September 24-25

“The VOA News in Special English, a brand of English I suspect no one spoke.”

--Nigerian author E.C. Osondu, reminiscing about listening to VOA as a youth at the insistence of his father; Osondu image from

"When the [German] unifications papers were signed, I jokingly said to [German Foreign Minister] Hans-Dietrich Genscher: The next time we will negotiate about the German-Chinese border."

--Former Secretary of State James Baker

CONFERENCE

Thursday, September 24, 2009: New Approaches to U.S. Global Outreach -- Monday, October 5 George Washington University's Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication, in association with the GW Public Affairs Project and our friends and colleagues at the Public Diplomacy Council (PDC),


are hosting a two-panel conference on Monday, October 5 at GW's Marvin Center under the heading "New Approaches to U.S. Global Outreach: Smart Power on the Front Lines of Public Diplomacy and Strategic Communication."

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

President Obama and Secretary Clinton Have Set Profound, Positive Examples – [Judith McHale, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, speaking at the newly established Harvard Public Diplomacy Collaborative] – News Blaze: "The State Department's public diplomacy operations must carry out this mission in partnership with colleagues throughout the U.S. Government, not in isolation. But there is a tremendous amount that we can do-and are doing-to build credibility, trust, and relationships. … We cannot sit behind embassy walls and speak only to the people who agree with us.

We have to engage, even when we disagree with others. We have to communicate-two-way communication, not one-way messaging-through both government-to-people dialogue and people-to-people dialogue. President Obama and Secretary Clinton have set profound, positive examples for this type of public diplomacy during the first year of this Administration. … Public diplomacy also means understanding and articulating mutual aspirations, such as improving social welfare, economic growth, increased trade, respect for the popular will, and democracy. … [T]aken together, these are core elements of our public diplomacy: A clear and full recognition and understanding of the perceptions, concerns, and interests of other countries and their citizens; An accurate and multidimensional portrayal of America - our policies, our actions, and our society; and A strategic and sustained dialogue on mutual interests and aspirations-one in which we engage, not just lecture." McHale image from

Opinion: Assessing Obama's foreign policy touch: Far from the UN, here in the real world of Pittsburgh, there's more to diplomacy than just words - C.M. Sennott – GlobalPost: "President Barack Obama’s public diplomacy is as graceful and seemingly effortless as that three-point jump shot he hit with TV cameras running during the campaign. … His public diplomacy skills were on display Wednesday when President Obama spoke before the U.N. General Assembly. He was warmly greeted and stressed the need for nations to work together to solve the issues that connect us all from climate change to terrorism. The words, as always, were eloquent. The world’s leaders nodded their heads in agreement. President Obama defined 'a new era of engagement with the world' after eight years of President George W. Bush’s clumsy unilateralism and contempt for the U.N."

Obama Triangulates His Country: Obama forswears America’s preeminence - Rich Lowry, National Review: "Obama’s version of American leadership consists mostly of a public diplomacy of self-flagellation and commitment to fashionable causes. …

Obama hopes that all our self-effacing niceness will catalyze the world into ending its 'bickering about outdated grievances.' But the world’s geopolitical and ideological disputes aren’t 'bickering,' and just because grievances are old doesn’t mean they are any less real or deep-seated (in fact, it usually means the opposite). Obama’s presidency does not constitute Year Zero in international affairs." Image from

House votes to extend Radio Free Asia and Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy: "'H.R. 3593 - To amend the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994 to extend by one year the operation of Radio Free Asia (Rep. Royce - Foreign Affairs) ... To amend the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 to reauthorize the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy (Rep. Watson - Foreign Affairs).' Congress Matters, 23 September 2009. [Elliott comment:] These are suspension bills, which 'dispose of non-controversial measures expeditiously.' Both were passed by the House in a few minutes. Non-controversial? Radio Free Asia is a very good station, so renewing it for a year is, on its own, a no-brainer. But the splitting of US international broadcasting resources to East Asia into two stations whose efforts overlap, and who compete with each other, when the government should be trying to save money, is a matter that deserves a thorough, unsuspended debate in the near future. The Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy has no decision-making power. It issues reports that are widely ignored. Eliminating it would not make a perceptible dent in the pesky federal deficit. Shutting down all of the advisory commissions in Washington might."

