"On Friday night, May 27 [2011], a photograph of a man’s torso wearing gray boxer briefs and an obvious erection appeared on Weiner’s official Twitter account."
--Jonathan Van Meter, "Anthony Weiner and Huma Abedin’s Post-Scandal Playbook," New York Times, regarding the New York City politician Anthony Weiner; image from
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
Diplomacy Lost: State Does Not Come Clean on Afghan Death - Peter Van Buren, We Meant Well: "The initial reports about FSO Anne Smedinghoff in Afghanistan stated she was in an armored vehicle, which was hit by either an IED and/or a suicide bomber. She was enroute to a book give away at a local school. Smedinghoff’s father told journalists in the United States that he’d been told she was in a vehicle and the bomber either rammed it or detonated his explosives nearby. New reports suggest a different picture. According to McClatchy News, Smedinghoff was accompanying a group of perhaps a dozen Afghan journalists, perhaps in the company of a minor U.S. Ambassador, and that the group was walking, not in vehicles. ... That narrative differs significantly from the initial State Department version.
Instead of a gallant young do-gooder snatched by fate, we see a group of diplomats who did not know what they were doing, physically lost, circling back to their camp to try again. If that is true, how did it happen? If that is true, why did State report a different version of events? ... Conspiracy theorists, have at it. Or maybe it was all just journalistic fudges and fog of war. Instead, I will propose something baser and cruder: to the State Department, especially post-Benghazi, what mattered in the death of Anne Smedinghoff in Afghanistan was literal damage control of the already-failed narrative that the Department was accomplishing great things in Afghanistan under a policy of competent, calculated risk. The lives were lost of course no matter what the point or purpose, but it is typically owed to the dead the respect of not exploiting them even into the grave." Image from
Did this 25-year-old foreign service officer have to die? Anne Smedinghoff's death in a suicide bombing has reignited debate over U.S. intervention in Afghanistan - Jean MacKenzie, Salon: "Diplomacy is more important then ever in Afghanistan, said one official from the US Embassy in Kabul. The risks, while considerable, cannot and should not dissuade the United States from continuing its mission. 'It is places such as Afghanistan where diplomacy most matters. Regardless of the wisdom or morality of the war, or the effectiveness of our development efforts, diplomacy is about finding ways to live with others,' the official told GlobalPost. But while US diplomats profess to have an undimmed commitment to Afghanistan and its future, Afghans themselves are not so sure."
Services set for fallen Oak Ridge soldier: Wounded diplomat with ET ties still recovering - Matt Lakin, knoxnews.com: "Family and friends will gather Saturday to say goodbye to Staff Sgt. Christopher Ward, the
Oak Ridge soldier killed in a weekend suicide bombing in Afghanistan. ... The blast killed two other soldiers and two civilians and wounded Kelly Hunt, 33, a public diplomacy officer for the State Department and former News Sentinel part-time copy editor. Hunt remained in critical condition Thursday at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. ... Hunt, an Ohio native, worked for the News Sentinel from 2007 to 2009 while earning a master’s degree in international journalism at the University of Tennessee. She joined the State Department in June and had been stationed in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Hunt was walking with U.S. diplomat Anne Smedinghoff, 25, in the convoy when the bomb went off. Smedinghoff, a civilian Defense Department worker, and three soldiers — Ward, Spc. Wilbel A. Robles-Santa, 25, of Juncos, Puerto Rico, and Spc. Deflin M. Santos Jr., 24, of San Jose, Calif. — died in the blast. Family members have said Hunt suffered a skull fracture and shrapnel wounds to her right arm, left hand and the back of her legs and that she remains in a medically-induced coma. Her mother, Dinah, who’s with Hunt at the hospital, wrote in a Facebook post that doctors hope to move her to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington as soon as possible. Friends have begun raising money to help offset the mother’s expenses. Donations may be made at www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/climbing-for-kelly/52529." Image from article, with caption: Air Force Senior Airman Tameca Burnett closes the door of a mortuary transport vehicle containing transfer cases containing the remains of Army Staff Sgt. Christopher M. Ward, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civilian Hyun K. Shin, Monday, April 8, 2013, at Dover Air Force Base, Del. According to the Department of Defense, Shin of Hesperia, Calif., and Ward of Oak Ridge, Tenn., both died while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
Sheffield Lake’s Hunt in stable condition - morningjournal.com: "'Secretary Kerry spoke with Kelly’s father on Saturday and with her mother yesterday (Tuesday) and conveyed his sympathy to the family during this difficult time,' Ventrell [State Department Acting Deputy Spokesperson Patrick Ventrell] said. She had been stationed in Afghanistan as a public diplomacy officer for the U.S. State Department since last summer. Hunt’s mother, Dinah, has been in Germany since Monday, said Hunt’s aunt, Yvonne Stahl, of Saginaw, Mich., Hunt was transferred to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany following the bombing. An update from Dinah Hunt posted to Kelly’s Facebook page said Kelly is still sedated and comatose and that her brain injury is very severe. She has injuries to the back of her legs, right arm and left hand. She also added that Walter Reed Army Medical Center is where it appears Kelly will eventually be transferred for further care. 'Her response decides when she will be moved back to the U.S.,' Ken Hunt said. A convoy was on a mission to donate books to students at a school in Qalat, the capital of the Zabul province, when Hunt and others in the convoy were attacked, Kerry said in a press release. Following her graduation from Brookside, Hunt joined the army from 2001 to 2005, Ken Hunt said. During her time in the army Hunt worked as the military editor for The Fort Hood Sentinel as well as being a general assignment photojournalist in Texas and during a deployment to Afghanistan. A fundraiser will be held April 20 at DejaVu Nightclub, 115 West Fourth St., Lorain, to help raise funds that will be donated directly to the family. The event begins at 7 p.m. and a $5 donation at the door is requested."
