"Senate votes to keep White House closed, slaughterhouses open."
--Headline in The Washington Times; image from
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
Obama Kicks Off First Presidential Visit to Israel - Genevieve Belmaker, The Epoch Times: "Beginning his first trip to Israel with an emphasis on regional security, President Barack Obama made broad reassurances that the United States is Israel’s 'greatest friend.' But convincing the Israeli public of this message will be key for Obama to gain greater trust and political leverage in the region, according to Natan Sachs of the Saban Center at The Brookings Institution. 'The main point of the trip … is in the realm of public diplomacy,' Sachs said in a telephone interview. Compared to his two previous presidential predecessors, Bush and Clinton, Obama has a relatively low standing popularity wise with the Israeli public. Sachs says that gaining their trust would have a tangible impact at a policy level. 'PR is important, and it has implications on the real things.
It is not just about people liking the president, it is about his ability to use the trust, especially with the Israelis, to his advantage in the diplomatic sphere,' Sachs said. Even on issues such as Iran’s nuclear program, the perception of the Israeli public of Obama can have real consequences in dealing with the Iranian threat, according to Sachs. 'If the Israelis trust him more, they are less likely to act unilaterally, which the United States much prefers they didn’t. And the more unified the message between Israel and the United States, the more likely Tehran is to hear a clear message and the more likely they are to get to the negotiation table in the next round,' Sachs said. ... One of the key moments of Obama’s trip will be his speech to thousands of Israelis, including many university students, at the Jerusalem Convention Center Thursday." Image from
Students to attend Obama speech ‘with open-mind’: 600 students from universities across Israel will attend Obama’s speech, and they are excited - Danielle Ziri, Jerusalem Post: "Some 600 students from universities and colleges across Israel will attend US President Barack Obama’s speech at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem on Thursday. Several institutions of higher education received a limited amount of tickets last week for the event, which they distributed to students as they saw fit.
Among the 170 students from Ramat Gan’s Bar-Ilan University who have been chosen to attend was Joseph Schwartz, a graduate student in political communications ... made aliya from Toronto a few months ago, received the ticket after taking a public diplomacy workshop at Bar-Ilan." Image from article, with caption: Bar Ilan Universtyi students
The Future of Peace is in Its Past - policyhill.com: "President Obama arrived in Israel for his first official visit to the Jewish State since being elected to high office in 2008. His trip, while lauded by many as a continuing sign of the important relationship shared between the United States and Israel, is also circumspect to those who consider this President’s approach towards Israel as less than amicable. But whichever side of the debate one chooses to support, it is increasingly clear that President Obama’s brief journey to the Holy Land is as much about where he is visiting as it is about where he is not. ... His decision not to visit the Wall or 'Kotel' as its popularly known, while regrettable is understandable from the administration’s point of view.
President Obama comes to the region looking to restart the dormant Middle East peace process and wants to be seen as evenhanded to both Israelis and Palestinians alike. President Obama’s overture of friendship is much-needed at this time and his schedule unquestioned. ... Israel cannot expect to win every diplomatic row nor should it feel the necessity to address every challenge, but it must not relinquish the ability to dictate the framework of events, large or small, that influence its very life and future. In Israel’s war of public diplomacy, those who would deny it the legitimacy of its existence have an often repeated argument that has found acceptance not only among the hateful and ignorant, but in academia and some diplomatic circles as well. Namely, that the State of Israel was created by the United Nations in acquiescence to the Zionist movement and as a response to European anti-Semitism, which culminating in the Holocaust created a Jewish refugee problem at that time. Israel, the claim continues has unjustly usurped the land it now inhabits and thus has no right to exist in that space. Those who would believe this nonsense have their own reasons to do so, though it must be said that they are partially right in so much as Zionism and the Holocaust were both important catalysts for the creation of the state. But in the grand scheme of three and a half thousand years of Jewish history in the land of Israel they are woefully wrong, and the Western Wall is a testament to that undeniable truth. President Obama’s visit to Yad Vashem and Herzl’s tomb among other events, acknowledges the contemporary aspects of Israel, its struggle, survival, and success. And though he speaks of Israel as the ancient homeland of the Jewish people, avoiding the Western Wall altogether plays directly into the hands of those who would deny its past." Image from entry
The Future of United States Public Diplomacy in Brazil - Blair Rapalyea, American Diplomacy: "The current situation in Brazil is ideal for facilitating a dialogue about U.S. policy — not only is the public willing to engage with programs led by the U.S. PD efforts, but the Brazilian business community and government has money to assist in the implementation of these programs. ... Whether or not the recent economic growth can be continued at the same level, the developments that Brazil has achieved along with its size and location give the country significant influence over its neighbors.
