August 19-20

"Peace is more powerful than the bomb."

--Eugene Staples, Deputy General Manager of the American National Exibition in Moscow in 1959, writing in "Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the American National Exhibition in Moscow 1959: Six Weeks in Sokolniki Park" (a publication kindly provided to your PDPBR compiler by Mr. Jack Masey, a key US organizer of the National Exhibition); image: Mr. Masey and spouse Beverly; recent book by Mr. Masey; YouTube interview with Mr. Masey

ANNOUNCEMENT:

"I thought you may be interested to learn that Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs are now accepting applications for The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad’s 2010-2011 program. Applications are due November 1, 2010, and auditions will follow in January 2010 in New York City at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center and, for the first time in the history of the program, in New Orleans. ... [P]lease find more information at jalc.org/TheRoad." -- e-mail from Ms. Anna Kukowski, anna.kukowski@bm.com

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Great Moments in Public Diplomacy: Is Jim Glassman pulling our leg? - James Taranto, Wall Street Journal: "One of the oddest comments we've seen about the Ground Zero mosque plan comes by way of Slate's David Weigel: '[Former Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs during the George W. Bush administration and director of the George W. Bush Institute at the Bush Presidential Center] James K. Glassman is a rarity: a Republican who believes, and is willing to say, that President Obama "is the greatest public diplomat we've had in decades.' ... We should declare up front that Obama has never struck us as an especially impressive 'public diplomat.' Our impression is that foreigners like the idea of him--an American president who flatters them by affecting a cosmopolitan attitude of disdain for his own country. But apart from a Nobel Prize for Nada, we're hard-pressed to think of any actual accomplishments his 'public diplomacy' has produced. Maybe we're missing something, or perhaps the wisdom of Obama's approach will be borne out by future events. But one thing is for sure: From the standpoint of public diplomacy, his actions with respect to the Ground Zero mosque have been utterly disastrous and stunningly incompetent. ... He attempted to conduct public diplomacy heedless of public opinion. Then, rather than try to persuade the public, like brave Sir Robin he bravely ran away, away! Mosque? What mosque?

Hey, isn't the Constitution great? Since voting 'present,' the president has absented himself from the debate, which of course rages on. With Obama having seized the initiative and quickly abdicated it, it is left to the professional controversialists of the left to make the case for the mosque scheme. This cackle of rads are the worst public diplomats you could ever hope to find. Their approach has been to try to bully Americans into submission by piling insult upon insult: Bigot! Un-American! Not only is this unlikely to win anyone over, it also perpetuates the lie that most Americans are anti-Muslim bigots. ... When he [James Glassman] praises Obama's skill as a public diplomat, we suspect he's pulling everyone's leg, and that he and his colleagues in Dallas are enjoying a hearty laugh at the expense of Bush's hapless successor." Image from

Karen Hughes: Move the New York City mosque, as a sign of unity - Karen Hughes, Washington Post: "I believe it is in America's strategic interest, and in the interest of defeating terrorism, that we make clear that we view most Muslims as our allies in a common struggle against extremists. At the same time, we cannot ignore the facts. As a Muslim American friend told me recently, 'As much as I hate it, those hijackers called themselves Muslim.' ... Karen Hughes, global vice chair at Burson-Marsteller, served as counselor to President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2002 and as undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs from 2005 to 2007." Karen Hughes: "I cast my first vote for president for Jimmy Carter ... . As President Bush would later say, when I was young and irresponsible, I sometimes acted young and irresponsible." Karen Hughes, Ten Minutes from Normal (2004), p. 61.

Build the Mosque! - Andrew Levine, Huffington Post: "In the world as it is, nothing good can come from treating the Ground Zero neighborhood differently from any other. This is why, the mosque's developers ought to go ahead, even if they conclude that with Fox News and its ilk broadcasting hate filled dispersions and with the Tea Party up in arms while mainstream Democrats cave and Obama equivocates, saying one thing on Friday and something else the next day, it isn't worth the trouble. If we must suffer a house of worship anywhere, it should be a mosque in that location - not because it will enrage all the right people (that's just icing on the cake), but because it will help to normalize Ground Zero. Law, morality and "public diplomacy" demand it; and elementary decency requires no less." See also 1.

America's Wars - iNEWP: "The present quagmire the US finds itself in is a product of America’s phobia with the Islamic world, barring its standoff with China over Taiwan or the Koreas. The war on terror has turned out to be the worst nightmare for USA and is being construed in the Islamic Word as the 'War against Islam'.

The overall confusion of not wanting the Mosque at ground zero but acknowledging the legal right to do so and what the Islamic Public diplomacy has not done to exonerate any portion of Islam from complicity in the Jihad against America." Image from

NY mosque imam in Mideast for outreach tour - AP: "The imam leading plans for an Islamic center near the Manhattan site of the Sept. 11 attacks began a U.S.-funded outreach tour of the Middle East Thursday to talk about religious tolerance in America. The U.S. State Department said Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf arrived in Bahrain for the start of a 15-day tour in which he will discuss Muslim life in America. 'He will be visiting mosques,' said department spokesman P.J. Crowley. 'He will be involved in direct discussions to help people in the countries he'll visit understand the role of religion in our society, how American Muslims celebrate Ramadan, how we emphasize religious tolerance in our society.' The trip — estimated to cost about $16,000 — is funded by the State Department's Bureau of International Information Programs and will include visits to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates." Via LB

The Imam Has Landed … So When Does He Phone Home? - Claudia Rosett, The Rosett Report: "[L]ate Thursday night, New York time — Thursday morning in the Middle East — I phoned the U.S. Embassy in Bahrain, the first stop on Rauf’s 'public diplomacy' tour. Asked if the imam had arrived in Bahrain, an embassy official told me: 'Yes, that’s correct.'

