September 29

"As a veteran of World War 2, I know propaganda when I see it. ... Trust me."

--Gene Glarson, letter to the editor to redding.com; image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Thank you, Admiral Mullen!‎ - Shamshad Ahmad, South Asian News Agency: "Coercive and sometimes accusatory and slanderous approaches towards Pakistan, its armed forces and security agencies have been counterproductive and have only fuelled anti-Americanism. Any perceptional differences could have been sorted out through mutual dialogue channels, not through media or military-led public diplomacy. There is something fundamentally wrong with US public diplomacy when it comes to Pakistan. Our most distinguished frequent diplomatic interlocutors from Washington are not State Department officials but hardcore senior officials and military commanders from the Pentagon and the CIA. Leon Panetta, Admiral Mike Mullen,

Gen Petraeus, and the likes of Bruce Reidel are now the ones calling ‘diplomatic’ shots when it comes to Pakistan. Ambassador Munter, poor he, is standing on the margins caught in this most undiplomatic CIA-led militarist volley against Pakistan. It is time to correct this approach lest the mastless US public diplomacy leads to total alienation of this country and its 180 million people. Indeed, since 9/11, it is the US military or the CIA that communicates with foreign audiences, at times through missiles and drone attacks. American diplomacy in Pakistan, in particular, is a classic manifestation of this approach. According to a veteran US diplomat, this 'mission creep' has gone way out of hand. Pentagon-led US public diplomacy is a dismal failure. Never in our history did we have so much public resentment against US policies and behaviour. Critics all around, Washington insiders and the public beyond the Beltway, members of both major political parties, even America’s friends abroad, all recognise that US public diplomacy has had a great fall. A number of separate studies, reports and findings on American diplomacy prepared by academic groups and non-governmental commissions endorse this conclusion. The common theme in these reports is that the US now has totally different priorities in the world. US image-building is now left to the Pentagon, leaving very little to non-military institutions for articulation of America’s 'ideas and ideals' overseas and advance its foreign policy goals. Instead of continuing with the lamentable 'blame game' using Pakistan as an easy 'scapegoat' for their own failures in this war, the US and its allies must accept the reality that for Pakistan, Afghanistan is an area of fundamental strategic importance. ... The problem is not the US-Pakistan relationship. The problem is its poor and shortsighted management on both sides. For Washington, it remains a transactional relationship. On our [Pakistani] side, this relationship has been used by our inept rulers solely as their political and economic crutches, and for their self-serving notorious deals. It is time to make this relationship a normal relationship based on mutuality rather than one-sided transactions, conditionality-based aid packages or notorious deals impinging on this country’s sovereign independence and dignity. ... The writer is a former foreign secretary."  Image from

Reinvigorating the US–Thailand Alliance‎ - Walter Lohman, Heritage.org: "With the Cold War long over, no Vietnam or Korean War to fight, a rising China that represents both a challenge and an opportunity, and a changed regional balance that presages a closer relationship between the U.S. and Vietnam, what the U.S.–Thai security alliance needs is not strategic context, but rescaled, vigorous cooperation.

The U.S. and Thailand should expand their relationship to fully enable a new era of security cooperation, trade, promotion of shared values, and public diplomacy cooperation, building on the U.S. embassy’s role as a nexus for regional relations. The U.S. needs to take stock of the vast pattern of cooperation already underway and engage in a sustained policy dialogue at multiple levels of government—including the highest—to make the best use of it." Image from

Public Schedule for September 29, 2011 - Public Schedule, Office of the Spokesperson, U.S. Department of State: ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS ANN STOCK "9:00 a.m. Assistant Secretary Stock delivers remarks via digital video conference to public affairs foreign service officers serving in the African Affairs Bureau who are meeting at the Department of State. (CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE) 2:00 p.m. Assistant Secretary Stock attends a selection committee meeting for the Department of State’s Achievement in Corporate Excellence awards, at the Department of State. (CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE) 5:00 p.m. Assistant Secretary Stock attends the swearing-in ceremony for Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs Dave Adams, at the Department of State. (MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOST)"

Diplomacy, Journalism, and the New Media – Part I - Daryl Copeland, Guerilla Diplomacy: "The elemental qualities of immediacy and interactivity that characterize Internet-based communications are particularly evident in the explosive growth of blogs and blogging. While not quite the equivalent of face-to-face contact, blogs represent something much closer to “live” conditions than the publication of documents posted on static Web sites. These attributes make blogs especially effective at breaking down cultural barriers. Bloggers from Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East have brought the human toll of those conflicts to desktops around the globe: executions have been streamed live on anti-occupation sites, and the Abu Ghraib prison pictures spread faster than Seymour Hersh’s writing in The New Yorker could ever be distributed.

