November 20

"Get ready to bomb Iran: It's the last best chance for peace"

--Editorial headline in The Washington Times; image from

"War is peace."

--George Orwell, 1984

VIDEO

Cynthia Schneider: The surprising spread of "Idol" TV – ted.com: Cynthia Schneider looks at two international "American Idol"-style shows -- one in Afghanistan, and one in the United Arab Emirates -- and shows the surprising effect that these reality-TV competitions are creating in their societies.

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

White House nominates a new slate to the Broadcasting Board of Governors- Matt Armstrong, Mountainrunner.us: "The Broadcasting Board of Governors oversees the United States Government's non-military broadcasting. Its function is to provide managerial guidance from talented private sector leaders. The combined audience of the broadcasting it oversees is over 171 million, an increase of 71% over 2003, according to the BBG. Programming is in 60 languages and is provided though online media, satellite, terrestrial and cable television, as well as shortwave, AM, and FM radio. Like most advisory boards, the Governors, including the Chairman, are part-timers. The Board is to have eight members, including the Chairman, plus the Secretary of State as an ex officio member. For over a year, however, the Board barely had quorum, and only if the Secretary of State was included. Four seats on the Board have been vacant for between one year to nearly 4 years while the terms of the seated Governors expired between 3.5 and 5.5 years ago. For all the lip service to the urgency to communicate with the world, the Board has been long neglected. Yesterday, the White House announced a whole new slate for the Broadcasting Board of Governors: Walter Isaacson, as Chairman, Michael Lynton, Susan McCue, Michael Meehan, Victor H. Ashe, Dennis Mulhaupt, Dana Perino, and S. Enders Wimbush. The announcements and bios are here and here. Isaacson has been a candidate for over six months but has rumored to have held out until all the vacancies were filled. Change is good, but more change is needed: the Chairman must become a full-time position in order to fully support and champion the needs of US Government broadcasting. Let's hope the nominees are confirmed quickly.Will the US Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy be getting some attention soon?"

Finally: President Obama names his nominees for Broadcasting Board of Governors - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy: "For the most part, these future senior managers of US international broadcasting have no experience in international broadcasting. We assume they are quick studies.

If they understand that the audience for international broadcasting is seeking credible news, and if they, as the firewall, protect the independence of that news, US international broadcasting can succeed. If they think that US international broadcasting is a conveyance for messages supporting US foreign policies, and assume that an audience will listen to, let alone be swayed by, such messages, US international broadcasting will fail." Image from

VOA stepping up Latin American effort and use of Radio/TV Martí Miami facilities - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

Georgian journalists to sign charter of ethics – kubiske, Journalism, Journalists and The World: "Ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union, journalists in many of the former republics of the USSR have been workign to free themselves of government control. Some have been more successful than others.

The journalists in Georgia (the country, not the state) have been one of the lucky ones. During the past few years they have worked with a number of Western organizations — including the U.S. State Department Public Diplomacy bureau — to run programs stressing independent and ethical journalism." Image from

Subpart A And SEVIS II - Will Your J-1 Program Sponsor Clients Be Ready?- Darra Klein, ILW.com: "As evidenced in recent speeches given by President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Obama Administration considers citizen exchanges a powerful tool in its public diplomacy arsenal. Focus on 'smart' power has been a hallmark of the Administration, which has resulted in increased emphasis on engagement with other countries through citizen exchanges. Along with the push for increased exchanges, however, comes an equally vigorous push for increased restrictions and tightened scrutiny of J-1 exchange programs falling under the purview of the Private Sector Programs Division of the Office of Designation at Department of State."