And that, folks, is the sum total right now of the information available to the American public about the taxpayer-funded public outreach activities these next few days of Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf in Bahrain. I had more questions. But Imam Feisal evidently moves in circles in which inquiries about whom he’s meeting overseas, what he’s telling them, or where he plans to get $100 million for his mosque and Islamic center near Ground Zero are seen by both Rauf and his hosts as an extraordinary intrusion on his public outreach and bridge-building endeavors. The U.S. Embassy in Bahrain would offer nothing further on the record about Ambassador Adam Ereli’s controversial guest." Image from

Bin Laden's Willing Accomplices - Josh Marshall, TPM: "Quite simply, the furor of opposition to the Cordoba House project and the spasm of Islamophobia is the best recruiting tool that bin Laden and his imitators could possibly hope for. ... What is important to recognize is that this opinion is close to universal among people in the counter-terrorism business. And by this I mean, people who actually operationally work in counter-terrorism, people who work in public diplomacy for the US abroad and people who study trends in counter-terrorism and Islamic radicalism both in the US and abroad."

All in a muddle - Laura McGinnis, manIC: "Symbolism is an important element of PD, but can be dangerous because they're so easy to misappropriate. Which is why actions--like domestic and foreign policies--carry so much weight in forming public opinions. The controversy surrounding the proposed cultural center [at Ground Zero] says much more about prevailing national attitudes towards religious tolerance in general and Islam in particular than any symbolic gesture could. Radio Sawa can broadcast as many pop songs as it wants; it won't drown out the clamor of fear and intolerance."

Leaving Iraq – Politics and Society, University of Southern California: "In a move President Obama framed as the fruition of a campaign promise, all U.S. combat troops withdrew from Iraq this week. Remaining in the country are 50,000 soldiers dedicated to peacekeeping and training Iraqi security forces; this last contingent is scheduled to withdraw by the end of 2011.

Will the pullout improve America’s image abroad, particularly in the Middle East? 'The closest comparison is the U.S. withdrawal of combat troops from South Vietnam in January 1973,' observes public diplomacy scholar Nicholas Cull of the USC Annenberg School. 'That gave an immediate boost to U.S. standing in the world and especially in Europe. Of course, the long-term effect on world opinion hinges on what happens next in Iraq,' Cull notes. 'If the country falls apart immediately, it will hardly reflect well on the United States. 'This said, there are plenty of other things that will be critical to U.S. standing in the world,' Cull adds.'" Image: Attention-getting use for "Impeach" bumper sticker at the "U.S. Out of Iraq Now" rally on Sunday, March 18, 2007.

The Guantanamo Paradox - Morris Davis, Huffington Post: "Another military jury will begin hearing evidence in the case of Omar Ahmed Khadr, a Canadian citizen charged with murder for the death of Sergeant First Class Christopher Speer and attempted murder for helping to make and plant improvised explosive devices near a roadway used by U.S. and coalition forces. ... There is a danger that the Obama administration may be in the process of squandering its last best chance to demonstrate to a skeptical world audience that military commissions can be credible. From a public diplomacy perspective, the Khadr case is the pick of the litter among the 30 or so detainee cases that may eventually go to trial."

Trade and Aid for Effective Foreign Assistance - Mark Green, modernizingforeignassistance.org:

"The combination of fragmented authorities and overlapping bureaucracies in our current assistance framework is watering down public diplomacy efforts." Image from

Hasheem Thabet Hosted Basketball Clinic For Tanzanian Youth - Leah Hollar, queenofsports.com: "Hasheen Thabet of the Memphis Grizzlies hosted his first annual 'Hasheem Thabeet Under 18 Basketball Clinic' in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania this past weekend, where the basketball player grew up. In an effort to promote sportsmanship, teamwork, mentorship, and a positive vision for Tanzanian youth under 18, Thabeet approached the Tanzania Basketball Federation in order to get the clinic going. Thabet used the help of Tanzanian coaches who had visited the U.S. under the Sports Visitors Program and observed various basketball programs.

Basketballs were donated on behalf of the U.S., and Thabet was praised by Public Diplomacy Officer Roberto Quiroz for his willingness to serve Tanzanian youth even after his success in the NBA." Image from article

Northeastern grad confirmed to be US ambassador to Iraq -
News@Northeastern: "Following his nomination by President Barack Obama, the U.S. Senate has unanimously voted to confirm Northeastern alumnus James F. Jeffrey, BA ’69, as the U.S. ambassador to Iraq.

Jeffrey, who received his bachelor’s degree in history from Northeastern, most recently served as the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, a post he assumed in October 2008. ... His ... key assignments included the principal deputy assistant secretary for the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, where he led the Iran Policy Team and coordinated public diplomacy." Jeffrey image from article

Gallery of tributes for so 'arty' Sanders - Nigerian Compass: "Sanders [Robin Sanders, the outgoing United States of America (USA) Ambassador in Nigeria],

a career member of the United State’s Senior Foreign Service, arrived in Nigeria in December 2007. Before coming, she had served as international adviser and deputy commandant at the industrial college of Armed forces in Washington, D.C. Prior to that position, she had equally served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Congo and as the director of public diplomacy for Africa for the State Department." Sanders image from article

When are you too old to represent the United States abroad? – Domani Spero, diplopundit.blogspot.com: "Dr. Colton received a one year extension beyond her 65th birthday, and she's going to spend it in a marvelous place called Egypt. ... State is sending a seasoned public diplomacy officer to Egypt for one year instead of the normal tour of duty of three years."

Mikhail Shvydkoy: Russia, US share musical past - Natalia Viktorova, The Voice of Russia: "The Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York has held a trial performance of a new Russian-American musical. Mikhail Shvydkoy, Special Presidential Representative for International Culture Cooperation, is the author and producer of the project. 'Vremena ne vybirayut' ('Times cannot be chosen') - this is how the musical is called in Russian. The American version sounds like 'The Thirties forever'. In a phone interview from New York Mr. Shvydkoy explained the meaning of the musical’s title: 'It had been my dream for many years to stage a performance on the music of 1920-1930ss, both Soviet and American, because it turned out that it had always united the two peoples, or if you please, two states.' ... Mr.Shvydkoy, who is also the project’s playwright, told the VOR about the plot: 'The play has two major lines of narration: the one is about modern life, featuring people working for a retro music radio, a story about an American media group merging with the one in Russia. The other line in the plot features an American music-hall star, her memories of how she had come to the Soviet Russia, found her love there and later was parted with her beloved. The performance was created by 10 Russian and 10 American actors.They all are young, some of them have just graduated from drama schools, while others are employed by theatres already. They did not know each other before the project was launched. But two weeks was enough for them to start understand each other perfectly and sing songs both in Russian and in English. This is a good sign because we see that we can do something good together.'