If an issue in the region were to arise, having Brazil on the side of the U.S. would be of undeniable strategic value. The success of the program in Brazil should not mean that it is disregarded as an important place to implement public diplomacy. Instead of being used as a bandage to try and patch over issues once they arise, public diplomacy should instead be a constant presence to encourage consistent dialogue and promote understanding over time." Image from
Emerging Powers and Nuclear Politics - Jeffrey, lewis.armscontrolwonk.com: "Dilma is a much less public president than Lula was. She’s more of a Meryl Streep to Lula’s Charlie Sheen. Rousseff is more focused on domestic economic policy than public diplomacy. This seems to be in part because Brazil’s economic growth has slowed, and in part because of her background in energy and economic issues. With Rousseff’s less public persona than Lula, her penchant for focusing on Brazil’s economy, and the specter of the Iran fuel swap deal lurking in the background, it’s unlikely that she will attempt to mediate between problematic countries like Iran and nuclear weapons states."
US country band gearing up for Taiwan performances - Elaine Hou, Focus Taiwan News Channel: "Oklahoma's musical ambassador, Kyle Dillingham, and his trio Horseshoe Road, who are gearing up for a series of performances in Taiwan, said Thursday in Taipei that they 'are excited to be here.' The event represents a message of goodwill and the good relations between Taiwan and the U.S., Dillingham said at a news conference. 'Music has a way to naturally bring people together,' he said, expressing hope that their music will bring people closer. As part of an Asian tour to promote cultural exchanges, the group will perform in Taipei, Kaohsiung and Tainan between March 23 and March 26. It will be the first time the band has played in Taiwan, said the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), one of the organizers. ... The trio blends diverse musical styles ranging from blues, bluegrass, country, rock and gospel into an earthy genre of music. Dillingham, a violinist, said a Taiwanese friend will also perform at Saturday's concert, playing American music on the erhu, a two-stringed bowed Chinese musical instrument.
This will make a great mix of Chinese and Western musical instruments, he added. In addition to performing, the trio will host a class and workshop in Taipei, according to the AIT, which represents U.S. interests in Taiwan in the absence of diplomatic ties. The performances are part of the American Music Abroad program co-produced by the U.S. Department of State and the AIT. The band, which has already performed in South Korea, will continue its tour via Myanmar and Russia, the AIT added. 'We're glad to have Taiwan included in the program,' said Sheila Paskman, AIT's public diplomacy section chief, at the news conference. The program, aimed at promoting people-to-people exchanges, features a wide variety of American musical genres through cultural initiatives that will reach more than 40 countries between 2012 and 2013." Image from article
Athletics: Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon Hosts First Wave Run in Turkmenistan - runnersweb.com: "With temperatures in the 70s, over 150 participants, including Ambassador Robert Patterson, toed the starting line of the U.S. Embassy Ashgabat Turkmenistan Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon First Wave run on Sunday, March 17, 2013. Presented by U.S. Marine Corps Headquarters Community Services and American300, the 8K race and kid's fun run was the first for this capital city, which is nestled up against the Kopetdag mountain range.
