"[W]e are outsourcing our mental functions to the global prosthetic brain."
--James Gleick, "Auto Crrect Ths!" New York Times; image from
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
A clean slate - dawn.com, Shamila N. Chaudhary, dawn.com: "Rather than propose oft-repeated strategies like containment or a predictable, issues-focused approach advocating for more aid or public diplomacy, I suggest we look to US ties with Indonesia and Israel — two countries the US occasionally spars with over controversial issues — for some perspective on a new US-Pakistan relationship. ... The notion that terrorism keeps throwing US-Pakistan relations off-kilter no longer holds if we consider that countries like Indonesia face similar predicaments of striking a balance between hedging against the threat of home-grown terrorists and meeting international demands. ... Israeli policies, such as a
refusal to comprehensively address the question of settlements, work against US interests in the region by stalling the Middle East peace process. But this does not lead to a complete breakdown in relations — Israel continues to receive billions of dollars in US support. The two countries have also built strong diplomatic, military and intelligence relationships that can withstand episodic political crises. This type of relationship shows that the US can sustain strategic ties with independent-minded countries whose policy decisions are often at odds with US interests." Image from
Censoring the Whistle - Bill Fisher, my.firedoglake.com: "Republicans on cable news have been hyperventilating about the White House leaking whistleblower information that makes the president look good before the election. Maybe so, maybe no. But whistleblowers’ information can work two ways. More often than not, news that ought to be disclosed is suppressed by people who worry that it will make the president look bad. And those self-appointed censors — including high-ranking military officers – need to be held accountable for spewing a barf of lies among the American people. The practice is known as Propaganda. No, not Public Diplomacy. Propaganda – in which despite the Obama Administration’s pledge of openness and accountability – the public is fed a menu of lies and half-truths designed to morph a bad war into a slightly less bad war, or boast about 'victories' in what is becoming a 'good war.' Such was the case when the American general who led a NATO training mission in Afghanistan opposed an investigation into corruption and 'Auschwitz-like' conditions at a US-funded hospital in Kabul for political reasons, US military officers told the House of Representatives Committee on Government Oversight last week."
NATO Admiral Says the Future of Global Security is Strategic Communication - csc.asu.edu: "The title of this post is my interpretation of what ADM James Stavridis, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and Commander of United States European Command (USEUCOM), says in a new TED Talk. To be fair, what he actually says is that strategic communication should be the means by which the partnerships of an open source security strategy will be knitted together. I’ve been admirer of ADM Stavridis for a long time, especially his embrace of social media and public diplomacy. ... In short,
ADM Stavridis’ thesis is that, in the 21st Century security environment—an environment dominated by maintaining and ensuring the mutual benefits of the global commons—a security posture predicated on building walls is ineffective and doomed to failure. In fact, one the implications of Admiral Stavridis’ position is that security is not something one state can possess and another state not possess. Security, itself, is a global common, in as much as the seas or cyberspace. Instead of building walls to create secure zones, he advocates building bridges between nations, militaries, NGOs and other organizations. Leveraging a social media inspired philosophy, ADM Stavridis says 'no one of us [person, nation, alliance] is as smart as all of us thinking together' and that linking international partners, interagency partners, private-public partners through social media (used strategically) will generate 'the sum of all security'." Image from entry
The Armenian Literary Tradition at the Library of Congress - Yelena Osipova, Global Chaos: "2012 marks the 500th anniversary of Armenian printing, as it was in 1512 that Hakob Meghapart (Jacob the Sinner) opened the first Armenian press in
exhibit's immense contribution to Armenian cultural and public diplomacy, in general. Hundreds of thousands of people visit the Library and I bet that many of them would not be able to identify Armenia on the world map, even if they have heard of the country before. This exhibit - right next door to Jefferson's legendary library collection, by the way - not only provides a crash course on the more recent part of the Armenian literary history, but it also contextualizes it within the Ottoman, Persian, Russian, European and American histories, without all the drama and tragic tone that usually accompanies such Armenian endeavors. And perhaps more important: independently from the Armenian government itself (whether financially, or otherwise)." Image from entry, with caption: The Armenian Exhibit poster at the main entrance of the Library of Congress
Social media 'weiplomacy' teaching Canada's Beijing embassy new tricks - Will Campbell, The Canadian Press: Diplomats toiling away in all corners of Canada's Beijing embassy are learning 'weiplomacy' and are being encouraged to start thinking 140 Chinese characters at a time, as social media updates make diplomatic staples appear obsolete. Internal Foreign Affairs memos detail the embassy's careful June 2011 launch of a 'weibo' - or microblog - in China, a country that keeps a tight grip on Internet speech and bans social media behemoths Twitter and Facebook. 'We entered the world of weibo with an open mind, and have often been surprised by what we have found,' said a note by the embassy's public diplomacy head weeks after the first status updates hit the 'Canadaweibo' account on Chinese Internet portal Sina.com. It was a big first step for Canadian diplomats looking to carve out a place in the fast-growing world of Chinese cyber-diplomacy. ... 'Chinese netizens are indifferent or even hostile to tweets that appear bureaucratic and formulaic,' a memo advised. 'The DFAIT (Foreign Affairs) staple of Canadian VIP + local counterpart shaking hands in formal settings is the one image guaranteed to elicit mocking comments.' What works best, the memos say, are tweets on travel, food and studying in Canada, as well as posts about jobs and visas. ... Potential weibo fodder is sent from across the embassy's sections and Canada's three China consulates for review by the mission's public diplomacy desk - not minders back in Ottawa - with even Canadian Ambassador David Mulroney submitting to the vetting process. Canada's account was created following weibos being set up by embassies from the U.S., United Kingdom, France, Australia and Japan."
