"Et maintenant je parle en anglais parce qu'autrement on me laisse pas rentrer chez moi."
--Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking at a press conference in Paris
"Finally, something Jean Kerri understands: French lunches et le vin."
--D Togo, on The Free Republic website
KERRY-RELATED VIDEOS
John Kerry's Dumb Talk - colbertnation.com
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
Spring Break in Karachi, Pakistan! - Peter Van Buren, We Meant Well: "Woooooooooooooo! It’s soon Spring Break ya’all, so get ready to party. And what better way to get it on than to travel overseas on a university exchange program. Need ‘da dinero for party essentials? How about one million sequester-free free dollars courtesy of your Department of State?
Social Media Schizophrenia Continues on Background, and Oh, Stuff That Loophole, Ey? - Domani Spero, DiploPundit: "[O]ur diplomats can continue their host country engagement despite the security hindrances in country X or Y because there now are plenty of social media tools. Except that embassies are not democracies, and when the Front Office is of the opinion that staffers who use these tools are not using it responsibly – what do you get? What kind of work can our diplomats realistically do when they cannot travel outside the embassy compound? What kind of host country outreach can be expected of them when even the mere use of social media tools is considered irresponsible use by their bosses?"
Buzkashi Boys: When U.S. Taxpayers Almost Won an Oscar (Or Smartifying Capacity Building) - Domani Spero, DiploPundit: "A couple says ago, the State Department announced a big do in WashDC, a Panel With Stars and Producer of Oscar-Nominated Afghan Short Film 'Buzkashi Boys' ... [:] 'The U.S. Department of State will host a screening and roundtable discussion with the producer and stars of the Oscar-nominated short film Buzkashi Boys on February 28 at 12:30 p.m. in the Marshall Center Auditorium. The making of Buzkashi Boys was supported through a grant from U.S. Embassy Kabul to the Afghan Film Project. The goal of this project is to help revitalize the Afghan film industry, which was once a vibrant part of
Which led us to dig up ‘Mission to Moscow’, a film directed by Michael Curtiz in 1943 based on a book by former U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union Joseph E. Davies. According to Wikipedia, this film has also been called 'unquestionably the most blatant piece of pro-Stalinist propaganda ever offered by the American mass media'. ... Perhaps the most instructive item we found rummaging around is from Elmer Davis, the director of OWI in 1942 who said: “The easiest way to inject a propaganda idea into most people’s minds is to let it go through the medium of an entertainment picture when they do not realize that they are being propagandized.” ... In the meantime, since the stated goal of the Buzkashi Boys project is 'to help revitalize the Afghan film industry,' we asked over in the Twitters the following question: [']@USEmbassyKabul @TOLO_TV Curious – how many of the 13 AFG interns fm BB are currently wrking in AFG film industry? ['] That’s not really an unreasonable question to ask, is it?" Image from entry, with caption: Buzkashi Boys actors under the Great Seal at the US Embassy Kabul with Ambassador James Cunningham.
Buzkashi Boys, or How to Build Your Resume in Afghanistan - Gary Owen, republicofsnarkistan.net: "Make no mistake: this film isn’t directed at Afghans. I don’t think it’s even been screened for an Afghan audience at this point, as the only publicity here in Afghanistan around the film has focused on showings at foreign embassies. When the Soviets used to do this, we called it propaganda. Since it’s the 21st century, and we’re Americans, somehow this is…capacity building."
Service members, Kuwaiti students kick language barrier - Sgt. James Hale, Third Army/ARCENT Public Affairs: "Service members and U.S. embassy employees took part in a sports day event at the U.S. embassy in Kuwait, Feb. 16, as a part of the English Access Micro-scholarship Program. The program is a U.S. State Department-funded, two-year English-language program for Kuwaiti youth to not only learn the English language but to learn about American culture as well. ... As the teams played, the Kuwaiti students were able to assess their newly learned language in a fun way by having to speak to their American teammates. 'These sports days are important for a couple of reasons,' said Grace Choi, the public diplomacy officer for the embassy and event coordinator.
