June 7

"No wonder people are nostalgic for USIA: at least it had a name."

--International Broadcasting blogger Kim Andrew Elliott; image from; on USIA, see

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Dittohead wants more US propaganda via internet. A job for the Whatchamacallit for Public Diplomacy? - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting: "I need to discuss the public diplomacy activities of the State Department. The problem is that there is no Bureau of Public Diplomacy or Division of Public Diplomacy within the State Department that I can refer to. There is the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, but that is a person, not a bureaucratic entity. (No wonder people are nostalgic for USIA: at least it had a name.) So, for lack of a name, I will have to call whatever it is the Department of State's Whatchamacallit for Public Diplomacy. Under the State Department's Whatchamacallit for Public Diplomacy are, for example, Arabic-speaking members of the Digital Outreach Team who respond to blog posts in the region. Now that social media have become fashionable, the State Department has developed its own Twitter and Facebook accounts in Arabic, Persian, and other languages. Responding to internet trends, the Whatchamacallit

has even decommissioned America.gov, its set-piece public diplomacy website, in favor of social media efforts. ... In order for flat-out propaganda to succeed, it needs content that appeals to the prejudices of the audience, just as Rush Limbaugh appeals to the liberal-disliking proclivities of America's midsection. A propaganda website by the Whatchamacallit for Public Diplomacy targeted to the Middle East might have to include anti-America, anti-Israeli, anti-other-than-Muslim-religion themes. ... Probably best to stick to straight news. That service is not provided by the Whatchamacallit for Public Diplomacy, but by the various entities under the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which acts as a firewall, to protect the independence of the journalism." Image from

6 June 2011, Mon, SoS Clinton and Staff Schedules - rushlimbaughreport.blogspot.com: "US FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS JUDITH MCHALE 9:30 a.m. Under Secretary McHale attends Secretary Clinton’s launch of the Women's World Cup Initiative and the kick-off of the 40th Anniversary Year of Title IX, at the Department of State. (OPEN PRESS COVERAGE)"

VOA director Dan Austin departs this week - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting: "Over the years, VOA directors have swung the pendulum between journalism and something less salubrious. Dan Austin will be remembered for keeping VOA on the journalistic side."

National Slayer Day!!! - The History of Opinion, Brazzaville, Congo: Ruminations about life in the Foreign Service, music, politics, and anything else that I happen to be engaged in: "In honor of National Slayer Day yesterday, I sent this email: Hey Everybody, I just wanted to take a few minutes of everyone’s time to point out how PD a missed huge opportunity to spread American culture today. As most, nay, all of you know, it is International Slayer Day, a day set aside to honor the true kings of Thrash Metal from the 80s. However, in what I am sure is a tragic oversight,

I see nothing in the PD calendar which will honor our most visible proponents of bombast and awesome riffage. ... Yours in rock, Colin The email was (I am hoping it is obvious) supposed to be facetious. A lighthearted response to the overt seriousness of an Embassy. 30 minutes later, my wife and head of the Public Diplomacy section sent me this reply: Colin, Seriously. This is like Robert, a trained plumber, getting upset we did nothing for international toilet day. While we’ve missed the train on this event, you’re still invited to discuss metal music in great length with Villa Washington English Club members before we leave. In fact, I think it would be a missed opportunity not to do so since they will likely not find anyone with this knowledge in Brazzaville for years to come. Shayna."  Image from

Royal Norwegian Consul General Mykletun to visit Festival - Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Omaha: Celebrating our shared heritage and culture in the Midlands: "The Royal Norwegian Consul General Dr. Jostein Mykletun will honor us by attending the 2ndannual Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Omaha this Sunday.

Cultural exchange is the Consulate General’s overall mission in public diplomacy, so the Festival is the ideal event for the him to meet the greater Omaha community." Mykletun image from article

Kill The DJ Plays Their Public Diplomacy Role - morningtology.wordpress.com: "Kill The DJ, an Indonesian artist hit Big Apple. Their only weapon is Javanese Rap. I think this is a creative way to play public diplomacy role. Kill The DJ and friends engage

foreign public especially the Big Apple’s public with their beats. They plays modern rap, but their biggest selling point is, they use Javanese. I think, Indonesian government should support such creative movement. I believe that there are many advantage for the country. The most important thing, such creative movement will be Indonesian soft power." Image from article

