April 1

"A morning-glory at my window satisfies me more than the metaphysics of books."

--Walt Whitman; image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

U.S. Public Diplomacy for Cuba: Why It’s Needed and How to Do It - Paul Hare, brookings.edu:

"Public diplomacy is an essential part of any new U.S. policy toward Cuba. It will need to be a sustained campaign ring-fenced from political problems that are bound to arise with the Cuban government. Raúl Castro will be confident he can reduce or eliminate the impact of U.S. public diplomacy with his counter-diplomacy. He will expect that, just as in the past, Washington will change its approach due to congressional and other pressure. This time the United States should prove him wrong." See also. Image from

US Policy Elites and Chechnya - Mark Hackard, alternativeright.com: "It is highly likely that the March 29th terrorist strikes in Moscow were carried out by Chechen female suicide bombers, also known as 'black widows.' … The official U.S. response to the bombings has been to condemn the violence and 'stand with' Russia, though support in these matters rarely extends beyond statements for the press. Beyond public diplomacy, what policy line does Washington actually pursue in relation to the Caucasus? ... Washington may publicly deplore the 'violent extremism' that reared its head in Moscow this week. But U.S. anti-terrorist rhetoric doesn't line up with its policies and semi-official projects. By taking a hard look at the initiatives backed by the foreign policy establishment, it's clear that an Islamic emirate in the Caucasus would align with the designs of U.S. strategic planners."

Reflections from Dhaka: Participants Share Perspectives from Leaders of Influence Conference - "Upon their return from the Leaders of Influence (LOI) regional conference in Dhaka March 21-24 that convened over 80 participants from 14 countries, In Asia spoke with Rosita MacDonald, program officer for The Asia Foundation’s Governance, Law, and Civil Society program, and Russell Pepe, chief of party for the LOI program in Bangladesh, on what they heard. Q: Was there a sense from conference participants that progress has been made since U.S. President Obama’s much-heralded Cairo speech last year in which he declared the U.S.’s commitment to reengage with the Muslim community? Rosita MacDonald: There was a lot of talk from the U.S. delegation about the shift to enhanced engagement with the Muslim community as well as with other religious communities. This point was acknowledged by several of the delegates, but they also made the point that the U.S. needs to be more effective in its public diplomacy efforts in Asia and to highlight tangible examples of engagement with, and support for, the Muslim world. There is optimism to be sure, but still a lot of uncertainty as to what this 'engagement' actually involves and how deep it runs."

Image: The image you see here, from NicoleB (flickr.com/), reflects the story of The Dhaka Project, that of a stewardess named Maria Conceicao (Nicole is the one in the photograph, but their features are similar, except that Maria smiles a lot) who has been raising money for the poor to start a new life in Bangladesh in the form of a school, housing, teaching facilities for adults and so on.

Cold War 2.0 – Lena, Global Chaos: "About a week ago the Heritage Foundation held a panel discussion titled 'Russian Anti-Americanism: A Priority Target for U.S. Public Diplomacy,' the purpose of which was - at least, so it seemed - to point out the lack of streamlined American PD efforts in Russia and the former Eastern bloc in general. The major conclusion was that the Russian 'elites' have been championing anti-Americanism for domestic purposes, and thus, the organizers of the event called for more attention and a greater need for a 'clear' and a 'thought-out' American information strategy in those countries. ... [But] Cold War-style information campaigns are obviously not working anymore, not just due to the rise of the Internet Age, or the increasing prominence of horizontal and truly pluralistic information 'terrains', but simply because of the credibility deficit on both sides. In this case, pursuing associative public diplomacy - to use Dr. Zaharna's term - between the two publics can, potentially, create the much needed mutuality that can, over time give way to trust and commitment. Thus, the 'elites' should, instead of lashing out at each other, foster and coordinate the building of these networks, that will, eventually, provide the space for better understanding, acceptance, and closer cooperation."

