Public Diplomacy Press and Blog Review

November 11

2009-11-11T09:33:00.025-05:00

"We will not overcome ... suspicion and hostility overnight, nor will neatly packaged public diplomacy be a substitute for compelling policies – and actual results – on issues that matter most to people in the Middle East."

--William J. Burns, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs; image from

Thought Experiment No. 1

Dan Mooney for Errol Morris / Library of Congress: "Question: What is the difference among these three photographs? ... Is it photojournalism, propaganda or art, and why? ... Answer: There is no difference. The photographs are the same. (Although the three captions are different.)"

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

The Obama-Clinton Administration – Andrew Sullivan, Atlantic Online (blog) - ‎"Hillary's globe-trotting role as a new kind of public diplomacy secretary-of-state is one the more astonishing things in the last nine months. What she did in Pakistan was quite something."

Hillary visit: beginning of soft-power diplomacy? - Shamaila Farooq, Pakistan Observer: "The visit was therefore of much importance than usual as it may have sharp impact on the US foreign policy towards Pakistan. Ms. Clinton visited the country in an unprecedented manner this time. Never in the history, had any US official spent the time had she spent in Pakistan.

It reflects that Obama administration attaches much importance to public diplomacy to achieve foreign policy objectives particularly in “war against terrorism”. ... There are no easy alternatives of what has been done in making the relations between US and Pakistan more strained, even it’s premature to see any big difference in the US policy towards Pakistan but we may hope to see the real end to the 'cow-boy diplomacy,' exercised during eight-year rule of Bush be replaced with the 'soft power diplomacy' of Obama administration. Although her visit has been depicted as a charm offensive the way she used diplomatic language with admiring smile that inspired everybody but she strictly stood by what the US had devised for Pakistan." Image from

Seeking foreign aid but not with conditions - Muhammad Asif Raza, Thought of the day: "The recently enacted Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 of the United States (Kerry-Lugar law) has come in for adverse criticism from various quarters for allegedly being a blatant attempt to undermine the sovereignty of Pakistan and to create a rift between civilian and military institutions. ... [N]ow the Pakistan government has the Hobson’s choice to either accept the Act as it is or reject it altogether. The Kerry-Lugar law provides for annual economic assistance of $1.5 billion to Pakistan for the period 20102014. The purposes of the assistance include consolidation of democratic institutions, supporting expansion of rule of law, promoting sustainable economic development, supporting investment in people and strengthening public diplomacy."

America and the Middle East in a New Era - William J. Burns, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, US Department of State. "As President Obama has emphasized, and as Secretary Clinton discussed at length at the recent Forum for the Future meeting in Morocco, healthy relationships between America and the countries of the Middle East are about ties between societies, not just between governments. We have a long and painful history of mutual mistrust and misunderstanding to overcome across much of the region.

We will not overcome such suspicion and hostility overnight, nor will neatly packaged public diplomacy be a substitute for compelling policies – and actual results – on issues that matter most to people in the Middle East. But we ought not to underestimate the importance of simple human contact, using tools ranging from exchanges and scholarships, to English-language teaching programs, science envoys, and cultural and sports diplomacy." Image from

A Meaningful Agenda for President Obama's Meeting with Southeast Asian Leaders - Walter Lohman, Heritage.org: "The Bush Administration did a great deal for U.S. relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). ... Unfortunately, the Bush Administration’s public diplomacy was not as successful. President Bush’s decision to cancel a U.S.–ASEAN leader’s summit in 2007, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s intermittent attendance at regional meetings, and Assistant Secretary Chris Hill’s seeming indifference to Southeast Asia contributed to a damaging impression of American withdrawal. That conclusion was neither fair nor accurate, but it proved difficult to shake. President Obama has the opposite problem. His attention to the region is helping to correct the impression of a declining American commitment. ... But, thus far, his engagement has lacked substance."

Deputy PM Nguyen Thien Nhan visits US – DZ Times: "Nguyen Thien Nhan paid a visit to the US from Nov. 7-9 to seek ways to boost bilateral cooperation in education-training and response to climate change. ...

Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith A. McHale acclaimed the two nations’ building and approval of the education task group’s reports, including directions and measures to elevate education ties as agreed upon by senior leaders during Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to the US in June 2008." Nguyen Thien Nhan image from

Obama's Choice, By the Numbers - Bill Glucroft, Multiple Reality Disorder: "Meanwhile, we could pull back from Afghanistan, save our people and our money, and still thwart that same terrorist attack 10 years from now with good law enforcement, intelligence and collaboration, the true pillars of counter-terrorism. Add to that a comprehensive public diplomacy program that treats people like partners instead of subordinates, and we could actually have the beginnings of an effective, worldwide rollback of terrorist activity."

State Department Social Networking Connects America with the World - Mitchell Polman, Understanding Government: "It seems an unlikely match — the U.S. federal government and social networking. But the Department of State apparently didn’t think so in October 2008 when the department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) became the first U.S. government agency to launch a social networking site, called 'ExchangesConnect'. ECA entered the world of social media world in order to enhance its existing international exchange programs, creating a portal open to people of all ages from all over the world.

Hoping that alumni of exchange programs will attract other people to the site from their personal networks, the State Department makes a special effort to inform participants and alumni of student exchanges and other State-sponsored programs about it. ... I looked at the site and while I found it to be an innovative idea, the site presently has a few limitations. ... ExchangesConnect is indeed bringing people together for dialogue and some exchange. Cyberspace, however, is not a substitute for face-to-face encounters."

Board to Death - Lydia DePillis, New Republic: "[T]he eight-person Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees the five media entities—Voice of America foremost among them—[is] tasked with broadcasting American culture and journalism around the globe. .... The sad saga of the BBG began almost as soon as it was created in its current form, when the U.S. Information Administration [sic; should be United States Information Agency] was dissolved in 1999. ... Some in the public diplomacy world are at a loss to even describe why the board is there at all. ... [T]he inability to get people through a politicized confirmation process has contributed to a sad situation for the more than 3,000 employees under the BBG’s jurisdiction: In the most recent survey of 37 federal agencies, the BBG finished dead last in three out of four categories of staff performance. This is the kind of problem that full-time leaders are brought in to fix. Picking an empowered executive who could devote his full attention to the issues—like any cabinet secretary!—would almost certainly be more effective than confirming eight people for whom international broadcasting is an extracurricular activity."

Eight observations - 4th - telling - Cynthia Kurtz, Story Colored Glasses: On Organizational and Community Narrative: "Telling a story is not always the best way to tell a story In theory, telling a great story seems like a perfect way to achieve goals. In practice, things are rarely so simple. I'm often amazed by the way people talk about stories as if they were levers or buttons people can pull or push to make an impact or have an effect. One example is the tension between 'cultural' and 'public' diplomacy. According to Richard Arndt

in his book The First Resort of Kings, cultural diplomacy involves the respectful exchange of cultural treasures, while public diplomacy is closer to public relations campaigning. This review of the book calls the distinction 'between two-way exchange and storytelling' (which is sad, because storytelling didn't use to deserve such a bad rap). Arndt maintains that while cultural diplomacy has been used to mutual positive effect in the past, in more recent years American diplomacy has been mainly of the 'public' kind." Arndt image from

Master’s student brings images of the world to USC - Sarah Bennett, Daily Trojan: "Selected from thousands of images taken during his [Paul Rockower’s] adventures around the globe, 21st Century Family of Man exhibit features a lobby and conference room’s worth of professional-grade photos documenting the commonality among the people and places Rockower has encountered. ...

