July 14-15

"How else could I endure English dinner parties?"

--Russian secret police and infiltrator of anarchist groups Peter Rachkovsky, regarding his practice of wilful deafness, acquired in a Bosnian prison; cited in Times Literary Supplement (July 9, 2010), p. 7; Rachkovsky image from

ESSAY

What's important, what's happening, and what's public diplomacy - John Brown, Notes and Essays: "PD is worth talking intelligently about, especially when approached from the perspective of academics/practitioners who value life and history above theory and abstraction."

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY IN THE NEWS

Visitors distract embassy diplomats, report says - Aamer Madhani - USA Today: "A constant crush of visiting VIPs from Washington

ties up officials at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and distracts the diplomats from crucial work, according to an inspector's report. In 2009, the embassy hosted almost 700 such travelers, including members of Congress, high-ranking administration officials and staffers who traveled to Pakistan to meet with top U.S. diplomats and Pakistani leaders. Embassy officials conducted at least 100 preparatory meetings before the visits and tied up 300 embassy-owned vehicles during a total of 175 days in Pakistan, according to a report released last week from the Office of the State Department Inspector General. 'Large numbers of high-level visits are a fact of life when U.S. national interests are as deeply engaged as they are in Pakistan,' the report said. 'However, many of the same reporting and public diplomacy officers who are expected to meet Washington's voracious reporting and outreach requirements find that substantial parts of their time must be devoted to visits while contact work and reporting languish.'" Image from

US engaged in intense strategic talks with Pakistan: Holbrooke‎ - Times of India: "Making his 14th trip to Pakistan in 18 months he has been in this position, Special US Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke has said the Obama administration is engaged in intense strategic discussion with Pakistan which is yielding desired results. ... Holbrooke said Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi asked that all the groups visit Islamabad to discuss activities. These groups are agriculture; communications and public diplomacy; defense; economics and finance; education; energy; health; law enforcement and counterterrorism; market access; science and technology; security, strategic stability and nonproliferation; water; women's empowerment."

Kaira stresses Pak-US collaboration in fighting terrorism - Associated Press of Pakistan: "Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira has said that Pakistan and the United States should continue working together to change the extremist mindset to achieve peace and development in the region. He was talking to American Ambassador in Pakistan, Anne W. Patterson who called on him here on Wednesday.

The meeting discussed bilateral relations as well as cooperation in the field of public diplomacy and communications between the two countries. The minister stressed the need of enhancing technical and financial cooperation between the two governments, especially in the field of information and media." See also. Image from article

South Asian Seeds of Peace Participants Visit Department of State US Department of State: "Under Secretary for Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy Judith A. McHale will welcome South Asian participants of the Seeds of Peace program to the Harry S Truman building on July 14, 2010. This group consists of young leaders from Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan who have just completed a three-week conflict resolution program in Maine. The Seeds of Peace International Camp encourages increased understanding, tolerance, and new friendships among youth from conflict-torn regions."

Assistant Secretary Stock's Swearing-in Remarks – U.S. State Department: “I ... wish to thank the men and women of the State Department, especially the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, often known as ECA, who were my companions through the confirmation process—a process that took perhaps a wee bit longer than I had imagined.

My new colleagues have warmly welcomed me to their work that is so important to us all. Madame Secretary, I am proud today to join you again and to support many of the principles that have guided you your entire life:
• fostering an open and civil society;
• providing education and opportunity for all; and
• ensuring a stable future for young people, especially women and girls." Image from article: Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton congratulates newly sworn in Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs Ann Stock.

Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2010 - ‎Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner.us: "On July 13, US Congressmen Mac Thornberry (TX-13) and Adam Smith (D-WA), both members of the House Intelligence and Armed Services Committees, introduced 'The Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2010' (H.R. 5729), a bipartisan bill to revise an outdated restriction that interferes with the United States’ diplomatic and military efforts. The Smith-Mundt Act, formally known as the United States Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948, was intended to improve and institutionalize information and exchange activities to counter Communist activities around the world that America’s ambassador to Russia described as a 'war of ideology… a war unto death.' ... Today, however, the Smith-Mundt Act is invoked not to enable engagement but to limit it. It is time we revisit the existing restrictions in the Smith-Mundt Act and their implications on America’s engagement with the world. We need a more effective, agile, and transparent communication and engagement programs, call them 'public diplomacy programs' if you want, in an environment where the Internet, satellite communications, 24/7 news, and cheap international travel enable and foster dynamic diasporas that may or may not be based one’s ethnicity, language, or passport. The Smith-Mundt Modernization Act by Reps. Thornberry and Smith will help move us in that direction."

Framing the counter-terrorism (violent extremism) challenge - Philip J. Palin, Ordering Viagra Bars - Trusted Online Pharmacy: News and analysis of critical issues in homeland security: "Earlier this week the Washington Institute for Near East Policy released a report entitled, Fighting the Ideological Battle: The Missing Link in US Strategy to Counter Violent Extremism.

The report has gotten more than its share of attention by being framed as 'challenging the administration's shift in its recently unveiled National Security Strategy...' (Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press and others) . ... The Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of John are much more differentiated than the Washington Institute's report is from the National Security Strategy. I can, however, imagine at least one senior administration official taking serious exception to one of the report's specific recommendations: 'Designate a single address for the coordination of U.S. public diplomacy, strategic communication, and counterradicalization strategy within the White House. Empowering someone close to the president to orchestrate the overall effort to combat radicalization both at home and abroad is critical to maintaining strategic focus over the longer term.' I'm pretty sure John Brennan considers that his address. He is in the midst of a significant refurbishment. I don't think he intends to move any time soon." Image from

Think Tank to White House: Define Your Enemy‎ - Matthew Harwood, Security Management – "In a 30-page strategic report for The Washington Institute for Near East Policy [1], report authors J. Scott Carpenter, Matthew Levitt, Steven Simon, and Juan Zarate argue that while the Obama administration has had some successes in addressing violent extremism, it too often fails to call out the specific ideology that spawns terrorist violence. ... While the authors note that the Obama administration has helped to restore America's image in the Muslim world through public diplomacy and depleted al Qaeda's leadership through military counterinsurgency operations, they argue the administration has failed to address the Islamist ideology that continually produces more violent Islamist militants and terrorists. The authors maintain this is a necessary part of a comprehensive counterterrorism program."

Tackling the Challenges of the Broadcasting Board of Governors - Helle Dale, Morgan Roach, ‎Heritage.org: "The new Broadcasting Board of Governors, announced on Friday by the Obama White House, have their work cut out for them. For a variety of not very satisfactory reasons, the U.S. broadcasting entities (Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, et al.) on whom the federal government spends $745 million a year of the taxpayers’ hard-earned money, have been without strong leadership and management for an unconscionably long period. ... The board’s newest members are now entering a world where tensions run high and opinions are anything but lacking. At a recent Heritage Foundation forum, 'Perspectives on U.S. International Broadcasting,' some of the biggest voices in public diplomacy aired sharply diverging views on the effectiveness of the BBG as an institution. ... With the host of issues that demand attention, the new BBG will have its hands full. Most important of all, however, is that the board has a global strategy and a passionate commitment to the free flow of information and ideas."

Latest broadside against VOA Persian News Network - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting

Trying to find where TV Martí really is on DirecTV can cause a dolor de cabeza - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting

Integrating PD2.0 - Public Diplomacy, Networks and Influence: "In the last week or so there have been kerfuffles about the blogging British ambassadors and the twitterific cake eating Americans. In both of these cases the PD2.0 activity has been picked up by audiences other than the intended ones.