High-Tech Diplomacy - Evgeny Morozov, Newsweek: "Diplomatic agencies aren't known for being innovative, but partnering with tech firms might change that. Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft have a responsibility to wield their newfound soft power for the benefit of the United States and the world. U.S. diplomats need to embrace fully the powerful diplomatic arsenal that Silicon Valley has to offer." At Twitter, Morozov describes his article thus: “my Newsweek op-ed argues that US tech companies could help reshape American public diplomacy.” Below image from



Inside the Fed CIO Council's Social Media Policy - Michael Singer, Internet Evolution: "The Federal CIO Council this month released a set of guidelines for social media tools for government agencies, which is triggering a new round of discussions in CIO circles about the benefits and dangers of sites like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. While the 19-page document does not break any new ground, it does provide a clear outline for department heads for mitigating security breaches and other risks. … [A]t the Black Hat security conference this year talked about how information can be stolen from Web surfers through the use of dynamic cross-site scripting attacks. The pair bragged about acquiring 150 friends, including defense industry executives and the chief security officers of major corporations. This is not to say all social media are frowned upon in government dealings. Colleen Graffy, formerly the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, successfully used Twitter to connect with foreign media before her visits to their respective countries. The report highlighted this so-called 'Ambient Awareness' to provide a human face to Ms. Gaffy's duties overseas, which resulted in better foreign press."

State Department Gets an “F” in Language Designate-Positions – Morgan Roach, The Foundry, Heritage Foundation:

"America’s public diplomacy will not improve if her ability to communicate with the local officials and population is absent. Such shortcomings are unacceptable and will only hinder America’s engagement in the areas of most strategic importance." Image from

Can you read this? US suffers foreign language weakness - Kista Ramsey, Cincinnati.com: "American schools have been losing the language race for decades - a loss that translates into ever greater economic disadvantages for U.S. businesses and national security concerns. Each year, U.S. companies lose an estimated $2 billion because of employees' inadequate language skills and poor cultural competence, according to the Committee for Economic Development. 'It's always been a good thing to know more about the world and to speak another language, but now it's become an issue of our economic security, our national security and our public diplomacy,' says Charles Kolb, president of the Committee for Economic Development in Washington, D.C. 'Speaking a second language gives our young people an edge in terms of the competition we're facing around the globe. Believe me, you win kudos if you're negotiating in another country and you're fluent in that language.'"

A ‘broad’ apology to Sarah Palin - Jim Galloway, Atlanta Journal Constitution: [Copy Paste from Sarah Palin facebook:] “EMany have asked to see my remarks as presented in Hong Kong. Here is an excerpt: … The reality is that Muslims from Algeria, Indonesia, Iraq, Afghanistan and many other countries are fighting al Qaeda and their allies today.

But this will be a long war, and it will require far more than just military power to prevail. Just as we did in the Cold War, we will need to use all the tools at our disposal – hard and soft power. Economic development, public diplomacy, educational exchanges, and foreign assistance will be just as important as the instruments of military power." Image from

Institute of International Education 90th Anniversary Gala Dinner Honored ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson, Maestro Lorin Maazel, and the Founders of the Iran Opportunities Fund – press release, Trading Markets: "In celebrating IIE's 90 year history and achievements, the gala also featured special awards to outstanding individuals who have participated in and supported IIE's work in international educational exchange. These included world-renowned conductor and Fulbright alumnus Lorin Maazel and three women leaders who worked together to found the Iran Opportunities Fund at IIE. Senior State Department official Mark J. Davidson also attended, representing Judith A. McHale, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. IIE administers the Fulbright Student and Scholar Programs (http://www.fulbrightonline.org) for the U.S. Department of State."