As a student in the country’s first and only public diplomacy program, Rockower hopes that by bringing the images of the world to USC, he can create a two-way dialogue that will inspire students to travel and see for themselves how alike humanity can be. India, Israel and China are among the countries he has visited." Image of Rockower exhibit from article

Exclusive: Fort Hood Massacre – Is It Too Late For Corrective Measures? Margaret Hemenway, Family Security Matters - "Five years ago, in October 2004, Abdurahman Alamoudi of the American Muslim Council, pled guilty and was sentenced to 23 years in prison for his role in a Libyan plot to kill Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah. ... From about 1993 to 1998 (virtually during the entire Clinton Administration), the Pentagon retained Alamoudi on an unpaid basis to nominate and vet Muslim chaplain candidates for the U.S. military. The State Department was similarly conned and selected Alamoudi as a representative of the United States in its public diplomacy mission, anointing him as a 'goodwill ambassador' to numerous Arab states."

Consul General of Israel to New England Reaches Out to Teen Leaders for Peace - press release, PR.co - ‎ "The Consulate General of Israel is the official representative of the State of Israel to New England. We serve as the liaison between the residents of New England

and the State of Israel. Through the fields of academia, culture, politics, economy, press and public diplomacy, we promote knowledge and understanding of Israel. The Consulate's district encompasses Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. Through the fields of academia, culture, politics, economy, press and public diplomacy, we promote knowledge and understanding of Israel." Image from

New York Film Academy to train Nigerian filmmakers – Rara, Nolly Zone: "Del-York International has entered into an agreement with the world’s most prestigious film-making Academy, the New York Film Academy (NYFA) to bring the academy’s world-class training courses, facilities and tutors to Abuja, Nigeria. Nigeria will be the first country on the African continent to host the NYFA team to an intensive hands-on training workshop on a diverse range of disciplines, including film making, public diplomacy, broadcast journalism, documentary-making, directing, screen writing, editing, 3D animation and master classes exclusively designed for professionals, marketing communications executives, lawyers, advertising agencies and government institutions."

NATO Public Diplomacy Division - Photo competition - Mreza Kreativnih Ljudi: "NATO Public Diplomacy Division is organizing a photo competition foryoung people from the region. ... Sincerely Yours, Jan Vlkovský Embassy of the Czech Republic, Belgrade." Below image from

State Secretary Bogdan Aurescu attending European Security and Defence Forum in London - Financiarul: "It is worth mentioning the series of public diplomatic events that the Center for Conflict Prevention and Early Waning [sic], in cooperation with MAE, the Romanian Defence Ministry and the National Defence College organized over Sept. 21 – Oct. 23 with the support from NATO Public Diplomacy Division."

A Statement on the Concept of the “Defamation of Religions” Has Been Signed by the International Civil Liberties Alliance – Liberties Alliance: "[L]egal efforts alone cannot foster an environment of respect and religious freedom. Education and public diplomacy are vital tools in the protection of a peaceful and robust exchange of ideas and beliefs."

Reinvigorating the Museum of Asia Africa - pied-piper, diplomatic knots: "[A]s one walked through the dilapidated walls of the Museum of the Asian-African Conference,

one cannot but feel that maybe we in Indonesia are also to blame for this. We have failed to raise awareness of Indonesia’s relations with Asian and African countries, notwithstanding our supposed efforts to implement the NAASP [New Asian-African Strategic Partnership] . ... [T]he museum should revamp itself from being only a center for learning on the Asian-African Conference to being a museum that features Indonesia’s foreign policy towards the Asian and African continents. ... [S]ouvenirs [should be made] available that could create some form of lasting attachment between the museum and its visitors. Indeed, much of most souvenirs these days are simply made to satisfy the public’s consumerist appetite. Nonetheless, if looked from a broader perspective, souvenirs could become means of public diplomacy." Museum of Asia Africa image from

RELATED ITEMS

To mark 20 years since fall of Berlin Wall, leaflets lofted over North Korea - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

A strategy needs some steel - Michael Gerson, Washington Post: Military choices must be announced and pursued with neon clarity. It is the purpose of wartime presidential leadership to turn a debatable strategy into a national commitment.

