November 19

"US Soldier: And I can take over the plane with nail clippers?

TSA Guy: [awkward silence]"

--An American soldier, returning from Afghanistan, exchanging words with a TSA official who confiscated his nail clipper but allowed him to carry his rifle on board (full exchange below); image from

VIDEO

George W. Bush Presidential Center Groundbreaking: "View the webcast from the George W. Bush Presidential Center Groundbreaking Ceremony at SMU on November 16, 2010. Re–visit the speeches from President, Mrs. Bush and their distinguished guests; re-live the historical ceremonial dig that broke new ground; and share in the vision of the Bush Center’s lifelong commitment to a freer and better world." Image above from; image below from


PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Obama’s Anemic Public Diplomacy - Jennifer Rubin, Contentions, Commentary:

"Obama’s lack of public diplomacy and mixed messaging on our timeline for withdrawal [from Afghanistan] have allowed public support for the war to slide. He’s not made the case forcefully and consistently for why we are there and why we must prevail. At the FPI conference this week, administration figures suggested that at the upcoming NATO summit in Lisbon, Obama would issue a forceful statement on the war effort. This is good, but it shouldn’t be a single declaration. Obama seems to think he has a 'communications' problem. While that may be a lame excuse for an election wipeout, it’s an accurate indictment of his war effort. He should commit to remedying that deficiency." Image from

A Sub-Plot on the Sup-Continent - James D. Boys, rg resolution group: "With the midterm elections out of the way, President Obama has travelled to India and Indonesia in his latest effort to show a new face of American leadership in parts of the world that have previously lacked for such attention. Much has been made of his public diplomacy and efforts to dance in particular, but there is far more at stake here than the street credibility of Barack Obama. Cold, hard, power politics are at the heart of the trip, with the president looking to secure up to 20 individual agreements worth $10bn for American producers, including General Electric and Boeing. At stake here is the president’s domestic standing since such deals could secure up to 54,000 American jobs, vital if the U.S. economy is going to recover in time for the re-election campaign that in many respects is already underway, but which will kick off in earnest in a little over a year’s time in the snows of New Hampshire and Iowa."

Obama - Paul Rockower, Levantine: "Ah, the beauty of Obama as a public diplomacy symbol. Here in Indonesia when asked where I am from,


I simply respond: Obama. Sometimes that is my line to try to get a discount too." Image from

A conversation with Hillary Clinton, Pt 2, 16 November 2010 - KJ John, posted at Lily's Room: "When I made the proposal for the US to send its final year international relations or public diplomacy students for a semester in Malaysia to understand and appreciate our 'Truly Asia' slogan, I had in mind a study about worldviews. To me, it will never be a 'clash of civilisations', as per Huntington's thesis, unless we are all going to become uncivil about life in the 21st century for all of us." Image from

Closing Plenary of the U.S. Summit for Global Citizen Diplomacy - Judith A. McHale Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Dean Acheson Auditorium Washington, DC November 19, 2010, U.S. Department of State: "Two days ago, I was delighted to welcome you to the Summit. Today, I am particularly delighted to welcome you to the State Department. I want to congratulate you for all that you have done and put into the U.S. Summit for Global Citizen Diplomacy, and for the continuing work I know that you are all going to be doing as citizen diplomats. You came from 39 different states from across our country, and from 41 other countries. You brought together Citizen Diplomacy leaders that span the generations, including 28 student participants here plus many more who joined in around the world through web-based dialogues."

Chinese, U.S. Officials Discuss Co-op in Public Diplomacy - english.cri.cn: "China's State Council Information Office (SCIO) director Wang Chen met in Washington on Thursday with U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith McHale to discuss how to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in public diplomacy and cultural exchanges.


