"the ministry has 700 odd IFS (Indian Foreign Service) cadre officials."
--India's External affairs minister Salman Khurshid, "Ministry of external affairs is undergoing change," The Times of India; image from
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
Cold as Snowden - Marcelo J. García, buenosairesherald.com: "Leaks are only hiding an ocean. The two star whistleblower/traitors /heroes of our time made it big to the news this week, for opposite reasons: Bradley Manning is bracing for years in prison in the US and Edward Snowden walked free from a no-man’s land transit zone airport seclusion in Russia. ... The revelations cast a major doubt over the moral authority of the US to continue to promote the Internet as a major public diplomacy issue. Starting with Al Gore’s 'Information Superhighways' Internet line in the mid-1990s to Hillary Clinton’s major 2010 speech on Internet freedom calling on nations to 'synchronize technological progress with (US) principles,' the US has used freedom language to categorize the countries of the world according to their management of the Internet. ... The US is the owner of the Internet, both historically and technically.
The non-profit corporation ICANN in charge of performing a number of Internet governance actions is under a contract with the US Department of Commerce. As the US government loses credibility regarding its good faith in keeping the information superhighway toll-free, its authority over the Internet will be increasingly challenged." Image from
Faking It’ with Social Media - "It’s not just fake degrees or certification that are being bought in
http://www.news.com.au/technology/us-state-department-spent-690000-to-8217buy8217-facebook-8216likes8217/story-e6frfro0-1226673672755 US State Department spent $690,000 to ‘buy’ Facebook ‘likes’ A GOVERNMENT campaign to spend taxpayers money to try to get more Facebook ‘likes’ on its sites prompted workers to complain to a watchdog. The US State Department, which has the slogan “Diplomacy in Action, spent $690,000 ($US630,000) to try and 'buy fans' in social media, the agency’s Inspector General said in a report. The State Department’s Bureau of International Information Programs spent the money to increase its 'likes' count from 2011 to March 2013, the Washington Examiner reported. 'Many in the bureau criticize the advertising campaigns as ‘buying fans’ who may have once clicked on an ad or ‘liked’ a photo but have no real interest in the topic and have never engaged further,' the inspector general reported. The State Department’s Facebook page likes increased during the spending from 100,000 to more than 2 million and to 450,000 on Facebook’s foreign-language pages. Despite the increase, the IG said the spending did not reach the bureau’s target audience, mainly older and more influential people. Only about 2 per cent of the department’s fans engaged with the pages by liking, sharing or commenting. 2John Burgess Said: July:29:2013 - 11:01 @Lola: Yep… another piece of badly thought-out public diplomacy."
When the Nile floods the Potomac: U.S. struggles to cope with the crisis in Egypt -- The uncertainty and immobility of the international community with respect to Egypt's political breakdown has left the United States with no good options in a country that is a major ally in the Middle East - Zvi Bar'el, haaretz.com: "All smiles and dressed in a fine suit, ousted Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi welcomed the EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton earlier this week. ... After the meeting, Ashton hurried to report the details of her discussions to Egyptian Defense Minister Abdel-Fatah el-Sissi and President Adly Mansour. However, things remain at an impasse – Morsi, according to sources close to deposed president, insists on being reinstated while the military maintains the Morsi era is over. The Morsi era may be over, but the Muslim Brotherhood has not disappeared from the political arena. ... Ashton’s public diplomacy efforts, the frequent phone calls from U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and President Barack Obama to al-Sissi, and a second meeting between African Union representatives and Morsi all attest more than anything else to the uncertainty and immobility of the international community with respect to the political breakdown of an important ally. After a prolonged period during which no senior American official commented on the situation, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry declared on Thursday that not a coup
had taken place in Egypt, but an army-led '[restoration of] democracy. ... U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Ann Patterson was subjected to heavy public criticism early July, when her photos while meeting Morsi were marked with red crosses. This week, several protest movements demanded her recall, based on her support of the Brotherhood. The anti-American winds blowing from within the protest movements and within the Brotherhood are also a threat to the military regime, which is concerned over the possibly the United States would suspend military aid, as it has suspended the delivery of F-16 jets. Kerry clarified that suspending the shipment of the warplanes was not connected to other military aid, but al-Sissi has reason to worry, as voices such as that of U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein are calling for a review of the aid to Egypt. ... Obama is likewise very concerned over the possibility Congress will drive a wedge into the United States' relationship with a strategic partner in the Middle East - a relationship in which the United States' role is continually shrinking." Image from
Africa 2013 - Furman University Speech - Riley Institute, Greenville South Carolina - Ambassador Robin Renee Sanders, BlogIt-rrs: The Africa Post (TAP): "My remarks this evening will provide you with a framework on the positive things about Today’s Africa, and also put some of the challenges you hear about such as lack of good governance, corruption, and the rise of fundamentalism in West Africa into perspective. Most Americans focus primarily on the negative; I am here to provide a more balance view, a more balanced lens about Today’s Africa, beginning with the positives.