'Amateur runs and marathons have become a fixture in the U.S. sports landscape, and we were enthused about sharing that aspect of American culture with our friends in Turkmenistan,' said Ambassador Patterson, a native of Greensburg, PA and Ambassador to Turkmenistan since May 2011. 'This 8K is a great example of the potential sports has to bring people together.' Rob Powers, the official announcer of the Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon, led the event with Gunnery Sergeant Bruce Villasenor, Detachment Commander, Marine Security Detachment U.S. Embassy Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. ... 'Public diplomacy through sport was popular back in the 70's with our table tennis team, and we've been finding out that it's every bit as popular today,' said Powers. Image from entry, with caption: American Leonard Kovesnsky, a U.S. Embassy Ashgabat Turkmenistan affiliate, doused some Turkmenistan pure mountain water over his head during the first ever U.S. Embassy Ashgabat, Turkmenistan Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon First Wave Race.
Lyudmila Alexeeva: Saving Radio Liberty in Russia Should Have Been Done The Day Before Yesterday - BBGWatcher, usgbroadcasts.com: "Supporters of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), including a preeminent Russian human rights leader Lyudmila Alexeeva, are becoming more and more frustrated by the slow pace of addressing the management crisis at the U.S. taxpayer-funded broadcaster. While newly-appointed acting president Kevin Klose is expected to announce soon major changes at top level managerial positions at the RFE/RL headquarters in Prague, pro-democracy activists in Russia are anxious to hear his plans about rehiring Radio Liberty journalists who had been fired from the Moscow bureau. ... The BBG ... appointed new acting president Kevin Klose who met in Moscow with Alexeeva and other Russian human rights activists.
He later invited Alexeeva to participate in a ceremony in Washington, DC to mark the 60th anniversary of Radio Liberty broadcasts in Russia. Alexeeva accepted his invitation. ... At the the event in Washington, Alexeeva met with BBG member Susan McCue and with Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Tara Sonenshine who has represented at BBG meetings former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and current Secretary of State John Kerry. Alexeeva still believes that Kevin Klose plans to make the necessary changes at RFE/RL, but like many pro-democracy Russians, not to mention the fired journalists whom she strongly supports, she is becoming increasingly impatient and worried that Radio Liberty continues to lose its reputation and its audience in Russia." Exactly six months ago, on September 20 and 21, 2012, the former American management of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty dismissed without any warning dozens of Radio Liberty reporters and multimedia professionals in Russia. RFE/RL managers used security guards to bar journalists from entering their office in Moscow and to prevent them from saying good bye to their audience." Image from article, with caption: Lyudmila Alexeeva with RFE/RL acting President Kevin Klose and Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Tara Sonenshine, Washington, DC, March 1, 2013.
First Lady Peng Liyuan to Make Diplomatic Debut in Russia - Women of China: "China's first lady Peng Liyuan is set to make her diplomatic debut on March 25, 2013 in Moscow alongside husband, newly-elected President Xi Jinping, whose maiden four-nation tour as head of State also includes attending the BRICS summit in South Africa. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to elaborate on details of the trip, but overseas media reports speculate Peng will make multiple appearance and she might even give a speech on the sidelines of the BRICS summit.
Feng Shaolei, dean of the Advanced School of International and Regional Studies at East China Normal University, told the Global Times that Peng's upcoming public debut as first lady shows China's push to follow in the footsteps of countries whose leaders are accompanied by their wives or partners on diplomatic trips. 'Peng is experienced in management and international exchanges. China has adopted this advanced idea of public diplomacy, and Peng's experience can help her shine on the international stage,' Feng said. Peng, a well-known folk singer and actress, was one of the first people in China to obtain a master's degree in traditional ethnic music. Peng is one of the founders of the School of National Vocal Music, according to the Xinhua News Agency. Image from article, with caption: A photo of China's newly-elected President Xi Jinping (R) and his wife Peng Liyuan
Israeli Military Still Mad About Bar Refaeli - Charlotte Cowles, nymag.com: "[Isreali model] Bar Refaeli's appearance in a new pro-Israel campaign has prompted an official letter from the Israeli Defense Forces to the Foreign Ministry complaining about Refaeli's lack of military service.
