June 5

“Jobs is too intent on control to wind up in a position to control us.”

--New York Times commentator Robert Wright, "Is Steve Jobs Big Brother," on the Apple executive; image from

EVENT

To Russia with Love: The Great Radio War Public Media in a Democracy "Film Tuesday, 15 June 2010, 6:30 pm Goethe-Institut Washington, Goethe Forum German with English subtitles No charge+1 (202) 289-1200 info@washington.goethe.org Germany, 2008, DVD, 88 min., German with English subtitles, Director: Christian Bauer, Tangram Film

Followed by discussion with A. Ross Johnson, Senior Advisor, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Kevin Klose, Dean and Professor, Philip Merrill College of Journalism (University of Maryland, College Park), former president of Radio Free Europe and National Public Radio 2009 marked the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

To Russia, With Love tells the story of the Cold War from a most unusual perspective: Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty. Conceived as a propaganda instrument and financed by the CIA, RFE over the years changed its face and provided the people under Soviet rule with information and news not available to them in any other form. Today the radio station is seen as one of the most successful enterprises of the CIA, and some claim that the peaceful end of the cold war is largely due to RFE/RL's broadcasts. This presentation is part of an ongoing series about the role of public media in a democracy.

RSVP to 202-289-1200 ext. 166 or rsvp@washington.goethe.org"; image from announcement

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY IN THE NEWS

America's Ambassadors? The NGO Role in Public Diplomacy Discussed at InterAction's 2010 Forum, interaction.org: "While traditional diplomacy involves government leaders at the highest levels, public diplomacy allows a country to engage with citizens in other countries at many different levels, particularly as citizen to citizen. Down through the years, the international NGO community has played an important role in public diplomacy, and Wednesday’s panel demonstrated that even more and newer opportunities abound. The panel, The NGO Role in Public Diplomacy, was moderated by Nasserie Carew, Managing Director of Public Affairs, Millennium Challenge Corporation, and InterAction’s former Senior Public Relations Director. Tina Tchen, Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, opened the panel, stressing the importance of two-way dialog so that diverse voices are heard. Dan Glickman, President of Refugees International, an InterAction member organization, said the NGO community should lead with our strengths and that NGOs are strong in soft power. 'Soft power is about attraction, not coercion. We encourage engagement with a country’s citizens. Our communities keep Americans engaged around the world. We stay engaged by the good work NGOs do everyday.' Bruce Wharton, Director of Public Diplomacy for the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs said, 'NGOs provide an incredible voice and reach beyond traditional audiences by recognizing that not one side fits all. All public diplomacy is local. People on the ground know best.' Wharton said for the first time in a decade there will be an increased number of public diplomacy officers in African embassies. Karl Stotz, Director of Public Diplomacy for the State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs said in his region, while some countries are closed, others are open and that presents a great opportunity. 'The prevailing theme is that we are at the stage of potentially being able to do more than we’ve been able to do in many years. And so we must coordinate our efforts and messages more effectively. We must get public opinion in the countries where we work to recognize the contribution of the U.S. is making to help citizens help themselves.'”

A Little Good News From The U.S. Pavilion - Jian (Jay) Wang, newswire – CPD Blog & Blogroll, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: "If there is one shining moment at the U.S. pavilion [at the Shanghai Expo], it is the 'student ambassadors.' These are American college students who come from across the country to volunteer at the pavilion as guides to Chinese visitors. (By the way, my home institution USC is the lead school for this program, but I am not personally involved). More than any other country at the Expo, America is better represented through the physical presence of these young people (all speak some level of Chinese).

They have daily, direct contact, pleasant or otherwise, with Chinese visitors who typically have to wait in line for a couple of hours to get inside the pavilion. This is truly people diplomacy in action. Most importantly, these young people represent the future of U.S.-China relations and, for that matter, of America’s relations with the world." Image from. See also John Brown, "I wonder what they're actually thinking as public diplomacy 'ambassadors," Notes and Essays (May 5, 2010)

National Security Strategy punts on strategic communication and public diplomacy - Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner.us: "Last month, President Obama released his first National Security Strategy. … The NSS completely avoids the term 'public diplomacy' even as it highlights the value of cultural and educational exchanges. Interestingly, in the one paragraph that directly discusses strategic communication, a paragraph that uses strategic communication as a synonym for the ignored phrase 'public diplomacy,' the plural – 'strategic communication' – is used, indicating the crafting or editing by someone not versed or immersed in the field.