Those images effectively branded the US presence in Iraq, and turned Bush-era public diplomacy into something akin to mission impossible. In the wake of developments such as these, it is not entirely surprising that Rand Corporation analysts recommended that the US military try Madison Avenue Internet marketing techniques to win hearts and minds in Iraq and Afghanistan. The most innovative, technologically sophisticated public diplomacy, however, will never be enough to compensate for failed policy. What a country does will always have more impact than what it says, and when those two dimensions diverge, the resulting “say-do gap” can have a devastating impact on international credibility, reputation and influence. In part as a result, the image and reputation of the USA in much of the Arab and Islamic world is today as bad, or even worse that was the case five years ago." Image from

Number three in NYC‎ - Editorial, Jakarta Post: "So much for our public diplomacy. When the Indonesia mission’s offices in New York City renege on paying parking fines and instead simply rake up the bills, what does it really say about the nation’s reputation abroad? The Foreign Ministry has been working hard and has succeeded in crafting Indonesia’s image as the third-largest democracy in the world, the largest democracy in a Muslim-majority nation and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono never tires in reminding us that as a member of the G20, Indonesia ranks among the 20 largest economies in the world. New Yorkers aren’t impressed. As far as they are concerned, Indonesia is the third largest offender of the city’s parking rules. This year, up until July, it had collected US$725,000 in parking fines, behind Egypt with $1.9 million and Nigeria with $1 million."

RELATED ITEMS

Sex and the Single Drone: The Latest in Guarding the Empire - Tom Engelhardt, Tom.Dispatch: When we build those bases on that global field of screams, when we send our armadas of drones out to kill, don’t be surprised if the rest of the world doesn’t see us as the good guys or the heroes, but as terminators.

It’s not the best way to make friends and influence people, but once your mindset is permanent war, that’s no longer a priority. It’s a scream, and there’s nothing funny about it. Image from

Trapped in Guantanamo: While once it was the conditions at the prison that were cause for concern, today it's the fact that scores of prisoners cleared for transfer remain in custody - Joseph Margulies, latimes.com: Conditions at Guantanamo are vastly superior to those at any maximum-security prison on the U.S. mainland. The military deserves the credit for improvements

at the prison, not the Obama administration. The whole truth is that the prison remains a disaster. While the great moral bankruptcy of the base was once its conditions, today it is the shameful fact that scores of prisoners who have been cleared for transfer by two administrations remain in custody. Image from article, with caption: The two Americans released this month by Iran have reported that when they complained about conditions in their Tehran prison, the jailers would "immediately remind us of comparable conditions at Guantanamo Bay."

The Defense Contractors of Islam‎ - Daniel Greenfield, FrontPage Magazine: The defense contractors of Islam have not only wormed their way deep into the national security infrastructure, often under false pretenses, but then, after sucking up

taxpayer money through defense contracts, they have turned around and used that money to fund Muslim groups tied to the Muslim Brotherhood and propaganda films featuring some of the same Islamic clerics whose disciples are trying to murder American soldiers on and off the battlefield. Image from article

Ahmadinejad Dismisses Propaganda Campaign against Iran as "Futile" - Fars News Agency: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stressed growing support for Iran among the world nations, and added that enemies' media and propaganda campaign against Tehran has and will fail to yield any result. Addressing a gathering of the war disabled in Tehran on Wednesday evening, Ahmadinejad said that today many nations of the world are supporting and standing right beside the just cause of the Iranian nation. He pointed to the enemies' negative and fabricated news on Iran, and noted, "The West's non-stop media campaign and propaganda against the Iranian nation and revolution will produce no effect."

Information Warfare: The Air War Over North Korea‎ - Hans Johnson, Strategy Page: North Korean refugees, operating from South Korea, have led the psyops (psychological warfare) effort against North Korea in recent years. They started shortwave radio transmissions with U.S. government funding and launched helium balloons loaded with DVDs and leaflets. The South Korean government had halted its official propaganda as part of an agreement with the North in 2004. But the torpedoing of a South Korean warship and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island last year changed all that. The South Korean military has jumped in with both feet. The Joint Chiefs of Staff established a psyops unit.

