August 7-9

"textbooks are pleasantly single-dimensional"

--Jeff Olson, vice president of research for Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions; image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Follow-On Activities to the President's Forum with Young African Leaders - US Department of State: "On the final day of the August 3-5 President’s Forum with Young African Leaders, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith A. McHale announced that the Department of State will carry out the following activities to continue the partnership and momentum that came out of the Forum: • Outreach and Technology: U.S. embassies and consulates in Africa will partner with delegates to the President’s Forum with Young African Leaders to organize follow-on events in Africa, while the Department of State will support use of social media by the delegates to continue their conversation and cooperation. • A Follow-on Forum with Young African Leaders: The Department of State will work with young African leaders to organize a follow-on

forum in the first quarter of 2011. The forum will take place on a single day, in multiple regional locations across Africa. American representatives will be invited to travel to Africa to participate, and technology will be utilized to further expand participation and impact both in Africa and in the United States. • 'Apps 4 Africa': All over Africa, the Department of State will sponsor opportunities for technical innovators and program developers to come together with civil society leaders to develop technical responses to social challenges. ... • 'Transformation Grants': The Department of State will launch a program of small-scale grants to support future-oriented and creative proposals in Africa that focus on the themes of the conference, including youth empowerment, governance, and economic opportunity. • Africa Alumni Enrichment Workshops: The Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) will organize Africa Alumni Enrichment Workshops in several locations in Africa, involving African alumni of U.S. Government exchange programs, to continue and expand the dialogue with a greater cross section of African youth. • Youth Speaker Initiative: The Department of State will work with private sector, NGO and youth groups to promote on-going speaker programs with young African leaders that focus on the themes of the Forum and enable the dialogue to continue." Image from

Obama's phony Zim heartbreak - Nathaniel Manheru, New Zimbabwe.com: “[A] State Department-sponsored public diplomacy programme, dubbed President’s Forum for Young African leaders ... is a propaganda outreach programme which has been running for years, all to provide a grand finale to that country’s studentship programme targeting Third World candidates for exposure to American soft power, including American values. Zimbabweans were part of the crowd, Zimbabweans chosen on partisan lines. ... [Th]is forum is attended by 115 'young leaders' from across Sub-Saharan Africa. Not 'leaders' as designated by their host nations or defined by values from Africa, but 'leaders' for America and her broader strategic goals in Sub-Saharan Africa. This strategy of buying into the loyalties of other people, other nationalities, for America’s insidious goals against those same nations, is a long established one in American geo-politics."

AFRICOM's Effective Public Diplomacy Venue - Philip Seib, Huffington Post: "One of the most impressive online U.S. public diplomacy venues is Magharebia, a website and news service for North Africans that is published by the United States African Command (AFRICOM).

Offered in Arabic, English, and French, Magharebia illustrates how providing useful information and advancing national self-interest can be successfully combined in a public diplomacy venture. The website (www.magharebia.com) presents diverse news items from the region, everything from weather reports to arts news to sports coverage to harder-edged political stories. The site is supplemented by a daily news monitor. Magharebia's content does not appear blatantly self-serving, and the site's continuing anti-terrorism message is forceful but not shrill. ... AFRICOM itself has been controversial since its creation in 2007. Many Africans view it as a neo-colonialist attempt to establish a Western military foothold in the continent, and U.S. policy makers have done a poor job of explaining the purposes of the new command. Magharebia, however, shows that at least some people in AFRICOM know what they are doing. Worth noting is that this is a Defense Department, not a State Department, project. Debate continues about the respective roles of these departments in doing public diplomacy, and turf battles will continue until the White House or Congress definitively makes clear who is in charge. In the meantime, the State Department's public diplomacy officials should take note of the Defense Department's Magharebia as an example of best practices in this field." Image from