Strategic Communication Management: Playing Football with a Golf Club - cb3blog.wordpress.com: "The information age has provided a clarion call for many who claim that top-down, reductionist approaches to communication, and thereby its, and wider, management, is incapable of dealing with the complexities of the 21st century. Within political science and international studies, there are many adherents to this call – from a geostrategic viewpoint, expounded by Thomas Friedman in ‘The World is Flat’; from a public diplomacy perspective, raised by Nicholas Cull in calling for ‘the reorientation of public diplomacy away from the top-down communication patterns of the Cold War era’ and by Daryl Copeland with his ideas of the networked, grass-roots guerrilla diplomacy. ... In communication terms, loose networks,

as practiced by activists from Greenpeace to the Obama presidential campaign, at one end of the spectrum, and utilized to great physical effect by terrorist groups from Al Qaida to Hezbollah, regularly outperform top-down, mechanistic organisations, be they corporate conglomerates or inter-governmental organisations. ... Networks only really become effective when those within them are allowed to use the value-added that being within a network affords them. ... [P]eople even in the foreign policy world are taking tentative, if small, steps in this direction. One example is Diplopedia – 'grass-roots technology in a top-down organization,' according to Eric M. Johnson of the State Department’s Office of eDiplomacy. Diplopedia, being a wiki, is open to the contributions of all who work in the State Department. ... This new culture of collaboration, flat management, open-source and interconnectivity will not provide the likes of NATO with the answers to all its communication issues but there are undoubtedly lessons to be learnt." Image from

Will China re-define great power politics? – inthesenewtimes: "The past two decades of China’s re-emergence have been a breathtaking diplomatic balancing exercise. It has been remarkable how the juggernaut managed to neutralize distrust and nurtured the idea that its own development is going to benefit the development of the entire world. In the last few years China’s foreign policy has become much more professional and sophisticated. Political relations are now embedded in a sound economic and public diplomacy. Chinese officials also seem to be increasingly sensitive to the perceptions and expectations in partner countries. They are eager to learn, to anticipate challenges and to adapt their discourses to a heterogeneous audience. These are all reassuring trends. Yet, progress in China’s foreign policy is frail and reversible."

The Associated Press Spins China's Post-Colonial Card in Algeria - Michael J. Martin, Huffington Post: "Chinese media and public diplomacy often characterize China's relationship with Algeria as one of mutual understanding -- foreign powers colonized both nations; both nations fought for their independence in some of the bloodiest battles of the 20th century."

Israel and Iran-the public view – Bruce Clarke, Examiner.com: ‎"Iran’s public diplomacy image comes from the perception that it is one of the few governments to voice the opinions of the 'Muslim street' vis-á-vis the U.S. and Israel as well as some of the other regimes in the Middle East. Iran’s defiant attitude in its relationships with the West has become its trademark exemplified in the fiery rhetoric of President Ahmadinejad’s conduct on the international stage. Many, including this author, see Iran on a collision course with other governments in the region and the West. Iran is earning popular respect in the Middle East as well as in many parts of the Third World for its positions. In recent years, Iran has made a substantial effort to extend its public diplomacy reach, particularly with the launching of the 24-hour English and Arabic language satellite channels."

Shiloh Is Not A 'Settlement' Either – Ymedad, myrightword.blogspot.com:

"I have news for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the aftermath of his recent Washington trip and especially his speech before the AIPAC Convention. Not only is Jerusalem not a 'settlement' but neither is Shiloh, my home town. And I am troubled that in using that turn of phrase that Netanyahu either stumbled or is losing his golden touch on matters of Hasbarah, upgraded to public diplomacy these days." Image from

Baku Blogging - Stories Told and Untold: DOTCOM 2010 Mojo - Day #3 - Phineas Gage, DOTCOM: PH International:

