(due to technical difficulties, images are not included in this edition of the PDPBR).
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
US, Pakistan to host talks on economy, security next week - AFP: "Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her Pakistani counterpart will lead talks here next week aimed at boosting the economy and security of Pakistan, a key ally in the fight against extremism. The State Department said Clinton and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi will chair March 24 talks in Washington on economic development, education, agriculture, and security, In the 'first Strategic Dialogue at the ministerial level in Washington DC,' the talks which will also touch on water and energy as well as communications and public diplomacy, it said in a statement. ... both Afghanistan and Pakistan. The plan calls for sending dozens of US Agency for International Development and other personnel to Pakistan by the end of the year to enhance oversight of contracts and improvement management of programs developed with Islamabad. It also calls for boosting Pakistan's capabilities to fight a growing Islamist insurgency and to enhance the US partnership with Islamabad, partly through supporting political and economic reforms. A key part of the plan also calls for 'countering extremist voices' in Pakistan -- and Afghanistan -- where anti-American feelings run high. Public diplomacy covers attempts to counter anti-American sentiment. The Afghanistan and Pakistan Regional Stabilization Strategy was produced by the office of the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke." See also.
US, Pakistan set to hold first strategic dialogue - IANS: "The United States and Pakistan will hold their first Strategic Dialogue here next week with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Pakistani Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi co-chairing the talks. Topics for discussion March 24 will include economic development, water and energy, education, communications and public diplomacy, agriculture, and security, the State Department announced Wednesday. President Barack Obama and Clinton have repeatedly stressed the breadth and depth of the US-Pakistan relationship, a partnership that goes far beyond security, the official announcement said."
Pakistan calls on US to follow up words with action - hamsab.net: "Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Thursday the need to rebuild trust with the United States was key to upcoming talks and called on Washington to follow up words with action. 'My message to the US is that the time has come to walk the talk,' he told a news conference in Islamabad. ... Qureshi said the Pakistani foreign minister and US secretary of state should meet annually and the Pakistani foreign secretary and US regional envoy Richard Holbrooke should hold talks twice a year. 'I am also proposing 10 tracks of sectoral engagements in economy, energy, defence, education, science and technology, counter-terrorism strategic stability and non proliferation, health, communication, agriculture and public diplomacy,' said Qureshi." See also.
No 'silver bullets' on Iran - Kim R. Holmes, Washington Times: "Washington craves a 'quick fix' for Iran. Some hope tougher sanctions will stop Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Others, lacking faith in sanctions, want to bomb Iran. Still others urge a deterrence strategy to contain the "inevitable" threat of a nuclear-armed Iran. ... Yet sanctions will not be enough. We also need to focus public diplomacy on Iran’s human rights abuses. The regime is already quite unpopular at home. That weakness should be exploited. The U.S. should ramp up exposure of the regimes corruption, abuses and aid to terrorists, and make sure that information is broadcast widely among the Iranian people. Thankfully, many Iranians want what we do: A corruption-free and truly democratic government that respects its peoples rights. We can help Web-based opposition groups outside Iran by supplying them with technology that can evade government surveillance and censorship. And we should provide democratic opposition groups inside the country with the type of covert assistance we gave Poland’s Solidarity Movement during the Cold War."
Humiliation as American experience: US public diplomacy shattered at JFK Airport (1) - mehmet Kalyoncu, Today’s Zaman: "[T]here is one particular area that seems to remain outside the radar of the new administration as a source of international resentment against the United States. It is the contemptuous and humiliating treatment that non-Americans are exposed to at US consulates abroad while seeking a US visa and at the airport immigration offices in the United States while seeking entry into the country. These rather unusual and mostly unnoticed sources of resentment are actually causing more enduring damage to the American image abroad than Washington’s political preferences or some so-called patriotic American Islamophobes do because they directly and negatively affect individuals who would normally be instrumental in revitalizing America’s positive image abroad."
A Muddled Messsage: US Public Diplomacy Faces Roadblocks - Rebecca Williams, Budget Insight: A Stimson Center Blog on National Security Spending: "Judith McHale, the current Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, her predecessors, and outside experts testified last week on this question before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Each of these witnesses underscored public diplomacy as a top priority for foreign policy and national security. Under Secretary McHale was emphatic and direct: 'we must … develop a clear, consistent, and comprehensive approach to public diplomacy.' We aren’t there yet. Outreach and communication to foreign citizens is planned, budgeted, and implemented by multiple departments and agencies without strategic planning or coordination at the national level. Perhaps more importantly, the purpose of public diplomacy in relation to our foreign policy and national security objectives is undefined. At best, foreign audiences receive muted messages. At worst, the cacophony results in no message at all. Under Secretary McHale explained that weekly Interagency Policy Coordination (IPC) meetings currently help to 'coordinate, develop, and de-conflict communications programs and activities across US government agencies.' This is a good first step, but bringing coherence to public diplomacy requires tackling the tendency of departments and agencies to fixate exclusively on their narrow bureaucratic missions."