Further Travels Of Imam Feisal - Claudia Rosett, Forbes: "While debate rages over plans for an Islamic center in Lower Manhattan, the imam behind this project, Feisal Abdul Rauf, is not available to answer questions in New York. Since locating the absent Rauf last week in Malaysia, I have now discovered that he's about to embark on a nearly month-long swing through the Middle East, with plans to visit Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Qatar. ... [I]n response to repeated questions, a member of Rauf's New York Cordoba Initiative foundation e-mailed me Friday, saying that Rauf's trip to the Middle East, 'in the near future,' will be hosted by the U.S. government as part of an outreach program to 'bring the message of moderation, peace and understanding.' At the State Department, which presumably will be spending taxpayer money on Rauf's tour, I have yet to receive confirmation or any other information about his program, despite three days of my repeated requests by phone and e-mail. Apparently it is taking a while for State's Bureau of Public Diplomacy to get 'clearance' to release any details of this particular public outreach effort, though Rauf's wife says it has been in the works for months."

Former Guantanamo Chief Prosecutor Col. Morris Davis on the upcoming military commission trials - Anthony Clark Arend: "A previous post reported on the decision by the Supreme Court to allow the military commission trial of Guantanamo detainee, Omar Khadr

to proceed next week. Over at the Crimes of War Project, Colonel Morris Davis, the former Chief Prosecutor of Military Commissions, expresses concern about the military commissions proceedings. After a very useful discussion of pending cases and issues, Col. Morris concludes: [inter alia] ... There is a danger that the Obama administration may be in the process of squandering its last best chance to demonstrate to a skeptical world audience that military commissions can be credible. From a public diplomacy perspective, the Khadr case is the pick of the litter among the 30 or so detainee cases that may eventually go to trial. The alleged offenses – murder and attempted murder – are ordinary crimes the public understands." Khadr image from

Talking heads answer only to faerie queen - Lennox Grant, Trinidad & Tobago Express: "A pattern is early forming. Days in office, the T&T [Trinidad & Tobago] Prime Minister pointedly contained her excitement over the prospect of meeting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Barbados. In Port of Spain last month, she found hardly more time to spend with visiting Commonwealth Parliamentarians. Then she skipped a meeting arranged by the US Embassy with high-level State Department official, Arturo Valenzuela. Meanwhile, public diplomacy was proceeding at megaphone strength. Sports Minister Roberts, prompted to comment on US Embassy policy and practice, cited two T&T athletes who had been denied student visas. 'These things are very worrisome,' he said. 'It appears there is no clear policy that we could understand.' A US diplomat's reply—that the Minister should have used 'official channels, like the diplomatic notes that are exchanged between the embassy and the ministries' — came over as a loud admonishment. It was received by Mr Roberts as an ugly American public lecture. Turning up the volume, he blasted the envoy as 'farse and out of place'. Now, a Cabinet minister in a sovereign T&T government, speaking on T&T soil, should be free to rebuke any low-level US diplomat judged to be 'out of place.' That, until clarified to the contrary, must stand as the Kamla Persad-Bissessar Doctrine. Welcome, then, to today-style 'governance' in T&T. Naturally, it's hard to take by the tribunes of the old order. 'There is a proper way to treat with (US-relations), as we have treated with them for decades,' Dr Rowley said, accusing Mr Roberts of 'insulting the Americans."

US international broadcasting might take a lesson from this consolidation within US domestic broadcasting – Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

"How Technology Is Making Censorship Irrelevant." Maybe - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

Confucian meritocracy as an alternative to democracy - No Minister: Citation from an unnamed article: “The Chinese government began to take the idea of 'smart power' seriously years before the Obama administration made it an official premise of U.S. foreign policy. Unlike the American variety, however, Chinese 'smart power'

diplomacy does not shift investment from the projection of military power to foreign aid and public diplomacy, but deploys both of these at once—strategically, aggressively, and with increasing sophistication. As China has moved to extend its military influence from Asia, where it has dominated in a regional way, to parts of Africa, India, the Middle East, and beyond, it has also worked to convince the world that peaceful development is at the heart of its foreign policy." Image from