CIEE and The Mitchell Institute to Honor the 2012 CIEE and Mitchell Institute International Fellow and Former Senator George Mitchell - rachel-long.com: "This spring, CIEE and The Mitchell Institute selected two exemplary, globally minded students from current Mitchell Scholars to participate in an innovative diplomacy internship.
In June, Amanda Hall, a Yale University rising junior majoring in American Studies, and Spencer Traylor, a Colby College rising sophomore with an interest in Middle Eastern Studies, had the unprecedented opportunity of examining firsthand the elements that contribute to successful peace processes and public diplomacy and those factors that inhibit success in two of the worlds most contentious regions: Belfast, Ireland, (Hall) and Amman, Jordan (Traylor). The students met with local experts and government officials, explored communities and cultures, and engaged with faculty participants of CIEE International Faculty Development Seminars onsite." Mitchell as a young man image from. On CIEE, see.
CULTURAL DIPLOMACY
Ramin Mehmanparast: East must Protect its Values Against Western Media Empire - kabirnews.com: "Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast advices Eastern countries to protect their values against Western Media Empire. 'General diplomacy (cultural diplomacy) has turned to one of the most efficient ways of communications between two nations. The functionality rate of the general diplomacy is forming the main part of countries’ policies. Western media are trying to effect people via general diplomacy and lead the generality as they want.'
Ramin Mehmanparast said. 'At the most time, media in Western countries analyze the wrong news and report the false stories from other countries to change the mind of audiences. They put much money on their general diplomacy strategies as we see in their local cinema and Hollywood.' Ramin Mehmanparast reiterated. 'Western countries tend to change the culture of people in Eastern countries and impose their own weak culture. One of the reasons of their job may be the backend of their culture. Western don’t have historical culture.' Ramin Mehmanparast added." Uncaptioned image from article
Baptiste-Cornelis: ‘Politics is full of liars’ - trinidadexpress.com: "The ... lecture on cultural diplomacy given by Trinidad and Tobago’s Ambassador to the United Nations Therese Baptiste-Cornelis in Switzerland ... [has been slammed] on the social networking sites. ... [From the speech:] Cultural diversity ... is recognizing that the addition of the culture is aimed at sustainable development. For Trinidad and Tobago culture is very important, culture is the main element of our life.
Development can only be truly sustainable if only grows out of our cultural identity. Culture diversity is a vehicle for social cohesion. There is a need for greater public discussion. Creative ideas are not national innovation systems. So there is a need for greater public discussion. Natural resources are finite, but creative ideas are not. National innovation systems and IP enforcement must be strengthened around the world. Image from article, with caption: Speaking Her Mind: Former minister of health and current Ambassador to Geneva, Therese Baptiste-Cornelis, is shown in a screen grab from a YouTube posting as she delivers a lecture on cultural diplomacy in Geneva, Switzerland, in June.
Colombia's "cultural diplomacy" in Asia promotes trade, investment - Shanghai Daily (subscription) [From Google entry]
RELATED ITEMS
Afghan aid project not a road to nowhere - Ronald E. Neumann, Washington Post: In foreign assistance, we are often tied in knots trying to avoid failure through detailed studies while trying to move quickly. This is particularly true in crises, when time for leisurely study doesn’t exist. We desperately need a bureaucratic culture that seeks out and rewards innovation and experimentation. Yes, some ideas may truly be stupid. Many others, like many small-business start-ups, will look like good ideas and fail for any number of reasons. Unreflective “gotcha” yelling about failure will ensure only a do-nothing bureaucracy; finger-pointing comes easier than thinking.
Afghan army faces anti-Muslim propaganda - Kathy Gannon, Associated Press, theeagle.com: Among the huge challenges it faces in taking over from the departing U.S. and NATO armies, Afghanistan’s new army is up against the myth that its troops aren’t Muslims. Taliban propaganda has sought to plant the notion that because it works with foreign forces, the Afghan National Army must be a heathen one. So when villagers see his soldiers drop to their knees in mid-patrol and recite the daily prayer, they’re surprised, says Lt. Col. Abdul Wakil Warzajy, a battalion commander. “Until they see us praying,” he says, “they think that we are like the foreigners — infidels.”
