January 4

"The Internet is more helpful in allowing the dissatisfied to blow off their steam rather than in orchestrating the next revolution." Image from

--Evgeny Morozov

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Public Diplomacy: Books, Articles, Websites #54 (posted at MountainRunner.us) Courtesy of Bruce Gregory, Professor of Media and Public Affairs, George Washington University. Intended for teachers of public diplomacy and related courses, here is an update on resources that may be of general interest. Suggestions for future updates are welcome.

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Cultural Diplomacy: Jazz Ambassadors - James Ketterer, Global Engagement: The World Affairs Blog Network: "Last night 60 Minutes (a TV news program in the U.S.) had an excellent two-part presentation on Wynton Marsalis and his Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) Orchestra. The followed the band’s trips to London and Havana, where they engaged in cultural diplomacy of the highest order. What made the JALC trip to Havana so interesting to watch was how they interacted with Cubans. They did not make pronouncements about the state of U.S.-Cuban relations and they clearly went far out of their way to venture beyond the confines of the concert hall to participate in jam sessions with Cuban musicians, visit music schools, hold master classes and a concert and reception at the U.S. interest section. In the spirit of jazz, and as cultural diplomacy should happen, Marsalis and his band



traveled around with little or no security, meeting people in informal settings and sharing stages and performances with Cuban musicians as true partners (not merely as passive audience members or de facto students to be taught by the visiting Americans). ... Marsalis’ cultural diplomacy follows a long line of jazz ambassadors that included Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and Dave Brubeck and many others from the pantheon of jazz history. More recent musical ambassadors from the U.S. have not been limited to jazz and include hip hop . ... Jazz at Lincoln Center administers today’s version of the Jazz Ambassadors, The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad. Supported by the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, JALC programs overseas tours by American bands in genres including jazz, blues, bluegrass, Cajun, country, gospel, hip hop/urban, and zydeco." Image from article

The internet, he writes, won't "promote democracy without having to send in the Marines" [Recent articles by Evgeny Morozov on the internet and social/political change; mention of VOA and RFE] - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

NBC Drops Voice Of America - Adam Clayton Powell III, Newswire – CPD Blog, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: "Last month, NBC announced it had bought the Voice of America, as we noted at the time. NBC planned to use the name for a weekly musical series that will premiere on the network in a few months to compete with 'American Idol.' ... On the last business day of 2010, we received a message from the Broadcasting Board of Governors,


which oversees Voice of America, to let us know they had contacted NBC to advise them the name 'Voice of America' legally belongs to the U.S. international broadcaster and cannot be used for NBC's entertainment series. Somehow NBC had failed to notice that other Voice of America, which must not include in its coverage maps NBC Entertainment headquarters in Burbank, California. So NBC has abandoned 'Voice of America' and now will launch its musical series under the title 'The Voice.'" Image from

Subversive U.S. Public Diplomacy Theme – Ronald Reagan -


tedlipien.com. Image from article

WikiLeaks and Iran: How the "Tehran Trial" Killed US Exchange Programmes with Tehran - Scott Lucas, enduringamerica.com: "A telling example from the WikiLeaks documents of how 'engagement' became a casualty of the post-election atmosphere in Iran.... In August 2009, less than two months after the disputed Presidential election, the Iranian authorities held a mass trial of more than 100 defendants in Tehran. The proceedings were more for show than for due legal process: unlike most hearings, they were held in public --- indeed they were televised --- and they were accompanied by a series of high-profile 'confessions'. ...THE ORIGINAL CABLE P R 250814Z AUG 09 FM RPO DUBAI ... SUBJECT: IRAN: TEHRAN SHOW TRIAL AGAIN CITES USG EXCHANGE PROGAMS AS "VELVET REVOLUTION" TOOLS ¶1. (C) Summary: The inclusion of USG public diplomacy programs and IRPO [Iran Regional Presence Office] in a recent indictment read during the second show trial in Tehran is not a new allegation of US plotting for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic. Such claims have been made before, most recently in January, and contain many accurate details about the programs, but leap wildly to conclusions of intrigue and far-ranging conspiracies. IRIG responses to our exchange programs have varied, from tacit acceptance to obstruction to arrests and intimidation of participants. In the current climate, the inclusion of US programming in a laundry list of the 'usual suspects' is not surprising, but it may reflect heightened suspicions of an embattled leadership. With the situation in Iran so unsettled, we believe it would be prudent for IRPO to delay any pending exchange programs until there are clearer indications of IRIG intentions toward the programs and the participants. End Summary."

Ambassador Craig Kelly's Secret Plan To Undermine Hugo Chavez Is Exposed - Robby Scott Hill, Revolution Magazine: "Viewing cable 07SANTIAGO983, A SOUTHERN CONE PERSPECTIVE ON COUNTERING CHAVEZ AND REASSERTING U.S. LEADERSHIP ... SECRET Embassy Santiago ... JUN 07 ... ¶1.


(C) ... This, part two in a series of joint cables from Southern Cone embassies, looks at ways the U.S. can counter Chavez and reassert U.S. leadership in the region. ... We must emphasize that democracy, and a free trade approach that includes corporate social responsibility, provides lasting solutions; --Get the message out: Public diplomacy is key; this is a battle of ideas and visions." Image from

News Roundup - STA (Slovenska Tiskovna Agencija) [subscription]: From Google entry: "The Foreign Ministry said that Slovenia would focus on public diplomacy and on implementation of defence and military reforms in light of Montenegro's NATO."

In the thickness of fog‎ - Mosharraf Zaidi, paperarticles.com: "[As] the summer of 2009 turned into the autumn of 2009, the US Congress finally approved the Kerry-Lugar-Berman Bill that appropriated $1.5 billion per annum for at least five years to Pakistan. Though the bill had little relationship to military aid, it did contain a vision of the conditions that the US seeks in Pakistan, particularly the sustenance of democracy. All of a sudden, a whirlwind campaign emerged nationally, decrying the attack on national sovereignty that the Kerry Lugar Bill represented. The tipping point for that campaign was direct statements from the GHQ high-ups asserting national autonomy. Pakistanis were incessantly reminded about how the only ones to stand up for Pakistan always seem to be military officers. Both the public diplomacy supporting Rah-e-Rast


and the Kerry Lugar brouhaha were employed so successfully that in the last year, the military leadership has had no trouble at all manipulating the civilian government in a manner that it feels suits the national interest of Pakistan." On Rah-e-Rast, see. Image from

Twitter war over football - thestar.com.my: "I still remember a Filipino Cabinet Minister telling me firmly when I quite naively asked him whether sports could unite people. 'Karim, it often achieves the opposite. People end up hating one another.' These were prophetic words, as I later discovered. I was shaken from my Twitter-free slumber on Sunday evening during the first leg of the [soccer] final as friends started inundating me with agitated SMSes. On one hand, Indonesian friends complained about unsporting Malaysian behaviour (those wretched green-colour lasers) and on the other hand, Malaysians were telling me that Indonesians were sore losers. ... In fact, four topics (those marked by hash tags): '#malaysiacheaterlaser', '#Hate Malaysia', '#Love Malaysia' and '#Love Indonesia' were trending worldwide on Twitter at that time. ... [T]he immediacy and the volume of activity on the Internet (especially Twitter) demonstrates the extraordinary power of social media. We, South-East Asians, are major users of both Twitter and Facebook. Indonesia has the third largest Twitter community after the United States and Brazil while Malaysians are reported to have the most Internet 'friends' on Facebook, averaging 233 'friends' per user. ... Indeed, social media has become the proxy for public sentiment. This 'flattens' and opens up public diplomacy in much the same way that WikiLeaks has debunked the notion of diplomatic 'secrecy'. We are now forced to scan the Internet to gauge how people think and feel. Political and business elites will have to manage this new and volatile reality – limiting the ability for high-level, back-room deals. However, there’s also an increased blurring of the distinctions between the real and virtual worlds. Indeed, the Internet has emerged as a parallel universe of sorts. What transpires on the Internet 'becomes real'; our tweets, blogs and e-mails seem to be more reflective of what’s happening than the actual events themselves! So, in conclusion, the recent 'Twitter wars' have demonstrated both the ugly and the positive sides of our two countries. Malaysians and Indonesians have both been shown to be full of suspicion and xenophobia, along with severe inferiority/superiority complexes."

