September 16

"Kick ass."

--The method by which, according to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, all US military leadership should deal with the "issue" of suicide among its ranks, averaging than 33 deaths per month so far this year, according to Pentagon data through Sept. 2; image from

VIDEO

Remembering Ambassador Chris Stevens - YouTube. Please note mention of Fulbright grants by Ambassador Stevens. Via MJ on Facebook. See also.

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

@USEmbassyCairo and Larry Schwartz…. so much for saving face - takefiveblog.org - "Schwartz [Larry Schwartz, Senior PAO and person responsible for press releases and social media at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo] sent out a statement and an accompanying summarizing tweet at 12:18 p.m. Cairo time on Tuesday . ... The statement read: ['] The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims – as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions. Today, the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honoring our patriots and those who serve our nation as the fitting response to the enemies of democracy. Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy.

We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others. ['] ... As for Schwartz and his decision to send out the press release prior to protests beginning, he was spot on. He did what he could to calm down what was probably a growing rumor that something was going to happen regarding the offensive nature of 'The Innocence of Muslims'. There are rumblings that the film may have been used as a scapegoat for a previously organized protest, but let’s not bother with that. The man acted on information, and acted well." Schwartz image from entry

The Challenges of YouTube Diplomacy - Philip Seib, PD News–CPD Blog, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: "What is so frustrating about the Innocence of Muslims case is that a few loopy hate-mongers can be perceived – even if by a relatively small number of people – as representatives of the United States. That illustrates both the power and the weakness of social media, and it underscores the challenges of YouTube diplomacy."

Letter from Iraq: When a violinist becomes mayor - Marc Thayer, Beacon (St. Louis): "Over the summer, most people go to the beach or a lovely mountain resort, maybe a little island somewhere; I choose to go to the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq for our annual Youth Excellence on Stage (YES) Academy with the Association of American Voices. This summer was my 7th time in Iraq teaching violin and conducting string orchestras. We started the arts academy in Erbil in 2007 with support from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. With the continued support of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, as well as the Kurdistan Regional Government, this summer we hosted more than 300 music and dance students from all over Iraq for 12 days of intensive classes, rehearsals, and two gala concerts at the University of Duhok in the northern city of Duhok near the Iraqi-Turkish border. ... The mayor district governor of Rawanduz

is Serwan Sereni whose family has lived in that region for many decades. He is a personal friend of the president of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Massoud Barzani, and a true gentleman as you would expect from a cultural diplomat. What I did not expect is his knowledge of classical western European music and his belief that young people in Iraq deserve the opportunity to study music. Serwan is an accomplished violinist who studied at St. Mary’s University in Minnesota and has performed with the Kenwood Symphony Orchestra in Minneapolis. Mayor Sereni has figured out how to develop music and arts as a means to improve the economy in Rawanduz. Two years ago, he built the Rawanduz Institute of Fine Arts. ... Ten Rawanduz Arts Institute music students came to the YES program in Duhok and were charming additions to the string ensembles." Via PR. Image from

A communication approach for the United States in the Middle East - Madhurjya Kotoky, publicdiplomacyblog.com: "The recent crisis has actually increased the importance of communications for the United States. It’s a new reality, an uncertain environment. The luxury of stable dictatorships to engage with is no longer there. Unpredictability will reign. I believe communication and engagement efforts of United States should just focus on 3 things:

Image from entry

A not so subtle reminder ... - Public Diplomacy and International Communications: Thoughts and comments about public diplomacy, soft power and international communications by Gary Rawnsley - "My friend and mentor, Phil Taylor, often explained to me why, despite being criticised for being 'inside' the system, of being too close and involved with his research subjects, he developed a close working relationship with the British and US militaries. For him, communications were a way of saving lives. It is always better to persuade and inform than to coerce and kill. Whenever a member of the British or US psyops teams was killed in action in Afghanistan or Iraq, Phil became depressed and withdrawn; he took each death personally. ... All members of the military who paid tribute to him after he passed away remarked on his commitment to 'propaganda for peace.' ... Iwas reminded of Phil last week as I attended a wonderful conference organised by my colleagues in Taiwan Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) London on the theme Globalisation and Security Across the Taiwan Strait. ... [A]n academic working in an American military academy took to the podium. His paper was little more than a salute to military hardware, and his powerpoint presentation showed a succession of photographs of the planes, trucks and missiles that Taiwan's military might use to defend itself in the event of an attack from the PRC. I became increasingly disturbed and ran through a gamut of emotions - distressed, nauseous, angry, repulsed - as we were told 'some arms races are affordable' and 'mines are beautiful.' ... I decided to challenge the paper presenter about his comments.

