A curated selection of public diplomacy-relevant news from a global cross-section of English-language media outlets, including independent, corporate-owned, and state-sponsored sources. The stories featured don't necessarily represent CPD's views nor have they been verified by CPD.
A New Middle East, After All
American Enterprise Institute
In his December 29 declaration on Iraq, bin Laden savagely attacked Sunnis who are working with the Americans, calling them guilty of "clear infidelity and an open apostasy"….Commentary like this influences Muslim attitudes far more than all of America's public-diplomacy outreach; it is worth far more, too, than the soft-power appeal of any Barack Obama signaling his empathy with the downtrodden of the Third World.
Arab-American Thoughts on Super Tuesday
Al Arabiya
American politics have become intimately tied to Arab politics since 9/11 and the start of the war in Iraq. According to a 2007 Zoghby poll, 61 percent of Arab-American voters mentioned Iraq as the top issue in the current presidential election contest. The same number of Arab-Americans also ranked "Palestine" as being very important for them as an election issue.
Foreign scribes need lesson or two in reporting
Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka)
Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980), the Canadian born media guru, became well known for his media theories because of the title of his book, The Medium is the Massage….However, when he passed away in 1980, he wouldn't have thought that Western media would indeed 'massage' their messages when it comes to reporting of the war on terror in Sri Lanka.
US Africa Command Focuses on Security, Diplomacy, Development
As the U.S. Defense Department reorganizes its efforts in Africa under a unified structure called the Africa Command (AFRICOM), the new command appears to have a broader mandate than just security.
Chinese New Year lights up New York sky
China Daily
New York City marked Lunar New Year in the grandest and most obvious way possible. "This event has come to be the embodiment of New York City's recognition of Asian Americans' contributions for the country's prosperity, which is also conducive to the American people's better understanding of Chinese and Asian traditional culture," Peng said. Looking ahead to Beijing this summer, Peng said 2008 will be a year "of vital importance" for China to continue with its national development and relationship with the U.S.
Gates Says Anger Over Iraq Hurts Afghan Effort
The New York Times
In a public diplomacy strategy somewhat unusual for an American defense secretary, Mr. Gates said he would speak directly to the people of Europe, and not to their governments, “in an effort to try and explain why their security is tied to the success in Afghanistan and how success in Afghanistan impacts the future of the alliance.”
Sri Lanka’s Failed Overseas Public Diplomacy Manifested Through her Foreign Minister
It was on September 28 last year that Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa told a well attended gathering of his country’s expatriates in Los Angeles that Sri Lanka has lost the public diplomacy campaign in the West to the propaganda disseminated by the Tamil Tigers. In an exclusive interview given to Asian Tribune in Los Angeles the Sri Lankan president admitted that Sri Lanka has so far failed to change the mind-set of the West, especially the United States...
More ‘troops’ for U.S. diplomacy
The Christian Science Monitor
They must be pinching themselves at the State Department. Can it be that the White House wants one of the largest increases ever in the diplomatic corps? The request, revealed in the president's budget this week, shows Washington awakening to the compelling need for greater "soft power."
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