Voice of Russia chairman invites listeners to listen to his station: "intellectual, competent, interesting and fast" - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

Cultural Diplomacy - by Georgia (feat. MTV) - Yelena Osipova, Global Chaos: "[T]here has been a very peculiar (for the lack of a better word) public diplomacy-related development in Georgia, which I wanted to address. Apparently, Mr. Saakashvili, who has been described as 'a bit of a showman', is close to striking a deal with MTV to promote the image of his country abroad. ... The idea? A free concert in Batumi (at the Black Sea coast)


some time May-June 2011, featuring international superstars. Objective? Attract thousands of additional tourists to the small Caucasian country. Price tag? $2 million+ (as reported by EurasiaNet.) Funding sources? Government and some corporate. Precedent? 'Isle of MTV Malta' concert series, which supposedly brought over 50,000 concert-goers to the small Mediterranean island. Target audience? Umm... Well. Seemingly, unknown." Image from article: Black Sea town of Batumi

Position and Role of Youths in Developing Diplomatic Relations Indonesia-Japan - donny.prasety [Google translation]: "This paper argues that diplomatic relations between Indonesia – Japan which has been started since 1958 could not be separate from the position and the role of youth. This paper argues That diplomatic relations Between Indonesia - Japan the which has been started since 1958 Could not be separate from the position and the role of youth. Starting from the concept that youth is a part of society and unit of it, public diplomacy as one of the activities in this relationship targeted youth in both countries society to promote mutual understanding. Starting from the concept That youth is a part of society and the unit of it,


public diplomacy as one of the activities in this relationship in both countries targeted youth society to promote mutual understanding. This paper would see on the exchange program, schoolarship program, and cultural program as cases of Indonesia – Japan diplomatic relations that involved youth since long time ago and get them expanded every years. Would see this paper on the exchange program, schoolarship programs, and cultural programs as cases of Indonesia - Japan diplomatic relations That involved a youth since long time ago and get Them expanded every years. It stresses the significance youth involvements in diplomatic relations from both countries public diplomacy. It stresses the significance youth involvements in diplomatic relations from both countries public diplomacy." Image from

TA Cinematheque packed for film on kids of foreign workers‎ - Ben Hartman, Jerusalem Post: "A capacity crowd filled the Cinematheque in Tel Aviv on Monday night for the premiere of Strangers no More, a documentary on south Tel Aviv’s Bialik-Rogazin School and the lives of the children of refuge-seekers and foreign workers who study there. The 40-minute film has been short-listed for an Oscar nomination in the 'Best Documentary Short' category, and filmmakers Kirk Simon and Karen Goodman said it is scheduled to be shown on HBO soon. ... Former ambassador to the UN Danny Gillerman gave a speech after the premiere in which he said, 'When I was at the UN I always wanted to show the real face of Israel, the one that wasn’t just bloodshed and warfare. I wish I’d had this video. There can be no better hasbara [public diplomacy] than this movie, to show what type of country we are and what type of country we can be,' Gillerman said."

China challenged over Sudan referendum - Tom Rafferty, Asia Times: "Beijing has offered a few 'carrots' of varying sizes to both north and south [Sudan] to dissuade them from violence. Some gestures in the direction of public diplomacy are discernible. Yet, the overall impression is underwhelming; China appears content to leave itself hostage to fortune, presuming that Khartoum and Juba will opt for cooperation because of their mutual interest in continued oil profits."

Show of energy by retired trio - thestandard.com.hk: "Some senior civil servants start a second career after retiring, while others choose to volunteer for charity or think-tank work, after getting out of the hot kitchen of government circles. Among the latter are Patrick Ho Chi-ping, former secretary for home affairs; Andrew Lo Cheung-on, former senior special assistant to the chief executive; and Mak Kwok-wah, former deputy director of information services.


Their latest endeavor is the China Energy Fund Committee, a nongovernment think-tank devoted to public diplomacy and research on strategic issues, with emphasis on energy and culture. Ho is executive vice chairman and secretary general, while Lo and Mak also hold key executive positions. The organization's headquarters occupies half of the 34th floor in the office building at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai." Uncaptioned image from article

Global Communication: Theories, Stakeholders, and Trends - mookee.com: "Global Communication is the most definitive text on multi-national communication and media conglomerates, exploring how global media, particularly CNN, the BBC, Euronews, and Al Jazeera, influence audiences and policy makers alike.


Includes [inter alia] four completely new chapters on Asian media, Euromedia, the Middle East, and public diplomacy from a post 9/11 perspective." Image from

Recortes da Blogosfera Clippings of the Blogosphere - Vale do Anzel: [Google translation:]: "America's power, according to Joseph Nye [:] Quando Joseph S. When Joseph S. Nye escreve sobre 'poder' convém prestar alguma atenção, ou não fosse este homem um dos principais responsáveis pelo conceito da 'interdependência' complexa nas relações internacionais. Nye writes about 'power' should pay some attention, or was this man a major contributor to the concept of 'interdependence' complex international relations. Num artigo sobre o futuro do poder americano, assinado na última edição da Foreign Affairs, o co-autor (o outro foi Robert Keohane) do famoso livro Power and Interdependence (1977) desconstrói, de certa maneira, a ideia instalada de que o poder da América entrou em declínio no século XXI. In an article on the future of American power, signed the latest issue of Foreign Affairs, co-author (the other was Robert Keohane) of the famous book Power and Interdependence (1977) deconstructed, somehow, the idea that the installed power America declined in the XXI century. ... Author warns that a common mistake among analysts is to make predictions based exclusively on GDP growth, completely ignoring other factors of power ('hard' and 'soft'), many of which result from decades of investment. Nye tem toda a razão neste ponto, já que uma análise do crescimento do PIB oferece apenas uma perspectiva unidimensional, não reflectindo, assim, a verdadeira dimensão do poder de um Estado. Nye is right at this point, since an analysis of GDP growth provides only a one-dimensional perspective does not, so the true extent of the power of a state. E nesta matéria Nye diz que muitos dos analistas têm ignorando o avanço que os Estados Unidos levam em relação a qualquer outra nação em termos de 'hard power' (militar, espaço geográfico, recursos, etc) e 'soft power' (democracia, 'Public Diplomacy', 'R&D', poder de atracção, etc), And in this regard Nye says many analysts are ignoring the progress that the U.S. lead in relation to any other nation in terms of hard power (military, geographical space, resources, etc.) and 'soft power' (democracy, 'Public Diplomacy', 'R & D', attractiveness, etc.)"