US to engage Burma (Myanmar): Clinton: After years of imposing sanctions, the US will now also engage Burma, Clinton said. The closed regime may also be reaching out: It attended its first UN meeting this week in 14 years - David Montero, Christian Science Monitor: "Just as the Obama administration is reaching out to Myanmar, so too is Myanmar trying to reach out to the world, as National Public Radio’s Michael Sullivan points out in this transcript: ...

MICHAEL SULLIVAN: Myanmar’s military rulers don’t seem to have much use for public diplomacy, which is what makes Prime Minister Thein Sein’s trip so unusual. He’s the first senior member of Myanmar’s military to attend the U.N.’s annual gathering in 14 years." Image from

‘One of the most important and best relationships in the world’ - Shyam Ranganathan Narayan Lakshman, The Hindu: "Timothy J. Roemer, nominated by President Barack Obama as the 21st U.S. Ambassador to India, presented his credentials to President Pratibha Patil on August 11, 2009. ... [Roemer:] The President has also told me in no uncertain terms, he said in our first meeting, he said, ‘You know, Tim, I am sending you to one of the most important countries in the world. They have over a billion people in India. And one of your goals will be to try to meet every one of those people.’ Now he said it with a smile on his face but this President of ours thinks in terms of broad and big and ambitious terms. … He expects me to meet as many people as I can.

Public diplomacy is an important, a vital goal for the President of the United States. … It is for me to meet everyday Indians to see what families are experiencing, to see how we can listen and learn, to see how we can improve the people to people ties because of course it is the people to people ties that have been leading this relationship over the last few decades. 95,000 Indian students are in American schools, we have several million Indians engaged and active in the American community. … At the same time that we talk about national security issue, it is vitally important for the US and India to talk about … the public diplomacy issues that the President has tasked me with – getting out and meeting people, broadening and deepening this relationship.” Roemer image from article.

U.S. Consulate General Jerusalem Sponsors Mural Projects in West Bank - WAFA - Palestine News Agency: "The U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem sponsored a series of school beautification projects in Jenin, Hebron, Nablus, Salfeet, and Bethlehem. … Over 500 youth participated in the school beautification projects. Esperanza Tilghman, Public Diplomacy Officer for the U.S. Consulate, emphasized that 'the Consulate is a strong supporter of programs designed to engage Palestinian youth in activities that will inspire them to become leaders in their communities.'”

The Goldstone Report - Ian Williams, Foreign Policy In Focus: "Judge Richard Goldstone's report on the war in Gaza threatens the Obama administration's global public diplomacy options and its scrupulously graduated approach to whatever passes for a Middle East Peace process. State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly complained that Goldstone opted for 'cookie-cutter conclusions' about Israel's actions, while keeping 'the deplorable actions of Hamas to generalized remarks.' However, Kelly urged the Israeli government to investigate further."

ICC may try IDF officer in wake of Goldstone Gaza report - Yotam Feldman, Haaretz: "A senior prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague said Monday that he is considering opening an investigation into whether Lt. Col. David Benjamin, an Israel Defense Forces reserve officer, allowed war crimes to be committed during the IDF's three-week offensive in the Gaza Strip this winter. … Benjamin served for many years as legal adviser to the GOC Southern Command, and later headed the Military Advocate General's department on international law.

In August, he visited South Africa to attend a conference organized by the local Jewish community on international law during wartime, with special reference to the Gaza war. Benjamin later described the trip as a 'personal hasbara [public diplomacy] trip.'" Image from

New French Consul General Outlines Priorities - Phil Bolton, GlobalAtlanta: "France’s recently arrived consul general to the Southeast outlined his strategic priorities during a reception held by the French American Chamber of Commerce, Atlanta chapter at the Piedmont Driving Club in Midtown Sept. 15. … In addition, he said that the consulate would continue to develop cultural initiatives in the wake of the Louvre Atlanta project, a three-year partnership between the High Museum of Art and the Louvre museum. Carole Scipion recently joined the consulate as cultural attache.

