January 26

"In his fifth year in office, Wilson had become an accomplished propagandist."

--Stewart Halsey Ross, Propaganda for War: How the United States was Conditioned to Fight the Great War of 1914-1918 (2009), p. 216; image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

The White House's Credibility Gap on Afghanistan Deepens - Michael Cohen, DemocracyArsenal.org: "I'm a former speechwriter so I get that the President wants to offer American people a rosy view of the war - but nothing about how he described the situation in Afghanistan provides an accurate assessment of what is happening in Afghanistan. And there was no sense at all - beyond mere platitudes - of what troop withdrawals in Afghanistan will look like or under what conditions they will occur (just that they will happen,


even likely in truncated form). Two paragraphs of platitudes [in Obama's State of the Union speech] about a conflict being waged by 100,000 US troops is embarrassing and the lack of candor and public forthrightness from this White House about the war in Afghanistan should be downright scandalous. This Administration seems content to kick the can down the road and cede public diplomacy efforts to General Petraeus whose public pronouncements of progress are not even considered credible by other US officials." Image from

Obama's Unsung Tech Hero: Hillary Clinton - Marvin Ammori, Huffington Post: "The most surprising and impressive successes on technology policy in this administration have come from perhaps the agency and the woman least expected to deliver them -- the State Department and Hillary Clinton. ... [I]t appears the State Department has become a hub of technology activity. The Department has been dreaming up imaginative ways to use technology and actually implementing them in particular communities, for the benefit of particular people, in ways that further American diplomatic and development goals. Here are some encouraging examples: •Clinton's team facilitated more than $30 million in donations from Americans through text messages for earthquake relief in Haiti. This 'people-to-people' diplomacy can be more immediate than 'diplomat-to-diplomat' diplomacy, both to other nations' citizens and to our own.


It can win hearts and minds abroad and increase engagement here. •Clinton's team has rethought the State Department's approach to civil society with a program called Civil Society 2.0 that connects grassroots organizations with technologists. ... •And they are injecting new ideas into the State Department while inspiring the next generation. For example, more than 100 college students now have internships in the 'virtual student foreign service,' helping embassies understand how to use social media. But, more than even these initiatives, Clinton's global Internet Freedom agenda has struck me as the most important Internet policy initiative of the Obama Administration. ... [Comment by] Leviathan21: Great post. This, combined with her intensive public diplomacy (something that Rice or Albright never did), will be remembered as the point at which the State Department modernized and entered the 21st century. Way to go, Hillary!" Image from

Afghanistan — time for irrevocable decisions - M. K. Bhadrakumar, The Hindu: "Logically speaking, the U.S. should be desperate to get out of Afghanistan. But American signature tune has changed lately and Vice-President Joe Biden has flirted with the idea of long-term American military presence. Middle-level U.S. officials have got into public diplomacy to reinforce Mr. Biden's kite-flying. The recent speech titled 'The Obama Administration's Priorities in South and Central Asia' by Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake at the James Baker Institute for Public Policy falls into this category.


Mr. Blake underscored that Washington intended expanding its engagement with Central Asia, 'this critical region,' at a 'critical crossroads, bordering Afghanistan, China, Russia and Iran.' From the Indian perspective, Mr. Blake's speech made a stunning claim that New Delhi is Washington's key partner in Afghanistan and Central Asia." Image from article: An Afghan woman walks past a man rebuilding a house in Kabul.

Spending cuts + the State of the Union: ahead of the President’s speech tonight, Quo Vadis Foreign Aid? - Priyanka Joseph, aidemocracy.org: "On January 19th 2011, H RES 43 was introduced in the House. It Set forth the rule for consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 38) to reduce spending through a transition to non-security spending at fiscal year 2008 levels. Representative Berman, a big proponent of foreign aid reform (more aid, better spent) responded to this resolution yesterday. According to Berman,H.Res. 38, sends a very damaging message that the Congress will not stand up to protect those programs that


are absolutely essential to jobs and the economy. It also rejects a key principle that military leaders and Presidents of both parties have clearly recognized: Foreign assistance and diplomacy are essential to United States national security. ... In 2004 the Republican-controlled Congress passed the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act by a vote of 336-75. It was supported by all the Members who are now in positions of leadership in this body. The Speaker, the Majority Leader and the Budget Committee Chairman all voted for it. The bill, now Public Law 108-458, states: 'Long-term success in the war on terrorism demands the use of all elements of national power, including diplomacy, military action, intelligence, covert action, law enforcement, economic policy, foreign aid, public diplomacy, and homeland defense.'” Image from