Comment by Phil Seib draws comment by Jim Glassman - Matt Armstrong, Mountainrunner.us: "Last week, Phil Seib, professor of journalism and public diplomacy at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and director for the USC Center on Public Diplomacy, posted a short diatribe on the new State Department ‘framework’ for public diplomacy created and shared by the Office of the Under Secretary of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. Phil’s post ... [was] his second on the framework ... [Glassman reaction]: 'Philip Seib's snooty little note icondemns (sic) Judith McHale for agreeing with her predecsessors and says that public diplomacy was ‘often in shambles’ during the Bush administration, yet he makes no attempt to engage with what Karen Hughes and I actually did as Under Secretaries or what we actually SAID at the hearing -- there's lots of raw material in my 20 pages of written testimony. Is there more required from a post on the Huffington Post than assertion and posturing? One wonders. I would like to hear from Professor Seib -- or anyone else -- on the ‘lack of imagination’ in the strategies, including Public Diplomacy 2.0, that we implemented at State. Let's have an adult discussion.'”
New Caucus To Probe Strategic Communication, Public Diplomacy - Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner.us: "Inside the Pentagon reports on the new caucus on the Hill that shows the level of heightening interest in improving America’s global engagement. In 'New Caucus To Probe Strategic Communication, Public Diplomacy', dated 11 March 2010, reporter Fawzia Sheikh writes: 'A new Capitol Hill caucus focused on strategic communication and public diplomacy officially launched last week and plans to study the latest government efforts in these domains during its inaugural meeting later this month, according to a congressional source.'"
The Cabinet room: In The Office: Philippe Reines - whorunsgov.com: "By now, you know the drill - here’s our weekly profile of a top Cabinet-level staffer. This week, we bring you Philippe Reines, who heads Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s strategic communications office. Technically, Reines is a deputy assistant Secretary of State. But anyone who knows anything about Hillaryland knows this title doesn’t do Reines justice. A longtime Hillary confidante and press aide, Reines has followed Clinton from the Senate to the campaign trail to the Obama administration, where he continues to handle personal press requests for the secretary. And he’s been given an even bigger responsibility - to create and run an office on strategic communications. As far as I can tell, Clinton is the only cabinet secretary to have a staff dedicated to doing so. In effect, Reines is developing a public diplomacy strategy for the Secretary by figuring out her media and public events abroad. 'In places like Pakistan, Turkey, Indonesia, we’ve put a lot of effort into public diplomacy, communicating directly with the people,' Reines said. Easier said then done. Every event Reines plans involves more than a couple of international phone calls and a team on the ground wherever the Secretary is traveling to scope out locations, advertise events, and select local media outlets to work with. This cross-communication is part of the reason Reines’ favorite media tool du jour is one he made up himself - the ‘Townterview.’ "
Science Diplomacy gets a Boost with New Bipartisan Bill - Cathy Campbell, Partnership for a Secure America: "Last Friday, Reps. Howard Berman (D- CA) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) introduced the Global Science Program for Security, Competitiveness, and Diplomacy Act, which proposes an increase in the application of science and scientific engagement in America’s foreign policy. This follows the recent appointment of U.S. Science Envoys by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and according to its authors, 'formalizes the Obama Administration’s intention to enhance international science cooperation.' ... ... Notably, this bill seems to reflect the 'smart power' sentiments of former Deputy Secretary of State Richard L. Armitage and former Assistant Secretary of Defense Joseph S. Nye Jr., whose 2007 editorial challenged readers to, 'Stop getting Mad, America. Get Smart.' ‘Smart power’ (soft power) advocates contend that hard power (military might) alone cannot sustainably secure America’s long-term goals. Instead, the smart power approach to foreign policy invests in the global good, builds sensible alliances and collaborations by placing America’s strengths forward, and charges the public—nonprofits, academic institutions and individuals who, by the very nature of their work, engage in public diplomacy each day—to identify and pursue real opportunities to achieve peace, stability and prosperity. Among the most valuable assets of American smart power is science."
Cultural Quotient, or the "CULTINT" – Lena, Global Chaos: "[T]hanks to the ambiguity of the very term 'culture', there is, in turn, a great difficulty in defining what precisely is 'cultural diplomacy' or 'the use of culture for relationship-building.' Culture can be viewed narrowly, as in artifacts, products, and artistic manifestations; or it can be seen as being much wider, including non-verbal behavior, values, beliefs, norms, and certainly as a force shaping one's worldview. Hence, there's the chicken-and-egg argument as to which comes first: does culture shape communication, or is communication affecting culture to begin with? ... In her recently published book "Battles to Bridges" R. S. Zaharna posits that identity is a fundamental component in communication, just as it is in culture. She suggests that the key to understanding the extremely limited success of the recent American Public and Cultural Diplomacy lies in the Americans' misguided approach to the world: very US-centric and not entirely understanding of other cultures. ... In this light, it is interesting to watch the US military embracing a CQ and 'culture-cure-for-all' approach - be it in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, or Africa - while American soldiers and drone attacks kill hundreds of civilians each month. Let's just hope that the American PD-side will do better in this regard."