Image from article: From left, Michele Oliveres, president of the French American Chamber of Commerce, Atlanta chapter; Pascal Le Deunff, Consul General of France and Frederic Mot, executive director of the French chamber, at the Piedmont Driving Club reception."

Social media and cultural relations: some reflections from a practitioner. Part two - The Yoosk Team: "First a bit about Yoosk (which is derived from ‘you ask’). Yoosk gathers questions from the public for named political, business and civil society leaders, arranges for the interviews to be conducted by a member of the target community and then publishes the answers. We use a set of web tools and associated methodology to help clients conduct domestic and international engagement exercises and this latter activity falls into the sphere of cultural relations. Yoosk FCO: public diplomacy through direct conversations with political leaders[:] The website www.yoosk.com/fco has been used to gather questions from the UK’s Muslim community and from the Jordanian public around visits by the UK’s Foreign Secretary, David Miliband. The fact that the questions are unmoderated and openly displayed so that the public can vote on which they most want answered makes a clear statement that the UK are open for transparent dialogue. Furthermore, these questions are then delivered by people that the target audience recognise as not being part of the establishment, bringing fresh voices to media content that would normally be the preserve of established reporters."

Presidential leadership – Editorial, the Armenian reporter: "[T]he Armenian government has an important role to play.

It needs to engage and persuade civil society. Just as President Obama has taken to the airwaves to explain his policies, advocate for them, and respond to his critics, Armenia's President Serge Sargsian has begun an intensive outreach effort. Having called for such an effort in our recent editorial, 'A time for more public diplomacy,' (July 18), we are pleased now to welcome it." Image from

European allowances for children whose parents work abroad - Financiarul: "The Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE) and the Social Alternatives Association concluded a partnership for the project ‘Combating negative effects of migration among children and elderly,’ which is to cover the period over 2009-2011, informed MAE release, on Wednesday. … The cooperation between MAE and the Social Alternatives Association is in compliance with the Ministry’s strategy of communication and public diplomacy, emphasizing the importance of the cooperation with the associative environment."

RI seeks out results at 5th Interfaith dialogue - Endy M. Bayuni, The Jakarta Post: "Predominantly Muslim Indonesia is pushing for government, civic and religious leaders in Asia and Europe to move beyond dialogue and engage in more concrete collaboration. The opening of the Fifth Asia European Meeting (ASEM) Interfaith Dialogue on Thursday also saw co-host Finland calling for more women to sit in on the conference that is still dominated by men. 'As our regional interfaith dialogue series matures, it should be oriented toward concrete cooperation on issues of common concern,' Andri Hadi, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry's director general for information and public diplomacy affairs, said in his statement at the opening ceremony of the two-day gathering."

CPD Conversations in Public Diplomacy Daryl Copeland - Guerrilla Diplomacy - Events Detail, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: "The USC Center on Public Diplomacy is proud to host Daryl Copeland

for a book talk on his recent publication, Guerrilla Diplomacy: Rethinking International Diplomacy. Guerrilla Diplomacy offers both a call to action and an alternative approach to understanding contemporary international relations." Copeland image from

Writing and Publishing in the Field of International Education - David Comp, International Higher Education Consulting Blog™: "I've always wondered where the best place is for international education practitioners/researchers to submit their work for publication. … [A] publication route is to submit work for publication in journals/publications focusing more generally on higher education, public diplomacy, policy, or on many other topics where we educate/inform those outside of our field in order to gain more support and understanding of our field (also critical need for this)?"