I thanked the panel for reminding me how important it is to continue working on communications, soft power and public diplomacy so we can try to avoid having to use such hardware. I told the presenter that military hardware is not 'beautiful'; the pictures he had shown were of ugly, brutal machines designed to destroy, maim and kill humans. ... This conference was a stark reminder to me that despite the often abstract and critical discussions we have about soft power, public diplomacy, and international communications in general, they can and do have an impact: such proccesses can play a central role to play in policy-making; in persuading governments that there really is an alternative to hard power; and that the academic labels we attach to such communicative activities is less important than their application and the recognition that it is always preferable to persuade than to coerce." Image from

Radio Sawa interviews "alleged director" of "The Innocence of Muslims" - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting. See also.

BBG still wants a CEO for USIB (updated) - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

Diplomacy, environment at New Delhi conference - India Blooms News Service: "Terming India a "Cultural Super Power" Dr Karan Singh, President of ICCR in his address to the Heads of Missions underscored the role and importance of cultural diplomacy and public diplomacy tools in projecting India's soft power. He also stressed on the message of universalism enshrined in the ancient Indian philosophy of Vedanta."

Rosh HaShanana is on the Way: Your Help is Needed for Needy Families in Shomron - shomronliaison.blogspot.com: "Rosh HaShanah (the New Year) and its holiday season are just a few days away. Now, during the month of Elul, the Jewish people reflect on the year now closing. We ask ourselves if we have done

the best we could to understand what HaShem expects from us and how we are actively helping to make this a better world. Throughout the year at the Shomron Liaison Office, we work to improve the image of the Jewish communities here on the mountains of Israel's heartland. We forge new relationships and build bridges for public diplomacy." Image from entry

Teach a kid to argue - Paul Rockower, Levantine: "Great article [How to Teach a Child to Argue by Jay Heinrichs] on the way that teaching kids to argue correctly helps strengthen their thoughts. Nice find, Big Daddy Dean.I am glad to help my godkids argue in a stronger fashion with their pops. My Dad would argue that teaching kids to ask good questions is probably the sounder strategy. I would argue that this is sound advice for raising good public diplomats."

Gastrodiplomacy goes to War - Paul Rockower, Levantine: "A series of tweets by @gastrodiplomacy, denouncing today's bombing of a KFC in Lebanon. -@It harshest possible terms, @gastrodiplomacy denounces the firebombing of the #KentuckyFriedChicken in #Lebanon. #KFC -@gastrodiplomacy would like 2

remind those who torched the Commonwealth of Kentucky's finest cultural outpost: Sanders was not really a col. -#fingerlickthis! #RemembertheKFC" Image from entry

What It Means To Be a Foreign Service Officer - Throwing Off The Bowlines: "I wrote this a couple of years ago, just before I got an offer from the Foreign Service: During my morning commute today, I initially felt a bit anxious, knowing that public diplomacy offers could go out today. After all, I have a very good life here. My home, freshly renovated after two plus years of hard work, has never felt cozier. The wild lupine that I've been cultivating in our field over the last few years looks like it has finally taken hold, but the orchard I put in is in need of work after a hard winter--work which should commence forthwith, but work which I will have no time for if I get an offer for the June class. The lilacs are coming along nicely after several years of hard pruning to refresh them. Spring is in the air, and the world here seems fresh and bright. We have a number of enjoyable lakefront places to escape to on the weekends now, when summer is fully upon us. We live near endless amenitites that we regularly take full advantage of. Are we really going to give all of this up for a life inherently fraught with upheaval and as-yet unknowable hardships?"

RELATED ITEMS

The Islamist Road to Democracy: Muslims cannot be dragged to an embrace of secularism and the liberal values that spring from it. They have to arrive voluntarily at this understanding - Marc Gerecht, Wall Street Journal: Fundamentalists, however, are near the mainstream. Washington should be under no illusions: They will be neither our friends nor allies. But their debates with each other and with the region's still-kicking nationalists, socialists, communists and liberals will get evolution rolling. Down that tortuous path lies the possibility of less angry relations between Islam and the West. Dictatorship nostalgia, on the other hand, will take us right back to the cul-de-sac where Osama bin Laden was born. Via JJ on Facebook

Violent protests are the true insult to Islam - 972mag.com: The real challenge facing the Muslim world today is how to stop violent protesters from becoming the face of the religion. In order to do that, we need more Muslims to get rid of their indifference and speak against the misrepresentation of Islam.

The people in the photo represent the silent majority among Muslims. They represent a majority that needs to follow in the footsteps of the courageous ones who speak up and defend their faith. This is the kind of protest that honors Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. Now, we need more Muslims to toughen up, get rid of their indifference, get out and speak up for peace and against the misrepresentation of Islam. Image from entry, with caption: Muslims protesting the killing of the American Ambassador in Libya. Via PR on Facebook

Panetta says military leaders must help stem suicides - Gregg Zoroya, USA Today: Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says military leaders should be held accountable for whether they succeed in helping desperate troops avoid choosing suicide -- which he has described as an epidemic military and now averaging more than one a day. The Pentagon is facing a record year of suicides among active-duty troops, averaging 33 deaths per month so far this year, according to Pentagon data through Sept. 2.