May 31

"President-apparent Benigno Simeon 'Noynoy' Aquino III said on Monday he is seriously considering television talk show host Boy Abunda to serve in government … , citing Abunda's taking of a Masteral Degree in International Relations on Public Diplomacy at the Philippine Women's University."

--Kris Bayos, "Boy Abunda considered for Cabinet post," Manila Bulletin Publishing Bulletin Cooperation; Abunda image from; see also

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Federal Trade Commission floats idea of domestically disseminating VOA and RFE/RL - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting:

"VOA and RFE/RL are available now to US citizens who visit voanews.com and rferl.org. Those visitors can decide for themselves if the content is 'propaganda.' This availability will continue unless the broadcasters are required to observe the domestic dissemination provision of the Smith Mundt Act by forbidding access to computers with US IP addresses." Image from

Broadcasting Board of Governors nominees not yet confirmed - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

US Pavilion in Shanghai Fails to Do Its Job: "San Antonio Threw a ($500,000) Party and No One Came" - Bob Jacobson, Huffington Post

Soapbox Derby Revisited – Laura McGinnis, manIC: "Public diplomacy success

relies on strong cross-cultural communication. To that end, I believe the United States should increase efforts to engage with diasporic populations. According to the U.S. Census the 2007 U.S. population included 38.1 million foreign born—more than 12 percent of the total population. ... In terms of programming, the government should ensure that PD programs are well funded, strategically coordinated, and based on a foundation of mutual respect and collaborative partnership." Image from

If Elected, Can the Right Reverse The Narrative? - xMadMike, x-Political: "We should reorient our public diplomacy away from selling American consumerism and popular music and otherwise currying favor with foreign populations. Current polling abroad shows this doesn’t work anyway. Instead, we should remind the world that we are a nation of free people, who cherish free speech and individual conscience and oppose religious fanaticism and political violence. If other people hold other values, so be it."

The American government against the world public?: Theoretical and empirical analysis of public diplomacy on the Iraq war (Paperback) - www.reisen-bali.ch:

'Der Reiz dieser Studie liegt (..)sicherlich darin, dass sie nicht allein die hinlänglich bekannten inneramerikanischen Informationskampagnen und Medienmanipulationen einmal mehr aufrollt, sondern dass sie am Beispiel Deutschlands auch zeigt, wie es der Administration gelang, solche Staaten für die eigenen Zwecke zu dämonisieren und damit zusätzliche Untertützung in der Gesellschaft für ihr Handeln zu generieren. (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 24.06.2008) [Google translation:] The appeal of this study is (..) is certainly the fact that it not only the adequately known U.S. domestic information campaigns and media manipulation, once again rolling up, but at the example of Germany also shows how it managed the administration, such states for their own purposes demonize and thereby generate additional housing areas in society for their actions. (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 24.06.2008)" Image from

RFE/RL popular in Belarusian prison - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

A Well-thought Plan - ‎Ari Bussel, Canada Free Press: "Bloomberg reports 'Israeli Forces Clash With Gaza-bound Ships; Reports of 10 Dead.' Al Jazeera in English: 'Israel attacks Gaza aid fleet, up to 16 people reportedly killed and dozens injured after troops board ships trying to break Gaza siege.' ...

This is how wars break. A ruse is used, which then leads to an avalanche. The cost, whether in human life or otherwise, is meaningless to the organizers of the convoy to Gaza. Their goal was to break the naval siege at all costs, or in the alternative to cause as much harm to Israel as possible, both on the international public diplomacy front and on the domestic resistance/fifth column of Israeli Arabs. In either case they are the victors." Image from

Do Not Attack Flotillas of Ships Containing the Following People: A Handy Reference for Good Public Diplomacy - Sublime Surprise: "So, you want to make sure that your nation has the hearts and minds of the world regarding (insert debacle here). The first thing you should do is not attack a humanitarian flotilla containing any of the following: 1. The first female Israeli-Arab delegate to your own nation’s parliament, no matter how infuriating her statements might be. It’s like shooting your own hand off. 2. A member of Sweden’s parliament. They’re neutral, and you don’t want to endanger your IKEA shipments, do you? 3. Members of the German Bundestag. 4. An archbishop of the Byzantine Right Catholic Church 5. A survivor of the USS Liberty fiasco. You already shot at the poor guy once. Honestly, what the hell was Bibi thinking?!"