New details emerge in probe into Afghanistan attack that killed young US diplomat - Associated Press, Washington Post: "New details emerged Friday about last week’s terrorist bombing in Afghanistan that killed a young U.S. diplomat and four other Americans who were delivering textbooks to a school in the country’s south. ... On Thursday, State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said the group had been walking to the school but could provide no additional details other than identifying the most seriously wounded of three other diplomats injured in the attack."
Image from article, with caption: In this April 6, 2013 file image made from AP video, Afghan National Army soldier rush to the scene moments after a car bomb exploded in front the PRT, Provincial Reconstruction Team, in Qalat, Zabul province, southern Afghanistan, Saturday, April 6, 2013. Six American troops and civilians and an Afghan doctor were killed in attacks on Saturday in southern and eastern Afghanistan as the U.S. military’s top officer
Work and Travel: U.S. closes door on Russia’s students? - Pavel Koshkin, rbth.ru: "The recent cases of Russian Work and Travel visa applicants being denied American visas indicates that the visa issue hasn't being resolved yet. While some observers claim that the stance taken by the U.S. Embassy might be politically motivated, Russian experts see these restrictions as a reasonable response to the lack of control on Work and Travel participants. Likewise, U.S. officials view the move as an attempt to introduce higher requirements for students. ... Tara Sonenshine, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, addressed the issue during a question-and-answer session at the American Center in Moscow on April 10. 'Over time, the number of summer work travel programs in the
U.S. Undersecretary Sonenshine speaks at a forum on female entrepreneurship in Kyiv - nrcu.gov.ua: "U.S. Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Tara Sonenshine, currently on a three-day visit to Ukraine, spoke at a forum in Kyiv on Friday titled 'Female Entrepreneurs: the Driving Force of Ukrainian Economy'. She called on Ukrainian women to take a more active part in the economic and political life of their country and stressed the importance of changing the general view of gender issues. In her opinion, the potential of women in the world is undervalued and only a fifth part of the governmental, business, and public activities belongs to women. According to her, she doesn't propose to take some powers from one gender and give them to the other, but only to share them on a fair basis.
Besides, she said, the global economy can not develop without women's comprehensive involvement. 'Women should be aware of their rights, responsibility, and equal opportunities,' Sonenshine said. During her visit to Ukraine Sonenshine is also scheduled to meet with Ukrainian government officials." See also; image from
President Obama Announces Another Key Administration Post - whitehouse.gov: "President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individual to a key Administration post: • Matthew C. Armstrong – Member, Broadcasting Board of Governors President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individual to a key Administration post: Matthew C. Armstrong, Nominee for Member, Broadcasting Board of Governors. Matthew C. Armstrong is an author, speaker, and strategist on issues related to public diplomacy. In 2011, he served as Executive Director of the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy. Previously, Mr. Armstrong was an adjunct professor of public diplomacy at the Annenberg School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Southern California. In 2010, he founded and served as President of the MountainRunner Institute and published a blog on public diplomacy and strategic communication. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Public Diplomacy Council and a member of the International Institute of Strategic Studies. Mr. Armstrong received a B.A. and an M.P.D. from the University of Southern California."