We have yet to see this type of leadership from Obama. His rhetorical focus has been mainly domestic. Communication concerning Afghanistan and Iraq has come when there is no other choice. These wars have fallen into the category of inherited problems -- less national causes than a distant uncle's debt. Obama's high-profile international speeches, such as his Cairo remarks and United Nations address, have sought to transcend ideological debates, not engage them on one side. Image from

Blackwater Said to Pursue Bribes to Iraq After 17 Died – Mark Mazzetti and James Risen, New York Times: Top executives at Blackwater Worldwide authorized secret payments of about $1 million to Iraqi officials that were intended to silence their criticism and buy their support after a September 2007 episode in which Blackwater security guards fatally shot 17 Iraqi civilians in Baghdad, according to former company officials.

No time to ease up in Afghanistan: A ‘counterterrorism-lite’ approach is based on three critical fallacies - Michael Chertoff, USA Today:

Counterinsurgency efforts in Afghanistan will be difficult, painful and expensive, with significant casualties. Critics are entitled to argue that the price is too high and the challenge too arduous. But we should not fool ourselves: An insufficient effort in Afghanistan will significantly raise terrorism risks at home and around the world. Image, with following inscription: "Ease up there big boy. I watched this ages ago, don't remember there being anything memorable enough to write about to be honest. The crowd was always gonna go against Kulez."

Justice and Guantanamo Bay: It is a mistake to try some detainees in federal courts and others by military commissions - Morris Davis, Wall Street Journal: China, the U.S. and Taiwan: The U.S. could use arms sales as leverage to ease tensions between mainland China and Taiwan, pave the way for closer Sino-American ties and promote peace and stability in Asia.

America Leaves Itself Behind: A world of trade deals without the U.S. - Review & Outlook, Wall Street Journal: President Obama heads for Asia this week to talk about U.S. economic recovery and reform, and one theme that we expect he'll hear from Asian leaders is this: America is leaving itself behind as the rest of the world tries to liberalize trade.

AMERICANA

Buzz Aldrin named L.A. County's lunar diplomat - Richard Winton, latimes.com: The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is heading for the final frontier: Space. At the behest of Supervisor Mike Antonovich, the board Tuesday appointed Gemini 12 and Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin as its "Honorary Consul General to the Moon from Los Angeles County." Aldrin was the second man to step on the moon in July 1969.

The Board of Supervisors, famous for presentations of elaborate scrolls, gave one to Aldrin, who accepted on behalf of the 24 Apollo astronauts who reached the vicinity of the moon. The astronauts represent the "highest ideals of a seasoned American military officer, American military aviator, American veteran, and American space explorer," the board's agenda stated. Aldrin image from

IMAGE

British Propaganda Posters of the Second World War - Women of Britain come into the factories

November 10

2009-11-10T10:56:00.018-05:00

"He was willing to accept a job as lead supervisor in shipping and receiving, even though he has a degree in international relations and public diplomacy."

--The Janesville Gazette (Wisconsin), regarding Christian Lopez, who prepares packages for shipment at Professional Power Products of Darien; image from article

VIDEO

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: 21st Century Statecraft

EVENT

Communication Roundtable - Winning Hearts and Minds: American Public Diplomacy in the 21st Century a Johns Hopkins University Date: 11/16/2009
via ninjaclectic: .@JohnsHopkins

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

International letdown - Helle Dale, Washington Times: "Once in office, Mr. Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton emphasized a new era of communication with audiences worldwide. Public diplomacy had been a problem area for the George W. Bush administration, but the new administration pushed its message aggressively to young audiences via the new media, Internet and cell-phone technology. Marketing the personal appeal of the president to audiences in Africa and the Muslim world seemed especially promising.