On the Uses of Ridicule, Part II - daylightatheism.org: "A few months ago, I wrote a post about the uses of ridicule and the role it played in my own journey to atheism. I want to say some more about this subject, and a Daylight Atheism reader (thanks, Peter!) pointed me to this white paper from the Institute of World Politics that I'll use as a jumping-off point. It's titled "Ridicule: An instrument in the war on terrorism", but it has some broader lessons that the atheist movement - or any other underdog group fighting a battle of ideas - can usefully employ. The paper opens with an observation from an unimpeachable authority: ['] Used as a means of positive persuasion, humor can be an important public diplomacy tool. 'If I can get you to laugh with me,' said comedian John Cleese, 'you like me better, which makes you more open to my ideas. And if I can persuade you to laugh at the particular point I make, by laughing at it you acknowledge the truth.' [']


Following this, there's a discussion of the 'many dictators and tyrannies ['] that banned jokes and satire which poke fun at the powers that be - both ancient, such as the Roman empire and Talmudic rabbis, and modern, from Castro's Cuba to Vladimir Putin's Russia to Hugo Chavez's Venezuela. But the gold medal for lacking a sense of humor must surely go to the mullahs of Iran, who, in the 1980s, went so far as to have foreign humorists who lampooned the regime assassinated. (The paper doesn't name the targets, and I haven't been able to find other sources referring to these events. If anyone knows more about this, please let me know.) This is just what we should expect. Most actual or would-be tyrants try to pass themselves off as infallible - they claim to be flawless, to possess limitless strength and wisdom, to never make mistakes and to always know what's best for everyone - or, in the religious case, they simply claim to be servants of God." Image from

United States Students Achievers Program and Alumni Coordinator (USAP); FP-7; FSN-7 - theugandajobs.com: "'The American Embassy is seeking for an individual for the position of United States Students Achievers Program and Alumni Coordinator (USAP) in the Public Diplomacy Section.'"

Projects Completed in 2010 (in chronological order, with some overlap, for various companies/clients) - Beyond China's Single Story: comments on China, copywriting, corporate social responsibility, conservation, costumes, and other curiosities, by a Californian in Beijing:


"Helped a Dutch diplomat brush up her academic English in preparation for a summer course in public diplomacy at the University of Southern California." Blogger image from entry

Open Platform 'Macapple' Hotels. Now There's a Concept - David McMillan, davidmcmillangroup.typepad.com: "Testimonials ... Alan Orlob, Vice President, Marriott International [:] 'David was extremely helpful in organizing a task force to deal with crisis management in the hotel industry when it was most needed. His organization and public diplomacy skills were assets that helped to bring a diverse group of people together. I am happy to recommend him.'"

RELATED ITEMS

China closed down 60000 pornography sites in 2010‎ - Afterdawn.com: Wang Chen, deputy head of China's propaganda department has revealed some interesting figures this week, including how many pornography sites were taken down in the nation last year. Chen says: "By November, 350 million pieces of harmful information, including text, pictures and videos, had been deleted. There was a notable improvement in the online cultural environment." In an effort to remove objectionable content from the Internet, the government checked 1.79 million websites and ended up shutting down 60,000 pornography sites.


5000 citizens were arrested for spreading the porn, and 1332 received "criminal punishment." 58 of those are currently serving 5 year (or longer) prison sentences. There are currently over 400 million Internet users in China, by far the biggest online population in the world. China has long blocked Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook and recently announced Skype will be banned soon, as well. Image from

N. Korean leader heeds 'American tastes' in propaganda show: cable - koreaherald.com: North Korean leader Kim Jong-il told a visiting South Korean businesswoman in 2009 that he had ordered the removal of a missile launch scene from his country's mass propaganda show because "Americans did not like it," according to a U.S. diplomatic cable. The cable, found on WikiLeaks and released this week by a New York-based blogger, offered a rare look into how the aging but omnipotent leader views the relationships with the U.S. and South Korea, both of which North Korea remains technically at war with after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce. Attributed to the U.S. embassy in Seoul, the cable said Hyundai Asan Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun quoted Kim as saying that some portions of the Arirang show had been altered "to fit American tastes." Kim also told the businesswoman, who has a large stake in inter-Korean businesses, that he had ordered more students to participate in the gymnastics show because he had been told "South Koreans did not like to see so many soldiers in the performance." Arirang mobilizes tens of thousands of children and is a constant source of outside criticism over the human rights conditions in the North.

Is North Korean Propaganda Becoming More Nuanced?‎ - RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty: For the most part: new platforms, same old story.

The trouble with balloons in international propaganda is that they sometimes domestically disseminate themselves [on the use of propaganda by the two Koreas] - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting.

Fighting a Winning War Against Israel - Mitri I. Musleh, Palestine News Network: Ever since Israel, supported by the world’s imperialist powers, managed to militarily defeat the Palestinians and illegally occupy and exploit Palestine for the past six decades, Israel and its imperialist allies managed to drive and win a propaganda war which made Israel look like the victim and the Palestinians as the instigators who are committed on destroying the helpless and defenseless state of Israeli

Propaganda Poster Art to Take You Through Maoist China - travel.ezinemark.com: Shanghai's rapid development is difficult to keep up with and visitors to the city are offered the unique vigour and spirit which makes Shanghai. Visitors to Shanghai will find a range of activities to be part of. For a unique Chinese experience, with some thing to take back home, try the Propaganda Poster Art Centre.


The collection here consists of about 3000 original notices and posters, mainly depicting the revolutionary thoughts of communist China's Maoist period. The proprietor is Yang Pei Ming and his collection of these posters was initiated with the purpose of preserving the past for the future generations to see. As the collection consists of very rare posters it's a much sought after gallery by most of the visitors to Shanghai. The prices of the exhibits are generally high but the memorabilia are quite reasonably priced. Image from

IMAGE


From: Bikini models photographed by young chimpanzee in a kimono - Having fun in 1963, Boing Boing

January 3

"A young boy asks his Dad, 'What is the difference between confident and confidential ?'

Dad says, 'You are my son, I'm confident about that.

Your friend over there, is also my son, that's confidential.'"

--One of short jokes provided by a valued PDPBR subscriber; image from

VIDEO

SNL skit on TSA's Enhanced Screening

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Clinton is Obama’s ace in the hole: If one considers the gains that the U.S. has enjoyed from her service, President Obama made an excellent choice - Kim Jung-wook, joongangdaily.joins.com:


"As a former first lady, and someone who was almost elected president, Hillary Clinton already has a status nearly as significant as the president himself. The position of Secretary of State at first seemed too insignificant for her. Some commentators and analysts worried that Clinton and Obama would clash because of their rivalry during the primary, and because of Clinton’s superior political experience. But Clinton showed strong respect for President Obama’s foreign policy philosophy. She added to that her willpower and established the foreign policy principle of 'smart power.' She advocated a shift from unilateralism to multilateralism, which is the public diplomacy of communicating with foreign citizens and reinforcing alliances." Image from

Who is the leader of the Free World? - Reagan, Bush, Obama - lessons in public diplomacy in response to anti-democracy crackdown in Belarus - TedLipien.com: "Granted, President Obama has not started any new costly and unnecessary wars, but a series of public diplomacy disasters over the last two years, culminating in his weak response to repression in Belarus just before Christmas 2010, have exposed him at home and abroad as an ineffective U.S leader. President Obama’s public diplomacy strategy stems from his view of America as a threatening power, a popular theme among his left-wing friends and among revisionist academics who became his advisers on Russia and the Middle East. ... Interestingly, the initiative of conducting U.S. public diplomacy in defense of freedom has been taken up ... by the U.S.-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), which had played a major role in helping to bring down the communist system. ... Unfortunately, without a high-profile support from the White House and the State Department, RFE/RL’s work will never have the same impact as it had during the Cold War. If anything, it further demonstrates the crisis of U.S. public diplomacy by sending a message that any change in American human rights policy and in relations with the countries of East-Central Europe will not come until the end of the Obama presidency. ... The Voice of America has not had any programs in Belarus[s]ian.