This is an issue that is especially intense in a digital communication ecology but it is not a new one. The history of public diplomacy programmes is full of this type of incident where audience at home raise questions (sometimes with good reason) about the activities of their external representation. … PD2.0 has to be integrated into the total package of diplomatic activity while recognizing that a changing communication environment will change how we think about diplomacy." Image from

Digital Diplomacy - Jesse Lichtenstein, New York Times: "Traditional forms of diplomacy still dominate, but 21st-century statecraft is not mere corporate rebranding — swapping tweets for broadcasts. It represents a shift in form and in strategy — a way to amplify traditional diplomatic efforts, develop tech-based policy solutions and encourage cyberactivism. ... Yet control — over the message, who delivers it, who originates it — is still a cherished tenet of foreign policy." Via CC

Appeasing Reality? - Lindley-French's Blog Blast: "President Obama and his team can help explain why NATO is indeed relevant and in fact in a seemingly paradoxical manner, may be more important in the 21st century in assuring stability and security simply by being and joining 28 like-minded states in a pact based on that proposition. However, to publics on both sides of the Atlantic growing sceptical and cynical over the relevance of the alliance, this will not be an easy task. Hence, a campaign of public diplomacy is critical."

The true language of counter-terrorism‎ - Ronald Rychlak, Washington Post: "The government's inability to talk about religion reached almost comical proportions in 2003, when the Department of State launched a 'cultural magazine' for young men and women in Arab-speaking countries. A special coordinator for public diplomacy in the State Department explained: 'This is a long-term way to build a relationship with people who will be the future leaders of the Arab world.... This is, in a very subtle way, a vehicle for American values.' 'Hi' magazine

focused on things like entertainment, technology, and sports. Among the early articles that I remember was one about sand-surfing and another about protecting against over-exposure to the sun. There was, of course, no direct discussion of religion or religious values. The magazine floundered for a year or two, added an English version, went online, and finally died a quiet death." Image from

To War?‎ - Hooman Majd, Monthly Review: "[T]he Washington Institute for Near East Studies, with an innocuous enough name, is actually an institution founded by AIPAC, in 1985. That it should have hosted Reza Kahlili (pseudonym) on July 9, an Iranian who claims he was a CIA agent while he was in the IRGC (Sepah) during the eighties and early nineties and has written a book called A Time to Betray should come as no surprise, nor should the publicity generated by his speech. Kahlili appearing at the Institute in a mask and with a voice modulator to disguise his identity -- which he claims is necessary because of concern for his own safety and his family still in Iran -- argued that Iran is intent not just on developing nuclear weapons but on using them, and not just on Israel but on Europe, too (!). ...The media in the U.S. has been unquestioning of Kahlili's claims and has fallen prey to the drama of his disguises and mysteriousness, rarely (with few exceptions) wondering how credible it is that the Iranian government 1) doesn't know who he is, and 2) is unable to find his 'sources' inside Iran. (Where is the Iranian foreign ministry's Public Diplomacy apparatus in all of this?)"

Back in Iran, 'abducted' nuclear scientist becomes new propaganda hero for country's leaders - AP: "Flashing a victory sign, an Iranian nuclear scientist who claims he was abducted and abused by U.S. agents a year ago has returned to his homeland and into the heart of the latest crossfire between Washington and Tehran. The conflicting accounts about Shahram Amiri - captive or defector who got cold feet - are unlikely to alter the Western-led pressure on Iran over its nuclear program."

VOL. VI NO. 14, July 2-July 15, 2010 - The Layalina Review:

"NASA's Outreach to Muslim's Grounded
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden sparked a firestorm when he announced during an interview with the Qatari network Al-Jazeera that the agency’s “foremost” mission was to conduct outreach to the Muslim world through various programs. Many former NASA members and conservative news outlets criticized the move as a misguided mission.

CNN Fires Journalist over Twitter
Senior Editor for Middle Eastern Affairs at CNN, Octavia Nasr, lost her job over a posting on Twitter praising Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah for his views on women’s rights. Although the posting generated an instant uproar among pro-Israeli groups and conservatives, analysts and media outlets in the West and the Middle East condemn the sacking as a double standard on freedom of expression.

Ground Zero Tolerance
A group of Muslim Americans seeking to build a community center named The Cordoba House in Manhattan next to the 9/11 site, known as Ground Zero, faces strong protests from several groups. Televangelist Bill Keller thought to respond by building a $1 million church on the same site. Some fear that the behavior displayed by Keller and his supporters may convey the idea that America has become an anti-Muslim nation.