It resumed transmissions of the Voice of Freedom, an FM propaganda network. Voice of Freedom is produced in Seoul and then relayed via the military’s Mungunghwa 5 satellite to six FM transmitters along the DMZ. Programs include plenty of pop music in the popular (in North Korea) “trot” style. The station plans to expand to AM, a better choice as there are few FM receivers in North Korea. The military has joined the dissidents in distributing leaflets via balloons. Five ton trucks with printers aboard can produce up to 80,000 leaflets a day. The trucks receive the design and layout of a particular leaflet via a roof-top satellite dish. The leaflets are chosen from a database of 1,300 that are jointly produced by American and South Korean psyoperators. There can be as many as three launches a month if the wind and weather are right. A new leaflet is tried each month. Some South Korean lawmakers have objected to the military targeting North Korean civilians, but the effort continues. Another outlet is loudspeakers. Four have been set up in the DMZ. Measuring 4 by 3 meters, they can be heard 12 kilometers away during the day and twice as far at night. Each cost about $165,000. But they have yet to be turned on as North Korea threatened to shell any speaker that starts broadcasting. Image from

North Korea threatens to fire at loudspeakers‎ - UPI.com: South Korea says it is boosting its military presence at the demilitarized zone to thwart a possible assault by North Korea on propaganda loudspeakers.

Yonhap News Agency said South Korea has resumed its anti-Pyongyang propaganda operations after a six-year moratorium but has yet to resume using the loudspeakers. Image from article, with caption: North Korea has threatened to fire at the loudspeakers if they are returned to use. This undated Department of Defense photo shows a sign in the Demarcation Line (MDL) separating North and South Korea.

EuU Lessons In Schools Are Propaganda Not Education - Express.Co.UK: Not content with forcing British buildings (on pain of a fine) to fly the EU flag on Europe Day, Brussels is now determined to foist compulsory “European citizenship” lessons on our school children. Five‑year-olds will be taught the so‑called “benefits” of the EU. This is indoctrination pure and simple. It is outrageous that a non‑critical view of the EU should be the orthodoxy. Teach children about it by all means but give them the facts about the ongoing debate over federalism and the superstate.

Retiring Abroad? Making a list and checking it thrice. They will find out who's naughty or nice- John C. Dyer, UK correspondent, Whirled View

Bomb at Illinois Islamic Center Turns Out To Be Burned Qurans, Hate Propaganda - Chad Garrison, blogs.riverfronttimes.com: A bomb scare inside a mosque north of Centralia, Illinois, yesterday is now being investigated as a hate crime.

Central Illinois' WJBD radio reports that a church member found a box in the bushes outside the center and brought it inside thinking it was a donation for the food bank. Soon other church members grew suspicious of the package and called authorities who, in turn, called in the bomb squad. Some 25 nearby residents were evacuated from the scene as the bomb squad used a water cannon to blast open the package. It's contents? Burned Qurans, anti-Islamic propaganda and newspaper clippings.

Soviet propaganda at Polasek Museum - Matthew J. Palm, Orlando Sentinel: "Darker Shades of Red," on view at the Albin Polasek Museum in Winter Park, provides a rare opportunity to revisit the Cold War era through the exploration of the Soviet Union's official imagery.

Strikingly graphic in its socialist imagery, the collection of posters and assorted ephemera reveals the economic, social and political ideology of the Soviet Union from the 1940s to 1991. The idea of freedom was vitally important to Polasek, the Czech-born sculptor who emigrated to the United States and fell in love with its concept of democracy. The museum is named for him as it's located on the grounds of his retirement home. Image from article, with caption: "Leninism, Our Banner," is from 1982. (Albin Polasek Museum)

Lumiere Gallery Fall Exhibitions: Photography As Propaganda - philiphydephotographycollector.com [Announcement; no text]

September 22-23

"Where am I after the reorganization? I'm hiding under my desk."

--US International Broadcasting guru Kim Andrew Elliott, regarding the planned reorganization of the administration of said international broadcasting; image from

VIDEO

2011 Social Good Summit - Alec Ross

BLOG OF INTEREST

Branding Places. The Branding Places blog is an independent online resource for professionals and amateurs in marketing, public diplomacy, international relations, tourism or any other discipline that is encompassed by place branding. It provides insight on the latest trends and presents examples of the events, decisions and modes of communications that are revolutionizing the way we perceive today’s cities, regions and countries. Members and readers contribute all content, gathering information from a variety of quality sources.

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Obama's UN Speech: Infomercial at Its Best - New America Media: "The United States has the wherewithal to promote similar national resolves in the Middle East and North Africa through public diplomacy and education. Instead of giving a hand,

however, the Obama Administration is celebrating violent protests and civil wars as a 'spring' while promising handouts that will unfailingly find their way into the usual corrupt pockets." Image from

Public Schedule for September 23, 2011 - Public Schedule, U.S. Department of State: "ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS ANN STOCK: 10:00 a.m. Assistant Secretary Stock meets with Malaysian Ambassador Jamaluddin Jarjis, at the Department of State. (CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)" Below Stock image from