Israeli law requires all citizens over 18 to enlist — women must serve for two years, men for three — but Refaeli managed to avoid conscription in 2007 by briefly marrying a family friend so that she could continue her modeling career. ... The Foreign Ministry subsequently defended Refaeli in a statement: ['] Refaeli is considered one of the most beautiful women in the world and is widely recognized as an Israeli ... There is no reason to bring up the past when it comes to a campaign of public diplomacy of this kind.[']" Refaeli image from article
Information Ministry playing key role in projection of govt policies: Secy Information - Associated Press of Pakistan: "Secretary Information and Broadcasting Agha Nadeem Wednesday said that Ministry of Information was playing an important role in the projection of government policies in the presence of a large number of private print and electronic media.This he said while speaking as chief guest at the passing out ceremony of probationers of Information Group from 39th Common at Information Service Academy (ISA) here. He said the Information Ministry was gearing up to play a front-line role in Pakistan’s public diplomacy at home and abroad and the passing out officers could play a proactive role in this regard. ... Earlier Director General ISA Muhammad Khalid Sarwar said that the probationers were taught mass communication,civil service and public relations in the academy.He said he felt honoured to become DG of ISA as he was among the fist badge of the information group probationers who were trained here."
What the President did not tell - Haider Mehdi, nation.com.pk: "Those of us who have been involved academically and diligently studying political behaviour of the traditional Pakistani political actors know quite well that what these politicians say and what they do in actuality are altogether two different things.
Rhetoric, public statements, speeches, slogans and symbolic nationalist sentimental narratives are solely for public consumption and for the purpose of public diplomacy. There are always contradictions between what is politically said by those politicians and what is meant to be achieved. Motives are generally concealed and real intentions are camouflaged and masqueraded. It is now an established fact that the main objective of the contemporary ruling elite in Pakistan has always been to seek political power and use it for their vested interests - both politically and economically." Image from
Disinformation Campaign New Face Of Terrorism In Kashmir - Hemant Mahajan, hemantmahajan12153.globalmarathi.com: "The country must immediately start a public diplomacy campaign to correct the distorted view about Kashmir. Public diplomacy is a neglected field in the glacial paced Indian government. The latest example of this failure is Kashmir where the Indian government is on the losing end in this battle of shaping the public opinion. It is giving ammunition to India’s adversaries, including the Kashmiri separatists, Pakistan in the struggle for winning the hearts and minds [of] Kashmiri population. The media coverage on Kashmir — in television and print — has been focused on pinning the blame on the Indian state. The Kashmiris are ruled by Kashmiri politicians and bureaucracy. This has happened as the government has allowed the separatists to establish the playing field. ... The reality however is that government’s passivity to disburse information equates to surrendering to the dis information campaign of separatists and subverted media persons based in Shrinagar."
Culture Posts: Four Fallacies of Network Public Diplomacy - R.S. Zaharna, PD News–CPD Blog, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: We have a network state. The public is the network society. The internet, as the network of networks, reinforce the perception that everything public diplomacy is about networks. In some ways that is true.
In other ways, it is a fallacy. So far, I have counted four fallacies. Fallacy # 1: It’s All 'Network Public Diplomacy ... Fallacy # 2: The Generic 'Network' Public Diplomacy ... Fallacy # 3: Network Structure Promises Success ... Fallacy #4 – Networks are the Best Approach ... . Relational approaches, including networks initiative may offer more communication mileage than a mass media approach in today’s political arena. However, that advantage is conditional to some, not all scenarios." Image from
Myth Versus Reality - Review of ]The Cuban Missile Crisis In American Memory: Myths Versus Reality]: "Ambassador [Cresencio] retired from the U.S. Department of State after 25-years serving as Senior Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement U.S. Ambassador to Honduras, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs, White House Coordinator for Public Diplomacy on Central America and the Deputy Coordinator in the Office of Public Diplomacy for Latin America at the Department of State."