Being personally popular and publicly apologetic about the United States may be enough to win a Nobel Prize, but it's no way to conduct effective foreign policy. Indeed, setting the bar of expectations so high has actually created a problem. Even media solidly on the side of the Obama administration have started to notice. … What about institutional means of transmitting U.S. policy to foreign publics - as well as foreign leaders? The administration is still working on that. The Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review process has just begun. The Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees Voice of America and other U.S. international broadcasting services, remains in limbo. The terms of all nine board members have expired, and the White House has made no nominations to fill the posts. Such inaction typifies the Obama administration's failure to engage substantively in public diplomacy - despite all the president's appealing imagery, symbols and oratory." Image from

US committed to Pakistan: Holbrooke - Anwar Iqbal, DAWN.com: "Mr Holbrooke said that in Pakistan, Mrs Clinton ‘embarked on two trips at once’, the private meetings with the president, the prime minister, the foreign minister, the military and the opposition. But at the same time, she also did massive public diplomacy, making herself available to editors, television, radio, Fata leaders, students, women and business leaders, and ‘very hostile journalists, very aggressive sceptical journalists’, said Mr Holbrooke. ‘In every discussion, when there was a disagreement — and there were plenty of disagreements — she said, in effect, the same message: We are friends who have some disagreements.’"

Testing Pak-US Ties - Maleeha Lodhi, Khaleej Times: ‎"The US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton’s visit to Pakistan was a striking and impressive display of public diplomacy. Rarely has a visiting American official, much less a secretary of state, reached out to speak directly to such a wide cross section of Pakistanis.

Ms Clinton’s energetic three-day trip aimed to reset the tone of an increasingly troubled bilateral relationship. How far this diplomatic mission to 'clear the air' helps to narrow the trust gap between the two countries is another matter." Image: Hillary Rodham Clinton, second right, prays together with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, right, in front of the grave of the Poet Muhammad Iqbal, at the Iqbal Memorial in Lahore on Thursday. Photo: APAP, Islamabad

Don't Take Netanyahu to the Woodshed - Steven J. Rosen, Middle East Forum: ‎"If the president wants to avoid the appearance that a positive meeting with Netanyahu means he is deaf to Palestinian concerns, a solution is close at hand. The meeting, or at least the public diplomacy about the meeting, should be primarily about Iran, not the Israeli-Palestinian morass."

PMO: Friedman wrong about Israel - Gil Hoffman, Jerusalem Post: "Veteran New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman made waves in Israeli politics on Monday for suggesting that the US abandon efforts for an Israel-Palestinian peace deal. ...

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's media adviser, Nir Hefetz, responded on Israel Radio that Friedman's analysis was wrong when it comes to the Israeli side but right regarding the Palestinians. ... But Netanyahu's minister of Diaspora affairs and public diplomacy, Yuli Edelstein, told Army Radio that he agreed with Friedman that the US should stop pushing for concessions to move the peace process forward." Image from

Dangerous Trajectories: Obama's Approach to Arms Control Misreads Russian Nuclear Strategy - Ariel Cohen, Heritage.org: "As the deadline for START follow-on treaty negotiations approaches, U.S. policymakers and Congress need to focus on the long-term objectives rather than the short-term goal of simply concluding arms control agreements at any price. Specifically, the U.S. should [inter alia] : ... Fight anti-Americanism with more effective public diplomacy. The Russian state-controlled media and some in Moscow's expert community are propagating a negative image of the U.S., repeatedly alleging that America wants to undermine Russian security. This often plays into the hands of those who seek to justify increased military budgets. Through the State Department and independent research institutions, the U.S. should promote a robust debate on U.S.-Russian relations, encouraging those who seek improvement. U.S. security experts should engage their Russian counterparts and the media in in-depth discussions of common security threats, such as Afghanistan and radical Islamist terrorism. Through international broadcasters, Internet communities, joint conferences, and visits of American security experts to Russia, the U.S. should engage Russian opinion leaders in debating nuclear weapons, arms control, and other defense-related subjects. The U.S. should communicate to the Russian people the truth that America is not entertaining plans to attack Russia."

Dangerous Trajectories: Obama's Approach to Arms Control Misreads US-Japan collaboration on high-speed rail - The Daniel Kliman, Japan Times: "[D]uring President Barack Obama's upcoming visit, Japan could propose a recurring dialogue on high-speed rail. ...