Public Schedule for September 22, 2011 - Public Schedule, U.S. Department of State: "ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS ANN STOCK: 8:30 a.m. Assistant Secretary Stock delivers remarks via video conference to the Public Affairs Officer Conference for the Bureau of East Asia and Pacific Affairs. (CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE) 10:00 a.m. Assistant Secretary Stock meets with Chinese Culture Minister Cai Wu, at the Department of State. (CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE) 7:30 p.m. Assistant Secretary Stock attends a dinner hosted by Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities Jim Leach, in honor of Chinese Culture Minister Cai Wu, in Washington, DC. (MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOST)"

US consul general stresses better relationship with NE‎ - Times of India: "US consul general Dean R Thompson said on Thursday that one of their main goals is to expand the relationship between the US and northeast India. Addressing a business meet organized by Indian Chamber of Commerce here, Thompson said, 'One way is through outreach visits like this one to share ideas on issues of mutual interest with government officials, academicians, NGOs, chambers

and leading industrialists.' Thompson said the US Consulate in Kolkata has a major regional role to play in public diplomacy and trade. ... Thompson said in order to create a climate that is even more attractive to greater domestic and foreign investment, India, both at the national and state level, can create a more business friendly atmosphere by improving transparency, streamlining the business investment process and upgrading infrastructure. 'We also have bigger plans for the coming months, with the opening of an American Corner, a branch of the American Library in Kolkata, at the Darwin School of Business in Guwahati,' Thompson said. He said this year they also hoped to bring some big cultural events to the region. Image from, with text: IPL (Indian premier league) is one of the most popular cricket leagues in Asia and a lot of abroad player here. It’s the only game in cricket which is used huge budget. Indian hero and heroin [sic] are the main focus here. The top class hero Shahrukh khan is the owner of the team kolkata Knight Riders.

Public diplomacy en action - La Montagne: les dernières brèves de Clermont-Ferrand: "Mark A. Schapiro, consul des États-Unis à Lyon, s'est rendu, hier à Clermont-Ferrand, où il a rencontré des responsables d'entreprises à la Chambre de commerce et d'industrie, avant de visiter notre journal. Aujourd'hui, il animera une rencontre sur le 11 Septembre au cercle d'étude et d'amitié France-USA. Un bon résumé de la palette d'activités d'un consul.

Intervenant sur les régions Rhônes-Alpes, Bourgogne et Auvergne, le consulat américain, outre ses actions auprès de ses ressortissants, intervient en matière commerciale et culturelle. ... Côté culturel, la 'public diplomacy', qui s'adresse aux populations plutôt qu'aux élites, est de mise; il y a bien sûr les jumelages, les échanges scolaires mais aussi le soutien à des manifestations qui ont un lien avec les États-Unis, comme le festival de Sainte-Colombe dans la banlieue de Lyon, dédié cette année à l'immense bluesman Robert Johnson, natif de Memphis. Et comme Memphis est le siège de Fedex, des connexions économiques ont pu être établies, parce qu'aux États-Unis, commerce et culture vont main dans la main, comme en témoigne Victor Vitelli, délégué commerce et culture du consulat. Blues et rock s'avèrent d'excellents ambassadeurs." Image from

Irrelevant and Dangerous - Oliver North, Town Hall: "In 1962, the Soviets began installing nuclear missile sites in Cuba. President John F. Kennedy instructed Ambassador Adlai Stevenson to reveal classified U-2 photos at the U.N. Historians describe Oct. 14-28, 1962, as the closest we ever have come to a nuclear war. But Kennedy's astute management of 'public diplomacy' and Stevenson's description of the missile deployments as 'aggression' at the U.N. were key components in defusing the confrontation."

Historical Influences on US Public Diplomacy - R. S. Zaharna, battles2bridges.wordpress.com: "Public diplomacy in the 20th century U.S. historical context is a product of the U.S. wartime experience. Whereas the flurry of diplomacy is often seen to forestall or mitigate hostilities, in the U.S. historical experience the flurry of public diplomacy has been most active during times of war.

The wartime origins and other developments in the United States during the 20th century may have helped shape a vision of public diplomacy that run counter to relationship building strategies or are overshadowed by a focus on messaging strategies. ... The adversarial, information, instrumental and impersonal orientation within which public diplomacy developed may have been further institutionalized by U.S. public diplomacy during the Cold War. The name of the agency charged with public diplomacy (U.S. Information Agency) as well as the agency’s motto ('Telling our Story') underscores the informational orientation. The adversarial orientation against the Soviet Union cast public diplomacy as a tool. The strategic objective is as Nicholas Cull observed was to attain information dominance. While relational initiatives such as the jazz and other cultural events were spotlighted as particularly effective during the Cold War, their effectiveness is presented primarily in the adversarial context of defeating communism and winning the Cold War. Given the historical origins of public diplomacy, it is perhaps not surprising that when public diplomacy re-emerged again in the U.S. context after the attacks of September 11, 2001, these features were also present beginning with the 'us versus them' orientation and 'battle for hearts and minds."  Zaharna image from

Book review: “The future of Power” by Joseph Nye Jr. - Oliver Stuenkel, postwesternworld.com: "One of the few actual policy recommendations here is to empower the US State Department and to create a more centralized public diplomacy apparatus."

