May 25

“Provide persistent situational awareness”

-- A purpose of the secret directive, signed in September by Gen. David H. Petraeus, that authorizes the sending of American Special Operations troops to both friendly and hostile nations in the Middle East, Central Asia and the Horn of Africa to gather intelligence and build ties with local forces; image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Event: U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Business Meeting - Renee Lee, MountainRunner.u.s.: "On May 25, 2010, the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations will hold a business meeting at the Capitol Building in S-116 at 2:15 p.m. · Presided by Senator John Kerry,

the meeting will go over the following legislation: … S 3104: A bill to permanently authorize Radio Free Asia, and for other purposes · S Res 469: A resolution recognizing the 60th Anniversary of the Fulbright Program in Thailand · S Res 532: A Resolution recognizing Expo 2010 Shanghai China and the USA Pavilion at the Expo The meeting will also review two nominations for the Broadcasting Board of Governors: · Michael P. Meehan to be a Member for a term expiring August 13, 2010 · Dana M. Perino to be a Member for a term expiring August 13, 2012 If nominations are approved, all eight BBG nominees' names will be on the Senate floor, subject to the final step in the confirmation process." Kerry image from

An Embarrassment in Shanghai - Helle Dale, Heritage.org: "Somehow, the United States has ended up with the worst of two worlds, in public diplomacy terms. China is billing the Shanghai World Expo as the biggest World Expo ever – a public diplomacy extravaganza on par with the Beijing 2008 Olympics in its symbolic messaging. While the U.S. media has just about ignored this international event, China is stating that as many as 100 million visitors are expected between now and October 1. Less than a year ago, the United States did not even have plans for the construction of a pavilion, and no money was appropriated in the State Department budget for it. Unfortunately, this omission was not the result of a principled policy decision to protest Chinese human rights abuses. That would have been entirely justifiable, and it could, if properly explained, have made a powerful and principled public statement about American values to the world. Rather, the U.S. absence seems to have been an oversight on the State Department’s part, which Hillary Clinton took upon herself to correct when she took office. Consequently, the U.S. pavilion came about through corporate sponsorship (nothing wrong with that). What is far more problematic is the evidence of hasty planning. As reported by The Washington Post the outcome looks something like a convention center in a mid-sized American city, a square, windowless construction that houses three movie theaters. Worse is the absolute lack of a coherent public message to go with the US attendance at the World Expo."

US Pavilion at Expo 2010 is a National Humiliation - Matthew Yglesias, thinkprogress.org - "[T]he U.S. pavilion, though hugely popular (visits thus far ranking just slightly below China) really isn’t up to snuff. Apparently U.S. government funds weren’t appropriated to put the thing together, so the organizers had to raise corporate money. Which is fine, but instead of putting together a real exhibition about the United States and then slapping a nice 'thanks to a generous sponsors' panel together, they really only managed to assemble what amounts to a series of advertisements for the U.S. brands who put up the money plus a couple of barely coherent movies. The mightiest nation on earth probably doesn’t need to brag, but it would be nice if one of those films said something—anything—about the actual achievements and history of the country. Instead, we get kids talking about the importance of innovation and a bizarre parable about a group of people coming together to build a community garden. Most problematic of all, at one point Hillary Clinton appears on screen on says the pavilion will highlight 'core American values' and then doesn’t mention democracy or anything resembling democracy. ... It also struck me as odd that the videos featured Kobe Bryant as a representative of America, since he seems like one of our least-likable major athletes. I’m told, however, that polls show Kobe is one of the most-beloved Americans in China and apparently that was borne out during the Beijing Olympics.

Comment by Greg says: May 24th, 2010 at 9:35 am You know what was a fucking national humiliation? Our embassy in Paris. It’s in the most beautiful area of the city, a palace, basically, in a leafy avenue just north of the Champs Elysee, and they’ve thrown up a fucking fortress a hundred meters from the entrance. This is so fucking ridiculous. It’s more proof of our ongoing infantilization. vernell says: May 24th, 2010 at 10:11 am Ah, but our pavilion beats North Korea’s. USA! USA! USA! vanya says: May 24th, 2010 at 11:20 am #10 – Greg, you’re right on. And it’s not just Paris. All over the world now US embassies are fortressed barricaded monstrosities. The US projects an air of malevolence abroad despite itself. Bob Jacobson says: May 24th, 2010 at 12:30 pm I did a series of articles on the pavilion and what it signifies in terms of the privatization of American public diplomacy. You can find them on Huffington Post if you search on my name as a blogger. The most recent (which refers to the others) is 'Hillary Hits Her Hut; or, How I Was Shanghai’ed by the US Pavilion, as told by the American Secretary of State (her eyes now wide-open!),' May 23, 2010. Matt correctly describes the dilemma of doing a pavilion supposedly representing all Americans and their values and then turning it into a long-running infomercial. It’s not an accident, though. This is how it was conceived. Read my posts. Thanks." See also. US pavilion image from article