[T]he dialogue would serve as a powerful tool for public diplomacy. Most Japanese would view collaboration on high-speed rail as a symbol of the bilateral partnership's continued dynamism. Additionally, Japan's position of leadership in an endeavor involving the U.S. would be a source of national pride. In the U.S., the dialogue would raise Japan's public visibility." Image: Now Kawasaki Heavy Industries has unveiled plans to develop a new high-speed train which is expected to achieve a speed of 217 mph (350 kph).

Farewell and thanks - Tamara Cofman Wittes, Middle East Strategy at Harvard: "This will be my last post on MESH for the foreseeable future. On Monday I will take up new responsibilities that will take me away from the wonderful discussion that unfolds on this page. I’ll be serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, with specific policy responsibilities that include democracy and human rights (and, yes, the Middle East Partnership Initiative) along with public diplomacy."

JW 'Bill' Marriott to Receive Churchill Centre Award For Leadership - press release, SYS-CON Media: "The Churchill Centre today announced that it plans to bestow its Award For Leadership to J.W. 'Bill' Marriott

for his lifelong commitment to promoting democracy through progressive free market practices and fostering an open and transparent global business culture. Mr. Marriott will receive his award at a ceremony and dinner on Tuesday, November 10 at the Washington D.C. Four Seasons Hotel. ... The ceremony and dinner will include tributes to Bill Marriott by former Governor Mitt Romney, U.S. Senator Susan Collins, U.S. Senator Evan Bayh, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith McHale and former U.S. Senator Gordon Smith." Marriott image from

How VOA inspired Roman Polanski - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

Not the voice to sell our values - Tim Wilson, The Australian: "Australia's support for liberal democracy, human rights and free markets is essential for a prosperous world, and the least we could do is practise them in tendering out the job to broadcast them to the world. Instead of granting the ABC [Australian Broadcasting Corporation]

Australia's public diplomacy responsibilities, Australia should have an open tender process, and include in the selection criteria the obligation to prove a strong track record of promoting Australian values. At least then, if the ABC fails in its bid, they'll only have themselves to blame." Image from

History of Public Diplomacy – Liriel, idiplomacy: "Matt Armstrong, mountainrunner.us blogger, gave a history of public diplomacy, starting off with the pronouncement: 'We are at our very heart propagandists.'”

The failure of the “diplomatic” argument - Lena, SIS 640 Communiacs: The Creative Domain Of The Fall 2009 Sis 640 [AU]: "Modern-day conduct of foreign affairs heavily depends on communication, especially when it comes to public diplomacy and non-traditional warfare. After all, it’s about perception management

and 'manufacturing consent,' be it domestic, or within a foreign public: control over info. That’s the key." Image from

International Reporting: Get Into It! –Nick, SIS640 Manic: "It becomes clear, rather quickly, from both a public diplomacy perspective and an international reporting mindset that the 'CNN Effect' is likely an unfounded myth. I find it interesting to see the differences in background ideologies between public diplomacy and international reporting as they are described in the different readings."

War on Terrorism”, more like Scare the people! -nikole.fernandez SIS640: "The Group Four Blogging Corps: In this week’s reading by Robin Brown, he explains the importance of presenting international events and how the flow of information is utilized. To do this, he uses the example of the 'War on Terrorism' that took place after the attacks of September 11, 2001. The author mentions that the United States has used three different paradigms in communicating the war on terrorism. These are: the Information Operations (IO) doctrine,

which is 'any effort to attack or defend the information necessary for the conduct of operations'; public diplomacy, which joins international broadcasting, cultural diplomacy, educational exchanges, and overseas information activities; and lastly, political news management, or otherwise known as the ‘spin’, which tries to persuade the public that one side of the truth is actually the reality of it. Brown then goes on to describe the flaws of each paradigm that leads to each one’s loss of effectiveness and credibility." Image from

South Africa - Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane to undertake a visit to Srilanka, 11-12 November 2009 - ISRIA: "For more information contact Chief Director for Public Diplomacy, Saul Kgomotso Molobi on 082 940 1647."