#FreeHasbara - forecasthighs: "It is now painfully clear that Israel did not adequately prepare ahead of time for its battle at sea with the Free Gaza Flotilla. Not militarily, and not in the public diplomacy arena. While the intelligence failure led ill-equipped soldiers into an ambush from which they had to shoot their way out, the failure to prepare the ground for a PR offensive is an all-too-familiar occurrence in these parts. … It is becoming increasingly clear that money is not the only issue, and that the people charged with disseminating Israel’s message still don’t get IT. Setting aside the obvious issue of real diplomatic progress with the Palestinians and other Arab states, and the effect that would have on Israel’s image, the tiny, brainy and resourceful Jewish state is light years away from its adversaries on communicating its message. Money is not the answer: forward-looking and creative use of traditional and new media is of urgent importance. ... While Israel is justifiably known as the world’s 'Start-up Nation' for its technological dynamism and entrepreneurship, we are being beaten hands down on the PR uses of this new technology. We may be a start up nation, but we are bricks and mortar communicators. Our adversaries have cntrl-alt-deleted us."

Israel - Summary of editorials from the Hebrew press, 30 May 2010 - ‎ISRIA: "Yisrael Hayom discusses the public diplomacy challenge facing Israel in the wake of the Gaza flotilla. 'The flotilla is being led by international organizations and various human rights warriors. In a war between them and a country, the country will always lose.' The author advocates that 'We must invest efforts in [the use of] soft force, paradoxically. We must be positive and creative.' He contends that 'The proper combination in order to succeed in the new war is that between soft and hard power in order to arrive at the desired level of wise power.'" More on flotilla attack below in "related items."

How Israeli hasbara works - Issandr El Amrani, The Arabist: "Hasbara is the Hebrew word for public diplomacy, i.e. the role people outside of government can have to spread pro-Israel messages and attack Israel's critics.

It is a tried and tested propaganda method long relayed not only by Israeli citizens, but also pro-Israel lobbies (e.g. AIPAC), pro-Israel Jewish community groups (e.g. CRIF) and pro-Israel think tanks (e.g. WINEP). With the advent of the web, pro-Israel groups working in tandem with Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has conducted an often successful and often intensive hasbara effort targeting bloggers.

This has included, for instance, efforts to leave comments in blog posts regarding Israel to defend the Israeli perspective." Images: World Facebook Hasbara Campaign - Brazilian Style from; Gaza White Phosphorus Victim, from Tikun Olam-תקון עולם: Make the World a Better Place: Essays on politics, culture and ideas about Israeli-Arab peace and world music

Turkey's PD Charm – Lena, Global Chaos: "It seems that Mr. Davutoğlu, the current Foreign Minister, ... has been instrumental in developing Turkey's current foreign policy of 'Zero problems with neighbors' and its positioning as a key mediator in many of the regional conflicts . ... One of the most significant initiatives - except for the 'Zero-problem neighborhood' of course - was the establishment of the new Public Diplomacy Coordination Agency to oversee and coordinate all the various PD initiatives by governmental and non-governmental efforts. Davutoğlu does appreciate the power of image and perception. ... There are many challenges and troubles to overcome in Turkey's public diplomacy, just as in its foreign policy; and yet first steps have been made and given the potential, Turkey just needs to keep walking despite difficulties: whether they are foreign or domestic."