La Guerra Mediática - Néstor Garcia Iturbe, condorcuba.wordpress.com: "El Departamento de Estado financia el desarrollo de los medios a través de varias de sus oficinas, incluyendo: el Bureau de Asuntos Educacionales y Culturales (Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, BECA), el Bureau de Inteligencia y de Investigación (Bureau of Intelligence and Research, INR) el Bureau de Democracia, Derechos Humanos y Trabajo

(Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, DRL) Oficina de Diplomacia Pública y de Asuntos Públicos (Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affaire, OPDPA). En relación con la Oficina de Diplomacia Pública, de reciente creación, debe aclararse que la misma tiene las mismas funciones de la oficina que fue su antecesora, con la única diferencia de que aquella estaba dentro del organograma de la CIA y ahora se colocó dentro del Departamento de Estado, aunque sus acciones y operaciones siguen siendo dirigidas por la siniestra agencia de inteligencia." Image from this inaccurate article

A New Take on Public Diplomacy - Tory, IC therefore IM: Group 2's blog for SIS 640 at American University: "One is the main reasons that I decided to pursue a masters’ degree in International Communications is that I had a desire to learn about public diplomacy. Proud American that I am, I was eager to learn how to explain American culture and US policies to the world. ... So I was intrigued when I saw mention ... of a new online sensation created by none other than Voice of America! 'OMG Meiyu' is a series of web videos created by VoA employee Jessica Beinecke, a Caucasian American who learned Chinese at college. In her videos, which she produces herself in her DC apartment, Jessica explains American slang and other terms that may not be taught in English classes in China. Particularly popular is her video for 'Yucky Gunk' (see video [in entry]), where she teaches her audience the English words for bodily fluids. While the Chinese government blocks many Voice of America programs, it has allowed 'OMG Meiyu' to remain posted on Weibo, a Chinese version of Youtube. On the site, Jessica interacts with her 100,000 and growing followers and takes suggestions for new videos. I have mixed feelings about the popularity of this web series. On one hand, teaching Chinese youth expressions like 'BFF' or 'TTYL' is not likely to create social change in China, nor does it do much in the way of explaining US policy.

But perhaps it can be a means of creating a connection between American and Chinese youth, allowing them to share the same language, the language of (American) pop culture. So perhaps the videos, which seem to be the work of a normal American girl and not the monolithic American government (I wonder how many fans know who funds it), will be able to reach out to a foreign audience in ways that our more traditional (stodgy?) forms of public diplomacy do not." Image from, under the title: US online travel video host Jessica Beinecke, 24, sends China viral

BBG chairman: If USIB news coverage is not "in line with U.S. policy, it doesn’t matter. We cover it" - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

Pakistan Condemns US Comments About Spy Agency - feduptoday.com: "Pakistan’s Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan told VOA’s Urdu Service that Pakistan is working for peace in Afghanistan, and that what she called 'propaganda' accusing Pakistan of helping militants is meant to sabotage Islamabad’s efforts."

U.S. hikers released in Iran; Washington bishop cites importance of religious dialogue - episcopalchurch.org: "Episcopal News Service [.] The Sept. 21 release of U.S. hikers Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal from an Iranian prison 'affirms the importance of the role of religious dialogue and its end product in this case, public diplomacy, as we seek ways to define common ground between our two countries,' said Diocese of Washington Bishop John Chane,

who returned from a weeklong visit to Iran on Sept. 19. Chane and a delegation of Christian and Muslim leaders had traveled to Iran at the invitation of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad; one objective was to seek the release of the hikers on humanitarian grounds. The delegation included Roman Catholic Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, former leader of the Archdiocese of Washington, and Nihad Awad and Larry Shaw, national executive director and board chairman respectively of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)." Uncaptioned image from article. See also.

Leveraging Contemporary Art - Eddie Walsh, the-diplomat.com: "Earlier this year, the Paul Kasmin Gallery presented the first solo exhibition of Nyoman Masriadi in the United States. Still in his mid-30s, Masriadi has emerged as one of the best known Southeast Asian contemporary artists of his generation. Influenced by TV, new media, and video game culture, he has broken the mould for Indonesian contemporary artists who too often produce works that fail to connect with a global audience. With a major exhibition underway, and seemingly destined for further international acclaim, Masriadi should be on the radar of the Indonesian diplomatic service, particularly Foreign Service officers tasked with public diplomacy and cultural relations. Unfortunately, this doesn’t appear to be the case – at least in the United States – where the embassy failed to respond to repeated requests for comment on his work.

