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PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND THE SUPREMACY SWEEPSTAKES
FEB 6, 2012
 Posted by Rob Asghar
All posts by Rob Asghar


One of the most intriguing aspects of public diplomacy involves efforts by various emerging nations to portray themselves as the "next" world power. Just as intriguing is the willingness of American influencers to reinforce the notion that the United States will inevitably be passed by others as a global power. The usually understated Foreign Affairs magazine blared out the question “Is America Over?” on a recent cover. Writer Thomas Friedman hawks a book detailing “How America Fell Behind in the World It Invented.” Additionally, scores of others are chiming in on the end of the American era and the "rise of…... Full Text
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A “FRENEMY” TIPPING POINT
NOV 29, 2011
 Posted by Rob Asghar
All posts by Rob Asghar


Recently, I argued that Pakistan is not in a position to be either a friend or foe of the United States, due to the de facto civil war among Pakistani's pro-Western and anti-Western citizens. I stand by this statement, but more nervously in the wake of the NATO bombardment of 24 Pakistani soldiers. There is much that we don't know about the nature and details of the incident—but it seems fair to say the reaction of Pakistani officials is not one of a "friend" of the U.S. and NATO forces. As a Pakistani-American who longs for better ties between the two…... Full Text
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PAKISTAN: NEITHER FRIEND NOR FOE… YET
NOV 9, 2011
 Posted by Rob Asghar
All posts by Rob Asghar


Each year, Google hosts a conference called “Zeitgeist,” organizing presentations and discussions surrounding the most popular search queries of the past year. Much is learned about the zeitgeist through Google searches.   Try this one. You'll see that, "with friends like this, who needs enemies" is a particularly popular phrase regarding Americans' view of Pakistan. The latest issue of the Atlantic Monthly devotes a major cover story to Pakistan. Neither the article nor the cover (a photo of a grubby jihadist) capture Pakistan's most flattering side, and the title, "The Ally From Hell" does not appear to do so either.…... Full Text
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SORRY ABOUT OSAMA: CAN WE STILL BE FRIENDS?
MAY 6, 2011
 Posted by Rob Asghar
All posts by Rob Asghar


My title for this piece is intentionally ambiguous, because the relationship between the United States and Pakistan is utterly ambiguous. It could refer to Washington leaders saying, “Sorry that we violated your sovereignty to kill Osama bin Laden, but we still want to be friends.” Or it could refer to Americans saying, “We know some of your conservatives are sad to lose Osama, but we still want want to be friends.” Or it could refer to Islamabad saying, “Sorry that we weren’t particularly helpful in nabbing bin Laden and that you had to resort to shutting us out of the…... Full Text
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PAKISTAN: WHEN U.S. POLICY LIMITS PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
JAN 5, 2011
 Posted by Rob Asghar
All posts by Rob Asghar


When a nation is busy devouring itself, in a manner that threatens the larger global peace, other nations' policies and public diplomacy will be complicated indeed. In the case of a disintegrating Pakistan, American policy has tended to make effective public diplomacy virtually impossible and irrelevant. Consider the assassination of the governor of the Punjab by a bodyguard who reportedly disliked his boss's anti-fundamentalist tendencies. Westerners will see this as another sign of how Pakistanis need to "get tougher" with the threat of extremism in that nation. They are right, to a point, but miss crucial subtleties. Pakistanis have an…... Full Text
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