The Pentagon on Monday launched a new campaign — in bursts of 140 characters per message. The Defense Department (@DeptofDefense) held its first Twitter town hall, and the nearly hour-long session addressed questions from "don't ask, don't tell" to the Middle East to cyber security.

The United States should pursue cautious and consistent diplomacy in the Middle East, engaging both governments and civilians through peaceful and cultural ties rather than enacting aggressive measures. Through this, we can proceed to a state of nonviolent relations.

Technological advancements are ushering in new forms of “government to people” and “people to people” engagement. The use of technology to encourage public diplomacy marks a pivotal shift in U.S. diplomacy and foreign policy — and should continue to play a greater role in supporting democracy and improving relations with countries around the world.

The question of government involvement in the arts is hardly uncontroversial. Anxiety about competing with the West has made cultural matters a priority for China’s Central Committee, which has recently introduced measures intended to boost international awareness of Chinese culture and continues to invest in high-profile cultural production.

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.

TechGirls, a new State Department program, will fly 25 Middle Eastern teenage girls to the United States this summer for an immersion course in U.S. tech culture and all things nerdy. The program is a perfect example of cultural diplomacy--participants build ties to American firms and return home (hopefully) preaching the virtues of Silicon Valley.

President Obama has designated Ambassador D. Kathleen Stephens as the Acting Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs pending the Senate’s confirmation of the President’s nominee, Tara Sonenshine. Ambassador Stephens will begin work on February 6, 2012, and will exercise all of the authorities of the office during this designation.

The U.S. government’s public diplomacy institutions are running on autopilot. Political leaders' attention is focused elsewhere: the budget deficit, the economy, the presidential election, etc. People who should be advocating for public diplomacy and think about its strategic role in U.S. foreign policy are simply not in place, so much-needed leadership in this area is lacking.