Zardari-Cameron meeting held in cordial atmosphere: Kaira - Ejaz Shah, Associated Press of Pakistan: "Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira on Friday said that talks between President Asif Ali Zardari and British Prime Minister David Cameron were held in cordial atmosphere and Pakistan’s sacrifices in the war against terror were recognised. ... The meeting also agreed to further deepen the ties between the two countries to help them combat terrorism both in Pakistan and the UK. The Information Minister said the British Prime Minister agreed to Pakistan’s perspective on extremism and terrorism saying that this was a global phenomenon and not limited to any country. In this regard, he said the British Government announced greater support in the education sector and enhanced collaboration in public diplomacy."

Netanyahu slams 'Hamastan,' Iran to Turkel Committee - Herb Keinon, Jerusalem Post: "Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, appearing Monday before the Turkel committee probing the flotilla incident of May 31, went on the offensive and said that in order to deal with the flotilla incident as a whole,

it was necessary to clarify the government's policy toward Hamas. ... Netanyahu said his government decided to ease the restriction on what was allowed into Gaza because with time these restrictions became a diplomatic and public diplomacy burden, which provided ammunition for Israel's enemies and began to erode international support for the policy of keeping weapons out of Gaza." Image from

Israel - Summary of editorials from the Hebrew press, 8 Aug 2010 - ISRIA: "Yediot Aharonot discusses Israel's public diplomacy efforts around the world in the face of what it discerns as an Islamic-led campaign to delegitimize Israel and undermine its very existence. The author believes that 'Israel must immediately establish a giant, IDF-type body but in a different format, that will try to return fire against the Islamic jihad, against the process of de-legitimization that spans continents and against apathy.'"

The Druze Minority in Israel - Ari Bussel, NewsBlaze: "There are four Druze members of the Knesset, one of whom is the Deputy Minister for the Development of the Galilee and the Negev and Regional Cooperation, Ayoob Kara. ... The Minister is a person unafraid to answer all the tough questions,

like the prospects of 'a two state solution.' I will skip the [Minister’s ] press conference, as it echoes many of the sentiments that are raised in the series 'Postcards from America - Postcards from Israel,' including Israel's Public Diplomacy, the role of elected and appointed officials, the real threats against Israel and Israel's future." Image from

The Failure of Long Range Planning - Ari Bussel, NewsBlaze - "The Foreign Ministry is the de facto Public Face of Israel. There is another ministry (Public Diplomacy and the Diaspora), but it does not have presence in each country around the world, a huge mechanism overseas and in Jerusalem, with abilities and egos and personal needs as great as its potential and promise. To craft long-term strategies, and not regurgitate old ones that did not work, the Ministry should take a close look inside, and start with one face, the Bedouin 'Adviser' to the Minister."

'Extremists must not be allowed to incite Iran sanctions' - Tehran Times: "An economic figure representing the private sector says affairs must not be handed over to those extremists who seek to isolate Iran, insisting that opportunities must not be lost for dialogue.

Public diplomacy is of high significance in this regard, and the fact that the private sectors of other countries are interested to cooperate with Iran should be cherished, said Mohammad Nahavandian, the chairman of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Mines." Nahavandian image from

Isla PD - Paul Rockower, Levantine: "I just had a fascinating idea for comparing Taiwan and Cuban Public Diplomacy and soft power projection based on conveying utility in the face of larger neighbors that don't recognize the legitimacy of the government. Both have engaged on significant medical, developmental and academic exchange diplomacy to bolster their utility in the international community as a way to mitigate the threat that the larger, belligerant neighbor poses. I was already planning on classifying Taiwan amid the Middle Powers as a pd comparison and extrapolating for niche diplomacy practices, but this new notion may work its way into my paper, and could pose an interesting angle."