From the Soviet invasion of 1979 through the ensuing civil wars, from the rise of the warlords and their militias to the U.S.-led invasion that followed the 9/11 attacks, ordinary Afghans can barely remember having had an army they could call their own. Image from, with caption: These Pics Are From Kabul, Afghanistan In December 1959, When Eisenhower Went On His World Tour. Notice The Very Clear Wermacht (Nazi Army) Influence In Uniforms.
In Iraq, scenes of hope and fear seven months after U.S. troops’ departure - Kevin Sullivan, Washington Post: Seven months after the last U.S. troops left their country, Iraqis are surprisingly optimistic about the future, given the horrors of war they have endured for nearly a decade.
Housing developments, shopping centers and hospitals are rising from the rubble, stores that had been closed for years are reopening, and old familiar sights — busy ice cream parlors and Baghdad’s famous red double-decker buses — are returning. But every step forward is weighed down by continued bloodshed, brutality and corruption. Image from article
Syria: The Conversation That's Largely Missing - Yelena Osipova, Global Chaos: The issue is that - just as on numerous occasions in the past - the reporting about, coverage of and general discourse surrounding the events are seen either as "the truth," "plain propaganda" or "deliberate-and-therefore-justified counter-propaganda."
There is an information war going on now, among the various parties involved. Yet, even the supposedly sophisticated media and information consumers quite often - and very easily - fall into the very same trap: that of oversimplification and of the quest to find "the right truth." Image from
Al Qaeda, The CIA and Media Propaganda directed Against Syria - Devon DB, globalresearch.ca: The ‘objective’ news network PBS has been (and still is) engaging in the media propaganda war against the Syrian government, from perpetuating the myth about Syrian Migs attacking rebel fighters to calling the Syrian rebels “underdogs.”
War Torn Syria Photoshop Propaganda Exposed! [video] - Socio-Economics History Blog
Meshing realism and idealism in Middle East - Henry A. Kissinger, Washington Post: U.S. foreign policy is neither the cause of, nor the solution to, all shortcomings in other countries’ domestic governance — especially in the Middle East. If the United States erred in the Cold War period by excessive emphasis on the security element, it now runs the risk of confusing sectarian populism with democracy. Amid these tremors, the debate regarding the determinants of U.S. foreign policy is reigniting. Realists judge the events from the perspective of security strategy; idealists see them as an opportunity to promote democracy. But the choice is not between the strategic and the idealistic. If we cannot combine both elements, we will achieve neither.
“Twiplomacy” Won’t Replace Diplomacy - Connor Baker, blog.heritage.org: According to a new study done by PR firm Burson-Marsteller, two-thirds of the world’s leaders have joined Twitter, including 16 members of the G-20. But while Twitter is a powerful tool, it has its limits and will never replace traditional diplomacy. Tweets resonating from world leaders encompass 43 different languages, with English and Spanish leading the way. Of these leaders, President Barack Obama’s @BarackObama feed is the most popular at 17.8 million followers, 76 of which are either other leaders or official government Twitter accounts. The study showed that, altogether, leaders have sent more than 350,000 tweets to almost 52 million followers. Such statistics point to a new wave of diplomacy sometimes dubbed “Twiplomacy.” But unlike true diplomacy efforts, which require two-way communication, the tweets sent out by world leaders often fall on deaf ears and lack conversation among the participants. To be effective, governments must hear as well as speak. Most government leaders aren’t actively listening to other leaders or citizens on Twitter—true diplomacy isn’t really happening. Furthermore, most Twitter accounts go dark following elections, indicating that leaders see Twitter as a tool to speak to voters but little else.
99 Ways to Be Naughty in Kazakhstan - Edith Zimmerman, New York Times: Cosmo, the best-selling monthly magazine in the United States, has morphed into a global juggernaut.
Image from article, with caption: The Cosmo universe now includes 64 international editions distributed in more than 100 countries in 35 languages.
Perspective: Gore Vidal, connoisseur of empires -- The author reveled in the spectacle of ancient and modern power grabs - Reed Johnson, latimes.com: What Vidal implicitly and explicitly challenged in his voluminous output was the idea of American exceptionalism, the notion (much in vogue today in certain circles) that the country is uniquely favored among nations and therefore its actions in the long run can't be anything but noble and beneficial for the human race.
Book review: The illuminating 'Betrayal of the American Dream': Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele's look at the betrayal of the American dream is essential reading to anyone trying to make sense of the U.S.' current malaise - Hector Tobar, latimes.com: Three decades of laissez-faire business strategies and government policies have undercut the American middle class and the underpinnings of American democracy.
That's the central argument of "The Betrayal of the American Dream." Image from article
The sad paintings of L. Paul Bremer III - Cara Parks, Foreign Policy: You may remember L. Paul Bremer III as the administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) immediately following the U.S.-led invasion of
rare female nude [above], the title of which -- Nude with Matisse Colors (2009) -- refers to innovative French artist Henri Matisse.
Above Image from article (via PVB on Facebook); other image from
IMAGE
From Soviet Women; via LV on facebook
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