Radio Liberty Celebrates 60 Years Defending Free Speech - press release, rferl.org: "The modern Radio Liberty is a multimedia, 24-hour news operation across nine time zones, broadcasting on radio, video, satellite, mobile and Internet platforms." Image from entry
It wasn't just jazz that won the Cold War ... - John Brown, Notes and Essays: " From [via TT] [:] Despatch From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State [,] Moscow, July 18, 1960. [:] It is one of the strange contradictions of Soviet society that at the same time when Premier Khrushchev wrecks a Summit Meeting, when he heaps invective on the President of the United States and the American Government, and when the press is full of anti-American propaganda, the Soviet public can react so enthusiastically and genuinely to these artists. Not once did the American artists feel that the political pressures and tensions of the period affected their popular reception, their treatment by Soviet authorities or the general success of their tour. On the contrary, they thought—and the Embassy shares this belief, that to some extent the political situation may have had the opposite effect from the one that could have been expected: namely a feeling that 'in spite of everything, let us continue to be friends and let us show you that we mean it.' The public adulation of [recently deceased] Van Cliburn, about which much has already been written, can at least in part be attributed to a kind of mass hysteria which expresses itself in the United States usually by the excesses of bobby-soxers in relation to the current pop-singer favorite or by middle-aged ladies running after someone like Liberace. Only in this case, the adulation comes from females between the ages of 15 and 65 and actually has very little to do with Mr. Cliburn’s considerable and noteworthy abilities as a pianist. One has the impression that even if he were to play only chopsticks with two fingers, his “audience” would cry 'Vanya' just as eagerly, pelt him with flowers, clutch at his clothes, follow him down the street and stand in front of his hotel waiting patiently for a friendly wave from his window. As remarkable and as genuine as this popularity is, it has little to do with musical ability. Cliburn, however, does perform with taste and musicality and with near technical perfection which is recognized by Soviet musical authorities."
QUICKTAKE: Israeli-Palestinian Peace During Obama’s 2nd Term? - middleeastvoices.voanews.com: "VOA’s Cecily Hilleary this week sat down with Ori Nir, the spokesman for Americans for Peace Now (APN). Prior to his work at APN, Nir worked for Haaretz Daily, Israel’s leading newspaper, where he covered Palestinian affairs and Israel’s Arab minority. We asked him what Kerry would have to do in order to get both sides talking again ... Hilleary: What burden lies on the shoulders of the U.S. president and the new U.S. secretary of state? What do they have to do – and can they do it – to get the two parties back not just to the negotiating table, but to reach some kind of agreement? ... Nir: ... The U.S. has a lot of work to do there.
President Obama started that four years ago when he went to Cairo and spoke directly with the Arab public, but the follow-up left quite a bit to be desired because there is a lot that can be done there. ... Hilleary: Well, he also paid a lot politically for that speech, as you well know. Nir: He did. But I think the interesting balance here is – if he comes into it showing that he really is serious and saying, 'I am committed by the end of my term to see Israeli-Palestinian peace and I will invest political capital in it,' he will get much more cooperation from Arab leaders and much more credit, thus being able to approach the Arab public and start forging that relationship of trust, which would serve America quite well in the long run, I think. That’s another thing that I think is very important – the public diplomacy component of it." Image from article, with caption: Barack Obama, still as presidential candidate, shakes hands with an elderly Israeli man during a visit to Sderot, Israel, July 23, 2008. Obama has been criticized by some for not visiting the Jewish State during his first term in office.
Iran targets BBC, VOA, Farda, Deutsche Welle, Voice of Russia through arrests, accusations, jamming, blocking, complaints - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting
US State Department just won't leave Sri Lanka alone - Daya Gamage, Asian Tribune: "What the Asian Tribune cannot understand is as to why Sri Lanka's Ministry of External Affairs could not get one of her own journalist accredited to the State Department media cadre to properly exercise its overseas public diplomacy and strategic communication endeavor; one who could ask some interesting questions regarding the U.S. approach to human rights and rule of law in some countries it consider useful for her national security.
This lacuna is greatly felt when some Indian journalist or two raise issues that are entertained by the State Department officials to slam Sri Lanka on issues they dare not allow to raise on some nations that are vital to America's national security." Image from article, with caption: US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Patrick Ventrell.