Then we will take a look at the challenges within that context. ... Long lasting solutions are needed that do not call for the annihilation of one group or another - The old public diplomacy tool about building 'mutual understanding' (which is a not do-as-I-say-discussion, but a real conversation) among disparate groups about contentious issues needs to come back in vogue." Saunders image (along with Rice and Bush) from entry
Indonesia Could Be 10th Largest Economy: But here are the Challenges - valuewalk.com: "Cultural exports became an important part of US foreign policy (the development of soft power), deeply affecting Indonesia. In early 2011, the US launched its first Public Diplomacy Outreach Centre, located at the embassy in Jakarta. The centre aims to facilitate dialogue between the Indonesian public and the US, with a particular focus on youth audiences. Indonesia was chosen to launch the new initiative because of its large number of active social media users, and for the on the government that its educated youth have historically had."
Forest Fairytale: How the U.S. Military Transformed a Starychi Preschool - Emma Hutchins, Public Affairs Intern and Major Sven Olson, Bilateral Affairs Officer, usembassykyiv: "While on an official visit to Moscow in 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama remarked, '[By] mobilizing and organizing and changing people’s hearts and minds, you then change the political landscape.' On July 17, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv and Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC) translated President Obama’s wise words into action, as they celebrated the completion of a Humanitarian Assistance renovation project at a local school in the village of Starychi in the region of Lviv. ... The Starychi Preschool was a particularly fitting location for a Humanitarian Assistance project, as the village maintains a strong relationship with the International Security and Peacekeeping Center (ISPC), and the school community is a close partner with the locally based Ukrainian military unit.
In fact, the school’s ribbon-cutting ceremony was scheduled to coincide with Distinguished Visitor (DV) day at the multinational military exercise Rapid Trident 2013, which is based out of the ISPC. As a result of the concurrent scheduling, U.S. Ambassador John F. Tefft, Major General David Baldwin, ODC Chief LTC Tracey Rueschoff, and ODC staff all attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the beautifully transformed school. The juxtaposition of these two events highlights the many facets of military work, including international partnership, public diplomacy, and civilian stability." Image from entry, with caption: U.S. Military European Command Transforms Starychi Preschool – Group Photo with Ambassador Tefft
Bookbinder named AIT Public Diplomacy Section Chief - Joseph Yeh, The China Post: "Joseph Bookbinder assumed duties as Public Diplomacy Section Chief for the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) on Aug. 1, the AIT announced yesterday.
Bookbinder, who has served as a Foreign Service Officer for 21 years, joined the United States Foreign Service in 1992 and has had overseas assignments in India, Taiwan and China, the AIT said in a statement." Bookbinder image from
Carleton Communication Professor Awarded Fulbright Research Chair - exchangemagazine.com: "Ottawa - Carleton University is proud to announce that one of its postdoctoral fellows, along with students and a recent graduate, have been named Fulbright students and scholars and Killam Fellows for the 2013-14 academic year. In addition, Carleton will host three winners from other home institutions during the same period. The world-renowned Fulbright program is predicated on the principle that scholarly and academic exchanges are critical to a more peaceful and productive world. Ira Wagman, an associate professor in the School of Journalism and Communication, will be the Fulbright Visiting Research Chair in Public Diplomacy at the Center for Public Diplomacy at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication. The position will support Wagman’s research on the use of media within the United Nations system in the early decades after the Second World War, with a particular emphasis on UNESCO and UNICEF."