France Bans the Burqa
France’s lower house of parliament has approved a ban on the face-covering veil, raising concerns among Muslim citizens about how the ban will be enforced.

Al-Qaeda's English Magazine: Authentic or Fraud?
The first English language Al-Qaeda magazine surfaced on the web, bearing the emblem of the Arabian Peninsula branch of the organization. However, technological flaws, poor English and humorous titles have raised doubts regarding the document’s authenticity.

BBG's New Leadership Brings New Opportunities
The new board of the BBG faces old bureaucratic challenges, but may represent an opportunity to re-vamp some of the agency’s broadcasting efforts.

Middle East Peace Negotiation: A Light at the End of the Tunnel?
The outcome of President Obama's recent meetings with President Abbas and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signifies a positive mood shift in the Middle East peace negotiations. While the Arab League has endorsed proximity talks with Israel, some believe that encouraging positive media coverage will further promote a successful movement towards peace.

Rotana Goes Yahoo!
Arab media conglomerate Rotana and American internet service Yahoo! recently signed a distribution agreement, allowing Arabic-speaking audiences to access Rotana’s music, film, TV and radio programming from Yahoo!’s new online Video Network channel. Both companies are enthusiastic about the new opportunities for growth and development the agreement presents.

No Justice for the Media
Media figures gathered to debate the role of media in Arab society at the Arab Media Leaders Forum, discussing the relationship between the state and the media. While some mild improvements are noticed in Egypt, other countries in the region such as Tunisia and Bahrain are taking a step backward.

Al-Waleed and Murdoch Take on the Middle East
Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal's Kingdom Holding Company recently announced that it will launch an Arabic-language news channel in partnership with the Fox News Network." Image from

Israel Wins, Hamas and Libya Lose in Latest Blockade Stunt‎ - Leo Rennert, American Thinker: "After days of bluster by Libya that its aid ship was going to challenge Israel's blockade of Gaza, the Libyan-rented, Greek-owned, Maldovan-flagged vessel turned tail and, following IDF orders, docked instead at the Egyptian port of El-Arish. Israel obviously emerges as the big winner from this episode -- the first time a Gaza-bound ship turned around without the Israeli Navy even having to board it or escort it to an Israeli port. ... With Israel expanding the scope of goods supplied to Gaza through land crossings, Prime Minister Netanyahu made headway with his message that there was absolutely no need for any ships to run the blockade with more provisions than Gaza needed or could absorb. Israel, in its public diplomacy blitz also reminded the world about Libya's lengthy record of supporting terrorism, including the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 in 1988 over Lockerbie, Scotland, which claimed 270 lives." See also.

Israel's New Clowns‎ - Ari Bussel, NewsBlaze: "Larry King asked Prime Minister Netanyahu about a recent clip of Israel soldiers dancing in Hebron. The Prime Minister, who had more pressing matters on his mind, had not yet seen the clip. ... Over the past three days, this YouTube segment titled 'It's easy to laugh at the occupation when you're the oppressor (and a douche bag)' has been viewed more than two and a quarter million times. ... Comments have now been disabled due to the overwhelming international response. ... Soldiers dancing in the streets of Hebron

are no better than clowns in a circus. They do not help Israel's efforts for Public Diplomacy and continue to harm and corrupt the image of the Jewish State. However, they did bring up an important point: Today, as in the past, Muslims demand various freedoms, yet are the first to deny them to everyone else." Image from

FM Liberman appoints Tal Brody as Goodwill Ambassador - press release, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Liberman has appointed Israel Prize winner Tal Brody as Israel's international Goodwill Ambassador. Brody will assist with Israel's international public diplomacy efforts. During the appointment ceremony, FM Liberman stated that 'Brody's diverse activities, which, apart from him being an outstanding sportsman, include years of community volunteer service and largesse, have turned him into a Zionist symbol and role model. His unique biography, which includes participation in both the US and Israeli basketball teams as well as service in the US Army and the IDF, make him the ideal Israeli Goodwill Ambassador to the world in general and the United States in particular. I am certain that Brody will make a huge contribution to Israel's positive image around the world.'"