BBC World Service estimates it will lose 30 million listeners because of cuts - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

Question More? - Yelena Osipova, Global Chaos: "'Money can't buy you love.' That's how the following segment on Russia Today TV starts (it's from several days ago). So, what's the reporter referring to? American public diplomacy in Afghanistan. A pretty interesting report - not that it's not true. What really bugs me


is the approach. As on multiple occasions before, I'll just take a little time to highlight yet another example of RT's fiercely hostile and strongly anti-American tone. It seems like it wants to do its job of promoting Russia's public diplomacy 'at the expense' of the American reputation. When will they finally get to realize that credibility, and especially public diplomacy, is not a zero-sum game? And is this how the producers intend to 'reach the American public'?! ... Undermining America's image, both, internationally and especially within the U.S. itself, will not automatically result in spontaneous love for Russia. It's high time Moscow realizes that money, especially that poured into RT, will not buy them love. After all, when it comes to love, actions speak louder than words." Image from

A Passage to (and from) India - Laura McGinnis, manIC: "I know I've been throwing a lot of Stewart clips at you this week, but I can't help it! The man keeps talking about public diplomacy. This week, he interviews writer Anand Giridharadas, who discusses the Indian diaspora and changing cultural attitudes. Giridharadas argues that most Americans view India and China as economic threats, but the real challenge in confronting them relates to their national attitudes. In terms of international dominance, national unity and consensual vision are spreading through India and China in a manner that will challenge any nation with serious internal division."

Corporate Diplomacy Perspectives—The View from Abu Dhabi - Cari Guittard, Newswire – CPD Blog, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: "Abu Dhabi is a unique case study in corporate and public diplomacy and one of myriad contradictions. The quote I captured from a display at Emirates Palace from His Highness Sheikh Zayed, former President of the UAE, sums up Abu Dhabi perfectly: 'A country is not measured by the size of its area on a map.


A country is truly measured by its heritage and culture.' The emphasis on and investment in heritage and culture was everywhere throughout the city juxtaposed to advertisements for the World Future Energy Summit this past week, and FerrariWorld. Abu Dhabi has historically been known primarily as an international financial powerhouse and source of immense oil and natural gas reserves. These elements of Abu Dhabi have only multiplied and matured over the years and those investment firms which were also historically very private and closed off from the world are now seeking to engage with the world." Guittard image from article

Columbus of hidden Jews‎ - Itamar Eichner, Ynetnews: "Over the years [Michael] Freund has succeeded in helping thousands of Jewish descendants reconnect to their roots. In Jerusalem, he created a conversion institute known as 'Machon Miriam Jerusalem Seminary', which is named after his late grandmother Dr. Miriam Freund-Rosenthal. The institute has assisted numerous descendants of Jews from Latin America, Spain and Portugal to reconnect with their roots. ... [Freud:][T]here are traces and remnants of Jews in all sorts of remote places.


There are millions of such people out there and my dream is to reach each and every one of them. It behooves us to reach out to them, because we only stand to benefit from it in a range of fields, from public diplomacy to tourism." Image from article: 'Hardly any of them remove their kippah.' Freund with Jewish friend

Soyun Sadykov: Armenia, Azerbaijan must not underestimate public diplomacy - panarmenian.net: "A compromise between Azerbaijan and Armenia is essential to resolve the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, according to the president of the Federal National Cultural Autonomy of Azerbaijanis in Russia (FNCA AzeRos). 'This is the main condition to enable OSCE Minsk Group mediatory assistance to conflicting parties,' Soyun Sadykov stressed during a TV space bridge.


'Armenia and Azerbaijan must not underestimate public diplomacy. The sooner the parties use the benefits of the public diplomacy, the sooner a compromise will be found,' Sadykov concluded." Sadykov image from article

Turan news agency confirms information on Azerbaijani ambassador’s activity - panarmenian.net: "Azerbaijani Turan news agency has confirmed information about the activity of Azerbaijani ambassador to Russia Polad Bulbuloglu, who held meetings with Azeri actors to dissuade them from starring in Interrupted Song movie. As a result, an Azerbaijani actor, who acted in many scenes shot last December, refused further participation in the project over the violent slanderous campaign launched by the Azeri media. 'Baku’s efforts prove effective. Anyway, the campaign against Interrupted Song movie was a success,' the agency reports. The film crew described the ambassador’s actions as demonstration of intolerance reigning in Azerbaijan. 'After all this, Bulbuloglu’s 'goodwill intentions' and 'public diplomacy' seem at least ridiculous,' film producer Ashot Poghosyan said."