Shaping Israel’s image in the world: Interview: Minister of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Yuli Edelstein tells 'The Jerusalem Post' about the importance of Israel-Diaspora relations - Joshua Hamerman, Jerusalem Post: "Even if the State of Israel had no external image problem, Israel-Diaspora relations would be a priority for the Israeli government, said Yuli Edelstein, the Jewish state’s minister of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs. ‘The Jewish communities are very eager to participate in this effort, not only because they support the State of Israel but because they understand that we are inextricably linked,' Edelstein told The Jerusalem Post ... 'The moment Israel’s image goes down, like it did in Operation Cast Lead, there are anti-Semitic acts and attacks on certain Jewish communities, to say nothing about swastikas and other anti-Semitic images all around.’ Despite the enthusiasm from Diaspora communities, Edelstein, 52, admitted that strengthening Israel- Diaspora relations is a much more challenging task than it was 20 years ago. ... The Ministry of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs is engaged in about 80 hasbara projects, though not all of its initiatives are credited. ‘There are projects we support in different forms without making it very public or writing in big capital letters ‘sponsored by the Ministry of Public Diplomacy.’ I think it’s part of the rules of the game because in this modern world, especially on the Web, things that have a big stamp of this or that government are immediately suspected of being propaganda. I don’t mean to imply that we are putting out propaganda and operating anonymously, but to support younger projects and more popular initiatives without labeling them as government activities is, I think, very important.’ One of the ministry’s pilot programs, Face of Israel, will be expanded. ... He also said the ministry is ‘seriously working’ on the launch of a 24-hour satellite television news network which would broadcast content about Israel. He has spoken with investors interested in backing such a project, including billionaire Alexander Machkevitch.”

Sore Loser and Sores of Loss - Nurit Greenger: newsblaze.com: "Israel, is probably the country that needs to have the best Public Relations (PR) and Public Diplomacy-'Hasbarah services,' yet, to its dismay, it has failed in this field rather miserably. ... It is Israel that really wants peace and cannot get it no matter what she had tried to do to achieve it. It is the Arabs, who do not want peace, thus are invoking a constant state of possible war with Israel, which cause them set back in many aspects."

[No Title] - consehost.com: "China's Foreign Ministry is the national co-ordination and organization in charge of public diplomacy. Foreign Ministry spokesman system, open days, the Blue Room forum, the official website and other forms of interaction, vivid,

and effectively play the role of foreign policy declaration. Chinese embassies and consulates are also carried out various forms of public diplomacy." Image from, with caption: High Level Delegation From China Visits USC to Discuss Public Diplomacy Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Challenging Australian stereotypes through soft power diplomacy - ABC Radio Australia: "A conference on public diplomacy has heard that Australia needs to do more to promote an international image that moves beyond narrow stereotypes. Opposition senator Russell Trood says the Department of Foreign Affairs lacks a coherent strategy to influence how Australia's seen by the rest of the world. He says investing more resources in public diplomacy would help Australia attract more investment, tourists and international students. But the Department says projecting a positive image of Australia has always been part of its core business. Reporter: Joanna McCarthy Speakers: Russell Trood, Opposition senator; Margaret Adamson, assistant secretary for public diplomacy, Dept of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia."

Unity the key for new Indigenous congress‎ - Jeff Waters, ABC Online: "As it gathers for the first time, the new National Congress of Australia's First Peoples does so under a dark cloud of sustained criticism. Never mind the fact the infant body is the first attempt at a democratic representative body for Indigenous Australians. And never mind that it is completely independent of government; overseen by a non-voting ethics council designed to field complaints and investigate any perceived wrongdoing. ... The chairmanship of the board of the new body is being shared between two elected officials: a former director general of the NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs, Jody Broun, and the president of the Foundation for Aboriginal and Islander Research Action

(and a full-time Indigenous issues delegate to the United Nations), Les Malezer. ... Mr Malezer says he's already happy with mechanisms which distance the congress from government - including the fact that, as a registered company under the Corporations Act, the congress should be able to operate without outside political interference. ... He [Malezer] says he'll be advocating the importance of what he calls a broader 'public diplomacy'. 'The national congress will be very interested in dealing with the national government of Australia, but we're also very interested in meeting with other sectors - for example with unions, with the education sector, with the private sector and with the public generally, and the media. We want to engage in all those different areas to sell our messages, to have our voice being heard widely.'" Image from article, with caption: Unlike ATSIC [Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission], the congress is more democratic - though not completely.