Mr. Shvydkoy's opinion is shared by his colleague, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Judith McHale, who attended the musical’s trial performance. Mikhail Shvydkoy comments. 'The mere fact that she and her colleagues cut short their vacation to attend the performance, proves that for many U.S. citizens such kind of joint projects with Russia are quite important, and not only for diplomatic reasons,' says Mr. Shvydkoy." Shvydkoy image from article

There’s Already A Parody North Korean Twitter Account - Elizabeth Woyke, Forbes: "When news broke earlier this week that North Korea had started a Twitter account (under the name uriminzok or 'Our People' in Korean), it seemed inevitable a parody version would emerge. One already has. Established on Aug. 17, the joke account is, appropriately enough, named Fake Uriminzok. It has sent out six satirical tweets since its creation, including:•'Please believe our propaganda–it’s all we have left. That, and ginseng.' •'Say ‘dear leader great leader’ ten times fast… See? I told you that you couldn’t.'•'blah blah blah blah US devil monkeys blah blah blah blah[.]' The prankster behind Fake Uriminzok is anonymous, at least for now. The account’s Twitter 'bio' states: 'A satirical twist on North Korea’s laughable attempt at public diplomacy, @uriminzok.'"

South Begins Blocking North Korean Twitter Account - Martyn Williams, IDG News: "South Korea has begun blocking access to a Twitter account operated by a North Korean Web site. The site, Uriminzokkiri, launched the Twitter feed @uriminzok last week and has been providing Korean-language headlines and links to propaganda-heavy news items on its home page. It's launch was widely reported and the publicity has brought it more than 9,000 followers in the week since it launched.

But followers in South Korea trying to access the Twitter feed's page on Friday were greeted with a page from the Korea Communications Standards Commission and National Police Agency advising them that the content was being blocked." Image from

N.Korea joins Facebook after Twitter propaganda - AFP: "North Korea has joined social networking site Facebook after its foray into Twitter sparked a new online tug-of-war with South Korea. The North's Facebook profile, seen Friday at facebook.com/uriminzokkiri, showed that the secretive communist country had opened its account on the website on Thursday night. ... Pyongyang has also posted the full statements from the Uriminzokkiri ('With us Koreans') website on its new Facebook account, which is not blocked in South Korea, so that users there can still read the full content. Facebook is more expansive than Twitter as it allows users to upload a wide variety of multimedia contents and share them with 'friends.'"

Time to Redeem SAARC - Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses: "Bilateral aid is important but if the countries want to revitalize SAARC [South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation] - they should have used the organization in helping with flood relief work. At the sixteenth SAARC Summit meeting held in Thimpu, the leaders of the region emphasized the 'need for more efficient, focused, time-bound and people-centric activities…' However the current inaction of SAARC

reflects the fact that it has again failed to rise to the occasion. This summit declaration mentioned public diplomacy as one of the important activities that the organization needs to undertake. The flood situation in Pakistan offered SAARC an opportunity to regain some of the lost ground in connecting with the people and ‘living up to the hopes and aspirations of one fifth of humanity’. The Heads of States’ disillusion and frustration with SAARC was apparent during the Thimpu summit." Image from

China hosts seminar for developing countries on guiding public opinion and building a national brand - Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner.us: "China is increasingly 'ready to embrace collaboration' with developing countries, especially in Africa. However, it is more important to point out that China is increasingly active in the influence space: Xinhau is moving to Times Square, Radio China International is broadcasting in Galveston, Texas (not sure that was a wise buy, but...), China is expanding television programming in multiple languages, and so on. This expanded partnering with countries they want to expand trade with is a no brainer. It's called public diplomacy. The activity of the broadcasting may be called propaganda, but that's dependent on the content."

Chinese Foreign Minister on China's "core interests" and "public diplomacy" (video in Chinese)

- Charles Burton's Blog: "Very interesting press conference by Chinese foreign minister of last March: 'China's core interests' 'China's public diplomacy.' It is in Mandarin with Chinese subtitles." Image from

China’s Rise and the West Pacific: Prelude to Tragedy? - dptrombly, gwdiscourse.com: "Whatever the status of particular flash-points, the successes or pitfalls of diplomatic summits, or the rhetorical content of each state’s public diplomacy, the US must bear in mind the inherent dangers of the present international structure. The National Security Strategy is just a variation on an old theme – the US acting as a revisionist power to fashion a better world order under American leadership. The rise of China should realign our concerns with our interests as a status quo power – and keep us mindful that we are moving towards a balance of power where tragedy is possible."

Zuma to visit China - Sapa, timeslive.co: "President Jacob Zuma will pay an official visit to China from August 24 to 26, the international relations and co-operation department says. The visit was intended, among other things, to strengthen and broaden economic and commercial interaction between the two countries, the department said in a statement. ... To strengthen South Africa's public diplomacy,

Zuma would also meet non-state players beyond just business." See also. Zuma image from

Indonesian Cultural Center opens in Brussels - wisatadanbudaya2.blogspot.com
London - "The Indonesian ambassador to Belgium, Luxemburg and the European Union, Nadjib Riphat Kesoema, opened the first Indonesian Cultural Center in Europe on de la Woluwe boulevard, Brussels, Belgium, on the weekend. The center will promote Indonesian culture, including art, cuisine, films and languages, said P.L.E. Priatna, the minister counsellor for social and cultural affairs and public diplomacy at the Indonesian embassy in Brussels."