Sake increasing presence at diplomatic banquets - ‎Kyodo News: [site expired; entry from Google]:

"Kenjiro Moji, chief of the Foreign Ministry's Public Diplomacy Department, said he wants to popularize sake as part of Japan's culture." See also. Image from

Dubai School of Government Roundtable Mulls Future of Diplomacy and Its Relevance in the Middle East - Tarek Yousif, Zawya: "In the 21st century, diplomats will have to change from being mere observers and reporters to assuming the role of actors who take positive decisions, according to Ambassador Marc Grossman, former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and Senior Diplomacy Fellow, Future of Diplomacy Project, Belfer Center, at the Harvard Kennedy School. ... Describing the dynamic context and challenging environment in which modern-day diplomats function, Ambassador Grossman said: 'Diplomats today have to work across different fields. They require scientific training to understand issues related to energy and the environment; they need media training, as well as an understanding of public diplomacy, and are expected to function alongside private sector entities such as corporations, NGOs and the media, among others.'"

Pakistan and the Problem of Credibility: More on the International Relations/Communications Gap - Public Diplomacy, Networks and Influence:

"In the Public Diplomacy studies the dominant voices come come from IR and communication. This creates a problem in that both tend to work at very different levels of analysis – IR with states and communications with individuals. This leads to a huge gap between the call for a more ‘strategic’ approach that you find in the policy literature and individuals who may or may not being influenced by PD activities. When IR people look to the communications literature for insights they tend to end up with individual level cognitive models of influence. Bridging these different levels of analysis is important. Filling in the gap between strategies and individuals tells you who you have to influence but also if and how they can be influenced. … Conceptualizing the public diplomacy problem purely as one of communication limits the theoretical (and practical) tools available and may actually make the problems look more difficult than they actually are." Image from

Hard vs. Soft Power: Foreign Policy Strategies in Contemporary International Politics: "The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy is currently accepting applications to the international congress 'Hard vs. Soft Power: Foreign Policy Strategies in Contemporary International Politics'. Speakers will include leading figures from international politics and diplomacy, academia, civil society, the armed forces, and related fields."

Episode - New Podcast: GovLoop Does Gov 2.0 Expo, plus Acquisition 2.0 - "Adriel Hampton Join a discussion on GovLoop Does Gov 2.0 Expo with conference circuit veteran and GovLoop community manager Andy Krzmarzick, with fresh perspective from GovLoop intern and Syracuse public diplomacy student Attia Nasar.

Also, Sterling Whitehead on Acquisition 2.0 and the upcoming BuyCamp." Nasar image from

About Me - C'est si bon: Il faut cultiver notre jardin: "Heather: Washington, DC, United States was insurance broker, then peace corps, now starting with the foreign service as a public diplomacy officer."

RELATED ITEMS

America is still the best guarantor of freedom and prosperity: The U.S. still possesses unprecedented power projection capabilities, and just as important, it is armed with the goodwill of countless countries that know the U.S. offers protection from bullies - Max Boot, latimes.com:

American power is the world's best guarantor of freedom and prosperity.This isn't to deny the prevalence of anti-Americanism even in the Age of Obama. Nor is it to wish away the real threats to American power — from external challenges (Iran, China, Islamist terrorists) to, more worrying, internal weaknesses (rising debt levels, decreasing military spending as a percentage of the federal budget, a shrinking Navy). But if my cross-global jaunt taught me anything, it is that those countries that dismiss the prospects for continuing American leadership do so at their peril. Image from

In Afghan region, U.S. spreads the cash to fight the Taliban - Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Washington Post: USAID's "burn rate" in Afghanistan -- the amount it spends -- is about $300 million a month and will probably stay at that level for at least a year. The White House recently asked Congress for an additional $4.4 billion for reconstruction and development programs in Afghanistan, with the aim of increasing employment and promoting economic growth in areas beset by the insurgency.