Soft Power: China and India - post.jagran.com: "Whether cultural diplomacy, economic engagement, public diplomacy or humanitarian assistance, China’s soft power tools are visible in almost every part of the world. What is interesting about China’s foreign policy pronouncement is that without compromising on its hard power—clearly visible in the on-going South China Sea dispute with its Southeast Asian neighbours— the Chinese state makes efforts to engage countries far and near. Cultural diplomacy reach in the US, Europe, Australia and New Zealand (the first world countries), economic engagement of Africa, Pacific Island countries, South and Southeast Asia (essentially developing nations), public diplomacy efforts with almost every country in the world including high-level visits and humanitarian assistance to several neighbours including Japan, indicate China’s eagerness to project a ‘benign’ image to the international community that is often concerned with its spectacular ‘reemergence’. India’s soft power is also rooted in its history similar to China. The ancient Nalanda University which attracted students from all over the world including China is one of the oldest examples of India’s soft power. Subsequently, India’s unique recourse to ahimsa (non-violence) and the prolonged struggle for winning independence under Mahatma Gandhicontinue to impress the world. Later independent India’s idealistic foreign policy shaped by its first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on the foundations of non-alignment, multilateralism and peaceful co-existenceunderscored India’s aspirations to secure global stability in an era of sharp ideological and military polarization. In recent years, India has taken several initiatives for connecting with the international community, many of which have remained largely unnoticed and hardly discussed.While academic discourse debates India’s rise, New Delhi’s increased engagement, though characterised by ‘moderation’ and ‘restraint’, is becoming increasingly pragmatic by focusing on economic and strategic interests. India’s strategic horizon has expanded into the greater Asian neighbourhood showing New Delhi’s eagerness to play a bigger role globally and regionally. Such eagerness has inspired a soft engagement strategy, less pronounced than similar Chinese strategies in scale, but more nuanced in specific thrusts and greater involvement of non-state actors. However, many feel that India’s soft power remains weaker than China’s. The Indian state is perceived a ‘weaker’ state given its inability to reduce socio-economic differences and inequalities. Matters become worse with India’s recent inability to revive economic momentum, curb corruption and improve economic governance. In terms of perceptions, these negativities about India influence the world."
Beyoncé, Jay-Z in Cuba: Views From the Ground: The trip -- and their reception -- offers clues to the subtle cultural changes on the island - Michael J. Bustamante, theroot.com: "Beyoncé Knowles made waves last week when she and husband Jay-Z visited the Cuban capital, reportedly to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary. But if the king and queen of hip-hop headed south in search of peace and tranquillity, they had another thing coming. Crowds gathered in front of their hotel, surrounded them during a guided tour of Old Havana and shouted from the sidewalk below a well-known restaurant (La Guarida) where they were dining.
While Cubans are aware of Jay-Z's music, Beyoncé's list of global hits made her the main attraction. ... It is hard to believe that Beyoncé would have boarded the plane without someone on her staff placing a courtesy call to the White House. Yet whether or not the trip involved sophisticated public diplomacy, Beyoncé's popular reception on the island shines a light on frequently overlooked aspects of contemporary Cuban life.
Why China Obsesses Over 'The Walking Dead': AMC's Zombie Drama Captures Online Fans, Creates Opportunity for Brand Tie-ins - Anita Chang Beattie, adage.com: "MC's 'The Walking Dead' is hugely popular in the United States, but it's also proven a niche hit on China's leading online video site, Youku.
It has more than 100 million views for the recently concluded third season -- an average of 6.8 million views per episode. Though that's a small figure considering China's huge online population, the show has attracted an audience multinational marketers highly covet: well-educated professionals in tier-one cities. Comment on Facebook by Adam Clayton Powell III, The Public Diplomacy Council: 'Latest TV hit in China: 'Walking Dead' US PD at its best? ' Image from article, with caption: 'The Walking Dead'
Member of Public Chamber of Azerbaijan was beaten in Nakhichevan for call for peace with Armenians - "panorama.am: "As the Azerbaijani news agency Haqqin.az reports, 'Unprecedented vandalism act took place in Nakhichevan against the member of the Coordination Council of the Public Chamber of Azerbaijan, famous political figure Ibrahim Ibrahimli.' The news agency notes that Ibrahimli had left for Nakhichevan for the funeral of his nephew, but his participation in the ceremony had troubled the leadership of district and people were sent who tried to provoke Ibrahimli. Realizing this, he tried to leave the ceremony, but a group of people, who presented themselves as members of the police and Ministry of National Security, surrounded Ibrahimli near the shop, put him into the car and drove away in direction of Nakhichevan. 'They put a bag over his head as soon as they came out of the city, took him to Duzdag which is at the bank of Araz River, and landed. In the same time, he was beaten and insulted by obscene words. Soon the people that had kidnapped him left, leaving Ibrahimli on the bank of the river. He returned to the city on foot,' the report reads. ... The article cites the text of the statement of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Autonomous Republic of Nakhichevan. It reads that while checking the statement of I. Ibrahimli it was revealed that on April 6, while he was attending the funeral of his relative in the village Tumbul of Babak region, he conducted discussions 'on false public diplomacy' and tried to promote among the villagers the necessity of peaceful, unconditional co-existence with Armenians. Ibrahimli then began to defend Akram Aylisli, writer, who has been criticism for long time by the Azerbaijani as was the ideas of his novel 'Stone Dreams'. This fact had caused the anger of the audience."