Diplomatic figures - louisclerc, toynbeeprize.org: "Not to turn this blog into a series of obituaries, but two fascinating diplomatic figures have died recently. One of them is probably known of this blog’s readership: the French Stéphane Hessel, who passed away late February; the other certainly less so: the Finn Max Jakobson, who died on March 9th. ... Jakobson joined the Finnish foreign service as a press attache, then in the late 1950s as the main responsible for Finland’s public diplomacy in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was the head of the Ministry’s Press and Culture Bureau from 1953 to 1962."
RELATED ITEMS
Obama message may not resonate with Israeli youth: Young Israelis, who are more conservative and less tolerant than the older generations, are less inclined to embrace Palestinian statehood - Edmund Sanders and Batsheva Sobelman, latimes.com: Reared on suicide bombings, failed peace initiatives and segregation from Palestinians, Israel's younger generation is generally more conservative, more religious, less tolerant and less supportive of a two-state plan than their parents or grandparents.
That stands in marked contrast to the United States, where young people tend to be relatively liberal and where Obama enjoys his strongest support among those younger than 30. Image from article, with caption: President Obama receives a welcome at the residence of Israeli President Shimon Peres in Jerusalem.
Obama hopes Israel trip amounts to a fresh start - E.J. Dionne Jr., Washington Post: The two-states formula is tired, worn and frustrating. It is also inescapable. It’s the best solution for those who believe in a thriving, democratic Jewish state. It’s the best solution for those who believe in a thriving, democratic Palestinian state. And two thriving states offer the only long-term hope for peace. At a news conference, Obama and Netanyahu both endorsed the two-state concept. But time is now its enemy. That’s why Obama’s trip is so important, despite any spin to the contrary. It means he’s putting himself back into the game.
Obama in Israel: Pretty speeches won’t do it - Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post: Obama’s rhetoric has gotten better, but his behavior is at the root of the region’s difficulties and the strain between the United States and Israel. The region, and most especially Israel, requires an effective, vibrant American presence, a well-thought out U.S. approach to the spread of jihadism and an America that engenders respect and, from its foes, fear. Right now, none of that exists.
Obama's Middle East policy in tatters - James S. Robbins, USA Today: According to the latest survey by the Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Project, confidence in Obama in Muslim countries dropped from 33% to 24% in his first term.
Approval of Obama's policies declined even further, from 34% to 15%. And support for the
Mixed Expectations - Yossi Alpher, New York Times: The Obama visit may be remembered in the context of the peace process as something of a non-event. Alternatively — and reflecting growing American and international frustration — it may eventually be seen as having ushered in an American position of “stew in your own juice” toward Israel’s disastrous mishandling of the Palestinian issue.
So long as Obama publicly reiterates during his visit a strong U.S. commitment to Israel’s security and a rejection of a nuclear Iran — and even if there remains some daylight between Obama’s “red lines” and timetable and Netanyahu’s — harmony should prevail. Most Israelis do not have a problem with Obama’s commitment to Palestinian statehood. But many of us — left, right and center — are less than happy with the venue Obama has selected to deliver his message. Rather than address the Israeli Parliament, he has chosen to address a hand-picked audience of Israeli university students. Image from article
Israel needs a new map: An outmoded Zionism has become an obstacle to Jewish welfare and security - Ian S. Lustick, latimes.com: In a 2003 European Union-sponsored poll, Israel was seen as more dangerous to world peace than any other country. In 2006, an Israeli government poll conducted in 35 countries found Israel had the worst public image in every category it tested. Forced to use a Zionist map of the late 19th century to navigate the 21st, Israelis are confused, often to the point of fury and despair. Israelis need a new map; one that does not identify anti-Semitism as the root of the country's problems; that is not wedded to the unilateralist "heroism" of land grabs in the 1930s and 1940s as a way to overcome moral uncertainties and international opprobrium; that does not fashion Palestinians as Nazis or the U.N. as the British Mandate. The new map must also reflect the one fundamental objective of Zionism that has been achieved. Israel is a normal country, as prone to stupidity and brutality in the name of its old gods as any other.