This raises an important question: Why would the Indonesian Embassy, particularly public diplomacy and cultural relations diplomatic staff, not prioritize leveraging contemporary artists like Masriadi to improve the country’s prestige and influence abroad? To some analysts, the answer lies in the embassy’s focus, which appears instead directed at promoting traditional arts (i.e. batik, puppetry, martial arts, and traditional Javanese music). While traditional arts feature prominently in the DC embassy’s programming, the embassy fails to make a similar investment in contemporary art. This is in stark contrast with the United States’ embassies abroad, which have long featured contemporary art prominently under the Art in Embassies program." Uncaptioned image from article

Israel’s Online Response to Palestinian UN Vote - honestreporting.com: "Even in the realm of public diplomacy, Israel is singled out for trying to defend itself. Take this article from Politico that profiles the IDF’s New Media Desk: ['] The IDF is also proactive on social media, with accounts on Twitter (in English, French and Arabic), the photo-sharing website Flickr and the video-posting website YouTube. 'We just launched a [Facebook] page a month ago – now we have over 127,000 ‘friends,’' [Lt. Col. Avital] Leibovich bragged. ['] While the Internet is populated with huge amounts of anti-Israel and even anti-Semitic content, why does the media prefer to make Israel’s public relations efforts the story? Tools such as Facebook and YouTube are available to anyone to use. Yet, when Israel and her supporters utilize these platforms quite legitimately, the media singles this out as somehow newsworthy."

Bahçeşehir University to offer certificate programs on strategic research - todayszaman.com: "İstanbul's Bahçeşehir University

will launch a certificate program on strategic research at the university's Beşiktaş campus beginning on Nov. 12. The certificate program will offer courses on four different subjects: public diplomacy (Nov. 12-Dec. 3), perception method (Dec. 10-Jan. 7), strategic communication (March 3-24), terrorism and the fight against terrorism (April 7-28)." Image from

VOL. VII NO. 19, September 09-September 22, 2011 - The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media:

"9/11 and the Media: A Messy Affair
The 9/11 attacks and the consequent 'war on terror' have brought about more criticism of Islam and negative public opinion in the US. Has the media been a catalyst for these negative sentiments or is it a platform for those looking to dispel stereotypes?

Taliban Joins Social Media Bandwagon
Once banned by the Taliban, it is now turning to social media and the Internet to reestablish its voice with an international audience, promote itself, and gain financial support.

Media Reforms Bring Hope to Middle East
As Al-Jazeera prepares to celebrate 15 years of broadcasting, state-run media in Qatar is reforming while new Arab broadcasts are being funded. Meanwhile, the US is financing television programming in line with its public policy interests in the region.

New Media: Can It Go the Distance?
A study conducted by the Project on Information, Technology and Political Islam quantifies the role of social media in the Arab Spring revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, and has academics questioning whether citizens will continue to use social media to bring revolutions full circle.

Al-Qaeda Still Poses Significant Threat
Ten years after the 9/11 attacks, Al-Qaeda’s power is being downplayed by the US, while the extent of its influence on other terror cells remains a national security concern.

Iraq: Journalism Under Attack?
The recent death of Iraqi radio show host, Hadi Al-Mahdi, raises questions about freedom of the press in Iraq’s burgeoning democracy.

Partnership Forms for Middle East Marketing Research
European research company GfK, in partnership with ARA Marketing Research and Consultancy, unveils plans to set up the Media Research Middle East (GfK MRME) to perform studies analyzing consumer behavior regarding media in the Middle East." Image from

The Case for Sanctions in Syria – Lessons from Africa - The African File: A Source for Adventures and Commentary in Southern Africa: "Zimbabwe. ... [A]ny moral recognition that the EU would have gained by championing human rights in Southern Africa would be contrasted by yet again another failure to exert power on regional leaders to exact change. When the EU was prepared to get serious about Zimbabwe, they should have sent diplomats to ZANU-PF with real carrots (trade agreements, aid packages) and real sticks (military intervention). At the very least, the EU could have coordinated a public diplomacy strategy for the county that would take just as long as sanctions, but have a greater chance of helping the country emerge a friendlier and more competent nation." Image from

Landmark Australia-India dialogue calls for ‘inventive steps’ - indianherald.com.au: "A major Australia-India dialogue at the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Sydney called for India and Australia to take ‘inventive steps’ to make the most of their convergent interests in security, economics and growing social connections. More than 50 leading figures from diplomacy, think tanks, business and media took part in the two-day Australia-India Roundtable, the most substantial and high-level exchange of its kind held so far between India and Australia. ... The Roundtable was hosted by the Lowy Institute for International Policy in partnership with the Public Diplomacy Division of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs."