"Our third day in Baku, Azerbaijan found us downtown once again . ... After lunch at the school, we headed downtown to visit a number of places, including a visit to the inside of the maiden tower (people were much shorter back in the 9th century), a stop at a social media/blogging center, a phenomenal tour at the Azerbaijan National History Museum, and a culminating conversation with a gracious U.S. public diplomacy official who hosted us at the American Center for a powerhouse end-of-the-day conversation about social media and cross-cultural dialogue." Image from

Global Citizenship: What Role for Alumni? - www.alumnifutures.com: "I spent a very educational day this week in Ottawa, Canada as an invitee of the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT). The occasion was a workshop on 'Global Citizenship' and ways to encourage public diplomacy among a number of groups with ties to Canada. Among those audiences are foreign alumni of Canadian institutions, foreign alumni of Canadian international youth programs, and of course, Canadian alumni of Canadian institutions, now living overseas. The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada estimates there are some 2.8 million Canadian citizens living outside the country's borders."

New Pubic Diplomacy Institute Founded – Las Vegas Sun: "K. Sehguh, a local entrepreneur, has just opened a Public Diplomacy Institute, funded by city businesses, near the campus of University of Nevada. ...'We plan to cooperate closely with the Public Diplomacy office at the State Department,' Sehguh said. 'We share its interest in international outreach, as foreign tourism is becoming increasingly important to our city.'

Several Pubic Diplomacy staff members have worked at the Moonlight Bunny Ranch, which with the Department has cooperated." See also; image from

TRANSform Me - mcozzens: "Ok, this post is about a very weird topic:TRANSform Me, a VH1 show about transgender people who teach plain girls how to be beautiful. … The show was actually a public diplomacy tactic to teach people about 'gender diversity' in a palatable way.

It was amusing and educational on the surface, with a very subtle sub-text prompting the audience to consider what gender is and is not." Image from article

Humanizing the US Military - Reach 364, buildingpeace.net: "One the Jordanian professors who taught me last semester has become a pretty good friend. He was educated in the West, has a good mind for international relations and foreign policy, and used some excellent books in his class. This semester he is teaching a course on American Foreign Policy and asked for my help gathering resources and finding guest speakers. ... A few weeks ago I was privileged to invite a friend who is a Ranger in the US Army. ... He could show these students that, while the US invasion was ill-conceived in many ways, Americans are largely driven by good (if sometimes naive) intentions. ... By the way, I should mention the composition of this class: eight nice, sweet girls who speak fluent English, are in a master's degree in American Studies, and are hungry to learn. ... My friend did a fantastic job. ... My friend discussed counterinsurgency, provincial reconstruction teams, empowerment of local government, and everything else under the sun. These young ladies were hungry to learn, and while they retain a lot of skepticism towards US policy, I could sense that some of their views were being challenged. During the break, a couple girls continued to pepper him with questions. ... My friend really shone towards the end of the evening, when the questions got personal and he spoke from a place of brutal honesty. He couldn't keep the emotion out of his voice when he talked about his single greatest frustration in Iraq and Afghanistan:

the fact that he worked harder and longer for the people of these countries than any Iraqi or Afghan he had ever met. ... I couldn't get inside the minds of those girls that night, but from where I sat in the corner of the room, I could see the emotions flickering over their faces. They saw his regret and his pain. I believe the honesty of his confession earned him their respect and understanding. In those minutes my friend probably did more to humanize the US military in these ladies' eyes than any amount of public diplomacy." Image from

"Fellow" comrades with me - Edward Ling Blog: "Since 1966, the American Council of Young Political Leaders has been the pre-eminent catalyst for promoting shared knowledge and friendship among young elected, political, and policy leaders worldwide. For more than 40 years, the ACYPL professional staff has developed and managed international exchange activities designed to introduce the next generation of leaders to diverse, and often complex, aspects of politics, governance, public policy making, and civil society both in the United States and around the world.