Briefing on Trip to Indonesia Maria Otero Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs Washington, DC May 24, 2010 – U.S. Department of State: "[I]n anticipation and preparation of the President’s trip on June 14th, I was in Indonesia mostly to meet with senior government officials but also to meet with nonprofit organizations, nongovernment organizations, and civil society, to discuss global issues that the United States and Indonesia can partner together on. One of the key goals of the trip was to engage with government officials on how our democracies can cooperate to support and strengthen the democratic institutions in the region. And this would all be part of the U.S.-Indonesian comprehensive partnership that we are entering in and that the President will be launching. I met with the Indonesian vice foreign minister and other senior officials, most of them involved in planning the policy as we move forward and in the public diplomacy that they will be carrying out."

American Public Diplomacy in the Mideast - tvmultiversity.blogspot.com: "At the height of its military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and concurrent with its ongoing 'war on terror,' the US government launched a public diplomacy campaign in the Arab world. It was ostensibly intended to project a cooler,

kinder and gentler image of the USA, even as American policies continued to wreak havoc in the region. Utilizing a variety of media, including news and entertainment in audio, video and print, the efforts were linked by what appeared to be a common goal of attempting to win the hearts and minds of Arab youth. ... One of the first efforts of the campaign was a monthly Arabic language magazine, 'Hi International,' launched in 2003. ... [I]n 2002 the US government launched Radio Sawa, with the stated intention of 'communicating directly in Arabic with the people of the Middle East by radio,' to change perceptions of Arabs about America. The station features non-stop American and Arab pop songs, interspersed with short news bulletins. Radio Sawa remains on the air today. ... American officialdom, it appears, cannot tolerate any competitive images or stories to their supposedly overarching control of information about their role in the world. ... Early in 2004, the US Congress approved funding for Alhurrah, an American produced satellite TV station designed to broadcast news from Washington to the Arab World. The name means roughly 'the free one,' but which in Arabic has connotations of un-responsible freedom. ... The Alhurrah channel has been roundly criticized by Arab media scholars ... . In the end, the ongoing claims and counterclaims of what is and what is not truthful will likely persist in the Mideast mediascape, as will the contradictions between the images of America portrayed through public diplomacy and the effects of American policies in the region." Image from

More Facebook Users in the Arab World Than Newspaper Readers - April Deibert, Middle East Media: "The research by Spot On Public Relations, a Dubai-based agency, says there are more than 15 million subscribers to the social network. The total number of newspaper copies in Arabic, English and French is just under 14 million. The findings seem to confirm the increasing popularity of the social interaction platforms in the region. The figures show that such platforms are beginning to define how Arabs discover and share information. ... It was suggested that this sort of data could contain valuable information for advertisers who want to reach the largest possible number of people. However, thinking about this from a U.S. foreign policy perspective, I see this as an incredible opportunity to re-shape public diplomacy outreach. What better a way to bridge the culture gap and extend a more positive view of American society and culture? The U.S. should move toward more joint social media ventures with Middle East NGOs, regional religious organizations, and local women’s groups by creating Facebook groups, Meetup.org groups, etc."

Basketball Exchange Shows Lighter Side Of US-Russia Relations - Richard Solash, RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty: "Civilian exchanges between the United States and Russia date back to the days of Eisenhower and Khrushchev. That's more than five decades of swapping, and the ebb and flow of artists, scientists, and athletes between Washington and Moscow has often served as a barometer for relations. That remains the case today. With Washington and Moscow closer than they've been in years, a significant uptick in exchanges is now under way. This month, 22 basketball-loving 13- to 15-year-olds from Moscow and St. Petersburg are in Washington, D.C., for a glimpse into U.S. sports and life. In July, young American swimmers will be heading to Russia. It's the first exchange under the bilateral presidential commission, a mechanism established by U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, during their summit in Moscow in July 2009. ...