Where’s My PD Networks! - Public Diplomacy, Networks and Influence: "This blog would like to apologize for the lack of content.

Apart from the disruption caused by moving we still don’t have an internet connection (or TV or telephone) at home. Anyway David Cameron appears to be embarking on a one man effort to rebrand Britain." Image from

Catherine Fieschi Announced as Director of British Council's Think Tank Counterpoint - finchannel.com: "The British Council is delighted to announce the appointment of Catherine Fieschi as Director of Counterpoint, the British Council’s cultural relations think tank. Catherine Fieschi brings a wealth of experience to a role which will see her shape and develop the thinking on the future of public diplomacy and cultural relations. Catherine is the former Director of Demos, and is a regular commentator on identity politics in the UK and Europe."

The 21st Century Family of Man: Photography as Public Diplomacy - Opening Reception Thursday, September 17, 2009 : "5:30pm Annenberg celebrates the opening of an exhibit featuring photographs by current Master of Public Diplomacy student Paul Rockower. “The 21st Century Family of Man: Photography as Public Diplomacy” pays homage to 'The Family of Man,' an exhibition that opened at New York’s Museum of Modern Art in 1955.

The exhibition’s world tour proved a tremendous public diplomacy success for America. On display in Rockower’s exhibit is a 21st century interpretation of this successful instance of public diplomacy, echoing the richly textured chronicle of the human condition across the globe." Image from article

Job Openings - European Union Delegation to the United States: Assistant to the Press and Public Diplomacy Section - eurunion.org

RELATED ITEMS

The mythology of 9/11 - Jerry West,rabble.ca: In the U.S. earlier this month, Vice President Joe Biden said that Al Qaeda "never imagined that the 3,000 people who lost their lives that day would inspire 3 million to put on the uniform and harden the resolve of 300 million Americans. They never imagined the sleeping giant they were about to awaken." Good sound bites,

but again, propaganda. Whoever was behind the attacks, it was probably exactly what they were hoping for. You can believe that the response to the attacks by the U.S. was either that of a sucker caught in a sting, or of someone who finally got the break that they were looking for to justify what they wanted to do. Another part of the propaganda message is the old story of defending freedom and democracy to justify the needless sacrifice of troops, the diversion of wealth from public good to private profit, and the death of countless civilians. Image from

Time to get real about the future in Afghanistan - Anthony H. Cordesman, Washington Post: It is far easier to talk about troop levels and budget cuts than to plan and conduct a real-world transition to Afghan responsibility for security and funding of Afghan operations and to deal with the strategic realities involved.

Iraq, minus U.S. troops: Leaving more than a residual U.S. force in Iraq after this year would prolong the problem - Editorial, latimes.com. Image, with caption: According to an agreement between Iraq and the George W. Bush administration, U.S. troops are to be out of that country by the end of the year.

Photographed: Soldiers rush to a Blackhawk helicopter after an operation to disrupt weapons smuggling Aug. 8

Confirm Robert Ford as Syrian ambassador: The Senate opposition, which is founded on the premise that we should not dignify Bashar Assad's regime with a U.S. envoy, is understandable but misguided - Max Boot, latimes.com: Our embattled man in Damascus, Ambassador Robert Ford, is threatened not only by the Syrian regime but by Republican senators who are dragging their feet on confirming his appointment. Their opposition, which is founded on the premise that we should not dignify Bashar Assad's regime with an ambassador, is understandable but misguided. Ford has been a profile in courage in opposing Assad.

Conspiracy between Israel and its settlers - Fayez Rashid, Middle East Monitor: The Zionist state of Israel has always worked hard to put a spin on events which falsifies reality and covers-up the facts. An objective observer, however, can discern the truth and find contradictions between Israeli propaganda and the real facts on the ground. One such contradiction is the official claim that the Israeli government and the actions of the illegal settlers it allows to colonise the occupied West Bank are not linked. That claim is a lie; there is full coordination and cooperation between the government and settlers' groups.

Russia prepares UN ban on anti-government propaganda on Internet‎ - Wang Guanqun, Xinhua: Russia wants the U.N. to ban the use of the Internet for spreading anti-government propaganda and for military purposes, Moscow's Kommersant business daily reported Friday. It has drafted an 18-page convention titled "About providing international information security", which it aims to table at the United Nations in 2012, the newspaper said.