Southeast Asian Youth Seek Democratic Change at Youth Engagement Summit (YES2009) in Malaysia: ADOI magazine : "As the sun tried to break through the early morning mist in Putrajaya, Malaysia’s fantastic federal administrative center south of Kuala Lumpur,

3,000 of Southeast Asia’s most talented youth leaders began arriving in droves at the Youth Engagement Summit YES2009. Inspired by President Obama’s vision for hope and change, these active young leaders represent a rising generation working to build movements, catalyze change and transform lives in their communities, the region and beyond. ... The U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur was happy to partner with the organizers of this groundbreaking summit, strategically timed to coincide with President Obama’s trip to the region for APEC and the U.S.-ASEAN Summit. The Embassy’s public diplomacy team engaged these energized youth with the offer of a 'free trip to Hollywood' via the Democracy Video Challenge. To get started thinking about the challenge, and to receive a prized Barack Obama postcard, hundreds of youth filled out a simple form completing the phrase 'Democracy is…' In her letter to the YES2009 participants, Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith McHale expressed her 'sincere desire to listen … and find ways we can collaborate for our common future.' We are listening." Nicholas Papp is Cultural Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Image from

State Department Social Media Efforts – Liriel, iDiplomacy: "Jeff Mascott had a column yesterday in The Hill, a congressionally-focused Beltway newspaper, in which he talks about the State Department’s use of social media as a tool in diplomacy. Mascott edits kstreetcafe.com, a blog about how technology and the Internet are changing the public affairs industry, and is managing director of the Adfero Group, a public relations firm. He highlights the Democracy Video Challenge – which we mentioned in a previous blog post – as a prime example of State’s use of social media."

US embassy in China reaches out to citizens through social networks - Yaron Gamburg. small talk 2.0: Diplomats (and non-diplomats...) talking about social media, diplomacy, and what is in between - Diplomacy 2.0:

"Look here: http://ow.ly/Dvgn This is the essence of what the diplomats statione[d] on the host countries should when they plan public diplo[ma]cy through social media tools." Image from

VOL. V NO. 24, November 6-November 19, 2009 - The Layalina Review On Public Diplomacy and Arab Media:
"The White House Announces New Slate for the BBG President Obama nominated on November 18 the nominees of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees the United States Government's non-military broadcasting.
Muslims Disillusioned over Lack of Progress Faith in President Barack Obama’s ability to deliver on his promises made in Cairo are fading across the Arab world as the lack of results become more manifest.
Fort Hood Renews Debates over Islamic Extremism Department of Homeland Security officials are working with groups around America to combat possible anti-Muslim backlash following the shootings at Fort Hood in Texas by Major Nidal Malik Hasan.
Saudi-Iranian Media Battle Continues Saudi-based Middle East satellite providers Nilesat and Arabsat have both stopped carrying the Tehran-based Al-Alam news channel. Atif Al-Musawi, manager of the Al-Alam's Beirut office explained that the channel did not receive any notification before its broadcasts were curtailed.
Guantanamo Trials Open New Phase in US Justice The Obama administration took an important step towards closing the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, when it announced plans to prosecute the accused 9/11 conspirators in the United States. Below image from


Fighting Radical Islam through US Public Diplomacy Analysts promote reestablishing US public diplomacy moral imperatives to undermine the message of extremists. However, others insist that without concrete policy to back it up, public diplomacy cannot succeed.
Clinton's Public Diplomacy Fosters US-Pakistan Ties As the United States commits itself to improving Pakistan's ailing economy and strengthening the country's democratic institutions, Secretary Clinton's recent visit aimed at eliminating the troubling 'trust deficit' and encouraging Islamabad to adopt the Kerry-Lugar Legislation.
Cairo Festival Promotes Regional Media The events of the 15th Cairo Arab Media Festival and the widespread popularity of TV soap operas hint at the growing role of television in the daily life of people across the Middle East and North Africa.
Cultural Diplomacy: Scene Two, Take One The Obama Administration emphasizes the importance of the arts and cultural diplomacy in rebranding America’s image abroad. Experts take a step back and try to see the true meaning and implications of this unconventional method of diplomacy.
Crackdown on MidEast Media Reporters Without Borders now ranks Lebanon higher than Israel in terms of press freedom, and the Dubai Press Club is celebrating its tenth anniversary. But a culture of censorship is still pervasive throughout the Middle East, highlighted by a recent media crackdown in Iraq via sanctions and legal actions on major news outlets.
New Media Affecting Social Norms Social Social media is blooming amidst the backdrop of the significant social changes across the Arab world." Image from

'Family of Man' Gets a 21st Century Update: Voice of America: "Barbara Klein tells about 'The Twenty-first Century Family of Man.'