Why the U.S.'s Cuban propaganda plane is a complete waste of money The U.S. has spent $24 million beaming anti-Castro programming from the plane. Too bad the government blocks the signal - Keith Wagstaff, theweek.com: "For the past seven years, the United States has been funding a twin-engine plane that flies circle-eights over Cuba, broadcasting everything from baseball games to interviews with anti-Castro dissidents. ... However, the sequester — across-the-board spending cuts that went into effect in spring — might be the thing that finally kills it. The plane is currently grounded inGeorgia thanks to sequester cuts. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) would like to keep it that way, telling Foreign Policy, "It's hard to believe we are still wasting millions of taxpayer dollars on beaming a jammed TV signal — that fewer than 1 percent of Cubans can see — from an airplane to the island."
The United States Can Now Use Its Own Propaganda on US Citizens - Matthew Guariglia, heavy.com: "The United States can now pivot its huge international propaganda operations toward the home front, according to RT. In 1948, the Smith-Mundt Act, also known as the US Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948 was one of the first and most serious pieces of Cold War legislation. The act was simple, it would create a number of broadcasting and media agencies outside of the US and use them to disseminate information about the virtues of capitalism and the superior nature of democracy and the American way of life. This, the 'Cold Warriors' thought, would convince the people of war-torn Europe to choose American democracy to better themselves rather than Soviet communism.
The only stipulation was that this peacetime propaganda machine could only be used overseas, until now. As of July 2, Section 501 added to the the controversial National Defense Authorization Act
(NDAA) abolishes the stipulation that the United States must leave its propaganda over seas. It says: 'the Secretary and the Broadcasting Board of Governors may, upon request and reimbursement of the reasonable costs incurred in fulfilling such a request, make available, in the United States, motion pictures, films, video, audio, and other materials disseminated abroad pursuant to this Act, the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994 (22 U.S.C. 6201 et seq.), the Radio Broadcasting to Cuba Act (22 U.S.C. 1465 et seq.), or the Television Broadcasting to Cuba Act (22 U.S.C. 1465aa et seq.). Any reimbursement pursuant to this paragraph shall be credited to the applicable appropriation account of the Department of State or the Broadcasting Board of Governors, as appropriate.' That means that the pamphlets, films, magazines and radio programs the United States beams into Cuba and other countries to convince them of US superiority, will now become an avenue of media and entertainment inside the United States. An important question to ask is: why does the United States government think it needs to disseminate propaganda among its own citizens? As public opinion continues to rebel against the systems of domestic and international surveillance, an operational domestic propaganda machine would become an important asset in pacifying the public in case of any more Snowden-esque revelations. Ask yourself: would a government truly encouraging free speech and the open ability for all people to criticize their government reallyneed to to pump their citizens full of propaganda?" Via TL on Facebook. Image from entry
Senate Confirms Three New Members For The BBG Board - bbg.gov: The United States Senate has confirmed three new members to serve on the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees all U.S. government-supported civilian international media. The Senate this evening unanimously approved Jeffrey Shell, Matthew C. Armstrong and Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker for membership on the bipartisan board. Shell was confirmed as chair of the board. During the coming days, the three new Governors will be appointed by the President and sworn in. Jeff Shell is president of NBC Universal International, a position he has held since 2011. He previously served as president of Comcast Programming Group from 2005 to 2011. Prior to joining Comcast, Shell held a number of positions, including CEO of Gemstar TV Guide International and President of the FOX Cable Networks Group. As president of the FOX Cable Networks, he oversaw the operations of FOX’s entertainment and sports cable programming businesses. He currently serves on the board of the National Constitution Center. Shell earned a B.S. in Economics and Applied Mathematics from the University of California, Berkeley and an M.B.A. from Harvard University. Matthew C. Armstrong is an author, speaker, and strategist on issues related to public diplomacy. In 2011, he served as executive f the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy. Previously, 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. Armstrong earned a B.A. and an M.P.D. from the University of Southern California. Ryan C. Crocker is dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A and M University – a position from which he had taken a leave of absence to serve as U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan from 2011 to 2012. His is also the James Schlesinger Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Virginia. Prior to resuming his position as dean, Ambassador Crocker was a Kissinger Senior Fellow at Yale University. His 37-year career in the Foreign Service included service as U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait, and Lebanon. He is a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Board of Trustees of Whitman College. Ambassador Crocker is a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Presidential Distinguished Service Award, the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Award, and the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Civilian Service. He earned a B.A. from Whitman College. See also (1) (2)
Czech newspaper publishes commentary on employee discrimination at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Prague - BBGWatcher, usgbroadcasts.com: "Lidove Noviny, the oldest Czech newspaper, published an op-ed article by a former Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty journalist Lev Roitman, ”Na USA apeluje český senátor. Místo prezidenta” (“A Czech Senator Appeals to the U.S. Instead of the Czech President”).