RELATED ITEMS

Why 'Surge Light' won't work- Richard Cohen, Washington Post: America has been at war there since 2001, at war in Iraq since 2003, and like Britain between the world wars, is out of both treasure and patience. Leave Afghanistan to the drones and the Special Forces. It's no way to win, but it's a good way not to lose. Below image from

The U.S. needs to teach Hamid Karzai a thing or two: The Afghan leader needs to learn how to act as a wartime leader. Perhaps George W. Bush could offer some pointers - Max Boot, Los Angeles Times: Maybe it's time for Obama to summon his predecessor -- as Bush himself summoned his own father and Clinton on several occasions -- and ask him to undertake a special mission: Give Karzai some pointers on how to be a leader in wartime.

Why die for Karzai? Does U.S. support for the Afghan president really make sense?- Tom Hayden, latimes.com: T he United States seeks to gain the military upper hand with more troops, thus strengthening a negotiating position, while at the same time curbing Karzai's desire to enter talks with his Afghan adversaries. This is the choice facing Obama: Whether to send more Americans to their graves in support of Hamid Karzai while at the same time blocking the emergent quest for peace negotiations in Afghanistan

In Defense of Hamid Karzai: Afghanistan's failures are not the fault of its president – Bret Stephens, Wall Street Journal: Our failures in Afghanistan so far have mainly been our own, and they are ours to fix. To blame Mr. Karzai is to point the finger at the wrong culprit in the pursuit of disastrous, dishonorable defeat.

From Berlin to Baghdad: Will the peoples of Islam tear down their walls as the people of Central and Eastern Europe tore down theirs? – Fouad Ajama, Wall Street Journal:

Once again, there arises the question in our midst of whether political freedom, broadly conceived, can and ought to be taken to distant lands. In the George W. Bush years, American power and diplomacy gave voice to a belief in freedom's possibilities. A different sentiment animates American practice today. For the peoples of Islam, the question can be squarely put: Will they tear down their walls in the manner in which the people of Central and Eastern Europe tore down theirs? Image from

'Strategic reassurance' that isn't - Robert Kagan and Dan Blumenthal, Washington Post: No serious person would imagine a grand alliance and "special relationship" between an autocratic China and a democratic United States. For the Chinese -- true realists -- the competition with the United States in East Asia is very much a zero-sum game. For that reason, "strategic reassurance" is likely to fail.

Walker film series documents Chinese propaganda - Erin Carlyle, City pages; Minneapolis/St. Paul News Blog: One of the best ways to understand a culture is through the films it produces. The Walker's ongoing film series is the motherlode of Chinese political culture.

If you want to understand the cultural forces shaping China over the past 60 years, "The People's Republic of China: 60 Years of China on Film" will do the trick. Marked with the imprint of Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution and its aftermath, the films are a fascinating look at Chinese ideas and propaganda. Image from article.

November 9

2009-11-09T12:45:00.014-05:00

“This is mass madness, you maniacs! In God’s name, you people are the real thing! We are the illusion! So turn off your television sets. Turn them off now. Turn them off right now. Turn them off and leave them off! Turn them off right in the middle of the sentence I’m speaking to you now! TURN THEM OFF…"

--"UBS Evening News" anchor Howard Beale, in the film Network; image from

NEW BOOK

Nicholas J. Cull, Public Diplomacy: Lessons from the Past (Figueroa Press, Los Angeles)

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY IN THE NEWS

Ringing the alarm - DAWN.com: ‎"There is an Alice in Wonderland quality to America’s dealings with Pakistan. Late last month, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Pakistan to undertake a highly visible campaign of public diplomacy to placate Pakistanis about their worst fears regarding the intentions of the US foreign-policy and security establishments. Then yesterday, The New Yorker published an article by Seymour Hersh that is sure to send chills through many here. The article is subtitled: ‘In an unstable Pakistan, can nuclear warheads be kept safe?’ Quoting unnamed senior US government and security officials, Mr Hersh reports:

‘[The Obama] Administration has been negotiating highly sensitive understandings with the Pakistani military. These would allow specially trained American units to provide added security for the Pakistani arsenal in case of a crisis.’ ... In all the recriminations over the ‘mixed signals’ that the Pakistani security establishment sends to the US in the fight against militancy, what is often overlooked is that the US, too, sends highly damaging signals to Pakistan and its people. The obsession with the ‘safety and security’ of Pakistan’s nuclear programme is as counter-productive to US-Pak relations as any issue can get." Image from

What's in a Name? - Sol Schindler, American Diplomacy: "The basic question is not whether we want public diplomacy. The question is to what end."