BARBARA KLEIN: In nineteen fifty-five, photographer Edward Steichen organized a collection of more than five hundred pictures of and by people all over the world. The photographers were professionals and non-professionals alike. The collection was called 'The Family of Man.' It was shown first at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. The show was designed to express the connections that link humans everywhere. Nick Cullen [sic] is a professor of public diplomacy at the University of Southern California. He says Steichen's exhibit brought in crowds as it traveled from country to country. NICK CULLEN [sic]: 'I think part of its success was that everybody could recognize something of themselves in the exhibit and so the Family of Man show belonged to everybody.' Twenty-nine-year-old photographer Paul Rockower shows his own Family of Man pictures in the new exhibit at the University of Southern California. He says it is a re-imagining of the first show with a modern touch. ... PAUL ROCKOWER: 'I think the theme that comes out is really the unity of mankind, that we are all the same, the things that we share are things like family, like faith, like friendship. These are the things that are universal qualities found everywhere you go.'" Image from article: a photo from the 'Children of Man' part of the exhibit

A very diplomatic blog: British ambassadors worldwide tell (nearly) all on the web: From Ukraine to the Caymans and China to Zimbabwe, UK envoys are joining the band of bloggers - Luke Harding, guardian.co.uk: ‎"Welcome to the brave new world of blogger ambassadors. Two years after the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) tentatively launched a web platform for digitally minded staff, 30 diplomats now write blogs. ... 'For the last 20 or 30 years there's been public diplomacy. The aim is to influence the opinion in the country you are in. You can do it through making speeches, giving newspaper interviews and doing British Council stuff,' [Britain's ambassador to Ukraine, Leigh] Turner says. 'Writing a blog is just a natural extension of that. It's also fun.'"

Knesset works to 'convince our friends we're promoting peace' - Rebecca Anna Stoil, Jerusalem Post: “[T]he Knesset has begun appointing official chairpeople to coordinate ties with parliamentary bodies. [Kadima MK Nahman] Shai, for instance, will coordinate the interaction between the EU delegation and a parallel group within the Knesset. 'I don't take anything for granted,' said Shai.

'It isn't sufficient just to say that because people support us, we don't need to work with them as part of our public diplomacy. Sometimes the fact that people are our friends doesn't mean that they don't have hard questions for us that they need answered.' One of Israel's greatest challenges, even among its supporters, is 'convincing our friends that we are promoting peace,' said Shai." Shai image from

Panda Diplomacy? - Ulara, the-diplomat.com: "Is it just me or has Singapore seen an unusual flurry of diplomatic activity this past couple of weeks? World leaders popping in, shaking hands, posing for photos and perhaps even forging some genuine friendships...And although most eyes were focused on this past weekend’s APEC summit, there was another meeting held Nov.12 between Singaporean PM Lee Hsien Loong and Chinese Pres. Hu Jintao that resulted in some interesting ‘cultural’ agreements between their two nations. One was the decision to establish a China Cultural Center in Singapore.

The Singaporean government stated that the venue will facilitate Chinese arts and cultural exchanges in Singapore, offer courses in things like Mandarin, calligraphy and Chinese martial arts, and provide information resources in the form of a library of books on China. The centre’s plans also include exhibitions of Chinese and Singaporean art, film screenings and lectures on Chinese culture. This new centre will become the eighth Chinese Culture Center currently in operation worldwide." Image from article

China catches up with India in race to speak English - Alexandra Stevenson, Financial Times: "India is rapidly losing one of its clear economic advantages over China, with the number of Chinese able to speak English on a par with its neighbour and rival. A study published by the British Council says China may already have more English speakers than India, a remarkable development given the language legacy of British colonial rule in south Asia. The study, English Next India, by David Graddol, reveals that India is likely to find it harder to compete with China, which already has better infrastructure and more flexible labour." Courtesy PSF.