1.6 million visit Israel in six months‎ - Israel 21C: "In the first half of 2010, a record-breaking 1.6 million tourists visited Israel. This is 39 percent more than in the same period last year and 10% more than in 2008, which held the previous record. … Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov noted that, 'The increase in incoming tourism during the first half of this year... is the result of massive investment in marketing activities around the world with significant budgets, especially against the background of the public diplomacy challenges that Israel is facing.'"

Say “No” to U.S. Aircraft Carriers: Chinese Public Diplomacy Must Show Its Strength - Huanqiu, China (Translated By Brian Tawney): "As China’s national power has grown, the nation’s interests have also expanded, but trouble often spreads faster than diplomatic strength.

This is because an increase in a nation’s power doesn’t automatically translate into increased tools for national diplomacy. Only if there are powerful channels of public diplomacy can this kind of transformation become complete. Any government must use a soft touch in handling diplomatic crises, and radicalism is out of place in every nation’s foreign ministry. But among the people of China there is a power that should scare the governments of the United States and other Western powers. The Chinese people have contributed the hard currency that purchases America’s national debt, propping up numerous American companies responsible for the financial crisis. The U.S. has neither the reason nor the will to begrudge the needs of these Chinese people. We should create even more channels by which these needs can be fully voiced and admonish America. We should activate the brainpower of 1.3 billion people, encourage their enthusiasm, and put together a series of rational approaches that could genuinely prick the United States and make them feel the pain." Image from

Speech of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at meeting with Russian ambassadors and permanent representatives in international organisations (July 2010) - ISRIA: "[M]echanisms that open up substantial opportunities include the Russian Council on Foreign Affairs and the Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund."

UK radio program launches weekly RP embassy news - Divina, Ang OFW (Overseas Filipino Workers) Ngayon... - "A United Kingdom (UK)-based online radio program launched a weekly segment to inform Filipinos in London of the Philippine Embassy’s various programs and activities, particularly on consular matters. ... Philippine Ambassador to the UK Antonio M Lagdameo said this is part of the public diplomacy program aimed at reaching more Filipinos particularly those in far-flung areas under the embassy’s jurisdiction. The segment is available at no cost to the embassy."

Public Relations Division 2010 Abstracts - AEJMC, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication: "Factors Contributing to Anti-Americanism Among People Abroad: The Frontlines Perspective of U.S. Public Diplomats • Kathy Fitzpatrick, Quinnipiac University; alice kendrick, Southern Methodist University; Jami Fullerton, Oklahoma State University • This study examined the views of U.S. public diplomats on factors that contribute to anti-American attitudes among people abroad. The purpose was to gain a better understanding of the most significant causes of anti-Americanism

through the first-hand experiences of the men and women who have served on the front lines of U.S. public diplomacy and to consider the implications for U.S. public diplomacy going forward. A factor analysis revealed four underlying dimensions of anti-Americanism, which were labeled Information, Culture, Policy and Values. The public diplomats rated the Policy factor as the most significant, followed by the Information factor, the Culture factor and the Values factor." Image: Anti-Americanism in Pakistan

Recalling the 2009 Smith-Mundt Symposium‎ - Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner.us: "The 2009 Smith-Mundt Symposium brought together public diplomacy and strategic communication practitioners from the State Department, the Defense Department, the Agency for International Development, and other governmental and non-governmental groups, including academia, media, and Congress for a first of its kind discussion. The goal to have a frank and open discussion on the foundation and structure America's global engagement was achieved."