Wang, who is on a visit to the United States, told McHale that the SCIO is willing to work with relevant U.S. departments to exchange views on issues of common concern, and maintain communication and dialogue on media cooperation in a bid to facilitate and deepen mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples. McHale echoed that the U.S. side is ready to take concrete steps to facilitate bilateral cooperation in this regard." Image from

The World, Shanghaied - Lauren Hilgers, Bill Totten's Weblog: "The mere existence of a US pavilion is miraculous, considering how little attention Americans have given the World Expo. Our membership in the Bureau of International Expositions lapsed in 2002, when we refused to pay our dues. The last fair held in the United States (1984, New Orleans) was the only expo ever to go bankrupt. The federal government had to intervene. US law now forbids government spending on pavilions, so it is hardly surprising that America's Expo presence was very nearly a bust. Plans fell so far behind schedule that a Canadian architect had to be called in. Nevertheless, Villarreal [Jose Villarreal, commissioner-general of the US delegation, a San Antonio lawyer], was thrilled to be in Shanghai. 'The Expo is the greatest show on earth right now', he said, adding that he considered it 'political malpractice' not to visit China in this day and age. He had insisted the US pavilion stock straw cowboy hats in a range of colors. "We had a week's supply", he said. 'They sold out in a few hours!' When Hu Jintao visited, Villarreal gave him a giant belt buckle. 'This', he said, 'is public diplomacy at its best'."

Live from Berlin: Banned Iranian Rock Band "Kiosk" Live Stream (3pm ET/9pm GMT+1) - RFE/RL: "RFE's Radio Farda will be broadcasting and live streaming a rock concert from Germany by an Iranian band that is banned in its home country.


It marks the first time Radio Farda is broadcasting a live concert to the people of Iran." Via AG; image from article

Sim Farar solicited for role as diplomat - Brian Indrelunas, The Desert Sun: "Barack Obama announced Wednesday that he plans to nominate Farar, a Democratic fundraiser and president of a Los Angeles-based investment firm, to the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy. The bipartisan panel evaluates and makes recommendations about the federal government's efforts to understand and influence attitudes abroad. 'We want the image of the United States to be presented internationally in a certain light,' Farar said. 'Our job is to go out internationally to different countries and project that image.'”

New FSN [Foreign Service Nationals (also known as LES or Locally Engaged Staff)]. advocacy group connects and speaks out ... online - Domani Spero, Diplopundit: "In November last year, the group [IFSA or the International Foreign Service Association, a non-profit organization 'representing the professional and personal interests


of the Foreign Service Nationals (also called Locally Engaged Staff) working in the foreign diplomatic Missions of the United States']wrote a letter to the new Director General, Nancy Powell. ... The letter was signed by FSNs Eddy Olislaeger, a Public Diplomacy Specialist at the U.S. Embassy, Brussels, Belgium and Wendy Lubetkin, Senior Advisor on Media Affairs at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Not surprising that this effort is spearheaded by two media folks." Image from

Korean Public Diplomacy in Los Angeles - Ren's Microdiplomacy: "The Korean Cultural Center of Los Angeles is a wonderful PD resource


'operated by the Korean government’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, … to [provide] insights into the rich cultural heritage of Korea. A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending a traditional tea ceremony lecture/demonstration. It was a beautiful and fascinating look into Korean culture." Image from article

Nato summit – making the most of hosting - Syma Tariq, monocle.com: "Like the Lisbon treaty, the use of the Portuguese capital as a site of historic meetings has implications that go beyond any actual power it holds in the alliance. Though its internal dramas are being scrutinised by markets, this summit is priceless in terms of visibility. ... In the age of international broadcasting as public diplomacy, Portugal needs as much non-economic coverage as it can get. Google Lisbon now, and the news stories about its crises will be relegated to the bottom of the page. 'The decisions taken at the summit will be remembered and cited for years using the name of the capital city,' says James Appathurai, a Nato spokesman. 'It is a sign of the stature of the country – and a symbol of the contribution it is making.'” Below image from


The Not so Hidden Purpose of NATO - Karl Naylor, karl-naylor.blogspot.com: "[T]he obvious reason for the continued use value of NATO which is explicitly discussed by it and its supporters, though seldom emphasised in 'public diplomacy' as being the main reason for the potential expansion East into Georgia or Ukraine or the continued occupation of Afghanistan-energy."