Breaking Pita - Paul Rockower, Levantine: "Off to go have dinner with the Pakistan-Israel Peace Forum, a group trying to foster exchange between said groups through public diplomacy. Last time we broke naan over chicken krahi, this time we will be breaking pita over falafel. For more info on such biz, check out my chapter on Pakistan-Israeli relation that was published in Prof. Moshe Ma'oz (ed) Muslim Attitudes towards Jews and Israel."

RELATED ITEMS

The Spirit That Binds - Roger Cohen, New York Times: Trans-Atlantic relations are O.K. In the Obama administration’s measured hands they have recovered from the Bush buffeting. They do not transfix. They function. In so far as the United States is interested in Europe it is interested in what can be done together in the rest of the world.

The Arab Spring reminds us of what does still bind the United States and Europe: values of human dignity and freedom. The trans-Atlantic relationship is an empty vessel if not used when the yearning of less fortunate peoples touches on what binds us most intimately. Image from 

What to do about Libya’s stalemate? - Anne Applebaum, Washington Post: A steady but relentless bombing campaign, generous humanitarian aid and training for the rebels, a bit of patience, and we’re done with Gaddafi without too much fuss or boots on the ground. Alas, this scenario fails to take into account Gaddafi’s staying power — what is his incentive to leave? — the costs of this operation and the consequent domestic politics. Here is Obama's gamble: that Gaddafi will fall before Congress has focused on the costs of the war, that the war will be over before the public questions his tactics — and that no one will notice that there isn’t a Plan B. Does he double down or quit?

Libya government fails to prove claims of NATO casualties - Simon Denyer, Washington Post: Nearly three months into NATO’s bombing campaign, Moammar Gaddafi’s government churns out daily propaganda about the alliance supposedly inflicting civilian casualties. Last week, it said that 718 people had died from mid-March to late May and that 4,067 had suffered significant injuries. But it has failed to show foreign journalists more than a handful of dead or wounded people. Indeed, when reporters are taken on official trips, what they see suggests that NATO is being accurate and careful. The propaganda machine grinds on, with officials filling out reports of trips conducted for the news media, perhaps without even admitting to themselves that no one had been convinced.Not that NATO is beyond reproach in this surreal propaganda war. In late May, the British government declared that it had used precision-guided weapons to bring down guard towers at Gaddafi’s Bab al-Aziziyah compound and said that the Libyan regime would no longer be able to hide behind “high walls” to spread terror and crush opposition. A trip to the area the following day showed the towers and the walls still intact. In the real war, rather than the propaganda one, rebels Monday seized all of the mountain town of Yafran, 60 miles southwest of Tripoli, driving Gaddafi’s forces from the lower end of the town, where they had been camped for more than a month.

Libya Stokes Its Machine Generating Propaganda - John F. Burns, New York Times: With Colonel Qaddafi effectively a fugitive in his own capital; with Libyan rebels making important gains in recent days in the western mountains; with growing food shortages; and with an urban underground in Tripoli

capable of mounting mass protests that the government can suppress only with deadly fire, the government now seems to be relying ever more heavily on its propaganda machine. Image from article, with caption: Rebel fighters inspected a burning house on Monday in the mountain town of Yafran, about 60 miles southwest of Tripoli. The rebels entered the town on Monday

NATO Knocks Out Gadhafi TV - Spencer Ackerman, Wired: Looking to watch Moammar Gadhafi’s latest semi-lucid harangue? Even if the recently reclusive dictator decided to face a bank of cameras again, it’d be for naught: NATO just pulled the plug on his regime’s television channel. Libya’s Information Ministry announced that NATO bombs struck al-Jamahiriyah TV’s Tripoli offices during a Monday daylight raid. Little wonder: Libyan state television has for months broadcast calls for towns to be “cleansed” of rebels. “NATO has clearly hit what it was aiming at,” tweets al-Jazeera reporter Cal Perry.

The station appears to be accessible on the Internet, but its “signal is cracking from #Tripoli.” Indeed, the website of Gadhafi’s televised propaganda apparatus is still online, offering videos that showcase a “speech of defiance” from the dictator and features on the “grand popular celebrations” in favor of his 38-year rule. There’s even an English language adjunct, so Gadhafi’s international messages don’t get garbled by Google Translate. Image from article

Libya: government use injured baby in propaganda stunt: In a Tripoli hospital, the Gaddafi regime's propaganda attempts are cruelly exposed as Libyan government officials present a baby girl as a victim of a Nato airstrike only for it to be revealed that she was injured in a car crash - telegraph.co.uk

Exposed – the Libyan regime propaganda - Aussie, History of the world – sans revisionism: In this “war,” Libya has been hellbent on presenting propaganda to be consumed by the war. However, it does not take long for most of the propaganda to be unravelled. This is just another example of how Gadhafi has seized upon situations and tried to present the situation in one light, but the truth is very different.