Promoting Nepal in India - Dinesh Wagle, United We Blog!: "Nepali embassy in Delhi is largely inactive or ineffective in creating ... awareness about Nepal in India. An official at the embassy who didn’t want to be identified because he was not authorised to talk to media lamented about lack of fund at his office to conduct public diplomacy programmes in India. Another agency that is supposed to promote Nepal in India

is Nepal Tourism Board. Its activities are largely limited to taking part in some travel fairs and industry gatherings in cities like Delhi and Kolkata where very few general people visit." Image from

Balasingham's Ghost And The External Challenge - Dayan Jayatilleka, Sunday Leader: "Whether it is aware of this or not, a spectre is haunting the Sri Lankan state — the spectre of Anton Balasingham. The Sri Lankan state defeated and virtually destroyed Velupillai Prabhakaran’s LTTE, but it couldn’t and didn’t destroy Anton Balasingham’s LTTE. ... The global movement of secessionist solidarity, lobbying and public diplomacy initiated by Anton Balasingham is still functioning — unlike Prabhakaran’s defunct Tiger army — with new recruits and socio-political advances internationally."

Del poder blando al inteligente: crónica de un concepto (y II) - diplomacia pública: A blog in spanish by Felipe Santos on Public Diplomacy, Smart Power and the common ground shared by Strategic Communication, Politics, Diplomacy, Security and Defense: "Los satélites y el proceso de datos habían establecido un poder de la información y disuasión comparables al poder nuclear de la era anterior. Las televisiones de alcance global como CNN, BBC World, Al-Jazeera y Star TV habían incorporado una política de imágenes y una diplomacia pública a lo que era una mera política de poder y diplomacia secreta.

La combinación de ONGs y tecnologías interactivas como internet habían dado lugar a una sociedad civil global, y grupos de presión, como Amnistía Internacional o Greenpeace, que actuaban como nuevos actores en las relaciones internacionales. ... En enero de 2009, ante el comité del Senado que debía aprobar su nombramiento, la nueva secretaria de Estado, Hillary Clinton, recogería el guante e hizo un llamamiento para restaurar el liderazgo americano a través del “poder inteligente” (smart power) que mezcla la diplomacia con la defensa. 'América no puede resolver la mayoría de los problemas urgentes por su cuenta, y el mundo tampoco puede resolverlos sin América'." Santos image from blog

FEMALE FELLOWS? . . .Alaska Ear - Anchorage Daily News: "Mara Kimmel, UAA political science professor and immigration attorney, and Robbie Graham, former PR mogul, now a 'public diplomacy' specialist, have been named Senior Fellows at the Institute of the North. This is Wally Hickel's northern research and advocacy outfit. According to earwigs, they're the first women to join the 'fellowship,' if you can believe that." Image from

Election 2010: VIDEO and bio on House District 25 candidate David Rivera - naplesnet.net: "Name: David Rivera

Birthplace: New York, N.Y. Date of birth: candidate provided age, 44 Town of residence: Doral How long in current county: 36 years Party affiliation: Republican Education: Florida International University, bachelor’s in political science 1986; Florida International University, master’s in public administration 1994 Professional/business experience: Legislative assistant to U.S. Sen. Connie Mack (R-Fla.); public affairs director for Valladares Foundation (International Human Rights watchdog group); International Public Diplomacy with the U.S. Information Agency." Rivera image from

Educational Radio Programming: Talking Books Project, Afghanistan - grants.gov: "The U.S. Embassy Kabul Public Affairs Section (PAS) requires a grantee to assist the Embassy’s Director of Communications in the implementation and organization of competitions between Afghan and other entities capable of and interested in producing interesting, entertaining and educational radio programming. Expected Number of Awards: 1 Estimated Total Program Funding: $500,000 Award Ceiling: Award Floor: CFDA Number(s): 19.501 -- Public Diplomacy Programs for Afghanistan and Pakistan."

15.) Communications Team Assistant, British Embassy, Washington, DC - Ned's Job of the Week: "Background: The British Embassy is looking for an enthusiastic and dynamic Communications Team Assistant to provide administrative support to its Communications and E-media Team.