Tidbits from Both Sides of the Fight: Taliban Propaganda Watch (Rc South) 302345utc May 10 - MILNEWS.Ca Blog

Can Obama and Clinton Look Any More Ridiculous On Iran? - beforeitsnews.com:

Regardless of what neocons say, the Iranian nuclear program has not violated any IAEA safeguards and so the repeated descriptions of it being an “illicit program” are nothing more than calls for war by the same lairs who painted us into the corner in Iraq, another neocon propaganda success story. Image from

Gaza flotilla drives Israel into a sea of stupidity: Of course the peace flotilla will not bring peace, and it won't even manage to reach the Gaza shore. The action plan has included dragging the ships to Ashdod port, but it has again dragged us to the shores of stupidity and wrongdoing - Gideon Levy, Haaretz: The Israeli propaganda machine has reached new highs its hopeless frenzy. It has distributed menus from Gaza restaurants, along with false information. It embarrassed itself by entering a futile public relations battle, which it might have been better off never starting. They want to maintain the ineffective, illegal and unethical siege on Gaza and not let the "peace flotilla" dock off the Gaza coast? There is nothing to explain, certainly not to a world that will never buy the web of explanations, lies and tactics. Only in Israel do people still accept these tainted goods.

A Tired Propaganda Battle At Sea - ‎Power Line: Now, Israeli naval vessels are moving to intercept the flotilla. They will tell the ships that they must proceed to Ashdod harbor or else be boarded.

Israel's Government Press Office also responded to the activists' claim of hardship in Gaza by recommending the Roots Club in Gaza City. "We have been told the beef stroganoff and cream of spinach soup are highly recommended," the Press Office said in an email to reporters. This sort of kabuki PR contest seems sterile, but that doesn't stop Arab media from joining in the propaganda effort. The video clip from Al Jazeera included in entry shows how millions of people around the world are learning about the flotilla.' Image from: An Israeli commando points a gun at activists on the Turkish ship.

The Gaza Flotilla: A Battle “Won” in a Losing Propaganda War - Tom Quiggin, Global Brief: The reactions to the Israeli Navy interception and attack on the Gaza Flotilla will have a largely disproportionate reaction around the world. Numerous countries, including those who are friendly to Israel, or at least cooperate with it, will find their national positions compromised with serious and perhaps violent internal reactions. The incident occurred while Prime Minister Netanyahu was visiting Canada enroute to a previously scheduled meeting with US President Obama. The decision of Mr Netanyahu to leave Canada and cancel the visit to the USA underlines the severity of the crisis.

World Condemns Brutal Israeli Assault on Humanitarian Convoy – Juan Cole, Informed Comment

IDF soldier: 'It felt like a lynch' – Jerusalem Post: The IDF released footage of the Monday raid on the "Free Gaza" flotilla, which depicted the activists upon the ship attacking soldiers with various weapons, including a large metal pole and other metal objects. In the IDF takeover, at least 15 activists were killed and dozens were injured.

Gaza Flotilla: Wikipedia Continues to be a Proxy for anti-Israel Propaganda - Jewish Internet Defense Force:

An article on Wikipedia, entitled, "Gaza Flotilla Clash" is a new hot spot of activity for the Jew hating, Israel hating, Islamic terrorist loving editors who reign supreme on the platform. As is always the case on Wikipedia, Israel and the Jewish people continue to take a beating, as extreme leftists, Hamas sympathizers, and anti-Israel advocates of all shapes and colors froth at the mouth and dominate the platform. The anti-Israel Wikipedia editors are working in full force, purposely finding and using the most damaging excerpts from the most biased, anti-Israel media sources (such as Al Jazeera and Ha'aretz). Typical to the platform, any overtly Jewish or remotely pro-Israel editors are shot down by a mob of group-thinking terror sympathizers and leftists, determined to put Israel and the Jewish people in the worst light possible. Image from

Helium balloons float propaganda into North Korea - Kyung Lah, ‎CNN - Park Sang Hak and his family jammed 150,000 sheets of paper, dollar bills, DVDs and tiny AM/FM radios inside bags attached to giant inflatable helium balloons. They launched them into the sky where they floated 200 km (124 miles) across the border to North Korea. The message: Kim Jong Il is lying to you.

Wanted: Russian-English Translator to Pimp Propaganda for Terrorists - Rusty Shackleford, The Jawa Report: It's, like, a dream job!

WORLD RECORD

Most Party Hats Worn At Once