While youth exchanges have been given particular emphasis, the first batch of planned exchanges for other age groups will be announced within weeks. They include programs in the visual arts, performing arts, and humanities. ... On the U.S. side, funds for the exchanges will come from both the State Department and the private sector. A similar mix will cover the costs on the Russian side.Although the bilateral presidential commission is tied to Obama and Medvedev, McHale sees the new exchanges, and their impact, as continuing well beyond the presidents' years at the helm of their governments. 'The strengthening of the relations on the people-to-people to level transcends political terms of office,' McHale says. Image from article: U.S. President Barack Obama at a shootaround on the White House basketball court with Russian youth from the Sports Working Group, part of the larger U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission’s Education, Culture, Sports and Media.

Fulbright gives hope - Mahdi Abdulla, mahdiranya.blogspot.com: "The Fulbright Scholarship for foreign students is a two-year study program at one of the U.S. universities, and it is sponsored by the U.S. State Department.On May 13 at the Administration Building of AUI-S, there was a lecture about this program, and the AUI-S students became more familiar with the program. R. Madison Conoley, the Public Diplomacy Section Chief of the U.S. Regional Reconstruction team, and Sara Mercado, the Public Diplomacy Officer of the RRT of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, explained the Fulbright program for the AUI-S students."

Spelling Bee Contest Winner Leaves For US - The Inquirer:

"In 2009,Sandra, 11 at the time was among sixty-six 5th and 6th graders from Liberia's 15 counties to have reached the final of the 'American Library Liberia National Spelling Bee,' Sandra won first place in the 8th round of the completion at the Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the US Embassy in Monrovia." Image from

Legends jazz up basketball in Jakarta – Agnes Winarti, Jakarta Post: "As part of the United States Sports Envoy Program, NBA and WNBA veterans Sam 'Big Smooth' Perkins and Sue Wicks gathered with Indonesian basketball figures in a Monday coaching clinic session for some 50 teenagers from around the capital. ... '[Basketball] is a uniquely American game, which is also popular here. So, there is a shared value of commonality between the US and Indonesia in this game,' public diplomacy officer at the US Embassy Tristram Perry said on the sideline of the coaching session, which was participated in by five Jakarta orphanages."

Want a visa? Give €15 and we can talk about it – Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner.us: "A reader comment reminded me of the strange reality of US public diplomacy. As an effort to offset costs after Congress cut their operating budget (we hope this is the reason), some US embassies charge for the opportunity to setup an appointment to get a visa to enter the US."

Bosses shouldn't fear foreign media: Korean firms are missing a golden chance when they refuse to meet with foreign journalists - Tom Coyner, JoongAng Daily:

"Korean exporters have incredibly positive stories to tell that could increase Korean products’ ownership pride among consumers and attract new customers overseas. In other words, international media has the capacity to raise Korea’s overall image. ... As for the government’s role in nation branding, consider Olle Wastberg, Swedish Institute director, as quoted in Public Diplomacy magazine. 'Frankly, IKEA is doing more for the image of Sweden than all governmental efforts combined.' He continued, 'That might be a sad statement coming from a governmental official tasked with enforcing the brand of Sweden.' Korean companies, for the sake of the nation’s brand, need to let Korea’s good news circulate more freely around the world." Image from

Malaysia-Singapore Relations Reach Tipping Point? - Zakaria Abdul Wahab, Bernama: "Has the long insipid Malaysia-Singapore relations already reached the tipping point? ... [I]f yesterday's meeting between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong was any indication, the bland relations between the two countries are now set to enter a new phase. ... [T]o the surprise of many, the two young prime ministers stunningly resolved the many thorny issues that had dogged relations between Malaysia and Singapore for the past 20 years. ... Singapore's former High Commissioner to Malaysia, K. Kesavapany, is optimistic that the agreement between Singapore and Malaysia will lead to better relations and produce concrete benefits. Both Najib and Lee had realised the wisdom of taking an approach so it was a win-win situation, he was quoted by local media. 'It is therefore a very welcomed development because it removes one of the thorns and the way it has been resolved is also unique,' he said. 'Instead of public diplomacy, it has been done quietly, away from the media and other glares, and so we were able to come to a satisfactory conclusion, which both prime ministers have announced,' he added." See also.