David and Goliath – Israel and the Media - Elly Shalev, J-Wire Jewish Australian News Service: "Spokesman for Israel in his military reserve duty, teacher, tour guide and educator in a wide variety of Israeli and Diaspora settings, Scott Copeland ... [said] we need to understand there are tensions between education and 'Hasbara' which he defined as Israel’s external public diplomacy efforts. As Director of Israel Travel Education at Makom, a Jewish Agency organization,

Scott Copeland advocates for education within our 'internal family organization'. Young Jews should be given the tools to deal with the tough questions and not necessarily answer them in short sound bites, he said." Image from

Beyond anti-terrorism: Metaphors as message strategy of post-September-11 U.S. public diplomacy [An article from: Public Relations Review] [HTML] (Digital) -
umarketingu.com

RELATED ITEMS

Graduate-Admissions Offers to Foreign Students Bounce Back - Karin Fischer, The Chronicle of Higher Education: Powered by mushrooming demand from China, applications from international students to American graduate schools

finally rebounded this year to their 2003 levels, after which foreign-student applications plummeted because of tightening visa rules following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Image from

Victory in Iraq: American arms created a republic, if Iraqis can keep it – Review & Outlook, Wall Street Journal: The classic lament about the war in Iraq is that it achieved little at a huge cost in American lives, treasure and reputation. That view rests on a kind of amnesia about the nature of Saddam Hussein's regime, his 12-year defiance of binding U.N. resolutions, the threat he posed to its neighbors, the belief—shared by the Clinton and Bush Administrations and intelligence services world-wide—that he was armed with weapons of mass destruction, the complete corruption of the U.N. sanctions regime designed to contain him, and the fact that he intended to restart his WMD programs once the sanctions had collapsed.

Winning the Peace in Iraq: The last American combat troops left Iraq this week. But when 'Operation New Dawn' begins on Sept. 1, the U.S. will still have a vital mission—and interests—there - Max Boot, Wall Street Journal: It would be the height of hubris—the kind once displayed by George W. Bush's prematurely proclaimed

"Mission Accomplished"—to suggest that Iraq, a country of more than 25 million, needs less help in its post-conflict transition than did the micro-states of the former Yugoslavia. Image from

Orwell in charge? Kucinich compares Iraq ‘exit’ to Bush’s ‘Mission Accomplished’ - Ron Brynaert, rawstory.com: Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today challenged the notion that removing "combat brigades" but leaving 50,000 U.S. troops in Iraq constitutes an end to combat operations, let alone an end to the war," a press release sent to RAW STORY on Thursday stated. The press release continues: "Who is in charge of our operations in Iraq , now? George Orwell? A war based on lies continues to be a war based on lies. Today, we have a war that is not a war, with combat troops who are not combat troops. In 2003, President Bush said ' Mission Accomplished ' . In 2010, the White House says combat operations are over in Iraq , but will leave 50,000 troops, many of whom will inevitably be involved in combat-related activities.”

Wikipedia editing courses launched by Zionist groups: Two Israeli groups set up training courses in Wikipedia editing with aims to 'show the other side' over borders and culture - Rachel Shabi and Jemima Kiss, guardian.co.uk

Zionist Lobby Paid Off U.S. Journalists To Sell Israeli Foreign Policy - Paul Joseph Watson, Prison Planet.com: Newly declassified documents highlighting how the Israeli lobby routinely paid off journalists in the U.S. corporate media to write pro-Zionist propaganda in support of Israeli aggression against Palestine and Iran during the 60’s have taken on new significance after the Atlantic Monthly, which is named in the documents as being complicit in the bribing scandal, recently published a cover story hyping the necessity and inevitability of an Israeli attack on Iran.

An asymmetrical drone war: The United States and Israel see the next generation of armed drones: as a potent reinforcement of their military capacity against insurgents and rogue states. But Iran and Hizbollah too are in the race - Paul Rogers, OpenDemocracy. Image from

Are .gov sites pushing propaganda? – Ed O’Keefe, Washington Post: Are government Web sites providing factual non-biased information or pushing the Obama administration's propaganda? A new investigation by Congressional Republicans suggests the latter and accuses President Obama and Vice President Biden of using their bully pulpits to promote government Web sites that present political spin about the economic stimulus and health-care reform programs.

American Propaganda - Timothy V. Gatto, The People's Voice:

Every day the people of this nation look into their television sets and hear the propaganda of a nation that is hell-bent on empire. Image from

Quotes on War Propaganda - Jeanine Czaja - religion-and-politics.suite101.com

August 18

"Take off your sunglasses."

-- The new commander in Afghanistan, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, in guidelines he issued instructing troops to mingle with locals whenever possible; image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

'New era of cooperation': details of US-funded projects released - Mushtaq Ghumman, pakistantalk.com: "ISLAMABAD (August 17 2010): The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released the details of dozens of projects to be funded by the United States as new era of co-operation recently launched by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. ... The projects are as follows: COMMUNICATIONS and PUBLIC DIPLOMACY: The projects include: (i) Information Systems Data Centre: The US will work in partnership with the Ministry of Information Technology to deploy tier IV data storage and information systems service delivery platform for the Government of Pakistan - enabling common e-mail, word processing, standard data exchange and other business process applications. ... ii) Electronic Citizen Services: The US will work in partnership with the Ministry of Information Technology to launch a set of electronic citizen services to enable Pakistani citizens to engage their government for common public services using broadband and mobile phones messages. ... iii) Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation - Historic Archives Preservation: In partnership with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting,

the US will support the digitisation and professional archiving of Radio Pakistan's music library. ... iv) Historic Preservation - Sheikhupura Fort, Southern Punjab: The US ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation has agreed to support a three-year project with the Ministry of Culture to restore, conserve and protect the Sheikhupura Fort in Punjab. ... Foreign Service Scholarship Program: In partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the US will contribute to strengthen mutual understanding between diplomats and provide advanced professional training for Pakistan's Foreign Service officers in the United States." Image: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, right, is greeted by Pakistani Chief of Protocol Ghalib upon her arrival at Pakistan Airforce Base, Chakala in Islamabad, Sunday, July 18, 2010. (AP Photo/Paul J. Richards, Pool)

Wishful thinking on Pakistan - Laura Freschi, aidwatchers.com: "From last weekend’s New York Times: ... 'LeFever [the senior US officer in Pakistan] clearly understands the P.R. value of flood assistance, but he also knows that absent other high-profile public diplomacy efforts, the half-life of any improvement to Pakistani impressions of the U.S. will be short,' said John K. Wood, a retired Army colonel….' This article raises several questions related to recent Aid Watch blog posts.

First, has anyone quoted in the article examined the evidence for or against the hypothesis that giving disaster relief will improve the US’s image in Pakistan? ... [T]here is startlingly little evidence at all on whether aid can 'win hearts and minds,' but one of the few studies that exists looked specifically at the 2005 Kashmir earthquake. It found that even though US relief efforts were effective from a humanitarian perspective, they had no lasting impact on Pakistani perceptions. Second, the Army official quoted above warns that flood assistance from the US may not be enough to create lasting change. ... But from which studies did he get his evidence that 'high-profile public diplomacy efforts' have a huge payoff for making Pakistanis love us? Third, could the love affair between US aid and Pakistan be suffering because Pakistan remembers that US aid jilted them several previous times? ... And because the aid to Pakistan was driven by our own strategic interests?" Image from article

Pakistani-American group urges Obama to vist flood-hit Pakistan in expression of support - APP: "Pakistani-American Leadership Center, an advocacy group working on the Capitol Hill, has urged President Barack Obama to visit Pakistan during his trip to Asia in November, arguing that the U.S. leader’s expression of support for flood-hit ally this way would greatly help ties between the two nations. As an organization representing Pakistani-Americans and dedicated to fostering positive relations between the U.S. and Pakistan, we strongly feel that such a visit would strengthen U.S. public diplomacy efforts and engagement in Pakistan, the PAL-C said."

Why Aren’t We Doing More for Pakistan? – mervdiddy, newmillenial.wordpress.com: "As Islamophobia runs rampant in the US (e.g. the New York City Mosque Controversy), Pakistan is not near and dear in the minds of most Americans. To me, this is highly unfortunate. Not only does this represent an opportunity to do the right thing and help millions of people survive and regain their livelihoods, but it marks an incredible public diplomacy opportunity. One of the reasons that Pakistanis are skeptical of US military involvement in the region is the perception that the US pursues its own national interest exclusively, often to the detriment of the local well-being. The United States has worked hard to reverse this sentiment in Afghanistan, with the military spear-heading infrastructure, development, and community-outreach projects nation-wide. We don’t have that kind of logistical capacity in Pakistan, where according to Pew, public support for the United States is only 17% (the lowest national support metric measured by Pew in 2010). The United States is in desperate need of a bolstered image in Pakistan – especially given the impact its location and political instability may have on the War in Afghanistan. This is a win-win situation – the American capacity for goodwill and technical support can and should be employed to help Pakistan recover from this major disaster."

Obama’s communication problem - Issandr El Amrani, almasryalyoum.com: "Over a year ago, when US President Barack Obama addressed the Muslim world from Cairo, the response from the region was generally optimistic. Many appreciated the American president’s gesture of respect towards Islam, as well as his recognition of the injustice done to the Palestinian people. Hope existed that he would show a markedly different approach to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The disappointment that followed was not just the natural lapsing of a honeymoon, but also a reflection of the Obama administration’s failure to follow through on its promises. While the postponement of the closure of Guantanamo Bay and a drawn-out exit from Iraq were undoubtedly a factor, it was on the Palestinian issue that the disillusionment was most bitterly felt, particularly after the administration softened its stance on Israel’s settlements.


This adjustment of attitudes was reflected in the recent Zogby poll, which showed that 'hopeful' sentiment about US policy in the Middle East dropped from 51 percent in 2009 to 16 percent in 2010, with a large majority--63 percent, rather than 15 percent in 2009--of respondents feeling 'discouraged' by Obama’s tenure. This is bad news for the administration, considering Obama had made America’s public diplomacy and its image in the Muslim world an American strategic interest its own right. This logic, adopted by Bush and Obama alike, posited that it was essential to convince the Muslim world that the 'war on terror' was not a 'war on Islam'--which would be falling into the trap set by al-Qaeda and other fundamentalists who seek to ignite civilisational wars."

Key Messages: Sec. Clinton on Global Health - Devi Sridhar, globalhealthpolicy.net: "This past Monday, Secretary Clinton gave a speech on the U.S. Global Health Initiative at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins. ... [T]he examples that Sec Clinton expanded on were AIDS, SARS, and H1N1. The other issues (maternal health, etc) were relegated to ‘expression of our compassion’. I completely agree with her and found it interesting that she tied compassion to foreign policy through public diplomacy."

Obama Administration Spending $63 Billion on ‘Woman-Centered’ Global Health Care Program - Matt Cover, cnsnews.com:

"Clinton said improving health care in developing countries also fulfills other foreign policy goals – such as promoting social and economic progress in countries that may be able to help the U.S. solve regional and global problems. Investments in global health protect U.S. national security, including the threat posed by disease outbreaks; and those investments also serve as a tool of public diplomacy, boosting the U.S. image in the eyes of people who receive health care they might otherwise go without." See also (1) (2). Image from

U.S. Public Diplomacy Funds Were Needed Here - O'Dwyer's PR Blog - "In the aftermath of the invasion of Iraq, the State Dept. spent millions in public diplomacy dollars throughout the Muslim World to promote this country as a beacon of freedom and a home of tolerance toward people of all religions. As furor builds over the proposed World Trade Center mosque, it’s obvious that a big chunk of the money would have been better spent here. The proposed mosque is fronted by the same guy whom the State Dept. held up as its 'model moderate Muslim.' He could be successor to America's Muslim, Muhammad Ali. The feds dispatched Feisal Abdul Rauf overseas to preach the message of American tolerance. Former propaganda czar Karen Hughes enlisted FAR to participate in the U.S.-Islamic World Forum in Doha, Qatar. The FBI turned to him to host a New York forum designed to ease tensions with the Arab-American community upset with the increased crackdown in the war on terror. An irony: the FBI's New York headquarters is located near the WTC site, a stone’s throw from where FAR's Park51 Muslim center will probably never be built. The August political silly season has got to do with much of the heat focused on the mosque. Supported by Fox TV, the GOP is stirring the pot and hoping to cook Democrats with cheap shots about the mosque. It’s 2010’s version of last year’s 'death panel' fun."