Muffled Call for Peace Rises in the Caucasus - Enzo Mangini, ipsnews.net: "Sixty-year-old Irina Grigoryan’s voice is drowned out by the merry noise of 230 children waiting for their lunch.
Director of kindergarten N3, located in Stepanakert, capital of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Region (NKR) deep in the Caucasus, Grigoryan smiles tolerantly at the din. ... She is also active with the Public Diplomacy Institute, a local organisation that works to build bridges between Armenian NGOs and former Azeri inhabitants of NKR who were forced to flee to Azerbaijan in their tens of thousands during the war." Image from article, with caption: Irina Grigoryan, director of a kindergarten in Stepanakert, capital of the Nagorno-Karabakh Region (NKR), does not want to lose another generation to war.
RELATED ITEMS
Kerry: 'U.S. will defend its allies' - usatoday.com: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in South Korea on Friday on an unusual diplomatic journey, traveling directly into a region bracing for a possible North Korean missile test and risking that his presence alone could spur Pyongyang into another headline-seeking provocation. In a news conference in Seoul, Kerry said North Korea would not be accepted as a nuclear power and that the current rhetoric from the nation is "unacceptable." "The U.S. will defend its allies if necessary," Kerry said. He said that the U.S. was prepared to engage in talks with North Korea but only if the nation was serious about denuclearization.
Hold Firm Against North Korean Blustering: Unlike his predecessors, the president has so far resisted offering concessions to placate Pyongyang. Good—keep it up - Sue Mi Terry, Wall Street Journal: It is essential that Mr. Obama not retreat from his present resolute policy of not offering Kim inducements to settle down. His White House predecessors, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, too often found reasons to try to placate Pyongyang. Only by hanging tough can the U.S. teach young Kim Jong Eun the invaluable lesson that his bullying won't pay dividends.
Henninger: How the East Was Won: Because Thatcher and Reagan dissented from the orthodoxies of their time, the world's people are freer - Daniel Henninger, Wall Street Journal: North Korea has moved into launch position a ballistic missile with a range of 1,900 to 2,500 miles. With the technology available today, Reagan or Thatcher would surely shoot down that missile on launch, to deter Kim Jong Eun. Barack Obama will not, leaving the reasons why to his spokespersons.
US risks wrath of Moscow with threat to officials on 'Magnitsky list': Washington risks inflaming tensions after releasing the names of 18 Russian officials wanted for alleged human rights abuses - Dan Roberts and Miriam Elder, guardian.co.uk:
He died in 2009 of untreated pancreatitis. Russia responded angrily to the act, imposing a ban on US adoptions of Russian children as a tit-for-tat measure that marked a new low in recent relations. Publication of the names on Friday raised fears in
Presidents are breaking the U.S. Foreign Service - Susan R. Johnson, Ronald E. Neumann and Thomas R. Pickering, Washington Post: What is wrong at State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, our embassies and other agencies that together are the vehicles for American diplomacy? What accounts for the Foreign Service being marginalized? The most visible factor is the overwhelming — and growing — presence of political appointees in mid-level and top leadership positions at the State Department. For all their merit, political appointees are short-term officials, subject to partisan, personality-specific pressures. They do not notably contribute to the institution’s longer-term vitality, and their ascension creates a system inherently incapable of providing expert, nonpartisan foreign policy advice. Needed are a fresh approach and a strategic vision to build a strong, professional diplomatic service and State Department as the central institution for U.S. diplomacy. The basic requirements include a rigorous, exam-based entry; worldwide availability and mobility; programs to strengthen capacity through professional education and training, integrated with competitive, merit-based advancement; and efforts to foster the knowledge, cross-functional thinking and broad perspectives a premier diplomatic service brings, especially at the senior levels.
Getting Kim Jong Un's attention: To cool North Korea's increasingly dangerous bluster, the U.S. and others must get creative - Mike Mochizuki and Michael O'Hanlon, latimes.com: Although the U.S. position on key issues should stay firm, we should also be willing to talk with North Korea at any point. Beyond that, Washington needs to signal a willingness to engage in a much broader discussion leading to a road map for a comprehensive deal.
Tech Firms Push to Hire More Workers From Abroad - Somini Sengupta, New York Times: Silicon Valley is battling in Washington to make the immigration process easier for thousands of people many of them Indian engineers, while also pushing to hire many more guest workers from abroad. Rarely has the industry been so single-mindedly focused on a national policy issue, with executives like Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook and John T. Chambers of Cisco personally involved. Its efforts seem to be paying off, as a group of eight senators negotiate details of a comprehensive immigration deal to be announced early next week.
VIVE LA FRANCE
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SOVIETICA
Colin Jones , Leningrad, USSR. 1964; Via DP on Facebook
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