Toward a New Public Diplomacy: Redirecting U.S. Foreign Policy [review of Philip Seib, editor, Toward a New Public Diplomacy: Redirecting U.S. Foreign Policy New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009,ISBN: 978-0-230-61744-5, 257 pp. Trade Paperback, $30.00; Hardcover, $90.00] - John H. Brown, American Diplomacy:

"[T]he main message of the book — that PD is in deep trouble and needs to be redirected — has been the subject of dozens of reports and countless other publications in recent years, including by some of the distinguished authors of this volume."

The Backlash Against Cultural Diplomacy – John Brown, Huffington Post: "While it can always use rejuvenation and must avoid becoming propagandistic, cultural diplomacy remains as important as ever."

How much spin can one take? - Jaxiecracks, Sis 640 Communiacs:

The Creative Domain Of The Fall 2009 Sis 640 [Au]: "[M]aybe what we really need is a more structural approach to winning over hearts and minds. Perhaps we should be targeting our public diplomacy efforts less on getting people to like or love America, and more on getting them to tap into the ideas and beliefs already present in their culture that underscore social and institutional structures that are in line with American ideologies." Image from Spin-Art Gallery

A World Without Walls – ISN Blog: "Meir Shlomo, the Strategic Adviser of the Public Diplomacy Division of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Israel, outlined Israel’s strategy to promote a more positive picture in the world. He clearly answered a question from the audience regarding the wall between Israel and Palestine: It helped to keep terrorists out, and that means it’s necessary."

RELATED ITEMS

Thinking through the sales pitch: There is an obligation by citizens to ask the crucial questions about war - Susan A. Brewer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Now, after years of war in Afghanistan, U.S. leaders reassess the mission. If President Barack Obama were to follow in the tradition set by many of his predecessors, he would announce a decisive policy that promised progress and victory. But, as much as the American people might like to be told there is a simple solution to the complex problems confronting the United States in Afghanistan, they know better. Image from

Who Caused the End of the Cold War? – Joseph Nye, Huffington Post: The lessons for today are clear. While military power remains important, and Reagan's rhetoric played some role, it is a mistake for any country to discount the role of economic power and soft power.

Four Little Words: Reagan deliberately confronted criminal regimes with what they fear most: the publicly spoken truth about their moral weakness - Anthony R. Dolan, Wall Street Journal: Reagan spoke formally and repeatedly of deploying against criminal regimes the one weapon they fear more than military or economic sanction: the publicly-spoken truth about their moral absurdity, their ontological weakness. This was the sort of moral confrontation, as countless dissidents and resisters have noted, that makes these regimes conciliatory, precisely because it heartens those whom they fear most—their own oppressed people.

Reagan's understanding that rhetorical confrontation causes geopolitical conciliation led in no small part to the wall's collapse 20 years ago today. Image from

Mr. Obama, stay away from this wall: Democrats tried to thwart Reagan's Cold War vision – Editorial, Washington Times: Some have criticized President Obama for not visiting Berlin to commemorate this historic moment, but he made the right choice. Mr. Obama should not attempt to associate himself with that historic moment, when a man with vision had the ability to see the future and the courage to realize it.

Hitler: football coach?

The Scottish veterans charity Erskine surveyed 2,000 young people between the ages of nine and 15 about World War I and II. Apparently, five percent thought that Hitler was a German football coach;

sixteen percent believed that Auschwitz is a WWII theme park; five percent said the Holocaust was a bash to celebrate the war's end. (STV News). Cited in Boing Boing. Image from