However, 'engagement' is used liberally throughout the strategy, so much so it often appearing more than once in a paragraph. The word 'influence' is also frequently used. … This week, the Defense Department hosted a blogger and online media roundtable with Amanda J. Dory, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, to discuss the strategy. I asked Dory about the lack of direct attention to public diplomacy and strategic communication in the strategy and whether or not we need an information strategy. She acknowledged this is a complex subject and noted various efforts across government to understand the capabilities and requirements." See also John Brown, Smart Power In, Public Diplomacy Out?, Notes and Essays (March 2, 2009). Image from

National Security will require Smarter Networks – Ali Fisher, MountainRunner.us: "The focus on collaboration in the new US National Security Strategy emphasises the need to foster the skills to convene, connect and mobilize networks. This will require a smart network of diplomats not just smart individuals. While the Obama administration is 'clear-eyed about the challenge of mobilizing collective action' those putting strategy into action will have to build smarter networks if diplomats are to collaborate effectively within complex networks of influence. … [T]he National Security Strategy emphasises, 'diplo­mats are the first line of engagement, listening to our partners, learning from them, building respect'. A key aspect of empowering smarter networks of diplomats, is finding ways of them to identify where that first 'line' actually is, particularly online. The form of a network is not an abstract concept, it is identifiable through network mapping if sufficient appropriate data. This image

shows a section of a network on Twitter made from the links between individuals following each other in an areas [sic] approximating to Public Diplomacy and Strategic Communication. For those who want to find themselves or investigate the map in more detail, a larger more interactive image can be seen at on HumansHuddle. Above image from article; below oil spill image from


POMED Notes: “Iran: The Year of Reckoning”, Josh, Project on Middle East Democracy, The Pomed Wire: "Earlier today [June 4], the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars hosted an event to explore the last year of Iranian politics and U.S. diplomacy toward the Iranian regime. ... Nicholas Burns, former Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs and current professor at Harvard ... [said that] [a]s part of our public diplomacy, don’t exclude any options: 'We should say clearly that we are not taking the military option off the table,' he said, nothing that the integration of force in diplomacy is a time-honored convention. 'Strength, particularly in the Middle East, is a necessary precondition to peace.'”

Policy vs Communication? It’s all relations to me - Public Diplomacy, Networks and Influence: "The language of ‘policy’ and ‘communication’ tends to perpetuate a view of PD as communications technicians. One of the consequences of the relational perspective in public relations is the argument that PR has to be seen as strategic management function not as simply about communications. … Foreign policy as a whole is about the formation and management of relations. Relations are interdependent and sophisticated foreign policy thinking has to deal with the implications of this interdependence. This may require a recognition that some choices will have negative impacts on existing relationships. The key point is that these political choices form the context in which PD operates and which structure the possibilities of success and failure."

Normans For Israel Group Host Israeli Consul - Amanda Peabody, Beverley Hills courier: "The Normans for Israel Club of Beverly High will host Shahar Azani, consul for culture, media and public diplomacy for the Israeli Consulate of Los Angeles on June 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the home of Shayda and Jimmy Ebrahimi. The evening, entitled 'A Personal Look Into Israel’s Diplomacy,' will focus on Israel’s political and security challenges, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Consul Azani’s life as a diplomat and the anti-Zionist environments or situation some Israelis face."

Fight, Israel, Regroup and Fight! - Ari Bussel, Posted by johnhouk, slantright.com:

"In face of the Flotilla of Lies that has unleashed a wave of hatred toward the Jewish State the likes of which we have not seen in recent decades, Israel’s technical response was excellent: footage was made available in real time, her spokespersons are working around the clock and numerous individuals partake in battles raging on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other social networks. New entities were formed in places where they should have been operating long ago (like in the Ministry of Public Diplomacy and its outreach to American Jewry). New initiatives are being invented, formulated and implemented. Better late than never. ... Israel must quash all internal opposition. This is war and Israel should be fighting for her very survival. Israel must further call reservists to service, for the day of reckoning is near. Everyone else must join the fight, under a new command: Israel’s Public Diplomacy. ... On the Public Diplomacy Front, each of us is a soldier. We must disseminate information, speak, participate and engage our family, friends, business associates and colleagues. It is time to put aside all differences and work together to save Israel – first from herself, then from the world." Image from

Edwin Heathcote on when spectacle became the reality - ‎Financial Times: "Perhaps, I suggest to Sir Andrew Cahn, chief executive of UK Trade and Investment (the civil service client for the British Pavilion), it is the government involvement in the Expo that raises suspicion that, whatever else might be said, the Expo is still propaganda. 'Certainly for the Chinese it is about doing everything bigger and better,' he replies.