VOL. VI NO. 23, November 05 - November 18, 2010 - The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media:
"Obama's Outreach: from Cairo to Jakarta Polls reveal that President Obama struggles to connect with Muslims in the Middle East, which is especially disappointing in light of his soaring popularity in that part of the world following his speech at Cairo University last year. Yet, while many see Obama’s progress in this region as minimal, some assert that Obama is on the right course in a long, uphill battle for hearts and minds.
Islamophobia Inspiring the Law A recent debate in Denmark promoting a documentary film about topless women to be watched as part of an immigration test to deter conservative Muslim immigrants is symptomatic of rising right-wing movements. Meanwhile in Oklahoma, banning Sharia law was on the ballot box in an effort to get Islamophobes to the polls.
Blogging your Way to Jail in Egypt Abdul Kareem Nabil Suleiman, a popular blogger known online as Kareem Amer, was supposed to be released from an Egyptian prison two weeks ago, after serving a four-year sentence. Instead, the State Security Intelligence force continues to detain him unlawfully.
Yemen’s Latest Ties to Terrorism Yemen represents the latest stronghold of Al-Qaeda, which constitutes a new dilemma for the US. It also appears that one of its key members, American-born Anwar Al-Awlaki, is orchestrating plots against the West from this country.
Fort Hood Anniversary: The Specter of Homegrown Terrorism The anniversary of the Fort Hood shootings, in which Army psychologist Major Nidal Hasan killed 13 service members, is stirring up animosity against Islam. To combat these feelings of fear and anger, Congress and other advocacy groups are undertaking certain measures to prevent future tragedies.
Palestinian Barber Blogger Arrested The Palestinian Authority arrested a young barber, Walid Husayin, for writing a series of blog posts portraying God and Islam in a negative light, while being suspect of manning a Facebook group in which he pretended to be God -- exhorting his followers to smoke marijuana while they contemplate the Quran.
McHale Emphasizes PD Strategy Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith McHale recently visited Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and the Czech Republic as part of an outreach mission focusing on facilitating mutual respect amongst cultures.
Arab Media Breaking Ground CNN expands its presence in the UAE while commentators lament the lack of press freedom within Arab nations. However, the new media scene may challenge the established hierarchy in the Arab world.
Business from an Arab Point of ViewAn increasing number of businesses are expanding their services and catering to a Middle Eastern clientèle as Arab media companies create content specific to different countries and populations."

José María Aznar - American Trial Attorneys in Defense of Israel: "José María Aznar was the president of Spain from 1996 to 2004. He recently founded a group called the Friends of Israel Initiative, which he says will fight the global campaign to delegitimize the Jewish state. Aznar spoke last month at AIPAC National Summit in South Florida. ... Below are some excerpts from his speech: ... Israel's image problem in the world isn’t simply a matter of public diplomacy or something that will be easily solved with a good PR campaign. And why not? Because the image has to do with the big picture.


... We’re dealing with a new kind of attack against Israel, against the legitimacy of the Jewish state, against Israel’s right to exist. It’s a new war, a 'soft war' in which the enemies of Israel used legal tricks, exploit multilateral bodies and use dubious NGOs to portray Israel as an illegal state, a barbaric state, one that must be isolated and turned into a pariah state. It's a war not against IDF forces, but against the idea of Israel." Aznar/Netanyahu image from

China in Africa podcast: The Sino-U.S. Soft Power Showdown- Eric Olander, /africanboots.com: "While media outlets like Xinhua and CCTV along with educational organizations such as the Confucius Institutes have traditionally been the centerpiece of China’s public diplomacy initiatives in Africa, it appears that Beijing may have a much broader soft power agenda that also includes all of those roads and bridges as well."

Digital Scrap Book: A Bruneian Student in UK - Reedz, anakbrunei.org: "For all you Bruneian students in UK past and present, this is your chance to tell us about your experience in the UK in the most creative way and be in the running to win some awesome prizes! Spread the love #Brunei! 'The British High Commissioner, Rob Fenn today launched the Digital Scrap Book project, a competition for Bruneians to produce a three-minute video on their experiences on British education. The launching was made at a media conference held at the British High Commission and was well-attended by the local media.