Russia also proposes governments keep full control over their national segments in the worldwide web "according to the national laws" and suggests governments obtain a right to restrict activities on the Internet "to protect national and public security." Image from

In North Korea, "increasing numbers can access information from the outside world" - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

North Korea releases new propaganda posters! Expert suggests ‘they are worried’ - Jamie Weinstein, dailycaller.com: Monumental news comes out of North Korea as the brutish Communist regime announces the release of two new propaganda posters

to try to confuse their long-suffering subjects into believing that things are actually going swimmingly in the Hermit Kingdom. “New posters have been produced in the DPRK to help more splendidly spruce up Pyongyang and hasten the harvest this year,” reports NKNews.org, a North Korea news aggregation site, drawing from North Korea’s state run media. Image from article

D. Jamalyan: “Armenian military parade showed that Azerbaijani propaganda was just a balloon which is blasted” - times.am: “'Azerbaijan has no military advantage towards Armenia'. Davit Jamalyan, military expert, told journalists about this during press-conference. 'Baku propaganda just develops the military myth about their military advantage. And our military parade showed that it was just a balloon which is blasted', Jamalyan added.According to the expert the myth is too important for Azerbaijan so they looked for ways to defame the parade. But there is no fact or argument in their remarks, but it is just insult."

Soviet Propaganda Posters as ART - flaglerlive.com: Darker Shades of Red: Soviet Propaganda from the Cold War will open the season at the Polasek Museum in Winter Park on September 27. Always bold and strikingly graphic in its socialist agenda, the collection reveals the political ideology of the Soviet Union from the mid 1940’s to 1990.

Soviet leaders placed a priority on communicating ideas of ‘social responsibility’ to its citizen-comrades through the heroic symbols of Soviet leaders, soldiers, workers, and peasants. Posters combined these figures with text and vivid blocks of color. Caricatures of American and British leaders depicted ‘the West’ as the enemy of the Soviet people, with this propaganda filtering down to the daily lives of people. The exhibit is an insider’s view into life in a totalitarian society. The exhibit may be viewed from September 27 to January 8 at the Polasek Museum. Call 407.647.6294 or visit Polasek.org. Image from article

Everything you need to know about Romanian rugby (but didn't care enough to ask) - benedictblog.dailymail.co.uk: So, what do I need to know about this team and their history? Where do you want me to start? Romania was a powerhouse of European rugby under communist rule as the regime used the game as a propaganda tool and invested heavily in its development.

In the 1980s they were rugby's first professionals in everything but name, beating the likes of France, Wales and Scotland and only narrowly losing to the All Blacks 14-6 in 1981 no thanks to two disallowed tries. Why were they so good? The top two domestic sides were the army and the police. Based in Bucharest, they had access to state-of-the-art facilities and as much time off as needed to train together — often seven days a week. Nice work if you can get it. Uncaptioned image from article

Pro-slavery propaganda from the 1800s USA - Clarisse Thorn, feministe.us: In the early 1800s, pro-slavery authors reacted to the anti-slavery classic Uncle Tom’s Cabin by writing their own pro-slavery propaganda.

The Heresy of Constantine - Robert F. Beaudine, themoralliberal.com: Throughout history, the truth has also been distorted or robbed of its validity. Many times propaganda was the culprit. Today, because of the psychological discoveries in mass-persuasion, propaganda is epidemic and embraced without critical judgment.

Propaganda is always masked as truth. It is more effective when the populace has little historical understanding, because history puts our world in its proper perspective. Without historical awareness, the populace can be misled down false paths and pursue trivialities instead of truth. Constantine portrayed himself as the first Christian emperor. Yet, he refused to be baptized until he was on his deathbed. Constantine was a master of propaganda, in the Roman tradition. Image from article

STATISTICS

Via Joe Dresen on facebook

EDITOR NEEDED?

Admiral Mullen voiced a stern warning to Pakistan, who he said was undermining its own interests as well as the American interest in fighting terror networks in the region. “In choosing to use violent extremism as an instrument of policy, the government of Pakistan, and most especially the Pakistani Army and ISI, jeopardizes not only the prospect of our strategic partnership but Pakistan’s opportunity to be a respected nation with legitimate regional influence,” he said.

--New York Times

AMERICANA

David Letterman: "Top Ten Things a Candidate Should Not Say During a Presidential Debate:

10. Yeah, I killed a guy.
9. 'Fifty states? When did Puerto Rico get in?
8. Can you repeat the question? I was thinking about cookies.
7. If elected, my Cabinet will feature at least three Kardashians.
6. I don't know a damn thing about the economy, but I do know this: Chaz Bono

dances like an angel.
5. Can anyone beat Angry Birds level 16? I can't kill the pig with the mustache.
4. It's-a not so bad, it's-a nice-a place. Ah, shaddap you face.
3. Hey Republican spelled backwards is Nacilbuper
2. As my good friend, Osama bin Laden, once said –
1. Senior citizens can bite my ass."

From: Bulletin News, LLC; image from

MORE AMERICANA

80-year-old woman arrested for dealing crack. Again - Boing Boing

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