It used to broadcast, however, radio programs in Russian, a language which is widely understood in Belarus. What made VOA largely ineffective in East-Central Europe was the BBG’s decision to terminate Russian radio programs in 2008, just 12 days before the Russian military attack on Georgia. The BBG also ended all VOA programs in Central European languages. ... And while democracy supporters in Belarus were still being rounded up and independent media outlets raided by the secret police, VOA and BBG officials issued a self-congratulatory press release bragging about VOA’s ability to communicate with the audience in Belarus through the Internet and social media. ... The Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, who — according to the State Department website — 'leads America’s public diplomacy outreach, which includes communications with international audiences,' is Judith McHale, appointed to this position by President Obama. But one could also say in her defense that nothing she did not do President Obama really wanted to be done. He certainly did not show much interest himself in the tragic events in Belarus. State Department officials are pursuing his public diplomacy, not necessarily public diplomacy serving long-term U.S. interests. ... During Ronald Reagan’s presidency, U.S. public diplomacy had a powerful message in support of freedom, and U.S. international broadcasting played its journalistic role of reporting on it. ... [T]he initiative of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty to broadcast the message to Belarus from former President George W. Bush and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is highly commendable. It’s vastly better than the totally ineffective public diplomacy outreach to Belarus from the Obama administration." Image from

Secret of Korea - andocu.tistory.com: "09STATE97244 SUBJECT POTUS EUROPEAN-BASED MISSILE DEFENSE DECISION DATE 2009-09-18 18:06:00 ¶2. (SBU) BACKGROUND: The White House is expected to announce a Presidential decision at approximately 9:55 a.m.(Washington, D.C.) on September 17 regarding a U.S. European-based BMD adaptive regional architecture, which is significantly different from the Bush Administration's plan to deploy 10 ground-based interceptors in Poland and a BMD tracking radar in the Czech Republic. END BACKGROUND. ... 3. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: ... Posts may draw upon the Questions and Answers to be provided reftel for use with Host Governments on an 'if asked' basis, or as Posts determine is appropriate. The Questions and Answers in reftel may be drawn upon by Posts but should not/not be handed over to Host Governments. Materials for public diplomacy (e.g., Fact Sheet, Questions and Answers, and


POTUS Statement) will be provided to Posts septel. Posts please notify the Department regarding date of delivery, recipients, and reaction, if any. END ACTION REQUEST." Image from

Obama's Ship of Fools foreign policy recalls Ike's Atoms for Peace fiasco - James Carafano, Washington Examiner: "America's only nuclear-powered commercial ship sits in Baltimore harbor. It hasn't sailed in decades and likely never will again. That's what happens when a president can't make up his mind. The N.S. (Nuclear Ship) Savannah was the flagship project for President Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace program -- a public diplomacy blitz to convince the world that America was more interested in peace than war. ... In the end, the N.S. Savannah put to sea years late and way over budget. It proved to be an inefficient cargo ship and an uncomfortable cruise ship. The big picture was no better: Atoms for Peace did little to stem the nuclear arms race. Today, President Obama's approach to reducing nuclear threats seems much like N.S. Savannah revisited. Candidate Obama pledged to provide a 'proven and cost-effective' missile defense. But once in office, he compromised with missile defense critics and cut missile defense 15 percent."

Why I Don’t Believe in “Net Freedom” - jilliancyork.com: "If we as a nation truly believed in Internet freedom, then we would focus not only on those countries that might benefit us (a free Iran, a capitalist China) but on all of those nations where citizens are restricted from speaking out. We would loosen the export controls on Syria–not just Iran–to allow Syrian citizens access to communications and circumvention tools, and we would give our ally Tunisia–secular, egalitarian Tunisia–incentive to stop oppressing its citizens.


If the United States of America were still truly about freedom, we would do these things, because an ally that oppresses its citizens is no ally at all. ... [Comment by:] Ibn Kafka I would never trust any public diplomacy human rights instrumentalisation anyway. The way the USG has reacted to the Wikileaks publications is evidence enough." Image from

CSI Urges Obama to Promote Religious Freedom and Diversity in Islamic World - PRNewswire-USNewswire: "CSI has urged U.S. President Barack Obama to launch a new initiative to promote religious freedom and diversity in Islamic majority countries. Writing today in response to a series of deadly holiday season attacks on Christians in Egypt, Iraq and Nigeria, Dr. John Eibner, CEO of CSI-USA,


called on President Obama and to establish a high-level interagency task force to prepare a strategy aimed at securing the human rights of non-Muslims in the Islamic Middle East. Eibner furthermore urged the President to dispatch Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Judith McHale, on a fact-finding mission to investigate the plight of non-Muslim minorities in Muslim-majority countries." Image from

Africa/America Partnership Development Strategic Plan - blog.jaluo.com: [Scroll down link for item]: "His Excellency Ambassador Ranneberger, Ms. Nicole, Dignitaries, Members and Staff of the Federal Government, Kenyans Diaspora, ……Ladies and Gentlemen, My Name is Judy Miriga, Diaspora Spokesperson and Executive Director of Confederation Council Foundation for Africa. ... I strongly believe that we must engage Public Diplomacy for Public Affairs for Strategic Planning for serious participation with results towards self-sufficiency job creation that which will bring positive sustainable development benefiting both Africa and America. Confederation Council Foundation for Africa is truly committed to Civil Society and Local Community innovative solutions through Social networking and through conducive Africa’s growth and prosperity and job creation for the jobless, both locally here and abroad in Africa."

The rise of the country branding industry‎ - Andrew Hammond, Vancouver Sun: "Country branding is founded (like disciplines such as public diplomacy) on the realization that, in an overcrowded global information market place, countries and political leaders are, in effect, competing for the attention of investors, tourists, supranational organizations, NGOs, regulators, media and consumers.


In general, the most effective country strategies align all key stakeholders (across the public, private and third sectors) around a single powerful vision for global positioning. ... Looking to the future, demand for country branding is only likely to continue growing given the increasing complexity and overcrowded nature of the global information market place. Indeed, in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, much of which remains unchartered territory for the industry, globe-trotting firms may be on the very threshold of some of the most challenging work they have yet encountered." Image from

Digital Diplomats needed for Bangladesh - IT thoughts in Bangladesh: "An increasingly large proportion of the world’s population looks to the web as its primary source of information and communication, including e-mail, video conferencing, social networking and telephony. As higher transmission speeds and greater bandwidth expand audio and visual streaming choices, communications media are converging on internet. In the late nineties, Singapore and Hong Kong were way out in front in establishing web-based identities for their city-states. Since then many countries have joined the party. The Swedish and British Foreign Ministers blog, some US and UK diplomats are encouraged to do so as well. The Republic of the Maldives, Sweden, the Philippines, Estonia, Serbia, Colombia, Macedonia, and Albania has established virtual embassies in the web-based, 3D virtual universe. The US State Department has established an Office of eDiplomacy. Secretary Rice has her own Web page and the former Assistant [sic] Secretary for Public Diplomacy Karen Hughes was the first official at that level to do the same. ... Public diplomats


can use the new media to connect directly with populations; finding better, more creative ways to do this will be one of diplomacy’s new frontiers, in part for the reasons set out above, and in part because the internet can play a crucial role in helping diplomats overcome the increasingly severe constraints on personal contact. Not all e-diplomats need to be young, but many will be born of a generation that has grown up with the new media. Just as the military needs rules of engagement, e-diplomats need tools of engagement. These e-diplomats with their new tools could become active in virtual worlds. It is time to ventilate fully the structure and content of diplomacy, to democratize the inputs into decision-making and to push accountability upward while devolving responsibility for decision-making downward." Ms. Bangladesh image from

The challenge of public diplomacy vis-a-vis the delegitimisation of Israel Address to Ariel Conference on Law and Mass Media, 30 December 2010 [speaker not identified] - melaniephillips.com: "As we all know by now, Israel has lost the battle for public opinion in the west. Even the Israel government is now acknowledging this fact. Israel and its defenders have been outclassed and outmanoeuvred in a war of the mind being waged on a battleground it never even acknowledged it was on. Calls for more and better hasbara, however, are meaningless if the message or narrative promoted by Israel and its defenders misses the point of the attack being waged upon it. And it does miss that point, by a mile. ... In short, ... the west cannot defend itself against the Islamic jihad because it can’t itself even think straight any more.


But this lethal muddle in the minds of the intelligentsia must be viewed in turn in the context of a global diplomatic process which itself embodies upside-down thinking, which fans the flames of bigotry and defeatism – and in which Israel itself has been tragically, and suicidally, complicit. ... What has Israel failed to recognise is that the battleground on which it is being forced to fight is not just military. It is also a battleground of the mind, and the strategy being used against it – and to which it needs to respond in kind — is psychological warfare. ... Israel and its defenders should be demanding of the world why it expects Israel alone to make compromises with people who have tried for nine decades to wipe out the Jewish presence in the land and are still firing rockets at it." Image from

Assertive global role ‘good for Canada’, departing British ambassador says - Globe and Mail: "Say goodbye to Anthony Cary, the diplomat who spoke out loud. The Harper government doesn’t have to tell him to be quiet anymore. Britain’s envoy to Canada has packed his bags and returned to London. For four years his inconvenient task was urging Ottawa, in public, to do more to combat global warming. ... The Oxford-educated career diplomat isn’t the first person you’d pick to annoy his hosts. He’s in some ways a model British ambassador, tall, erudite, well-spoken,


and in no rush to offend, though he defied stereotype in unpompous style, riding his bicycle through slush and wearing tights to deliver a soliloquy at a charity fundraiser. But for Ottawa’s discreet diplomatic world, Mr. Cary’s tenure was an experiment in public diplomacy, in trying to influence policy by influencing public opinion. Because his government-appointed brief was to influence Canadians to action on greenhouse gases, he irked the Harper government." Cary image from article

Turkey to open 2011's envoys conference in Ankara‎ - worldbulletin.net: "Turkey's ambassadors serving abroad and at Foreign Ministry headquarters will gather on Monday for the opening of a week-long brainstorming session to discuss the foreign policy goals of the country. This is the third annual ambassadors' conference being held under the auspices of the Foreign Ministry. ... 'Visionary Diplomacy: Global and Regional Order from Turkey's Perspective' is the theme of this year's conference, which will be chaired by Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu,


according to a written statement released over the weekend by the Foreign Ministry. ... 'The ... conference, which is being held following a one-year hiatus, will serve as an opportunity for re-discussing main issues that are considered a priority in our foreign policy agenda and in international politics; for reviewing the progress that has been made on issues discussed at the second conference; and for assessing our public diplomacy activities -- on which we have gradually focused more in the recent period -- with a forward-looking perspective,' the ministry said, while stressing that the ambassadors' conference has become a significant part of the ministry's institutional culture." Image from article

Microdiplomacy in Ho Chi Minh City - Ren's Micro Diplomacy: "The English edition of the Saigon GP Daily newspaper reports that the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism held a special welcoming ceremony for the first 460 foreigners to arrive at the airport. The event was, 'just one in a series,' of city branding and public diplomacy events to take in place in 2011."

Careers for International Jobs - ileicapam.copious-systems.com: "Diplomats [:] If you want to play at the international level, is a diplomat with the U.S. State Department. Workers in the Foreign Service with the career paths to choose from, including five. In all parts of the world is the U.S. Embassy by staff and management. Protection of citizens in the United States Consulate officials abroad. Officials, economists working on economic development. Based on political events, the political staff. Finally, the work of the staff of public diplomacy to explain the policy and the United States and abroad. In order to qualify for their own business, a Foreign Service Officer, you must be a U.S. citizen, 20 to 59 years old, and ready to move anywhere in the world."

US Embassy Jobs Vacancies at Employment 2011 - bestugandajobs.blogspot.com: "The American Embassy is seeking for an individual for the position of United States Students Achievers Program and Alumni Coordinator (USAP) in the Public Diplomacy Section. ...


A copy of the complete position description listing all duties and responsibilities is available on www.kampala.usembassy.gov" Image from

Supervisory Development Outreach & Communication (S/DOC) Specialist, USAID/Uganda - naombakazi.blogspot.com: "B. MAJOR DUTIES [include] ... Coordinate with USAID technical teams, implementing partners, and the PAO in planning public diplomacy, press conference and field events related to USAID activities."

CULTURAL DIPLOMACY

A Triage to Save the Ruins of Babylon - Steven Lee Myers, New York Times: "[F]or the first time since the American invasion in 2003, after years of neglect and violence, archaeologists and preservationists have once again begun working to protect and even restore parts of Babylon and other ancient ruins of Mesopotamia. And there are new sites being excavated for the first time, mostly in secret to avoid attracting the attention of looters, who remain a scourge here. The World Monuments Fund, working with Iraq’s State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, has drafted a conservation plan to combat any further deterioration of Babylon’s mud-brick ruins and reverse some of the effects of time and Mr. Hussein’s propagandistic and archaeologically specious re-creations.


In November, the State Department announced a new $2 million grant to begin work to preserve the site’s most impressive surviving ruins. They include the foundation of the Ishtar Gate, built in the sixth century B.C. by Nebuchadnezzar’s father, Nabopolassar, and adorned with brick reliefs of the Babylonian gods Marduk and Adad." Image from article, with caption: An Iraqi helicopter hovering over the Ishtar Gate in May. Groundwater and excavations have eaten away brick reliefs at its base.

Int'l Sufi University to be established in Matiari - Jan Khaskheli, thenews.com.pk: The News International: "The Sindh government has decided to establish an International Sufi University in Bhit Shah, Matiari, to promote cultural and religious education in the rural areas and to educate the local people, especially youth. The university is being established on the directives of President Asif Ali Zardari and it will be situated near Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai’s shrine. ... Mir Ghulam Mustafa Talpur, Director, Centre for Peace, Democracy, Diplomacy and Developmental Studies, said that there was a need to adopt modern education system regarding Sufism in the International Sufi University. ... He suggested that the Sufi University could fulfil its purpose if it was developed on modern lines of cultural diplomacy, and interfaith conflict resolution. He believed that teaching of Sufism and cultural values could be used to promote tolerance and interfaith harmony in society."

'Germans in love with Nigerian National Troupe'‎ - Sam Anokam, Daily Sun: "For Mr. Ayodele Ayodeji, the business of managing the affairs of Nigeria in Germany is interesting and exciting. He said that although Nigeria is misunderstood, he finds it interesting being one of those who represent the country abroad. The high ambassador, who is a stickler to time spoke of how he has been coordinating the affairs of Nigeria in Germany and other things. ... [Ayodeji:] Nigeria is a vastly misunderstood country. I always tell Germans, each time I have cause to address them, that they must reach out and understand our people. ... We Nigerians should endeavour to do more of cultural diplomacy, which used to be part of this job some 30 years ago, where artistes, like Fela, would engage in world tours. The youths are the future of nations. Such tours would create a better understanding of who we are. Foreigners would see the wealth of our culture, background, people, cuisine and it makes them less resistant to overtures by our businessmen.


And that was why in 2010, when we were going to decide the format of our national day celebrations, we actually started to generate the concept last year. A small committee was set up which decided that rather than the routine programme, we should add up the concept of cultural provision. That is to showcase our legend and our rich heritage to Nigerians. We brought in the national troupe of Nigeria and I tell you, they were wonderful. I received hundreds of calls from Germans seeking to see them perform again." Ayodeji image from article

Vietnam persists with external policy for peace - english.vovnews.vn: "Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem on December 30 chaired a meeting with the media to welcome the New Year.


In his speech, Deputy PM Khiem reviewed Vietnam’s implementation of the Party and State’s external policy in 2010 concerning political diplomacy, economic diplomacy, cultural diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy. ... 2010 also saw Vietnam’s significant achievements in cultural diplomacy with a lot of events such as the millennial anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi, the 120th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s birthday, the 65th anniversary of National Day, the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the 35th anniversary of national unification." Khiem image from article

Students on NE recce‎ - Calcutta Telegraph: Meghalaya Governor R.S. Mooshahary today exhorted students to live and learn together in this 'world of interdependence'. Mooshahary was speaking at a cultural programme at the Raj Bhavan here in honour of 31 students from nine countries. The students are on a visit to the city as part of a winter camp organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). The students hail from Nepal, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Nigeria, Iran, Kenya, Bulgaria and Tajikistan.