'But for the other countries it is also about recognising China’s importance, economically, politically and culturally.' 'It is an exercise in public diplomacy – the design of the British pavilion shows that we are still culturally vigorous. The polls naturally show that the Chinese pavilion is the most popular at the Expo but that the British pavilion is number two. Many millions will visit it and it will be seen around the world.' But will it? Are Expos still really news? 'It’s true that the British are quite sceptical about government-organised events – and rightly so. We are quite sceptical about extraordinary things – until they’re proved.'” Image from article: Visitors queue for the British pavilion

RELATED ITEMS

Obama's agenda at odds with Israel's ambitions - Scott Wilson, Washington Post: "Since its creation more than six decades ago, the state of Israel has been at times a vexing ally to the United States. But it poses a special challenge for President Obama, whose foreign policy emphasizes the importance of international rules and organizations that successive Israeli governments have clashed with and often ignored.

Apologize to Turkey - Namik Tan, Washington Post: Israel can start by bringing an end to its blockade on Gaza; by ending its inappropriate and disproportionate police actions toward the Palestinian civilians of that land; and by allowing a prompt, independent, impartial, credible and transparent international investigation into the incident.

Moreover, Israel owes an apology to the Turkish nation. The United States should encourage Israel to become a genuine partner for peace in the Middle East. The writer is Turkey's ambassador to the United States. Image from

Israelis must escalate the propaganda war: Israel needs a more subtle approach to its foes - Telegraph View, Telegraph.co.uk: The arc of hostility to Israel that runs from Ahmadinejad's Iran – his pledge to wipe Israel off the map was no mere rhetorical flourish – through Syria and its heavily armed clients in Hezbollah, to Hamas on its immediate flank in Gaza, presents not just a military threat. These enemies have become expert in PR and propaganda, knowing they have an eager claque of cheerleaders in this and other Western countries to command the media's attention. In the circumstances, it is perhaps unsurprising that Israel responds with such spikiness. What is so disturbing for those, such as this newspaper, who count themselves as supporters of Israel is that this is so dangerously self-defeating.

Lying about the Gaza flotilla disaster - MJ Rosenberg, Arabnews.com: The attack on the flotilla was one of the most disastrous blunders in Israel's history. At last, the whole world sees Israel's policy of collective punishment for what it is — a means to perpetuate the occupation forever. Only the United States government has chosen to close its eyes.

With a blunder at sea, Israel has given its foes a propaganda victory - Editorial Board, Star-Ledger:

The flotilla of boats that tried to run Israel’s blockade of Gaza was hardly some innocent humanitarian mission. The cargo may have been construction materials, medical equipment and school supplies, as its organizers say, but the intent of the hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists aboard was to force a confrontation. Israel’s action-movie response -- sending commandos in helicopters to rappel onto vessels and seize them on the high seas -- was bound to end badly, as it did. Image from

'The IDF is Jack the Ripper' - Israel's Weak Shot at a Propaganda Video....Stupid!: Israel's weak attempt at a propaganda video - ‎Tim King, Salem-News.Com: "I was a little concerned when this propaganda video

minimizing Israel's murder on the high seas was sent over to Salem-News.com, after all propaganda is dangerous stuff. ... The producers chose to make fun of the song Michael Jackson helped produce, 'We Are the World' and they seriously spoof people like the Captain of the Mavi Marmara. who was murdered in the attack, and Bob Dylan, who I suspect will not approve.” Image from article

Israeli War Crimes: From the U.S. Liberty to the Humanitarian Flotilla - ‎James Petras, Atlantic Free Press: In the face of Washington’s complicity with Israeli war crimes, the only road is to intensify the world-wide boycott, disinvestment and sanctions campaign against all Israeli products, cultural activities and professional exchanges.

Should Jews 'go back to Germany?' - ‎Examiner.com: Apparently swept up in the left's frenzied knee-jerk reaction of blaming Israel for all Muslim savagery any time it dares to fight back, vicious Jew-hating bigot and alleged journalist Helen Thomas

psychotically lashed out last week, demanding that Jews should "get the hell out of Palestine" and "go back home to Germany, Poland, America and everywhere else." This was in response to the violent propaganda stunt recently pulled by Gaza extremists (and orchestrated by Obama's terrorist friend William Ayers and terrorist sympathizer Jodie Evans) in which Israel had the audacity to stop the arming of Islamic terrorists bent on mass-murdering its citizens. Image from