The team is responsible for all the external communication activity - media engagement, public diplomacy and digital work -for the British Government in the US. This is a full-time position." Image from

CULTURAL DIPLOMACY

A cultural angle on Azerbaijan‎ - News.Az: "Cultural diplomacy has certain advantages over traditional diplomacy. Everyone speaks the language of cultural diplomacy. Culture is in everything from the food we eat to the languages we speak. It is in the mother’s milk. So here in Azerbaijan I am constantly striving for cultural experiences that will help me to build cultural bridges between Azerbaijan and the United States. Where a friendship already exists, I am creating opportunities for two peoples to know each other better. If culture can bring two friendly parties closer together, what can it do for enemies? To my way of thinking, culture is a way of reminding human beings what is important. It is as simple as two mothers smiling at each other across a table while their children play. Ideally, it is a cup of tea shared. Cultural diplomacy is a prime example of 'soft power.' It does not require both parties to agree or even to like each other -- just to strive toward mutual understanding. If cultural celebrations also happen to bring out a naïve idealism -- bonus! ... Diana Cohen Altman is the executive director of the Karabakh Foundation, a newly formed US cultural foundation that celebrates the culture, arts and heritage of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus."

Theater directors from Portland and Sydney will ‎discuss international collaborations at Artists Rep - OregonLive.com: "The most anticipated Portland theater event of the summer is only a little more than a week away. 'Long Day’s Journey Into Night,' in a co-production by Australia’s Sydney Theatre Company and Portland’s Artists Repertory Theatre, opens Aug. 14 at the Newmark Theatre. ... Artists Rep has announced an event that will feature a conversation on the topic 'Dissolving Borders with International Theatre Collaboration.' ... The talk will feature Andrew Upton, co-artistic director of Sydney Theatre and the director of 'Long Day’s Journey,'

along with Allen Nause, the longtime artistic director of Artists Rep. Tim DuRoche, a former Portland Center Stage staffer now working for the World Affairs Council, will moderate. The discussion will cover 'the challenges and rewards of co-producing ‘Long Day’s Journey Into Night’ and other international theatre collaborations,' says an Artists Rep press release. 'Both Upton and Nause have a long history of global partnerships and will discuss how productions like ‘Long Day's Journey Into Night’ play a role in furthering live art and cultural diplomacy in a changing global marketplace challenged by increasing socio-political polarization and emerging forms of media.'" Image from article: Sydney Theatre Company artistic director Andrew Upton, seen here in rehearsal for "Long Day's Journey Into Night," will discuss international collaboration with Portland's Allen Nause.

Culture Curry - Times of India: "The big-budget cultural agreement signed by India and the UK on Thursday was the first time the former colonial ruler thought of 'formalizing' cultural relations with India. Why? Was it belated recognition that cultural diplomacy oils the wheels of geopolitics? UK culture minister Jeremy Hunt, who signed the agreement admits it was recognition of India 'as an emerging superpower and one with which we should have closer links.'

The activities planned for the next six months make Britain seem deadly serious about engaging with India. ... India’s cultural secretary, Jawahar Sircar, says it is a sign that it is good to be successful. 'Our food, festivals, music and films are making waves around the world lately.' ... The agreement makes Britain the 123rd nation with which India will have such a pact. Sircar says India signed a big-focus cultural pact with Canada just last month. The US, which reportedly does not sign such agreements with any country, and Japan are the only two major countries with which India doesn’t have a cultural pact of sorts. ... Many countries already have cultural centres in India and those that do not are working on doing so, with relatively small and remote Hungary, Portugal, Switzerland and Iran setting up such centres in Delhi. Early next year, Brazil will start its cultural centre in the national capital. Officials say that in a sign that the Indian government is aware of its status as an 'emerging cultural superpower', the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) has been assigned a special two-year budget of Rs 75 crore. The ICCR’s brief is to 'bombard the world with images of India through cultural shows, film festivals, book fairs and food festivals,' says Sangeeta Bahadur, its deputy director general. Meanwhile, month-long Indian cultural events are underway in Bangladesh, Iran, Egypt, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. In 2011, the ICCR has planned major events for Canada, US, Brazil, Mexico and South Korea." See also (1) (2). Image from