British Seaside Town Hopes to Host Phl Team to the 2012 Olympics - Department of Foreign Affairs, Republic of the Philippines: "Officials of the Philippine Embassy in London made a familiarization visit to Southend-on-Sea earlier this month, in line with the town's bid to host the training base of the Philippine Team to the London Summer Olympics in 2012. ... Corollary to the offer to host the Philippine team for training was the interest of Southend officials to enter into twinning programs with the Philippines for primary and intermediate schools, such as the town's Eastwood School renowned for its sports program.


'Reaching out to British youth, especially those who do not live in the major British urban centers, is among the Embassy's priorities under its public diplomacy strategy. We are keen to arrange educational exchanges that will allow personal interaction between Filipino and British students, as they will be the ones who will drive the bilateral relationship to new heights in the future,' CDA Catapang [Chargé d'Affaires Reynaldo Catapang] said." Image from article

This Republic Day: Governance for Complex Threats - southasianidea.com: "The [Indian] government must adapt, otherwise many of the reforms suggested, required, and even implemented may face unnecessary delays and suffer from uninformed oversight. There is a need to institute parliamentary committees like in the Western countries. Congressional committee system is a valuable scheme providing checks and balances and intentionally dilutes power.


In practice, the lack of communication and coordination can create confusion and limit support, oversight, and understanding the requirements of various programs. In the context of national security, from strategic communication and public diplomacy to the balancing of diplomacy and military power, support and oversight of executive branch institutions, budgets, and programs need to be put in place. There is a need to engage serving and retired officers of repute to form the Armed Forces Committee, apart from the political and bureaucratic strength, responsible to oversee national security."

An intersection of law and public diplomacy? International defamation law - ryanjsuto.blogspot.com: "This is a summary and review of the article Should states have a legal right to reputation? Applying the rationales of defamation law to the international arena by Elad Peled. ... In this law review article, Elad Peled explores the possibility of an internationally recognized right to state reputation. Despite the mouthful, the basic idea is pretty simple. Most individuals have limited knowledge of foreign states, and foreign affairs (pg. 11). Thus, the media significantly shapes the political positions a person holds in the arena of foreign policy (pg. 7). Also, public opinion of global actors may help shape a responsive government’s foreign policy (pg. 11). Indeed, '[s]ince the global phenomenon of democratization has increased governments' attention to their citizens' views regarding foreign policies, mass media and public opinion have come to play major roles in international politics' (pg. 7). As such, the perception of a foreign state impacts the choices of state’s officials regarding interactions with that foreign state (pg. 6). ...


While reputation may be ultimately protected, truth may not. Inaccuracies which hurt a state would be punished, but inaccuracies which help a state would not. Thus, by bringing to international attention one type of falsity, this structure may implicitly give credence to an arguably congruent falsity: propaganda. However, we all learn in public diplomacy that positive news often simply is not news. So perhaps this may not have a much of a reputational impact as damaging news, but I feel it still would likely remain an important factor for consideration." Image from

PASOS 2010 Annual Conference Highlights: “Sowing the Seeds of a New Diplomacy” Discussion [video] - avirgief.cemna.com: Lucia Najšlová responds to comments from the audience on 'Sowing the Seeds of a New Diplomacy,' a PASOS policy brief at the 2010 PASOS annual conference in Berlin November 5. Najšlová


is the editor-in-chief of Zahraničná politika (Foreign Policy) and a Senior Researcher with the European Studies Program at the Research Center of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association (RC SFPA). The brief analyzes innovative new approaches to regional conflict resolution, new alliances, different strategies in intergovernmental bodies, including greater role of emerging countries, and new mediation techniques, including use of public diplomacy and informal diplomacy." Najšlová image from article

What do Americans Think of China? - fccchina.org: "Last summer, the Center for Survey Research at Indiana University, in collaboration with Duke University and Shanghai Jiaotong University, conducted a telephone survey of 810 randomly selected Americans soliciting their views on everything from China’s politics and economic might to U.S.-China relations and how they form their impressions of China. This is the first time such a survey has been done by a Chinese research institution. In conjunction with the survey, Shanghai Jiaotong’s Institute of Arts and Humanities conducted a survey of foreign journalists in China.