Spain - Signature of the agreement between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and and the Ministry of Culture to promote Spanish culture abroad - ISRIA: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and the Ministry of Culture have signed the Reinforced Strategy for the Promotion of Spanish Culture Abroad in the Congress of Deputies.The agreement is intended to encourage a coordinated strategy for promoting Spanish culture abroad, based on collaboration, inter-ministerial coordination, transparency and professionalism. Cultural actions abroad play an essential and increasingly important role in promoting Spain's international relations; it is also an essential factor in how our country is perceived and, therefore, it constitutes a fundamental component of public diplomacy."

New York Academy partners Nollywood, Linda Ikeji, Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog: Entertainment, Fashion, Inspiration, Lifestyle, News, Photos... and Yes Gossip! *Wink*:

"Nigeria will be the first country on the african continent to host the New York Film Academy team to an extensive hands-on training workshop on a diverse range of disciplines including: film making, public diplomacy, broadcast journalism, documentary making, directing, screen wirting, editing, 3d animation and master classes exclusively designed for professionals, marketing communications, executives, lawyers, advertising agencies and government institutions.*" Image from blog

No trace of four kidnapped in Iraq: Three years after their husbands were abducted in Iraq, the wives of the so-called "Baghdad Four" have "no idea" if the men are dead or alive - Harriet McLea, Times LIVE: "The women, who spoke at the Pretoria Press Club yesterday, said that in the first year after the abduction they were warned by their husbands' employer, Safenet Security Services, not to talk about it because this would 'jeopardise' the men's safety. ... Kgomotso Molobi, head of public diplomacy at the department of international relations, said 'three years are without meaning for family and friends loved ones who have disappeared without trace'."

Speaker tells of life in Foreign Service - Autumn Gould, Brown and White - ‎ "No two days are the same working as a Foreign Service Officer abroad, said Jennifer Schaming-Ronan, who spoke on Nov. 12 to a group of students who are interested in the profession. The event was part of International Week. ... In the Foreign Service,

there are five different roles, or tracks as Schaming-Ronan calls them, that applicants can pursue, including consular, economic, political, public diplomacy and management officers. Schaming-Ronan worked as a Public Affairs Officer in the Foreign Service in Namibia, Benin, and Jamaica and said each day was a unique experience. 'One day I would be at a mosque talking to citizens, and the next I would be at a school donating textbooks or planting a tree for Earth Day, or one day I would be helping manage a tragedy of some sorts,' she said of her time in Benin. She said the job of a Foreign Service Officer is to basically communicate and spread American ideals and policies throughout the world." Image from

O' revelation under the Southern Cross – Paul Rockower, Levantine: ”While sitting in Leavey I had a revelation about my newest fascination, IBSA. Rather than wait for them to get enough structure to require my public diplomacy services, I will write my PhD dissertation on the trialogue. My l-rd, if I could spend the rest of my days shuttling from Brazil to South Africa to India, studying their strategic ties and assessing how they could carry about better trilateral public diplomacy, I would be in southern seventh heaven."

The Face of Public Diplomacy - Paul Rockower, Levantine:

"Yes, it's true. The Public Diplomacy paparazzi caught up with yours truly and snapped some pics for the Annenberg website. The goofball you see before you is the Annenberg face for public diplomacy." Image from blog

Quarter Century Club – Amy Blomme, Catching the Trade Winds: "Yesterday I turned 25! I'm officially a quarter century old now. It was a busy day with lots of discussion of IR and a little bit of celebrating :) ... I spent the morning in a lecture on the WTO and ICTSD (International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development). In the afternoon I attended a NATO workshop. The Italian speaker, Antonella Cerasino is the head of the Public Diplomacy Division. She was an excellent speaker and gave a good overview of NATO's role in today's Post-Cold War era."

RELATED ITEMS

President Obama: The Agonizer-in-Chief - Grant Lawrence, opednews.com:

Will President Obama send more troops to die for the occupation in Afghanistan? Of course. The last several weeks of a supposed decision on sending troops is just a made for media propaganda ploy. President Obama will do as he has been planning to do since he was elected President. He has talked about the war that must be won in Afghanistan, and he has expanded that war into Pakistan. So there will obviously be a surge in Afghanistan, and President Obama's agony over sending more troops to Afghanistan is pure propaganda. Image from

Vision of American decline - Lawrence Kudlow, Washington Times: In terms of global leadership, Ronald Reagan would say, "If not us, who? If not now, when?" It's a pity Mr. Obama doesn't share the Gipper's commitment to American leadership.