Profiterole for the Kurds? (re-revisited) - hurriyetdailynews.com: "In poll after poll, good news surfaces: 95 percent of Turks and Kurds want to live together. Some 60 percent of Turks support the peace process. The Turkish government wants peace, so do the Kurdish politicians, Kurds in southeast Turkey, Kurds in northern Iraq, and so does the PKK’s jailed leader, Abdullah Öcalan. Only three actors are absent from the merry parade of walking on eggshells: The main opposition Republican’s People party (CHP), which has a confused mind; the ultra-nationalist MHP, which has an ultra-nationalist mind, and the PKK. For a better analysis, though, it would be safer to ignore most opinion polls, especially when they look like parts of the public diplomacy leg of the big game for a landmark peace. When you ask your sample a question like, 'Do you support efforts to stop the bloodshed?' a 60 percent 'Yes' turnout can be considered too low and not very promising to start with. But with or without polls, the Turkish-Kurdish public support for the peace plan is visible – at this early stage. ... e all should support the courage behind Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s peace plan that apparently takes off on a skillfully orchestrated public diplomacy campaign – and ignore the possible tactical deliberations he may be hoping will be accrued into the political power struggle surrounding the three more than critical elections in 2014 and 2015. One way to support peace is to advise caution and realism and not be tricked into the realm of overoptimistic deception. Peace will not come on a gratis basis. Turks will have to give up 'something.' Some kind of recognition for the Kurds in vague language that cleanses every paragraph of the Constitution of the word 'Turkish?' Double profiterole with a cherry on top? Peace will come only if Turkish political engineering has crafted a degree of Kurdish autonomy acceptable for all insurgent Kurdish factions."
Western Sahara: Public Diplomacy and Gender Mainstreaming - Sonia Rossetti, allafrica.com: "Thirty-four years after its constitution, the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic is today not only a name but it carries on a strong international tradition of global and local networking. Saharawi men and women sent overseas as political representatives have helped local people to understand the origin of the Western Sahara conflict and to establish local support. The work done by the joint effort of SADR's political representatives and the support associations' representatives has often been crucial in demonstrating the true strength and diversity of Muslim democratise states. This highlight the opportunity for regional peace achieved in part through long term broad based public diplomacy. Sonia Rossetti is a PhD candidate at The School of Political Science and International Studies, Queensland University, Australia. ... Her current research focus is on gender and public diplomacy."
Shomron Delegation Meets German Lawmakers: A delegation from Samaria went to Berlin to meet with members of the German parliament as part of the fight against delegitimization - Elad Benari, israelnationalnews.com: "The Shomron delegation to
Russian-Georgian dialogue [video] - vestnikkavkaza.net: "The round-table discussion 'Russian-Georgian dialogue. Views of young experts' is part of a visit by a delegation of young Georgian political analysts in Russia, organized by the Gorchakov Fund for Public Diplomacy. The August 2008 conflict was a watershed for Russia and Georgia, dividing the long history of relations between the two countries into 'before' and 'after'."
Home News Local - Military News: "Jenae Stolarzyk was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army on Dec. 15 at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. She was a member of the Warhawk Battalion in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. Stolarzyk graduated the same day with a Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in Political Science and International Relations with a Public Diplomacy emphasis and a minor in Leadership. Stolarzyk has accepted a commission in the Active Duty Army as an Ordnance Officer and will attend training at Ft. Lee, Va. She graduated from Stewartville High School in 2007."
RELATED ITEMS
John Kerry finally gets to let his Europhilia loose: In his first trip to Europe as secretary of State, Kerry speaks French, German and Italian, to the delight of his hosts. He'd kept his affinities for Europe under wraps since the 2004 campaign - Paul Richter and David S. Cloud, Los Angeles Times: To be sure, Kerry's fluency with Europe doesn't extend around the globe. Last week, in a speech at the University of Virginia, he conflated the Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and came out with Kyrzakhstan. Kerry sometimes has been criticized as stiff and awkward, and it has made him careful about revealing personal details. But in the new job, which he clearly loves, he's relaxed and expansive. In almost every stop in Europe, he cheerfully ran through his exploits as a youth in Europe. See also: "John Kerry and St. Paul's School - An Outsider's Recollections," John Brown, Notes and Essays
VISIT THE USA!
Foreign tourists get bang for buck firing guns in U.S.: Tourists from countries with strict gun control see the U.S. firing ranges as enticing places to visit, but many say they feel safer once they get back home - Steve LaBadessa, USA Today
MORE AMERICANA
States with the highest and lowest tax burden - USA Today: The average American paid 9.9% of their income on state and local taxes during 2010, according to data from The Tax Foundation.
The state of New York ranked highest, with residents paying 12.8% of their income on state and local taxes. The lowest: Alaska at 7.0%.
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