Our programs provide opportunities for oftentimes divergent groups to explore common concerns and points of difference. They enhance participants’ ability to shape broader and well-informed perspectives about the world and make them better informed decision-makers at home. An ACYPL international exchange provides young leaders with a unique opportunity to develop and practice leadership and public diplomacy skills that serve them throughout their lives." Image from

New Additions For April 01, 2010 - News Assignment: "Key Note Address by NSA at Seminar on ‘India and China: Public Diplomacy, Building Understanding’ at 10: 00 AM at Indian Council for World Affairs (ICWA), Sapru House, Barakhamba Road."

Why I Chose A Hardship Post - Ren's Micro Diplomacy: "Thankfully, I’ve been granted full clearance for my summer internship at the U.S. Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City. This went a lot faster than I expected, given the stories I heard from the 2009 interns, and the process was fairly painless. Don’t get me wrong – it involved a load of phone calls and emails, sorting through old tax returns and meeting with a local investigator, but it was systematic, organized and transparent (well, as much as this sort of thing can be). With that obstacle cleared, it’s finally time to explain something that all my colleagues have asked: 'Why Vietnam?' Sure, I can better imagine myself in Madrid, Geneva or Ankara, but I didn’t apply for any of those. When ranking my top choices I considered two things: the possible popularity of the city and whether I’d be able to get a challenging Public Diplomacy assignment that mimics what I would actually be doing as a junior officer."

Foreign Service Telephone Language Test Results - Heather W. Lisons & Dansons... - Good news! "I passed the French test

via telephone! So, we'll see where that puts me on the registers for FS Officer and FS Specialist. I was 7 of 11 on the register for Info Resource Officer and 97 of 101 on the list for public diplomacy, so hopefully this will move me up." Image from

A Policy For The Cuban People - Danielle Skloven, Neon Tommy: the voice of Annenberg digital news: "Danielle Skloven is in her second year of the Masters of Public Diplomacy program."

RELATED ITEMS

The U.S. Timetable Isn't Right for Afghanistan: Senior officials here have serious doubts about 2011 withdrawal - Con Coughlin, Wall Street Journal

What France Can Do – Editorial, New York Times: President Nicolas Sarkozy of France got nearly everything he could have hoped for from his visit to the United States this week. Now he needs to return the favor by significantly increasing French combat strength in Afghanistan.

U.S. campaign to reform Kandahar is rife with pitfalls - David Ignatius, Washington Post: The hardest part of this war, paradoxically, isn't the fighting on the ground, which the U.S. military conducts brilliantly, but the struggle in the Afghan political sphere, where we know precious little.

China, Concubines and Google - Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times: The United States government has been reluctant to support financing for the proxy servers that enable Chinese or Iranians to leap firewalls. The fear is that China would be outraged. But we shouldn’t let that dissuade us, for we have a powerful interest in chipping away at firewalls that protect dictatorships.

Review: PropagandA - Alison Croggon, theatrenotes.blogspot.com: PropagandA - as its poster demonstrates - draws consciously on the tradition of Soviet social realist propaganda.

Image from article

ONE MORE QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"Sir, - Because interest in the modern connotation of ‘cool’ continues (see Letters, March 12), I offer the two earliest uses I am aware of: ‘When the Attendants receive insult and abuse they must keep cool, forbear to recriminate, scold, threaten, or to dictate in the language of authority.’ The Rules and Regulations of the Boston Lunatic Hospital (Boston: John H. Eastburn, 1848), p24.

Also, the first of the ‘Duties of Attendants’ at the Tennessee Hospital for the Insane is that they ‘treat them [patients] with respect and civility, ... and avoid violence and rudeness of every kind ....They are to keep cool under every provocation [...].’ Dr W. A Cheatheam, Fourth Biennial Report of the Superintendent and Physician of the Tennessee Hospital for the Insane (Nashville: E.G. Eastman & Co, 1859), p50.

Might the idea of keeping cool have originated in ‘lunatic’ hospitals?”

JOHN WOOD
PO Box 218, Saxtons River,
Vermont 05154
(Letters to the Editor, Times Literary Supplement (March 26, 2010), p. 6