'You should live and learn together in this world of interdependence. Unless you live and learn together, you will be isolated. In fact, the duty of education is to bring you together,' Mooshahary said. ... ICCR, the cultural arm of the Union external affairs ministry, promotes cultural diplomacy and sponsors intellectual exchanges between India and other countries." Image from article, with caption artists perform at the Raj Bhavan on Thursday.

Albania - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized the reception "Together for the image that Albania deserves" - isria.com: "A reception was held in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the occasion of the end of the year holidays and the opening of a cycle of activities 'Together for the image Albania deserves' with representatives from civil society, business community, media, art and culture. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Edmond Haxhinasto, in his speech at the beginning of the reception appreciated the work that has been done by this community of people for a successful economic and cultural diplomacy and their contribution to reach the objectives for a better image of Albania in the world. He shared with the guests the vision for a more efficient cooperation between the Foreign Service and the public and private institution, media and civil society to guarantee a proper image of a Euro-Atlantic Albania. For this purpose Minister Haxhinasto inaugurated an exhibition with the works of the Albanian sculptor Odise Pascal, made available from his family."

RELATED ITEMS

Educational programme brings foreigners to North Korea - Matt Danzico, BBC News: Amid the ongoing tensions between North Korea and the international community, a educational scheme created by two young men from the US is engaging directly with citizens and students inside the country. Organisers of the Pyongyang Project say their programme is breaking down barriers to the secretive state that government bodies cannot. The Pyongyang Project was the brainchild of Matthew Reichel and Nick Young, who were inspired to counteract what they describe as the "one-sided" coverage of North Korea in the international media. "The US and North Korea don't have established relations, and talks are indirect at best. And what we believe is that there is a need for a grassroots level of engagement that we haven't seen yet between citizens," says Mr Reichel, a 23-year-old Brown University graduate. "We feel that education is the best ice-breaker." The pair scheduled meetings with North Korean government officials at consulates in the US and China - and got the go ahead to run a scheme which takes university students and professors from the US, UK, Canada and other nations inside North Korea in a bid to reach out to the nation behind the headlines.

Demise of Iraqi water park illustrates limitations, abuse of U.S. funding program - Ernesto Londoño, Washington Post: In the spring of 2008, Gen. David H. Petraeus decided he had spent enough time gazing from his helicopter at an empty and desolate lake on the banks of the Tigris River. He ordered the lake refilled and turned into a water park for all of Baghdad to enjoy. The military doctrine behind the project holds that cash can be as effective as bullets. Under Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq at the time, that principle gained unprecedented emphasis, and it has become a cornerstone of the war effort in Afghanistan, now under Petraeus's command.


But today the Baghdad park is nearly waterless, more than two years after a U.S. military inauguration ceremony that included a marching band and water-scooter rides. Much of the compound is in ruins, swing sets have become piles of twisted steel, and the personal watercraft's engines have been gutted for spare parts. The troubled history of the venture speaks to the limitations and mishandling of a program that has provided U.S. military commanders with $5 billion for projects in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past six years. The program has given officers enormous flexibility to address urgent needs with few bureaucratic hassles. Image from

How to Stay Friends With China - Zbigniew Brzezinski, New York Times: Just as America’s unilateralism has in recent years needlessly antagonized some of its friends, so China should note that some of its recent stands have worried its neighbors. The worst outcome for Asia’s long-term stability as well as for the American-Chinese relationship would be a drift into escalating reciprocal demonization. What’s more, the temptations to follow such a course are likely to grow as both countries face difficulties at home.

Dangerously silent on human rights - Jackson Diehl, Washington Post: When the administration touts its record it often focuses on the declarations it has engineered by multilateral forums, such as the U.N. Human Rights Council. The ideology behind this is that the United States is better off working through such bodies than acting on its own. The problem is that, in practice, this is not true. Set aside for the moment the fact that the U.N. council is dominated by human rights abusers who devote most of the agenda to condemnations of Israel. Who has heard what the council said about, say, the recent events in Belarus? The obvious answer: far fewer people than would have noticed if the same critique came from Obama or Clinton.

Preparing for the Propaganda Onslaught: The Anti-Empire Report - William Blum, foreignpolicyjournal.com: February 6 will mark the centenary of the birth of Ronald Reagan, president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. The conservatives have wasted no time in starting the show. On New Year’s Day, a 55-foot long, 26-foot high float honoring Reagan was part of the annual Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. To help you cope with, hopefully even counter, the misinformation and the omissions that are going to swamp the media for the next few months, here is some basic information about the great man’s splendid achievements, first in foreign policy. William Blum left the State Department in 1967, abandoning his aspiration of becoming a Foreign Service Officer, because of his opposition to what the United States was doing in Vietnam. He then became one of the founders and editors of the Washington Free Press.

Networks of Empire and Realignments of World Power - James Petras, thepeoplesvoice.org: The weakening influence of imperial propaganda and the declining economic leverage of Washington, means that the US imperial networks built over the past half century are being eroded or at least subject to centrifugal forces.


Former fully integrated networks in Asia are now merely military bases as the economies secure greater autonomy and orient toward China and beyond. In other words the imperial networks are now being transformed into limited operations’ outposts, rather than centers for imperial economic plunder. Image from article

New Rome museum celebrates Catholicism's global mission: Museo Missionario di Propaganda Fide displays some of the paintings, brought back by priests, from around the world - John Hooper, guardian.co.uk: The Museo Missionario di Propaganda Fide is located in a narrow street near the Spanish Steps on the first floor of the stately palazzo which, since 1627, has been the headquarters of Catholicism's global missionary operations. The department, known as the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, was for centuries referred to as Propaganda Fide (propagation of the faith). When it was set up in 1622, pope Gregory XV told the priests who were to travel to distant lands that they were "not to reject anything good, pure or holy in the cultures and religions of the peoples they encountered". The museum is, in part, a tribute to those who followed his instruction. There are paintings brought back by a Spanish prelate, Carlos Cuarterón, who explored the Philippines in the mid-19th century.


There are others of Japanese life in the 1930s, including one, pictured here, showing a naughty schoolgirl tying something into her classmate's pigtails. Image from article

Two-Year Boy Dies In Cherkasy Region After Eating Pills - Ukrainian News Agency: A two-year boy died in the town of Shpola, Cherkasy region, on January 1 after eating pills he took from his mother's bag. Ukrainian News learned this from a statement by the propaganda center of the regional office of the Emergency Situations Ministry.


Image from article

January 2

"[M]ost of these cables did not even need to be classified."


--Professor Juan Cole, regarding Wikileaks; image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

U.S. Embassy Baghdad's "Last Three (Virtual) Feet" - The Skeptical Bureaucrat: Giving my fellow Americans the view from my cubicle: "DipNote has announced U.S. Embassy Baghdad's latest initiative in public diplomacy, a new program on its YouTube channel called 'Window Into the U.S. Embassy.' OK, given the realities of the security situation in and around Baghdad, maybe our public diplomacy options there are limited to social media and YouTube. I can understand that. But, the Dipnote post has this strange concluding paragraph that makes a mockery of the whole idea of impersonal person-to-person communication: [']I'm a firm believer in Edward R. Murrow's tried and true words about effective communication with foreign audiences: 'The real crucial link in the international communication chain is the last three feet... one person talking to another.' While there's no substitute for meeting Iraqis face-to-face, and building relationships over a cup of steaming tea or a plate of kebabs, here at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad social media is helping us open windows into new audiences and build bridges across those last three (virtual) feet.[']


DipNote's post seems to be having an argument with itself. In the first place, we will speak to Iraqis at arms length, and in the second place, face-to-face communication is crucial. Which is it? If there really 'is no substitute' for meeting Iraqis face-to-face, then why are we substituting a YouTube program for just that? And, if we have no better option but to do just that, why are we invoking the sainted Edward R. Murrow and his all-important 'last three feet' in a post about how we will keep the internet between us and the Iraqi public? What is the 'virtual' last three feet, anyway? Virtual as in 'simulated,' I suppose. We will pretend to talk to you in person, and we invite you to pretend along with us. The idea of virtual human contact simply doesn't fit into the Murrow paradigm, and by using it Dipnote invites snickering." Image from

Washington Post is latest news outlet to cover VOA Persian satire program - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting: Here [in the satire program 'Parazit'], VOA Persian is functioning as a 'surrogate' broadcaster for Iran: providing the content that Iranian domestic would if it were free. Yes, in theory, VOA is not supposed to be the surrogate station, but, de facto, in most parts of the world, it is. The use of satire or other types of humor at the expense of the government of the target country is not new to international broadcasting. The technique was used in World War II. In the last years of the Soviet Union, Radio Moscow's English service for North America had a program called 'Warmongers' Monthly,' employing fairly amusing skits to lambaste various US policies. But only the United States, and never the Soviet government and Communist Party, were at the receiving end. The most courageous, groundbreaking, and balanced use of humor in international broadcasting was Radio Sweden's Saturday Show, because the Swedish government, along with other national governments, e.g. USA, USSR, was the object of the humor. When President Obama consented to an interview by BBC Persian, rather than VOA Persian, did 'Parazit' do a bit about that? In such a case, the humor would have been at the expense of the president and/or VOA. The sketch could have practically written itself."

Brand India may finally win the day against China: Expert‎ - Manish Chand, Sify: "Giving a twist to the much-touted race between the Indian elephant versus the Chinese dragon, an eminent expert on 'nations branding' says although China's economy may be far bigger and its military superior, Brand India may just win the game as the world identifies with its values of plurality, diversity and tolerance. 'Brand China is about enforced conformity. Brand India is about openness and diversity; every culture and every religion is represented here,' Nicholas J. Cull, a British-born historian and theorist of public diplomacy, told IANS in an interview during a visit here. ... Cull contrasts India's style of low-key diplomacy and spontaneous soft power expression with orchestrated image-building indulged in by China's rulers. 'The truth about China's public diplomacy is that it is for domestic consumption. China wants to give its people the gift of the admiration of the world,' he said while alluding to the spectacular 2008 Beijing Olympics which was widely seen as China's coming out party in influential capitals of the world. ... On the contrary, India does so many wonderful things in the world, but keeps quiet about it,


says Cull, while recalling the evacuation of hundreds of Indians stranded in Lebanon in 2006 and the pan-Africa e-network that brings tele-medicine and tele-education to the African people as shining examples of Indian diplomacy. India's soft power is immense and will hold the key, predicts Cull. ... What threatens Brand India? 'When organizations peddle exclusionary ideologies or tendencies, it undermines the India brand. India should also be vigilant against the government's tendency to squash opposition and voices of dissent and the widening divide between the rich and the poor,' he said. 'America is a great brand associated with freedom and democracy. When the US tortures people without trials, it undermines the brand. When China does it, nobody minds it as it is seen as a repressive nation with repressive tendencies,' he explained." Image from

Choosing US, China needs not be a zero-sum game for Seoul‎ Sunny Lee - Korea Times: "Meet Prof. Han Suk-hee at Yonsei University and Prof. Kim Heung-kyu of Sungshin Women's University. ... 'It was a year that South Korea and China saw a large divergence of views,' summed Han, who sits on a committee that advises President Lee Myung-bak on foreign policy. Kim’s answer was no different. “It was a year mutual mistrust manifested,” said Kim, who until recently had had a stint with the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security, Foreign Ministry’s top think tank. Now, at his new post at a private institution, Kim is extending his China expertise to public diplomacy."

Violence and Its Seductions: A Psycho-Political Typology of Torture in Iran - e-International Relations: "Human rights violations in Iran are often perpetrated by recourse to the religious and political belief that protecting the Islamic state and securing its survival takes precedence over all other norms, values and 'obligations.' ... Other justifications of seemingly similar degree of appeal and acceptability which Iranian leaders usually provide can also be given as examples: The human rights discourse is a politicized public-diplomacy lever Iran’s Western enemies employ to force it into compromises on national strategic issues of greater significance;


the West’s human rights claims are inauthentic and bogus due to its double-standard treatment of the issue; dissidents and critics, including writers, activists and human rights defenders, are suppressed and incarcerated because they disseminate the allegedly decadent Western values, are agents of the West’s 'cultural invasion,' and more recently have come to serve as the chief forces of its 'soft war' against the Islamic system; such ethnic minorities as Kurds and religious minorities as Baha’is are suppressed as they pose a tremendous threat to national security and seriously challenge the system’s established religious ideology. The list goes on and on…" Image from article

Welcome 2011 - Ren's Micro Diplomacy: "2010 was a landmark year for me, and I’m inclined to label it the best year ever. ... Can’t wait to see what 2011 brings, but I have some predictions/hopes/goals: ... •Conduct research on comparative public diplomacy in SE Asia •Graduate from USC with a Masters of Public Diplomacy Degree •Spend the summer in Turkey, funded by the Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship Program •Find a job in communications/media to get some experience while I wait to become an FSO."

RELATED ITEMS

The Basement Tapes: Edward R. Murrow and Louis Armstrong: Fifty five years ago, Edward R. Murrow went on the road with the great "Satchmo," Louis Armstrong. Jazz musician Wynton Marsalis walks us through the rarely seen footage of Armstrong's travels - cbsnews.com. Via MP on facebook

The Afghan War, Terrorism And Media Propaganda - Dave Cohen: Decline of the Empire: "As 2010 winds down, I am reminded that there is no Imperial policy more reprehensible and shameful than the war in Afghanistan. This war is constantly presented to Americans as an integral part of the War On Terrorism, but it is no such thing. The Afghan war is a pointless, expensive, destructive exercise in futility whereby American power is projected into southern Asia for God Only Knows what purpose at this point. Those who remember the Vietnam War, which was a much, much bigger senseless, destructive exercise in futility, know what I'm talking about. ... Here is the bottom line: the media have bludgeoned Americans with the terrorism threat over and over and over again ever since the 9/11 attack. The true purpose of this reporting could not be more obvious, whether it's done intentionally or simply because the media is psychologically co-opted. A fearful populace is an obedient populace. We must be reminded time and time again that radical Muslims or others who reject the wonderful benefits of Western Civilization are a greater threat to the American Way Of Life than astonishing wealth inequality, growing poverty,


predatory and parasitic Wall Street banks, corrupt politicians and any of the thousand other ills that beset the United States. How bad has the terrorism propaganda become? I want you to watch this video of the PBS News Hour "news wrap" for Monday, December 27th. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmt6mkziNvk&feature=player_embedded#! Watch it very carefully in light of what I just told you. ... Terrorism, terrorism, bomb threat, terrorism, Muslims versus Christians, politics, and the stock market. I hope you realize that the selection of stories which PBS deemed 'newsworthy' on Monday is distorted beyond all recognition, a total assault on your peace of mind, and otherwise completely deranged." Image from

Taliban Propaganda Watch(RC South) – 011640UTC Jan 11 - MILNEWS.ca Blog

AMERICANA

Where Las Vegas' neon signs go to die - Cristina Silva, Associated Press, USA TODAY: The stack of giant neon letters just beyond the gates of the Neon Boneyard in Las Vegas are unlit.









Flecks of turquoise, ruby and jade paint chips dot the gravel field. There are rusted metal beams, twisted tubes, cracked light bulbs and 40 foot tall skeletons plucked from the rubble of imploded casinos. Miles from the blinking marquees of the Las Vegas Strip, this is where neon signs go to die. Now, after years as a hidden memorial open only to a few, the 15-year-old collection has announced plans to open a fully operating museum in 2011 and an adjacent public park later this month. Images from article

MORE AMERICANA


A new aerial surveillance system: This winter, the Air Force plans to roll out a new system for collecting surveillance data using unmanned aircraft to better track enemy movements in Afghanistan. Officials acknowledge, however, that to keep up with the large amount of data generated, more automated methods of analysis will be needed. From The Washington Post

January 1

"Even when he told you nothing, he was always persuasive."

--Former New York Times and CBS reporter Bernard Kalb regarding the recently deceased Barry Zorthian, the "colorful U.S. diplomat who left his mark on American policy in Vietnam as a forthright and often combative press spokesman in the early years of the war" (AP); Zorthian image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Bush, Havel, Rice, Sikorski, and others read messages of solidarity with Belarus - FreeMediaOnline.org: "The George W. Bush Presidential Center announced that on New Year’s Eve, President Bush

joined former Czech president Vaclav Havel, former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, other world leaders, and dissidents from across the globe to voice their support for the future of a free Belarus. In solidarity with the country’s pro-democracy advocates, and broadcast by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, they read the names one by one of 700 detained individuals. ... According to Free Media Online president Ted Lipien, this public diplomacy action is in many ways similar to the American expressions of support for the Polish people after General Jaruzelski’s imposition of martial law in Poland in December of 1981, except at that time President Ronald Reagan, the White House staff, the State Department, and the now defunct United States Information Agency (USIA) were all in the forefront of numerous U.S. government and private sector efforts to expose human rights violations and publicly condemn the communist regime in Warsaw. The absence of high-profile figures of the Obama administration in this latest action in support of democracy in Belarus is quite telling and confirms that East-Central Europe and defense of human rights abroad are a much lower priority for President Obama, said Lipien." Image from

Expats' 'Daily Show'-style VOA program enthralls Iranians, irks their government - Tara Bahrampour, Washington Post: "For the past 30 years, state-approved television in Iran has consisted largely of Islamic prayers, interviews with government ministers, melodramatic soap operas and talk shows in which mullahs expound on the depravities of the West and the righteousness of their own society. Iranians responded by jury-rigging satellite dishes to spice up their entertainment choices with offerings from abroad. 'Baywatch' was a longtime favorite. But lately, a couple of irreverent expats in Washington have captivated Iranians with a show that pokes fun at the absurdities of life in the Islamic republic. Operating out of Voice of America's Persian News Network, Kambiz Hosseini and Saman Arbabi have started a weekly program, 'Parazit,'


that has drawn comparisons to Jon Stewart's 'Daily Show' for its satiric take on Iran's news of the day." Via MP on facebook. Image from

BBG seeks sources that can provide "cell phone messaging services into the borders of closed societies" (updated again) - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

Foreign Policy, Public Diplomacy & Human Rights - Imara, democracyandsociety.com: "As in so many other policy areas, the issue of human rights is clearly one of words vs. actions.


If one relied on press releases, official remarks and speeches alone for their information, it might seem only a matter of time until human rights violations are a thing of the past. Human rights is perhaps one of the best examples of the divide between public diplomacy and changes in policy. Particularly in the more influential nations of the world, human rights tend to conflict with many of more noteworthy policy concerns like economics and security." Image from

VOL. VI NO. 26, December 17-December 30, 2010 - The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media: VOL. VI NO. 26, December 17-December 30, 2010

WikiLeaks Takes 2010 by Storm The cavalcade of WikiLeaks documents that were released over the course of the past year catalyzed heated debates throughout the world. The self-proclaimed whistle blowing website raised several questions as to the nature of security on the one hand and free speech on the other.

Obama’s Uneasy Relationship with the Middle East President Obama’s overall popularity declined in the Middle East despite several popular initiatives, largely because citizens in the region did not perceive any immediate change. Yet, some groups remain hopeful that the President will make a difference in the region in good time.

The Year of Living Dangerously This past year revealed growing confusion and contention in the United States with regard to the Islamic community. From the controversy over the Islamic community center to the Florida pastor’s threat to sponsor a Qu’ran burning day, couple with several other factors, have pointed out that Islamophobia is a real and painful issue.

Islamists on the Rise in the Arab World Religious groups throughout the Middle East seeking to establish a solid platform for their beliefs and values via media outlets have been competing with one another over the pan-Arab satellite platforms. Yet, according to some, the chief problem with this strategy is that it often results in some rather serious political ramifications and cultural misunderstandings.

The Evolution of American Public Diplomacy: 2010 Despite growing efforts by the State Department to ensure that public diplomacy is brought up to date in terms of technology, the debate remains among experts as to whether or not this new approach is truly effective.

Al-Qaeda’s PR Extremist groups such as Al-Qaeda and the Taliban have been harnessing social media and publications in 2010 as a means of connecting to their followers; the most telling example of this trend being the magazine Inspire, a hip magazine designed to portray terrorist acts as glamorous.

Censorship and Public Diplomacy via New Media The growing discrepancy between the notion that social media serves as the ultimate conduit of freedom and democracy and the reality on the ground are hampering some public diplomacy initiatives in the Arab world. While many laud the internet a harbinger of free speech, many citizens are put under arrest for voicing their beliefs online, notably in Egypt.

Nirupama Rao encourages career as diplomat - timesofindia.indiatimes.com: [S]he [Rao] said, 'We cannot divorce our neighbours like China and Pakistan as the lack of harmonious relationships will have an impact on our development. ... India, being a recipient and a donor, our role is as a development assistance provider to our neigbouring countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Afghanistan and many African countries. Indian nationals living in USA and other countries are key spokesmen in the promotion of India in those countries,' she observed. Diplomacy in the spheres of climate change, global warming and environment are also important. Public diplomacy is the buzz word.


Diplomacy would help the nation in many ways. It protects the national interest and to meet its aims and goals. From seeking innovations and capital from the world and domestication of foreign policy, a diplomat can play a vital role for his country." Image from

"The Archers" in another time and place: BBC radio series in Rwanda and Afghanistan are "education through entertainment" - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

RELATED ITEMS

WikiLeaks: a vehicle of disinformation - Abdul Zahoor Khan Marwat, thenews.com.pk: In today’s world, we see numerous propaganda campaigns to achieve certain objectives. Sophisticated techniques are employed to convince the world at large about some particular subject. In this regard, WikiLeaks can be termed psychological warfare with some particular countries being targeted. The mainstream Western media, The New York Times, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, and Le Monde, among others, has amplified the material well beyond its true significance.

NKGastrodiplo - Paul Rockower, Levantine: South Korea isn't the only one on the Korean peninsula doing gastrodiplomacy. Apparently, North Korea is also getting into the act, albeit in a far different fashion. Pyongyang opened up a restaurant in Dubai- less for culinary diplomacy and more to get some currency.


Image with caption: Banned: North Korea believes the burger symbolises the west from

AMERICANA

Bugsy Siegel's Las Vegas: Sin City's underworld past is the focus of the new Mob Experience Then there's the Mob Tour. And coming soon: the Mob Museum - Jay Jones, Los Angeles Times


Image from article, with caption: Millicent Siegel Rosen stands in front of a portrait of her father, "Bugsy" Siegel, at the new Mob Experience attraction at the Tropicana in Las Vegas. "He pushed Vegas to come what it is today," she said of her father, who founded the Flamingo.

MORE AMERICANA

Drive-thru sex toy shop offers privacy in Alabama - Jay Reeves, Associated Press, USA TODAY: Huntsville, Alabama: A "romance" store called Pleasures offers a rare convenience not only for these parts but nationally: a drive-through with adult novelties for sale. Business is brisk so far, with cars sometimes lining up three deep for vibrators, lubricants, lingerie and other risque items.


Image from article: Brandi McNaron of Gadsden, Ala., shows her driver's license to Pleasures romance shop employee Gabrielle Silva who handles drive-thru sales in Huntsville, Ala.