Heightened emotions at participants' meet – Abbas Al Lawati, Gulf News: "There was lots of emotion this afternoon as Algerian, Indonesian, and Palestinian participants in the Freedom Flotilla gathered to make solidarity statements. ... The Freedom Flotilla’s Turkish organisers asked participa nts last night to be patient on the journey. 'And the first test of your patience is our announcement that there is going to be a delay'. It seems that some of the ships arriving from Europe have been delayed, which is leading the whole flotilla to postpone its arrival in Gaza by about two days. ... The Israeli foreign ministry's twitter hasbara (hebrew for public diplomacy)

is in full swing in response to increasing chatter about the Freedom Flotilla on the micro-blogging site." Image from article

Do we need a National Strategy on Public Diplomacy and Strategic Communication? – Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner.us: "Here is a question for the community interested in public diplomacy, strategic communication (or signaling integration), and global engagement: Does the U.S. Government need a national strategy on public diplomacy and strategic communication? My view: yes, the President must issue a strategy that declares the imperative of synchronizing words and deeds across the interagency and within the departments, provides a high-level and flexible definition, and avoids details like specific themes. This document must provide flexible guidance and support to empower organizations to support strategic goals, such as the global information environment, global audiences, telling the truth, bolstering morale and extend hope through actions supported by words (and vice versa) and not words alone, and combating misrepresentation and distortion."

The Pentagon’s Strategic Communications Overdrive Continues – Back to the Future - Patricia H. Kushlis, Whirled View:

"In a May 25, 2010 news story entitled 'Pentagon tries to steer media coverage on Iraq,' veteran Washington Post reporter Walter Pincus pointed out that although the Pentagon may be sharply reducing its combat forces in Iraq, plans are well underway to expand its media activities in that country, throughout the broader Middle East and also in the US – under a single contract to some apparently yet to be named strategic communications company. ... If, however, the shrunken State Department is not doing what USIA used to do as a matter of course - or at all - in terms of monitoring foreign media globally, and the administration wants to reduce America’s military boot-print abroad (which I thought it did) shouldn’t media relations of this sort be among the first functions transferred back to the civilian side? Furthermore, the US component of this package is likely in violation of the Smith-Mundt Act, a law that prohibits the US government from propagandizing Americans. Period. End of story." Image from

It’s all about the Alienation - Public Diplomacy, Networks and Influence: "What can we expect from Public Diplomacy? It seems to me that a realistic sense of the limits of PD is one of the requirements of PD studies. In thinking about limits I was reminded of two books one from IR and one from communication that seem to be plowing the same furrow, these are James Der Derian, On Diplomacy: A Genealogy of Western Estrangement (Oxford: Blackwell, 1987) and John Durham Peters, Speaking into the Air: A History of the Idea of Communication (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1999)."

Obituary Notice Harold F. Schneidman/Sr. USIA Official/WWII Combat Correspondent‏ [no link] - email from LJB: "Harold [Schneidman] joined USIA in 1957. He served as Information Officer in the Philippines and Italy and Cultural Affairs Officer in Indonesia. In 1965 he represented USIA in an inter-agency review of foreign operations chaired by General Maxwell Taylor.In 1970 Harold returned to Washington DC as Deputy Assistant Director for East Asia and the Pacific. In 1971 he became Assistant Director in charge of Information Centers. He was also on the Bicentennial Committee. In 1975 he was honored with the Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Public Diplomacy . ... In June 1977 he was appointed by the Carter Administration to be Deputy Director for Policy and Plans for the Agency. He retired in 1980 with the change of administrations."

British Council, Washington DC, Opportunity for Graduate to Work with Major International Cultural Relations Organisation for One Year - JExecutiveeanette Knows Jobs: "Executive Assistant to the Director: We are currently seeking applications for an Executive Assistant to the Director of the British Council based in our Washington DC Office.

This post is designed to be a developmental post and is offered for one year and will be of particular interest to someone interested in a future career in international relations or public diplomacy." Image from

RELATED ITEMS

U.S. Is Said to Expand Secret Actions in Mideast - Mark Mazzetti, New York Times: The top American commander in the Middle East has ordered a broad expansion of clandestine military activity in an effort to disrupt militant groups or counter threats in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and other countries in the region, according to defense officials and military documents. The seven-page directive

appears to authorize specific operations in Iran, most likely to gather intelligence about the country’s nuclear program or identify dissident groups that might be useful for a future military offensive. Image from

"Resumed" radio broadcasts from South to North Korea - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting