USC Center on Public Diplomacy | John Brown's PD Review

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Published: NOV 30, 2007 - 7:20AM PST

John Brown's Public Diplomacy Review
John Brown aggregates all the most recent public diplomacy related news, including current issues in U.S. foreign policy, international broadcasting and media, propaganda, cultural diplomacy, educational exchanges, anti-Americanism, and the reception of American popular culture abroad.

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY PRESS AND BLOG REVIEW, NOVEMBER 29-30, 2007
by John H. Brown

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY PRESS AND BLOG REVIEW, NOVEMBER 29-30 “This has been a joyous experience, and still is.” —President George W. Bush, regarding his tenure in office; cited in Rich Lowry & Kate O’Beirne, “Reading Bush: Meeting a confident, fluid president” (National Review, November 28) http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YzY1ZDI1ZjVjY2EyZDViNjA3MTZkYzkxYzhjYzY4MzQ= “You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you” —Leon Trotsky; cited in Brendan Bernhard, “A Jewish Home Away From Home” (New York Sun, November 30) http://www.nysun.com/pf.php?id=67314&v=0720346911 SITE OF INTEREST Window On Eurasia by Paul Goble http://windowoneurasia.blogspot.com/ WORTH COMPARING – USIA FILM AND GRAVEL CAMPAIGN AD a) 1970s United States Information Agency (USIA) film on US bicentennial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZRGEYcHMvk b) Presidential Candidate Mike Gravel ad: http://wonkette.com/politics/old-school-hip_hop/im-voting-for-mike-gravel-now-328166.php A) PUBLIC DIPLOMACY, 1-20 1. THE GATES CRITIQUE – EDITORIAL (BOSTON GLOBE, NOVEMBER 29): Secretary of Defense Robert Gates displayed solid news judgment in presenting a valid critique of recent US efforts to meet contemporary challenges almost entirely by military means. His prescription for righting the imbalance between hard power and soft power should be debated by the presidential candidates of both parties. What Gates left unsaid, but should have said, is that America will not be able to retrieve its squandered soft power without showing a decent respect for the international treaties and organizations of a world order that was laboriously constructed by previous US administrations. http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2007/11/29/the_gates_critique?mode=PF COURTESY PAT KUSHLIS TRANSCRIPT OF GATES SPEECH AT http://www.defenselink.mil/speeches/speech.aspx?speechid=1199 2. SECRETARY GATES ON AMERICA’S “MISERABLE” INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS – (KIM ANDREW ELLIOTT DISCUSSING INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING AND PUBLIC DIPLOMACY, POSTED NOVEMBER 27): In the transcript of his speech at Kansas State University, in which Secretary Robert Gates stated that “In short, based on my experience serving seven presidents, Secretary of Defense Gates does not use the term “public diplomacy.” http://www.kimandrewelliott.com/index.php?id=2817 3. WHAT THE SECDEF DIDN’T CALL FOR, BUT SHOULD HAVE - MATT ARMSTRONG (SMALL WARS JOURNAL, NOVEMBER 30): In his clarion call to revamp the current structures of government to meet modern threats, Defense Secretary Gates sidestepped an obstacle that has been misinterpreted and misapplied over the last three decades: Public Law 402: United States Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948, commonly known as the Smith-Mundt Act. Smith-Mundt has shaped the content and methods of communications from State and Defense through institutionalized firewalls created along artificial lines, fostering a bureaucratic culture of discrimination that hampers America’s ability to participate in the modern struggle over ideas and managing perceptions. PDPBR COMPILER NOTE: The above videos have relevance to discussions regarding the Smith-Mundt Act. http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/2007/11/what-the-secdef-didnt-call-for/ SEE ALSO http://abumuqawama.blogspot.com/2007/11/public-diplomacy-and-secdef.html 4. BUSH’S NEW PROTOCOL CHIEF AIMS TO BOOST U.S. IMAGE - KATHRINE SCHMIDT (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, NOVEMBER 30): Nancy Brinker was sworn in last month as the White House protocol chief, the top State Department officer overseeing diplomatic conduct. Brinker, 60, is hoping to shift the emphasis of a job that often focused on place settings and handshakes on the tarmac. “This is no longer about classic protocol,”’ said the former US ambassador to Hungary. She sees her role as the home-front of public…... FULL TEXT