Festival of Asian films in Delhi from August 18-22 - NetIndian: "Imaging Asia, a festival of more than 30 award winning Asian films, will be held here from August 18 to 22 to mark 20 years of the Network for Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC). ... Apart from a festival of NETPAC award-winning films, the five-day event will also feature a conference on Asian cinema; exhibitions on Asia's proto-cinemas and Sumi-e artists of Delhi; and performances of traditional Indian and Asian forms of pictorial storytelling. The event is being organised by NETPAC and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), the Instituto Cervantes, Alliance Francaise, India Habitat Centre and India International Centre. It is being held in collaboration with UNESCO, IGNCA, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Max Mueller Bhavan and the Habitat Film Club, and supported by the Public Diplomacy Division, Ministry of External Affairs."

Mohammed Rafi of Africa - Gajendra Singh, MWC News: "It was quite an experience for me and my children during their vacations in Dakar to watch Senegalese watching Hindi films in awe and wonder, clapping when an actor made his entry in the film the first time, even Mukri or Sundar. They lapped the Indian masala films

and others with their legends and myths . … The humble Bollywood masala film with its dances and songs can be used as a very powerful weapon of cultural diplomacy." Image from

Pak HC in Malaysia seeks KCCI proposals to boost bilateral trade‎ - Regional Times: "Pakistan High Commission in Malaysia anticipates proposals from the KCCI to multiply the Pak-Malaysia bilateral trade prospects. This was stated by Pakistan High Commissioner-designate to Malaysia Khalid Masood in a meeting with officials of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said a KCCI statement here on Wednesday. Masood stated that Pak-Malaysia maintain the first FTA between Islamic countries who are the members of OIC. ... He emphasised on better trade relations which actually lead to enhanced political relationship. Cultural diplomacy and role of private sector is very important in projecting a positive perception of the country abroad."

Feature: Bohol as ASEAN cultural capital for July - Philippine Information Agency: "The magically-lit Abatan river and the equally spectacular performance by the Teatro Abatan conspired to assert Bohol's hold

as Asia's Cultural Capital in July. ... No less than NCCA Executive Director Cecille Guidote-Alvarez who used to described culture as 'an engine for economic growth, a building block of social creation, an asset of national pride and a force for education and social transformation, as well as an effective tool for cultural diplomacy' heaped praises for Bohol." Candidates for Miss Bohol image from

Stress laid on boosting Pak-Malaysia trade‎ - The Express Tribune: "A little focused attention can help multiply existing bilateral trade between Pakistan and Malaysia that is only worth $2 billion, stated the Ambassador-designate to Malaysia, Masood Khalid. ... Khalid underscored the need of better trade relations which will actually lead to enhanced political relationship. He focused on cultural diplomacy and role of private sector for removing the negative perception of Pakistan abroad and called for highlighting success stories and strengths of the nation, which cannot be accomplished without the help of private sector. See also.

Morocco welcomes closer economic ties - Viet Nam News - "Jul 29, 2010: The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco, El Houcine Fardani, discusses ties with Viet Nam in the lead up to his country's National Day today. Fardani: Since the opening of the Moroccan Embassy in Ha Noi in 2006, we have been trying to promote cultural exchanges between our two countries. As I mentioned before, cultural activities will accompany the anniversary of diplomatic relations. Over the past four years, the embassy has participated in various cultural activities in the framework of the International Francophonie Day,

during which we showed films of Morocco to a wide public. Also, the embassy took part in the Cultural Diplomacy Year 2009, initiated by the Vietnamese Government." Image from

Swaziland supports TW's joining int'l organizations - Radio Taiwan International: "Visiting Swaziland King Mswati III says his country will continue supporting Taiwan's bid to join UN-affiliated international organizations. In a meeting with Legislature President Wang Jin-pyng, Mswati III reaffirmed his pledge. ... Mswati III also met with President Ma Ying-jeou. The president told Swaziland's head of state that improved cross-strait ties have been affirmed by the international community. 'On the diplomatic front, we will continue our flexible diplomacy approach, and will place great emphasis on honesty, humanitarianism, economics and trade, and cultural diplomacy,' said Ma. 'It is our hope that we can expand relations with our allies in those areas. Under the framework of a cooperative agreement reached between the Republic of China and Swaziland, we are willing to offer assistance to [Swaziland].'" See also.

