad as an adjunct to Indian diplomacy, and doing so within a context of a coherent public diplomacy strategy that weaves together many institutions that currently function separately.” Tharoor image from article.

Leveraging Web 2.0 to engage the Indian diaspora - Madhurjya Kotoky, The Public Diplomacy Blog: "The government of India, has woken up to the potential of what the diaspora has to offer, and, the need to build a framework to engage the Indian diaspora proactively to expand their role in India’s growth story. … The Indian diaspora, especially the one spread across North America and West Europe, comprises of highly educated and qualified professionals, academics and entrepreneurs that can help India ideate, innovate, create and sustain the growth momentum."

China Embraces Soft Power for Image - Sunny Lee, Korea Times: "China has long been criticized by the Western media as an undemocratic country - lacking freedom of the press and religion. Its rise is increasingly perceived by some as a threat. Chinese industrial development, for example, is seen as stealing opportunities abroad.

'This situation prompts the necessity of launching China's initiative to institute public diplomacy to promote the correct image of China abroad,' said Zhao Qizheng, the former minister in charge of the State Council Information Office, the government's voice." Image from

Australia set up a “special group” to protect students - badboy, Study abroad: This is a Study blog - "Australian Foreign Affairs and Trade consular, public diplomacy and Parliamentary Affairs Division Geleitemo reason Artie said … that the Australian Government is committed to building safe country where students are welcome to Chinese students continue to study in Australia, to condemn and combat all for the Chinese students offenses."

Aid agency taps lawmaker as pubic [sic] diplomacy envoy - Korea Herald: "Hong Jung-wook of the Grand National Party has been tapped as an honorary public diplomacy envoy for the nation's overseas assistance." See also John Brown, "Public Diplomacy Goes ‘Pubic’," CPD Blog, University of Southern California. Image from

OSCE official criticizes Azerbaijan's continued ban of BBC, VOA, RFE/RL - Kim Andrew Elliott Discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

Mueller to speak in Minot - Minot Daily News: "[Sherry] Mueller has provided leadership for the National Council for International Visitors since 1996, first as Executive Director and then as President. Before coming to NCIV, she worked for eighteen years for the Institute of International Education, first as a program officer and then as Director of the Professional Exchange Programs staff. During this time she was also an adjunct professor at American University, pioneering the first course on public diplomacy at American University's School of International Service."

Nomination for BIS under secretary lauded by Locke -
Baltimore News.Net: "President Barack Obama Friday announced his intent to nominate attorney Eric Hirschhorn to be the Under Secretary of the U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). … [W]hile a member of President Jimmy Carter's reorganization project staff (1977-1980), he worked on reorganizing the government's international trade, public diplomacy, and foreign assistance mechanisms."

Meridian Spring Garden Benefit Party – Washington Life Magazine: "FIESTA: The picture-perfect Linden grove behind the historic headquarters of the Meridian International Center was aglow with lights at the annual spring garden party to support the center’s international dialogue and public diplomacy initiatives. The theme was 'An Evening in Yucatan,' and patrons sipped Casa Nobile tequila as they meandered between the garden and the mansion’s formal receiving rooms." Image of Meridian International entrance from

CULTURAL DIPLOMACY

Culture warriors practise soft diplomacy: An ambitious Australian arts program aims to grab the attention of the Obama Administration. Washington correspondent Anne Davies reports - theage.com.au: "The largest contemporary indigenous art exhibition ever to leave Australian shores will open in Washington DC this week, the first event in a cultural initiative that aims to boost Australia's profile in Washington at a criti