PD for PR - Paul Rockower, Levantine: "A little public diplomacy for a public diplomacy photo show. I made the CommLine, the Annenberg newsletter and also their website."

James Baker on the Fall of the Wall: 'Without American Leadership There Would Have Been No Unification' – Spiegel: "In a SPIEGEL interview, former US Secretary of State James Baker, 79, discusses the fall of the Berlin Wall, German unification and resistance from France, Germany and even inside the White House to a reunited Germany. SPIEGEL: In early 1989, a strategic paper from a State Department led by you saw Gorbachev engaged in a 'public diplomacy blitzkrieg.' Had the United States temporarily lost its leadership role in Europe? Baker: Without American leadership there would have been no unification. Do not forget that Gorbachev wanted many things but not unification. France and Great Britain were also highly skeptical. They were very concerned that history would repeat itself. But we didn't feel that way here."

RELATED ITEMS

Obama's powerful presence: The president's popularity -- on view at the U.N. -- has helped reduce global tensions and deprived America's enemies of propaganda points - Editorial, latimes.com: Neoconservative thinkers have ever understood is that words, resolutions and friendly dialogue have considerable power in themselves.

Commit to Afghanistan or Get Out: We shouldn't send Americans to fight and die if we're not in it to win - Kori Schak, Wall Street Journal: What the president's review will reveal is a shocking incapacity by the nonmilitary parts of our war effort. Its talk of the need for "smart power" notwithstanding,

right now the administration has only a military strategy for Afghanistan. We need to turn our attention to the failures of the nonmilitary parts of our strategy and bring them up to the standard at which our military is performing. Image from

The Afghan Imperative - David Brooks, New York Times: Since 1979, we have been involved in a long, complex conflict against Islamic extremism. Afghanistan is central to this effort partly because it could again become a safe haven to terrorists, but mostly because of its effects on the stability of Pakistan.

Intelligence is a critical need - Rep. Peter Hoekstra and Rep. John Shadegg, Washington Times: Intelligence is a linchpin of success in any counterinsurgency environment. If the president decides to commit additional troops - clearly necessary to military victory - he will only handicap them if he does not free our intelligence community to do its job.

Rep. Peter Hoekstra of Michigan is the top Republican on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. John Shadegg is an Arizona Republican. Image from

Keep Gitmo: Quality-of-life improvements continue despite President Obama's assurances of its closing. Although the base has become a model detention center, the legal limbo of detainees is a major problem - Judith Miller, latimes.com

White House Regroups on Guantanamo: Counsel Craig Replaced as Point Man on Issue as Deadline for Closing Looms - Anne E. Kornblut and Dafna Linzer, Washington Post: With four months left to meet its self-imposed deadline for closing the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the Obama administration is working to recover from missteps that have put officials behind schedule and left them struggling to win the cooperation of Congress. It's time for the Obama administration to acknowledge that Gitmo, or another center like it, will be needed as long as the war on terrorism -- no matter what our commander in chief calls it -- endures. But to ensure that such places do not become legal black holes, detainees should be assured of some kind of periodic, independent review of the allegations against them.


Reagan's Missile Defense Triumph - Andrew Nagorski, Washington Post: The Obama administration's line, as spelled out by the president, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and others, is unambiguous when it comes to embracing missile defense as a necessary component of the U.S. arsenal. Image from

Banish the Cyber-Bigots - Michael Gerson, Washington Post: The Nazis would have found much to admire in the adaptation of their message on neo-Nazi, white supremacist and Holocaust-denial Web sites.

Thirteen Striking Propaganda Posters - Stew, Gunaxin: Used throughout wars and specific country’s ruling parties, the posters provided the perfect outlet for the voices that no one really wanted to hear.

Much we know today has solid roots in using propaganda to ’spread the word’. Any time you hear someone announce that giving in to whatever is being sold in order to ’save yourself’, you’re hearing propaganda; even in its most basic sense, promoting one thing over another is still the same thing. Image from article