Zionist Propaganda Regarding Golan Massacre - jnoubiyeh.com: AFP) - Israeli forces on Monday braced for fresh unrest along the Syrian ceasefire line a day after they reportedly killed 23 trying to break through to mark the 1967 Six Day War. Troops in the Golan were

on high alert after Sunday's bloodshed in which Syrian state television said 23 people were killed and 350 wounded when the Israeli army opened fire on protesters trying to cross the frontier. The Israeli army said the Syrian figures were "exaggerated" with a spokeswoman saying just 10 protesters had been killed after they threw firebombs which set off land mines in the Syrian section of no-man's land. Image from article

Oy vay! Foreskin Man sparks cutting-edge scandal: Campaign literature sports Aryan superhero battling stereotyped Jewish 'Monster Mohel' - Bob Unruh, wnd.com: An organizer behind a growing campaign to outlaw circumcision for infant boys now has created a comic book specifically targeting that Jewish practice, and critics say he's gone too far by using Nazi images and stereotypes. "This comic is modern anti-Semitism at its best.

It is one story to fight against circumcision, and another to portray Jews in a false anti-Semitic stereotype. The Jewish depictions look like they came right out of Nazi Germany propaganda in the 1930s and 1940s," wrote Hailey Dilman in a commentary at Digital Journal. The comic is called "Foreskin Man" by MGMBill Comics. Its first edition was launched last year by Matthew Hess, who is president of the campaign lobbying for a vote that would end "male genital mutilation." According to the Anti-Defamation League, the comic book's "Monster Mohel" and its "grotesque anti-Semitic imagery and themes" are "disrespectful and deeply offensive." Image from article, with caption: 'Monster Mohel' in anti-circumcision comic book

Joseph Nye picks 5 books about power - washingtonpost.com: Among them: 4. Power: A Radical View, by Steven Lukes (1974). This book on radical views of power follows a tradition of people writing that power was the ability to get others to do what they otherwise wouldn’t do. Lukes said, wait a minute, if I can set the agenda so that your items don’t even arise for us to discuss, then I don’t have to twist your arm. What’s more, if I can establish your preferences, then I don’t have to coerce you to get you to do what I want. What Lukes did was to identify three faces of power: coercion and payments (or sticks and carrots); setting the agenda so that your issues don’t come up; and shaping your preferences so that you want what I want and I don’t have to spend anything on carrots and sticks.

CIA Financed Book Distribution Programs: Part Two, Radio Liberty Committee - Richard H. Cummings, Cold War Radios: In Part One we looked at the CIA financed book distribution program of the Free Europe Committee, below we

will take a brief look at the little-known Radio Liberty Committee (RLC) book program, in particular the leadership of Isaac (Ike) Patch. Although files and documents relating to RLC's book distribution program remain basically closed, we can still have a glimpse into this important Cold War activity. Parallel to Radio Free Europe, the short-wave international radio network that became known as Radio Liberty was covertly financed by the CIA from its beginning. Eventual financial support from U.S. Government funds for Radio Liberty would amount to $160 million. Image from article

Gulag Revelations - Dan Lieberman, thepeoplesvoice.org: Steven A. Barnes, Assistant Professor in the Department of History and Art History at Virginia's George Mason University is the researcher and the book is The Gulag’s Foundation In Kazakhstan. Barnes: "The most salient feature of the Gulag was an apparent paradox: forced labor, high death rates and an oppressive atmosphere of violence, cold and constant hunger coexisted with camp newspapers and cultural activities, a constant propaganda barrage

of correction and reeducation and the steady release of a significant portion of the prisoner population. The Bolsheviks could not escape their fundamental belief in the malleability of the human soul and they believed that labor was the key to reforging criminals. The very harshness of the Gulag was seen as necessary to break down a prisoner’s resistance in order to rebuild him or her into a proper Soviet citizen. If a prisoner refused correction, the brutality of the Gulag would lead to inevitable death, for the Bolsheviks were no humanitarians. If mistakes were to be made, they believed it was better to kill too many than too few." Image from article

ONE MORE QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"sexting"

--The online behavior of Rep. Anthony Weiner