In Obama Interview, Signs of China’s Heavy Hand - Sharon Lafraniere and Jonathan Ansfield, New York Times:

President Obama spent part of his last morning in Beijing giving an interview to Southern Weekly, a newspaper in Guangdong Province sometimes known for its push-the-envelope approach to the government’s ever-present censorship. But if the White House expected a hard-hitting article that showcased the United States’ commitment to press freedom, it must have been disappointed when the newspaper hit the stands on Thursday. Mr. Obama was quoted talking about basketball. His other comments — about trade, bilateral relations and China’s rise — added virtually nothing to what he had previously said on his three-day visit. Image from

The China President Obama Didn't See: Dissident intellectuals have been attracted to Christianity – Leslie Hook, Wall Street Journal: Now Mr. Obama is gone, after a visit that was conspicuous for its attentiveness to the sensibilities of China's leaders. In their quest for stability and "harmony," these rulers continue to roll back basic liberties. Shuttering underground churches is part of the trend.

Take a Bow - Mark Dillen, Public Diplomacy: You can say that the Chinese leaders are determined to control their media environment, but to essentially shut down broadcasts of a U.S. President’s communication with students shows a real gap in understanding. By the same token, Obama’s exaggerated bow

to Japanese Emperor Akihito in Tokyo was also a misstep. Image from

Pleasing China, Insulting India - Patricia Lee Sharpe, Whirled View: The President’s men and women are falling all over themselves to reinterpret all the bloopers and spin Obama's Asian trip as a success.

Obama the undecider - Michael Gerson, Washington Post: The president and Defense Secretary Robert Gates are desperately trying to jerk the spotlight away from a dysfunctional Afghan decision-making process in which chaos has preceded choice, complicating every possible outcome.

Travesty in New York - Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post:

For late-19th-century anarchists, terrorism was the "propaganda of the deed." And the most successful propaganda-by-deed in history was 9/11 -- not just the most destructive, but the most spectacular and telegenic. And now its self-proclaimed architect, Khalid Sheik Mohammed, has been given by the Obama administration a civilian trial in New York. Just as the memory fades, 9/11 has been granted a second life -- and KSM, a second act: "9/11, The Director's Cut," narration by KSM. Image from

A battlefield in the courtroom - Eugene Robinson, Washington Post: Outrage is being voiced by those who worry that Attorney General Eric Holder and President Obama are abandoning the Bush-era doctrine of a "war on terrorism" that must at all times be conducted by military means.

Biting the nuclear bullet: Time to learn to live with Iran's bomb - Arnaud de Borchgrave, Washington Times:

An Israeli air attack on Iran's nuclear installations would quickly still opposition voices and rally public opinion to the hard-line clerical regime against U.S. interests throughout the Middle East. Image from

Engaging Cuba on Human Rights: The regime should be asked to release political prisoners in exchange for normal relations - Jorge G. Castaned, Wall Street Journal

NEWS FROM CANADA

10 cm Etobicoke slug a big, slimy mystery - thestar.com: After Lisa Bendall and her daughter spotted some unusually coloured slugs while walking to school one day, they launched an investigation that has the world of amateur and professional malacologists (that's slug- and snail-watchers to you and me) scratching their heads. "We were in awe," says Bendall, a freelance writer, of the pumpkin-coloured things, which are 10 centimetres long when extended.

But she and 10-year-old Emily didn't realize how rare the slugs actually are. They appear to be a species native to Europe, one that has never been reported in Ontario. Since slug identification is tricky, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has commissioned a book to be published next spring: Identifying Land Snails and Slugs in Canada, by F. Wayne Grimm, Forsyth, Schueler and Karstad. Via; image from article: Lisa Bendall found these mystery slugs near her Etobicoke home.