Professor Liu Kang of Shanghai Jiaotong and Duke University will unveil the survey results. ... Liu Kang is Professor of Chinese Cultural Studies and Director of the Program in Chinese Media and Communication Studies at Duke University and Chair Professor and Dean of the Institute of Arts and Humanities at Shanghai Jiaotong University. He received B.A. in English in Nanjing University in 1982. In 1983, He came to the United States on a Fulbright scholarship and received a Ph.D. in comparative literature at University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1989. He is the author of eight books, including Culture/Media/Globalization (Nanjing University Press, 2006) and Demonizing China (Chinese Social Sciences Academy Press, 1996), a bestselling book in Chinese that analyzes the American media’s coverage of China. His current projects include global surveys of China’s image, Chinese soft power and public diplomacy, and political and ideological changes in China." Kang image from

Thembuland - Paul Rockower, Levantine: "Gonna get myself a PD gig on behalf of the African kingdom of Thembuland."

RELATED ITEMS

A Region’s Unrest Scrambles U.S. Foreign Policy - Mark Landler, New York Times: In interviews in recent days, officials acknowledged that the United States had limited influence over many actors in the region, and that the upheaval in Egypt, in particular, could scramble its foreign-policy agenda.

False and Fiery Propaganda in China - ‎Matthew Robertson, The Epoch Times - It’s Jan. 31, 2001, a week after Chinese New Year’s Eve, the biggest occasion in the country. Families are still together, everyone is at home, and after dinner many tune in to the national broadcaster, China Central Television (CCTV), to watch the investigative news program “Focus.”


On this day, in fact, flyers had been distributed around residential buildings urging people to tune in. Hundreds of millions of viewers were again bewildered to be told that what they thought was a peaceful qigong practice—Falun Gong [also known as Falun Dafa]—was actually an “evil religion” that engaged in acts of self-immolation. In China, vigorous outward propagandizing of the Party line always goes along with the repression of alternate voices. CCTV image from

Vietnamese dissident sentenced to 8 years in jail‎ - eTaiwan News: A lawyer says a Vietnamese court has sentenced a former Communist Party official to eight years in jail for posting articles on the Internet calling for a multiparty system and democracy. Defense lawyer Tran Lam says Vi Duc Hoi was convicted on Wednesday of spreading anti-government propaganda. He was also sentenced to five years of house arrest after serving his jail sentence.

From NKorea propaganda to art exhibit in Seoul - washingtonexaminer.com: Image from article, with caption:



A visitor passes by a painting showing the face of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il with the body of Marilyn Monroe before the opening of an art exhibition by North Korean defector Song Byeok in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2011. This striking image would have been unthinkable at the artist's old job making propaganda posters in the North with slogans like "Let us Exalt the Great Leader."

Egypt's Museums XVII: Bad propaganda at the Military Museum‎ - Ali Abdel Mohsen, Al-Masry Al-Youm: With no tour guides or anyone willing or capable of giving reliable information, the only emotion stirred by any of the exhibitions is indifference, which, by the time visitors reach the twentieth or so display room, will likely have soured into aggressive boredom.


Aside from a charred chunk of an Israeli fighter jet wing and a collection of early French coins, the latter section of the museum is mostly populated by oil paintings and wood carvings, polished to the point of looking, more than anything, like chocolate. The majority of the models are lopsided and carelessly painted, the images blurry (except the ones that are pure propaganda), and some of the exhibitions are just weird, such as the Military Uniforms wing, with its displays of awkwardly-posed mannequins. Image from article

AMERICANA

Romantic Novel: He grasped me firmly, but gently, just above my elbow and guided me into a room, his room. Then he quietly shut the door and we were alone.

He approached me soundlessly, from behind, and spoke in a low, reassuring voice, close to my ear. "Just relax. . . "

Without warning, he reached down and I felt his strong, calloused hands start at my ankles, gently probing and moving upward along my calves, slowly, but steadily.

My breath caught in my throat.

I knew I should be afraid, but somehow I didn't care. His touch was so experienced, so sure.

When his hands moved up onto my thighs, I gave a slight shudder, and I partly closed my eyes.


My pulse was pounding. I felt his knowing fingers caress my abdomen, my ribcage.

And then, as he cupped my firm, full breasts in his hands, I inhaled sharply.

Probing, searching, knowing what he wanted, he brought his hands to my shoulders, slid them down my tingling spine and into my panties.

Although I knew nothing about this man, I felt oddly trusting and expectant. This is a man, I thought. A man used to taking charge.

A man not used to taking "no" for an answer. A man who would tell me what he wanted. A man who would look into my soul and say . . . . .

"Okay ma'am, you can board your flight now."

--Image from; via MR