Wish You Were Here... - Laura McGinnis, manIC: "I'm currently staying in the home of an incredibly generous woman in Oaxaca, who has hosted some 70 American and Canadian students in the past. Like many participants in the citizen diplomacy process, I'm not sure she would choose to describe herself that way. Sh e seems less concerned with representing Mexico or Oaxaca

than in being a gracious host (a task at which she excels). To be honest, if it weren't for my interest in public and cultural diplomacy, I doubt I'd describe myself that way either. Trying to think of myself as a representative of my country reminds me of elementary school field trips and teachers ominously warning us that were 'representatives of our school' who would be disappointing our entire community should we prove incapable of behaving respectfully at the Kennedy Center." Image from

On Sugar and Spice - Megan Pav, Musings of an Uneasy Writer: "Last month I got in a fight with a cab driver. He wanted a tip. I refused to give it to him because he had offended me. He had muttered some uncomplimentary things about me while he drove me to my destination. He didn’t realize at the time that I understood Darija. ... The cab driver was the proverbial straw that broke my back. At that moment I couldn’t take it anymore. I’d had enough. Enough of fighting for respect. Enough of having to defend and explain myself. Enough of letting things go, or pretending I don’t understand what people mutter. I had built up months of anger and wounded pride. I definitely am not that girl, screaming like a lunatic over an insult and 11 cents. But nor am I the Sugarplum Ferry of public diplomacy, conquering hearts and minds with sunshine, lollipops and rainbows. There has to be some middle ground. A particularly poetic Moroccan said to me a while back, 'If you’re too sweet, people will eat you like a cake.' True, friend. But if you’re too bitter, they’ll spit you out altogether."

U.S. Embassy Vacancy in Kuala Lumpur as Cultural Affairs Assistant - Top Asian Job Vacancy: "The U.S. Embassy invites applications for a Cultural Affairs Assistant.

The incumbent is expected to utilize a range of public diplomacy tools in planning and implementing exchange programs, outreach programs, and English Language programs targeting Youth and other mission plan stipulated communities in Malaysia." Image from

RELATED ITEMS

N.Korean Propaganda Poster Hints at Cheonan Sinking‎ - The Chosun Ilbo: "North Korea has been distributing a propaganda poster apparently boasting about its sinking of the South Korean Navy corvette Cheonan in March, Radio Free Asia reported Tuesday. The U.S.-funded radio station based the claim on a poster it obtained from a Chinese businessman just back from a trip to the North. The poster shows a North Korean soldier's fist smashing the ship into two pieces, accompanied by a slogan saying, "We'll take it down with a single blow if it attacks!"

Net Propaganda Plans Jump Over China's Great Firewall - Kit Eaton, fastcompany.com: "A rare leak from inside the Communist Party--the text from a private speech by the country's top Net official Wang Chen--has made its way onto the Web. It reveals that the government will be using the Net to consolidate power, assist in 'our diplomatic battles' and safeguard 'national interests.' By clever use of 'soft propaganda'

Chinese leaders can even use the Net to 'create an international public opinion environment that is objective, beneficial and friendly to us.'" See also. Image from

Roy Medvedev: Russian TV uses aggressive propaganda against Belarus - ‎National Legal Internet of the Republic of Belarus: Russian TV uses biased, slanderous and aggressive propaganda against Belarus, well-known Russian historian Roy Medvedev told a press conference in Moscow, BelTA has learnt. “Belarus is not like it is portrayed by the Russian TV,” the historian said. In his words, the film that had been recently shown on the NTV channel caused an outcry not only in Belarus, but also in the Russian province. “I have not seen such films since the Soviet times when such films were shown to depict American militarists. It is an absolutely preposterous film and an absolutely preposterous episode in the Belarus-Russia relations. It is not only an unfriendly gesture, it is an offending gesture,” Roy Medvedev underlined.

Enemy’s propaganda campaign proves IRGC’s efficacy: Leader - Tehran Times: Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei

has stated that the extensive propaganda campaign the enemy is conducting against the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps is a sign of the IRGC’s efficacy. Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei image from

New Neocon Israeli Propaganda Outfit Run By Opponent of Two State Solution - ThinkProgress: Gary Bauer the former Republican presidential candidate who leads the group American Values, opposes the creation of a Palestinian state.

AMERICANA

From: A lust letter to NYC's indie burlesque scene (from Boing Boing)