State Department Briefing by Mark C. Toner, August 17, 2010 - enewspf.com: "QUESTION: P.J. [Crowley, State Department spokesperson] said last week he was going to gather more information on the itinerary of Imam Rauf. Has his State Department sponsorship – has it begun, when does it end, and what dates will he be – MR. TONER: I do. I don’t know if I have it in my book. I may. Hold on one second. QUESTION: Okay. MR. TONER: It’s – I have the dates. I apologize to leaf through, but I believe they’re in here somewhere. And of course, I can’t find them.

I’ll get them for you afterwards. I can get you the dates. It’s – I just don’t know it off the top of my head. QUESTION: And also being raised about this trip, he is going not to the countries where you need to develop a relationship, but to the countries where it is – there is money. So how are you going to stop him from collecting money? MR. TONER: Well, we’ve said that speakers are prohibited from raising money and using this program to raise money. He is aware of the prohibitions. He is going to engage in a public diplomacy program in countries that are believed by the United States to be areas where we need to focus. And during the Holy Muslim Month of Ramadan, it’s the perfect opportunity to engage some of these populations." Image from the State Department's Dipnote

A Mosque You Can’t Believe In? Republicans don’t oppose the Islamic community center near ground zero so much as they oppose Obama’s support of it - David Weig, Pointer’s Weekly: "James K. Glassman is a rarity: a Republican who believes, and is willing to say, that President Obama 'is the greatest public diplomat we’ve had in decades.' Glassman, who served as undersecretary for public diplomacy under George W. Bush, also believes that the controversy over the planned Islamic community center will hurt the U.S. image among Muslims abroad. And he believes that Obama’s task, like his predecessor’s, is to replace the conspiratorial narrative about a United States as an enemy of Islam with one in which a tolerant, freedom-loving country does right by Muslims. The problem—for the White House, for mosque supporters, for basically everyone—is that so few people believe this is possible." See also (1) (2). Below image from



The Confusion over the Ground Zero Mosque - EidosAndEkonomia: "The overall confusion of not wanting the Mosque but acknowledging the legal right to do so and what the Islamic Public diplomacy has not done to exonerate any portion of Islam from complicity in the Jihad against America."

Non-mainstream press notes VOA report on US Iraq withdrawal "ignored by mainstream press" - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on Public Diplomacy

PD Magazine Tackles Human Rights Advocacy - Tala Mohebi, Newswire – CPD Blog & Blogroll, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: "The articles in this issue raise many questions and open doors for debate. The challenges for effecting change on human rights issues are great, but finding all available tools and drawing lessons from past efforts is critical. Please visit http://www.publicdiplomacymagazine.org to read the issue in its entirety, and to interact and exchange comments with other public diplomacy enthusiasts sharing their own experiences."

Formosa Betrayed – Paul Rockower, Levantine: "On monday, I went to see the movie Formosa Betrayed ... I give it credit as a means of public diplomacy in relating the Taiwanese struggle for democracy and independence to a non-Taiwanese audience. ... This film critic give the movie a solid 'B'.

It won't win any awards, but it is entertaining and moderately riveting, plus I respect its PD value and how it conveys the history of the Taiwanese democracy movement and its quest for independence through a Hollywood medium. PS: Perhaps more interesting was a bit of domestic Taiwanese PD that came with the previews before the movie. When I was interviewing Prof. Chyungly Lee on Taiwanese Soft Power, she asked if I was focusing on domestic public diplomacy or external public diplomacy. Confused, I said that we in the PD field usually just consider PD to be external. She replied that she considered domestic public diplomacy to be how a government gains support for its foreign policies domestically." Image from

Eleven million leaflets lofted over the Iron Curtain – Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting: "Historytimes.com, 16 August 2010, Richard Cummings: 'In August 1951, the National Committee for a Free Europe abolished its Research and Publications Service and created the Free Europe Press (FEP), which was used not only for the printing of various publications in the USA and Europe but also for the printing of leaflets and launching of balloons to carry them to the countries [of] Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary. Permanent launching sites were constructed set up in Fronau, Freying, and Hohenhard, West Germany. This test operation, known as the 'Winds of Freedom,' was on an experimental stand-alone basis, i.e., the launching of the balloons was not fully part of a coordinated programming effort with Radio Free Europe broadcasts. ... In total, over 11,000,000 leaflets were dropped behind the Iron Curtain during the two weeks of the 'Winds for Freedom' operation at a cost of $233,041.89.' -- Richard Cummings, retired RFE/RL director of security, is author of Cold War Radio: The Dangerous History of American Broadcasting in Europe, 1950-1989 and the soon-to-be published Radio Free Europe's 'Crusade for Freedom': Rallying Americans Behind Cold War Broadcasting, 1950-1960."

VOA history in the news – Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting: "MountainRunner.us, 16 August 2010, Matt Armstrong: 'On March 30, 1949, in its first semi-annual report by the US Advisory Commission on Information, the predecessor to today's Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, recommended an 'immediate and broad expansion of the world-wide information program being conducted by the State Department, including the activities of the Voice of America.' ... 'It is in the information field that we meet the rival forces head on. The Soviet Union places by all odds its heaviest reliance on 'propaganda' spending enormous sums, and using its best and most imaginative brains. Other governments are acutely conscious of the importance of information programs and are spending more in proportion to their capacities than is the United States in telling its story abroad. ... The dissemination of American private media abroad is primarily and essentially an informational activity and the responsibility and funds for this activity should be placed with the Department of State, and the activities should not be limited to the countries receiving aid under the European Recovery Act.' ' [Elliott comment:] This recommendation by the Commission might have something to do with the discussion at the time about whether US international radio broadcasting should remain a government-funded activity, or revert to the private sector. By 1949, private US broadcasting had set its sights on television, and was no longer very interested in shortwave radio. Other elements of US private media, such as the 21 language editions of Reader's Digest, maintained their international activities with no financial help from the US government. Audience research showing how Radio Moscow, for all the rubles spent on it, was unsuccessful in attracting an audience, would have deflated the Advisory Commission's mantra calling for more funds for US information efforts."

Biography of "Axis Sally" will be published in October – Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on Public Diplomacy: "Casemate Publishing press release, 16 August 2010: 'Axis Sally: The American Voice of Nazi Germany' by Richard Lucas, the first fully-documented biography of the notorious World War II broadcaster, will be published on October 19, 2010. One of the most notorious Americans of the twentieth century was a failed Broadway actress turned radio announcer named Mildred Gillars (1900–1988), better known to American GIs as 'Axis Sally.' Despite the richness of her life story, there has never been a full-length biography of the ambitious, star-struck Ohio girl

who evolved into a reviled disseminator of Nazi propaganda. Her 1949 trial for treason captured the attention and raw emotion of a nation fresh from the horrors of the Second World War. Her 12-year imprisonment and life on parole is a remarkable story of a woman who attempts to rebuild her life in the country she betrayed. Author Richard Lucas is a graduate of Hamilton College, Clinton, NY and Binghamton University, Binghamton NY. He is a freelance writer and lifelong shortwave radio enthusiast.' See also blurb at Casemate Publishing website. An excellent book on the subject is John Carver Edwards, Berling Calling: American Broadcasters in Service to the Third Reich, Praeger 1991." Axis Sally image from

RELATED ITEMS

'Three cups of tea' a byword for U.S. effort to win Afghan hearts and minds: 'Three cups of tea' has entered the U.S. troop lexicon as shorthand for a trust-building chat with locals. It is drawn from the bestseller by Greg Mortenson, who sets up girls schools in the region - Laura King, Los Angeles Times

Pakistan: An Urgent Call for Aid – Editorial, New York Times: In some areas, radical Islamic charities have provided shelter and hot meals well before the beleaguered authorities could bring in supplies. This is a battle for hearts and minds. It is one that Pakistan’s government, and the United States, must not lose.

Why Not to Bomb Iran - Robert Wright, New York Times

Military sees it's time for a change in camouflage - Oren Dorell, USA TODAY:

Soon, when soldiers stalk the enemy in Afghanistan, they may be harder to see. The Army this month began issuing new uniforms printed with a camouflage pattern called MultiCam, which is designed to blend in better with the varied landscapes of the country's mountainous terrain. Image from article

How to Win the Clash of Civilizations: The key advantage of Huntington's famous model is that it describes the world as it is—not as we wish it to be - Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Wall Street Journal: The West's universalist pretensions are increasingly bringing it into conflict with the other civilizations, most seriously with Islam and China. Thus the survival of the West depends on Americans, Europeans and other Westerners reaffirming their shared civilization as unique—and uniting to defend it against challenges from non-Western civilizations. We need to recognize the extent to which the advance of radical Islam is the result of an active propaganda campaign. According to a CIA report written in 2003, the Saudis invested at least $2 billion a year over a 30-year period to spread their brand of fundamentalist Islam. The Western response in promoting our own civilization was negligible.

Terrorists Capitalize on Pakistan's Floods: Weak government aid efforts are an opening for local extremists - Marisa Porges, Wall Street Journal: The Pakistani people need help, even if it is coming from extremists. As such, it's no surprise that U.S. officials have thus far not condemned these groups' relief efforts. Washington has committed over $70 million in aid and is sending food, helicopters and a special "Disaster Assistance Team" to the region—all to address the humanitarian crisis and to improve Pakistani opinion of America. Still, militant extremists may well emerge from the floods as Pakistan's saviors.

MORE QUOTATIONS FOR THE DAY


“it’s not the Chinese. It’s not the Iranians. It’s not other countries. It’s not the E.U. It’s the U.S. that always leads.”

--State Department envoy Richard Holbrooke; image from

“You can ask the question, was the whole bloody thing a mistake? I don’t spend a lot of time on that.”

--Former US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker

AMERICANA

In Ground Zero mosque controversy, conservative writers have growing influence - Michelle Boorstein, Washington Post: The most colorful -- and perhaps most visible activist at the moment -- is Pam Geller, a former New York Observer publisher who has appeared in a bikini (see video) and a super-tight Superman costume challenging Islam.

August 17

"Not being able to govern events, I govern myself."

--Michel de Montaigne; image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

The Global Health Initiative: The Next Phase of American Leadership - Hillary Rodham Clinton, US Department of State: "We invest in global health as a tool of public diplomacy. For millions of people worldwide, the prevention, treatment or care that the United States makes possible is their main experience of us as a country and a people. And it can be a very powerful one.

Giving people a chance at a long and healthy life or helping protect their children from disease conveys as much about our values as any state visit or strategic dialogue ever could." Image from

U.S. Said to Plan Easing Rules for Travel to Cuba - Ginger Thompson, New York Times: "The Obama administration is planning to expand opportunities for Americans to travel to Cuba, the latest step aimed at encouraging more contact between people in both countries, while leaving intact the decades-old embargo against the island’s Communist government, according to Congressional and administration officials. The officials, who asked not to be identified because they had not been authorized to discuss the policy before it was announced, said it was meant to loosen restrictions on academic, religious and cultural groups that were adopted under President George W. Bush, and return to the 'people to people' policies followed under President Bill Clinton. Those policies, officials said, fostered robust exchanges between the United States and Cuba, allowing groups — including universities, sports teams, museums and chambers of commerce — to share expertise as well as life experiences. ... In effect, the new policy would expand current channels for travel to Cuba, rather than create new ones. Academic, religious and cultural groups are now allowed to travel under very tight rules. For example, students wanting to study in Cuba are required to stay at least 10 weeks. And only accredited universities can apply for academic visas. Under the new policy, such restrictions would be eased, officials said. And academic institutions, including research and advocacy groups and museums, would be able to seek licenses for as long as two years."

Best Hamburger Shanghai - Info About Shanghai Tunnels Oregon: "My first visit to the USA pavilion happened a few days after it officially opened. ... As I left the pavilion, I raved to my companion about how the young Americans I’d just seen – officially, they are members of the USA pavilion’s Student Ambassador program – are precisely who and how I would want the USA to represent itself at Expo 2010 (the Shanghai World’s Fair). Entrepreneurial. Optimistic. Well-educated. Young. Open to China and other cultures. Sense of humor. Sense of integrity. ... One of the things that I find most interesting about the Student Ambassadors is that they develop (and have developed) a performer’s instinct for what does and does not work with Chinese Expo audiences.

It’s hard won, too: every day they spend hours and hours interacting with these audiences, joking and conversing with them, and measuring their moods. To be honest, I’m not sure of any other pavilion that has a staff with this kind of knowledge. At some point, I hope, somebody in the State Department will recognize that knowledge as a valuable resource for doing public diplomacy in China after Expo." Image from

USAID program offers exposure to legal practice in Cincinnati - Armenian Reporter: "Cincinnati law firms and courts have worked with 10 Armenian lawyers completing a three-week Community Connections program. The USAID-funded program was designed to expose the Armenians to how American law firms operate in the context of the American legal system and to foster linkages between the Armenian lawyers and their American counterparts. ... The broad public diplomacy goals of Community Connections are to contribute to economic and democratic reform and to promote mutual understanding in Eurasia, providing visitors broad exposure to U.S. society, helping create personal connections with Americans and advancing democratic and free-market principles in a region where these principles are still tenuous."

Community Says Farewell to Consul General Nagamine - Nikkei West: "Japan’s consul general in San Francisco, Yasumasa Nagamine, and his wife, Ayako, returned to Japan on Aug. 9, ending their three-year tenure in Northern California. …. Nagamine arrived in San Francisco in September 2007, 'in the midst of the excitement of the 50th anniversary of Osaka-San Francisco sister-city relation.' Since then, 'with your help and support, this has been a very fulfilling tour of duty,' he said, outlining the four main objectives during his tenure. … [A] third [objective] was 'public diplomacy and raising awareness about Japan in this region.' Nagamine said that he always told his staff that 50 percent of their work should be outside of the consulate and involved with the public. 'Japanese culture has thrived here in Northern California even in the face of many challenges,' he continued. 'We were all saddened to see the end of two important Japanese newspapers (Nichi Bei Times and Hokubei Mainichi) and a Japanese radio station (San Francisco Radio Mainichi) in recent years.

Yet despite such unfortunate circumstances, we have striven to increase knowledge about Japan and our consulate’s activities.' Highlights have included the consulate’s involvement in bunraku and kabuki performances in the Bay Area and the 'Lords of the Samurai' exhibition at the Asian Art Museum. 'I am also quite proud of the emphasis we have put on sister-city relationships … I am delighted that we now have 97 sister-city relationships in California,' Nagamine said. While he had hoped that the number would hit 100 before he went back to Japan, 'I am sure that we will reach 100 very soon.'” Image from article

Muslim Strategies to Convert Western Christians - Kafkapizechust World Information: "The conversion of Christians in Europe and the United States to Islam has become a matter of debate in some Western countries. Muslim scholars have called on immigrant Muslims to become involved in summoning non-Muslims to their faith. Indeed, the call on Muslim migrants to proselytize has become central in contemporary Islamic writings, not only in books, but also in sermons—many online on YouTube—and others on DVDs, and Islamic websites. The strategies that the global Islamic media uses to promote conversion of Christians to Islam illustrate both the perceptions of Islamists and can expose themes to defend and promote in cultural and public diplomacy."

Recalling History: Advisory Commission tells Congress to Expand VOA - Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner.us: "On March 30, 1949, in its first semi-annual report by the US Advisory Commission on Information, the predecessor to today's Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, recommended an 'immediate and broad expansion of the world-wide information program being conducted by the State Department, including the activities of the Voice of America.'"

International Consultant on Diplomatic Personnel Training – Transitions Online: "Location: Home-based and mission to Tashkent, Uzbekistan Application Deadline: 24-Aug-10 Additional Category: Democratic Governance Type of Contract: SSA Post Level: International Consultant Languages Required: English Duration of Initial Contract: 10 days (5 days desk work, 5 days field work) Expected Duration of Assignment: 10 days (5 days desk work, 5 days field work) Transitions Online:

The Project 'Enhancing the Capacity of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Better Respond to the Emerging Issues of the New Millennium' aims to facilitate the delivery of main inputs required for the effective formulation and implementation of Uzbek foreign policy. These inputs include the establishment of the adequate (1) technological, (2) human resource and (3) public diplomacy capacity for the comprehensive, thoughtful and timely provision of foreign policy response in line with Uzbekistan's national priorities. Within these three main activities, project is aimed to deliver top-notch trainings to career diplomats on various topics, including public diplomacy, diplomatic correspondence, basic and advanced English language trainings." Image from

RELATED ITEMS

No ‘Graceful Exit’ - Bob Herbert, New York Times: We are never going to build a stable, flourishing society in Afghanistan. What we desperately need is a campaign of nation-building to counteract the growing instability and deterioration in the United States.

Issa asks for GAO investigation of White House 'propaganda initiatives' - Elise Viebeck, The Hill: Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), the ranking Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Monday to investigate the claims of a report he released accusing the Obama administration of directing federal resources toward promoting its policy initiatives. "The White House has failed to transition from campaign-mode to leadership-mode and is now inappropriately leveraging those campaign-trail relationships to unlawfully generate support for the President’s agenda," the report reads. Judging certain administration actions as "illegal or inappropriate propaganda," the 37-page report alleged misconduct by the White House in many of its new media ventures — a criticism leveled previously by Issa and others on the right. Specifically, it notes cases in which agencies promoted sites like Recovery.gov and HealthReform.gov, which it alleges contain false information, and a conference call in which a White House staff member urged artists and entertainers to support Obama's agenda.

Version of television series "The Office" being developed for China – Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcsting

AMERICANA

Toad-licking restaurant chef fined after being caught on tape - Boing Boing: An Iowa restaurant was fined $335 after the head chef was caught "kissing and licking live toads" in the kitchen.

Christopher Turla, who goes by the name TaiMaiShu at the popular Japanese restaurant, is seen on the tape inside the restaurant during business hours with two small toads on the prep table where vegetables are cut. As customers linger in the dining room, he picks up the toads, then kisses them a few times, repeatedly licks them, then stuffs them both in his mouth and puts both of his hands back on the table. "It was a joke, it was like a dare to myself, if I can lick a frog or kiss a frog," Turla said after getting the citation. Image from article