... A full set of question and answer on the project which was distributed to the media ... [among them:] Q: Will this be an annual affair for the British High Commission? A: We approach each year afresh. The High Commission team keep coming up with new ideas for public diplomacy projects – all aimed at improving and strengthening links between the UK and Brunei Darussalam." Image from article

Romania - Secretary General Robert Cazanciuc attends 10th anniversary of the National Wine Industry Employers Association - isria.com: "MFA Secretary General Robert Cazanciuc attended on 17 November, at the Diplomatic Club, the 10th anniversary of the National Wine Industry Employers Association (PNVV). ... [T]he MFA Secretary General stated: 'The Ministry of Foreign Affairs means to have many more such public-private partnerships helping to show to advantage national traditions, knowledge, values and accomplishments. The MFA is promoting Romanian wine internationally – we have done it at EXPO 2010 in Shanghai, an event of great visibility, and we will be doing it periodically, on the National Day of Romania, for instance, and at other public diplomacy events.'”

Public Diplomacy - Aznan Mat Piah, aznanmp.blogspot.com: "In some academic books, public diplomacy is referred to as foreign 'propaganda' conducted or orchestrated by diplomats. In simple terms, the task of public diplomacy involves engaging the media and the non-media channels to put the country's policies in the correct perspective and to dispel any wrong impression about the country's policies. ... Apart from media diplomacy, other components of public diplomacy are cultural diplomacy, public information, internal broadcasting, education and cultural programs, and political action. They provide the means of influencing foreign publics without the use of force.


... Public diplomacy is very close to my heart because it had been my career for more than 20 years when I served the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Wisma Putra from 1976 to 1999. The time spent during those days both at the Ministry in Kuala Lumpur and at four Malaysian diplomatic missions abroad - Bangkok, Tokyo, Paris and London - had been very interesting and indeed challenging. I regard the field as one of the most crucial tools in the practice of diplomacy. A public diplomacy that is proactive, well-coordinated, innovative and informative is essential in advancing the interest of the nation abroad." Image from article

Cultural Exchange at Cooperating School Districts Last Week - csdtechpd.wordpress.com: "Last week, five educators (known as delegates) in the Open World Program, sponsored by the U.S. Library of Congress, came to Cooperating School Districts in St. Louis to learn more about our offerings. The delegates traveled from Russia. The Open World Program is designed to promote public diplomacy through exchanges of cultural ideas and values and create a positive exchange of ideas and business approaches between professionals and leaders in Russia and the United States."

Beyond the Pyramids: Professor Helps Egypt Promote Volunteer Tourism - atthecenterofitall.business.gwu.edu: "Tourism, specifically volunteer tourism, often serves as a catalyst for public diplomacy. Recently, Kristin Lamoureux,


director of the International Institute of Tourism Studies and visiting assistant professor of tourism studies in the GWSB [George Washington University School of Business] Department of Tourism & Hospitality Management, was invited to help support an initiative aimed at business, academic and leisure travelers who want to make a difference when they visit Egypt by participating in volunteer tourism. ... Lamoureux urged a broader understanding of the definition of volunteer tourism. 'It’s not just a couple days spent during a vacation. Professors doing research, students studying abroad and business people can all be a part of the volunteer tourism sector,' she said. 'One of the best ways to promote better understanding and progress is at the individual to individual level.'” Image from

Effective Public Diplomacy: No Governments Allowed! - Alexia, CIC What You Mean: "Nowadays it seems that public diplomacy may be most affective [sic] from th[e] approach of people getting to know people. Governments appear to be inconsistent and complex; therefore, everything 'produced' as public diplomacy to be broadcast to the world is automatically stamped as propaganda related in nature. But if a bottom-up approach is implicated, there will be more exchange programs and more opportunities for citizens to branch out


and embrace different cultures and peoples. This will in turn enable them to broaden their views on foreign audiences and serve as a mouthpiece for their countries of origin. The future of public diplomacy is dependent on the genuine relationships which are most easily created by everyday people with genuine interests in other cultures; it would appeared that the role of illegitimized governments in the realm of public diplomacy is shrinking and becoming less and less effective." Image from

Ahead of My Time - Taria, Tallk's Blog: A discussion of IC: "Then lo and behold this week the readings were about Public Diplomacy and the different ways most countries these days are performing Public Diplomacy especially using the internet and Web 2.0 diplomacy and interaction from the actual public in Public Diplomacy and not just top down diplomacy. I do believe that the Internet is the way that Public Diplomacy is headed: its widely accessible and its cheap, however, I don’t think we should ever forget the value of the micro level interactions in Public Diplomacy."