It’s Up to Obama - Mustafa Barghouthi, New York Times: For two decades Palestine has engaged in discussions with successive Israeli governments, which have talked the talk of a negotiated settlement while deliberately turning a military occupation into something far more sinister — an ugly system of racial segregation. President Obama has the power to change this reality and break the political deadlock.
Saving Jordan's King Abdullah Must Be a U.S. Priority: Perhaps Washington's best Arab ally, the monarch increasingly lacks money and political stability - David Schenker, Wall Street Journal: If King Abdullah doesn't effectively address the growing unrest in Jordan, a coalition of Islamist and tribal opposition—bolstered by the kind of labor unions that forced Egypt's Hosni Mubarak from power—could gain strength and undermine the monarchy.
At this point, there is little Washington can do to reverse the palace's diminished stature. Long a force for regional moderation and peace, Jordan under King Abdullah has been an excellent strategic partner for Washington. Should Jordan be destabilized, there is little doubt that, as with Egypt, the outcome would be decidedly less advantageous to U.S. interests. Abdulah image from
Feinstein: A better path to justice: Why send Sulaiman abu Ghaith to Guantanamo? Federal courts have a solid record in convicting terrorists and take less time to do it - Dianne Feinstein, latimes.com: "The recent arraignment of Sulaiman abu Ghaith in a New York courtroom was an important moment in the ongoing effort to bring senior Al Qaeda figures to justice. But that's not how everyone saw it. Critics complain that he should have been taken to Guantanamo to be detained and interrogated there as an enemy combatant. They object to his being tried in the United States as a 'common criminal.' I disagree."
Visas for high-skilled workers could double under bipartisan Senate plan - Peter Wallsten, Washington Post: A Senate immigration plan would dramatically increase the number of high-skilled foreign workers allowed into the country and give permanent legal status to an unlimited number of students who earn graduate degrees from U.S. universities in science, technology, engineering or math, according to people familiar with the negotiations. The agreement would be a major victory for the tech industry, which has backed an intense lobbying campaign on Capitol Hill in recent months arguing that Google, Facebook, Microsoft and other companies are having trouble finding qualified workers because of visa limits. The expansion of the visas, known as H1Bs, is one element of talks among a bipartisan group of eight senators, whose legislation is expected to serve as the basis for a deal between Congress and the White House to retool the immigration system.
On Syria, Iraq’s shadow is long - Dana Milbank, Washington Post: The mistakes of wars past were on the minds and tongues of the subdued members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday as they questioned administration witnesses. The topic of the hearing wasn’t Iraq but neighboring Syria. Yet the queries, and answers, were those of Americans humbled by Iraq and skeptical about more war. In general, witness and questioners shared a belief that the United States has limited influence.
The painful lessons of Iraq - David Ignatius, Washington Post: Bush made a disastrous mistake invading
Removing Saddam was the right call: Opposing view - Richard Perle, USA Today: Those who argued that we should stand up an Iraqi interim government immediately after Baghdad fell were dismayed when the administration decided instead to send thousands of Americans to Iraq to run a country about which we knew little.
We were asking for trouble and we got it. After four months of occupation a ruthless, bloody insurgency was launched that lasted for years and killed thousands of Americans and tens of thousands of Iraqis. The decision to remove Saddam was right. The decision to occupy Iraq was not. The failure to see the difference is to substitute hindsight for insight. Perle image from
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