The Future of US Public Diplomacy – Heather W, Lisons & Dansons: "A couple of good blog articles provide some details on renewed interest and activity in improving US public diplomacy efforts. Mark Dillen's informative 'U.S. Public Diplomacy: Back to the Future' also cites Matt Armstrong's (MountainRunner) cites Matt Armstrong's (MountainRunner) 'Public Diplomacy: Strengthening US Engagement in the World'."
TV Martí: novelas instead of newscasts? (updated) – Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting
A symbol of the slave trade joins US and Cuba - Jim Kuhnhenn, The Associated Press: "Days from now, a stately black schooner will sail through a narrow channel into Havana's protected harbor, its two masts bearing the rarest of sights — the U.S. Stars and Stripes, with the Cuban flag fluttering nearby. The ship is the Amistad, a U.S.-flagged vessel headed for largely forbidden Cuban waters as a symbol of both a dark 19th century past and modern public diplomacy. The Amistad is the 10-year-old official tall ship of the state of Connecticut and a replica of the Cuban coastal trader that sailed from Havana in 1839 with a cargo of African captives, only to become an emblem of the abolitionist movement. Its 10-day, two-city tour of Cuba provides a counterpoint to new and lingering tensions between Washington and Havana and stands out as a high-profile exception to the 47-year-old U.S. embargo of the Caribbean island." Image from article: In this Dec. 9, 2007, file photo, the Freedom Schooner Amistad, a near-replica of the ship that sparked a 19th century slave revolt, flies Sierra Leonean and American flags as it sails into port in central Freetown, Sierra Leone, the original West African homeland of many of the Amistad captives.
Spain's New Drive to Extend its Interests in Africa - Stanley Kwenda, Inter Press Service: "'We want to build a new neighbourliness between Spain and Africa. We want to come up with a development policy with Africa and not for Africa, as has been the case with other partners,' said Ricardo Martínez Vázquez, the director of Casa Africa. Casa Africa is Spain's 'public diplomacy research instrument that aims to enhance Spain-Africa relations and to facilitate cooperation between non-governmental entities'. Through Casa, Spain is active in building trade and investment relations between Europe and Africa."
Arif Khan, Indian envoy to Italy, passes away - NetIndian: "Indian Ambassador to Italy Arif S Khan passed away in Rome in the early hours of today after a brief illness, official sources said. ... Mr Khan, a Secretary-rank officer, had served in key positions, including as Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs and later as the first head of the Public Diplomacy Division that was was set up a few years ago to help domestic audiences understand diplomacy and foreign policy better."
Government And Politics (Gap) - eternalword -- Mostly Re-Published Matters Concerning Israel and the Usa. Editorials Are of Our Own Making: "StandWithUs is proud to announce the opening of registration for GaP (Government and Politics) in Israel. GaP is a Menachem Begin Heritage Center initiative in affiliation with MASA. It offers outstanding and highly motivated Jewish post-high school students (18-19) an opportunity to study government, politics and society, with an emphasis on the Israeli context, on a specially tailored program at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem; combined with trips around Israel, volunteering projects and a special public diplomacy seminar. At the heart of the second semester will be a unique public diplomacy course, run by StandWithUs in collaboration with Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and only available to participants of GaP in Israel. Please visit the website for more information and to sign up: www.gapisrael.org.il"
sub: public diplomacy – Abdi, The New Diplomacy 2010 A: A Reflective Group Blog by Some of the Students on the New Diplomacy Module at London Metropolitan University
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ONLY IN THE U.K.?
"Standards are slipping. A survey from one of Cambridge University’s colleges suggests that fewer than half of all students there have sex with two partners within a week. Worse still, only 7% of the undergraduate body describe themselves as homosexual — and this at a university where, 80 years ago, being proudly gay and subsequently betraying your country was a condition of entry.
The survey also suggested that students engaged in arts courses were more likely to behave like sexually obsessed wolverines than those studying physics — well, yes, obviously. When I was at the LSE many years ago, my end-of-term statistics paper suggested there might be a strong correlation between the courses studied by female undergraduates and sexual proclivity and nationality.
This was not an entirely disinterested area of research, as I recall, although nonetheless scientifically valid. I am surprised it is not regularly cited in the journals. What you wanted, I found, was a female Australian sociology student; they were way, way, ahead of the pack. Two partners in a week? Big deal, cobber; we can manage that before lectures start on a Monday morning. Come on, Cambridge, keep up."
--Rod Liddle, 'Hardly a charitable response from Bob the bludgeoner," Sunday Times