RELATED ITEMS

U.S. appears ready to acknowledge a long haul in Afghanistan: As NATO leaders meet in Lisbon this weekend, the U.S. is expected to endorse a plan for slow withdrawal and gradually handing over security responsibility by 2014 - David S. Cloud, Los Angeles Times

Foreign-policy setbacks deepen Obama's election wounds - Scott Wilson, Washington Post: Presidents have often turned to foreign policy after domestic setbacks - from Ronald Reagan's Latin American tour and speech calling the Soviet Union the "focus of evil in the modern world" in the months after his party's 1982 congressional losses to Bill Clinton's escape to Indonesia and the Philippines following his own midterm trouncing a dozen years later. Both found redemption at the polls. President Obama has followed suit.


But since his midterm shellacking this month, he has suffered a series of foreign policy setbacks, in Congress and abroad, that have put his agenda for improving America's standing and strength overseas at risk. From failing to secure a free-trade agreement in South Korea to struggling to win Senate ratification of an arms-control treaty with Russia, Obama has bumped up against the boundaries of his power at a defining moment of his presidency. Image from

Obama's Gift of Gaffe: Endorsing India for a permanent U.N. Security Council seat opens a can of worms - John Bolton, Wall Street Journal (subscription): Barack Obama made news last week by endorsing India for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. But with his careful qualifications about timing ("In the years ahead, I look forward"), circumstances ("to a reformed U.N. Security Council"), and other possible changes to council membership ("that includes India as a permanent member"), the testimonial was less than met the eye. U.S. officials later explained that although the president intended to recognize India as a "rising player," its Security Council status would have to be "hashed out" at the U.N.

With Holder at the helm, detainee policy is a disaster - Michael Gerson, Washington Post:


President Obama's undeniable continuity in conducting the war on terrorism - the use of indefinite detention, Guantanamo Bay and targeted killing of terrorists - reflects the continuity of the threat. These measures did not result from some anti-constitutional ideology. They were difficult, conflicted but reasonable responses to an ongoing terrorist offensive - a war that is more than a metaphor. Image from

- Lisa O'Carroll, guardian.co.uk: Ireland is losing the propaganda war: How the country has been portrayed internationally is a big talking point in Ireland - Ireland' reputation abroad as a modern sophisticated island is in tatters.

Public Relations: Putin Style - thepoke.co.uk: When it comes to international public relations there is no one more adept at public relations than former President, now Prime Minister,


as well as decorated Judo champion and member of the Russian Hell’s Angels, Vladimir Putin. Image (one of 20) from article

AMERICANA

TSA confiscates heavily-armed soldiers' nail-clippers - Cory Doctorow, Boing Boing:

Here's an anonymous account of a US Army soldier returning from Afghanistan who watched as his buddies -- who were all carrying high-powered rifles, pistols, etc -- were forced to surrender their nail-clippers and multi-tools:

So we're in line, going through one at a time. One of our Soldiers had his Gerber multi-tool. TSA confiscated it. Kind of ridiculous, but it gets better. A few minutes later, a guy empties his pockets and has a pair of nail clippers. Nail clippers. TSA informs the Soldier that they're going to confiscate his nail clippers. The conversation went something like this:

TSA Guy: You can't take those on the plane.

Soldier: What? I've had them since we left country.

TSA Guy: You're not suppose to have them.

Soldier: Why?

TSA Guy: They can be used as a weapon.


Soldier: [touches butt stock of the rifle] But this actually is a weapon. And I'm allowed to take it on.

TSA Guy: Yeah but you can't use it to take over the plane. You don't have bullets.

Soldier: And I can take over the plane with nail clippers?

TSA Guy: [awkward silence]

Me: Dude, just give him your damn nail clippers so we can get the f**k out of here. I'll buy you a new set.

Soldier: [hands nail clippers to TSA guy, makes it through security]

This might be a good time to remind everyone that approximately 233 people re-boarded that plane with assault rifles, pistols, and machine guns-but nothing that could have been used as a weapon. Image from

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