Las Cruces Plans Two-Months Of Jazz And Arts Events‎ - KRWG 90.7: "'Jam Session in Las Cruces,' a two-month long series of events that focus on the art and culture of jazz, will take place at various city locations between December 10, 2010 and February 3, 2011. The project will feature multi-media exhibits, concerts, films, public gallery talks, and educational outreach to students of all ages. The centerpiece of the project is an exhibit on loan from the Meridian International Center in Washington, D.C. titled 'Jam Session: America's Jazz Ambassadors Embrace the World.'

The exhibit tells the story of American cultural diplomacy as the U.S. Department of State sent jazz musicians around the world beginning in the mid-1950s. In Las Cruces, the exhibit will be housed at the Branigan Cultural Center and will be open for public viewing Tuesday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. each day." Image from

RELATED ITEMS

Foreign Service shortages in Iraq - letter to the editor, Mark R. Kennon, Washington Post: "I was intrigued by Susan R. Johnson's Aug. 5 letter stating that the problem of State Department employees refusing to 'volunteer' to serve in Iraq never happened. Perhaps it didn't, but I remember it clearly. I faced, and suffered from, that same problem every day of the 17 months I spent in Iraq (January 2004-May 2005). Indeed, the deputy head of governance for the Coalition Provisional Authority told me when I got to Baghdad that he had come to Iraq because his former boss had spent so much time complaining about his inability to get Foreign Service officers to go to Iraq.

I also remember the political counselor at the embassy apologizing to me for failing to properly staff the regional embassy office in Mosul that I headed. Most of all, I remember the persistent effort of State Department officials to distort personnel statistics in an attempt to create the impression that the embassy and constituent posts were fully staffed. In reality, not only did we never have the full number of employees but most of those who did serve lacked the qualifications that State Department rules indicated they should possess. Mark R. Kennon, Shenyang, China. The writer was governorate coordinator for Salah-a-Din province, Tikrit, from January through June 2004 and head of the regional embassy office in Mosul from July 2004 to June 2005." Image from

War Propaganda: Soldiers Become Pawns For The Powerful - Jake Diliberto, rethinkafghanistan.com: Americans need to send a sarcastic thank you to the Pentagon for their gifts of unwarranted war propaganda. Whether you are an anti-war activist or a pro-Afghan war cheerleader everyone needs to be aware our collective canard. The war gag is over. The truth curtain has fallen. The gig is up. Anyone with careful eye sees the war in Afghanistan is not going as smoothly as previously advertised.

Roald Dahl: the spy who loved me: In an exclusive extract from his new Roald Dahl biography, Donald Sturrock recounts how, as a dashing young air attaché, the writer enraptured New York society’s greatest beauties - Donald Sturrock, telegraph.co.uk: Children’s fiction writer Roald Dahl’s

remit to Washington in the early Forties mainly involved dealing with press and public relations, but he would also have been aware of a complex network of British undercover operations being manipulated from New York by one of the war’s most eccentric figures – the buccaneering Canadian industrialist and businessman William Stephenson. A former boxing champion and pioneering First World War aviator, Stephenson’s business acumen and flair for technical innovation had, by the mid-Twenties, made him a millionaire several times over. Churchill admired him and selected him to run a wartime secret-service network based in the United States called British Security Coordination (BSC). Established initially to promote UK interests in the United States and counter Nazi propaganda, BSC soon became involved in more clandestine activities ranging from training spies to publishing horoscopes from Hitler’s former astrologer that predicted the Führer’s imminent demise. Dahl image from article