Roitman comments on the ongoing employee discrimination lawsuits against RFE/RL, one of which involves his wife, and on appeals by Czech politicians and human rights activists to American officials which have remained unanswered." Image from entry
Expert: Lithuanian diplomats’ conversation leak is likely to be the work of Russian special services - lithuaniatribune.com: "Lithuanian political scientist Nerijus Maliukevičius claims that the leaked information on the alleged Lithuanian diplomats’ conversations could be beneficial
for those who want to compromise Lithuania’s diplomacy, and, therefore, he perceives the hand of Russian special services in this story. ... 'And time has probably come for us to realise that there’s no longer a line between the private and public diplomacy, the private and official diplomacy in the century of Snowden, Wikileaks, and PRISM stories. It is very complicated and it makes the work of diplomats very complicated,' Maliukevičius continued." Maliukevičius image from article
Into the Fray: Resign, just resign! -- Recent developments reveal a dramatic erosion in Netanyahu’s strategic perspectives that makes it impossible to justify his continued incumbency.’s strategic perspectives that makes it impossible to justify his continued incumbency - Martin Sherman, Jerusalem Post: "For decades Israel has left itself to be mauled in the court of public opinion, making it seemingly isolated, and vulnerable to international pressures aimed at wringing perilous concessions. However, this not an inevitable consequence of some law of nature, but the results of decades of dereliction of duty, of neglect to establish an adequate public diplomacy endeavor that could contend, curtail and counter such pressures.
As the eloquent British columnist Melanie Phillips scolded in a brilliant but scathing interview on Israeli TV: 'Israel has made itself defenseless... Israel has vacated the battlefield of ideas ...' Never a truer word was spoken. In recent years, public support for Israel in the US has been near record levels, outstripping that for the Palestinians by a factor of 4 to 1. Yet this massive advantage has not been mobilized (purposely?) to impact US policy-making toward Israel." Image from article, with caption: Netanyahu during cabinet meeting to vote on Palestinian prisoners release, July 28, 2013
Regional Observatory on Financing Culture in East-Central Europe: Memo July 2013: A memo sent to correspondents, friends and acquaintances of the Budapest Observatory (BO) in July 2013 -- To be read in a cool corner - budobs.org: "A British Council publication on cultural diplomacy contains a map about the saturation of the world with cultural institutions
of the twelve most important countries in British eyes (pp.21-22). We did the same with the nine countries from our region that maintain such institutions abroad . ... BO [Budapest Observatory] has repeatedly complained about the indifference of the enterprise and industry sector of the EU vis-à-vis the excitement for creative industries in cultural communities." Image from entry
Margallo Calls Sub-Saharan African Ambassadors Representatives of Spain’s “Global Policy” in the Region - africaupclose.wilsoncenter.org "José Manuel García-Margallo, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, hosted a working lunch today for Sub-Saharan African ambassadors where he highlighted the 'global policy' that was 'designed' in Spain and is 'intended to be permanent' in the region.
According to a Ministry statement, an 'example' of this policy isSpain ’s 'extensive diplomatic and consular' network, 'one of the largest of all E.U. member countries.' Spain has opened six new embassies in the last few years, including 'Casa Africa,' an “instrument of public diplomacy to promote mutual understanding.” Uncaptioned image from entry
Ministry invites young journalists to Finland in August - Press release, finnland.de: "The Ministry for Foreign Affairs [of Finalnd] has invited 19 young foreign journalists and journalism students to attend the 21st Foreign Correspondents’ Programme (FCP) in Finland. The training programme provides an opportunity for these young professionals to learn more about Finland and Finnish society. This year the programme runs from August 5 to 30. The participants come from the following countries: Argentina, Belarus, Brazil, China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, the UK, Ukraine, the United States, and Vietnam. The aim of the FCP is to provide the participants with a broad knowledge and understanding of Finland. In the longer term the programme can be seen as an investment in future media relations and as an integral part of the Ministry’s efforts in the field of public diplomacy."
North Korea and Iran Trading Weapons and Oil - finance.townhall.com: "India-Pakistan: Indian Foreign Secretary Ms. Sujatha Singh said, 'There is a new government in Pakistan now. We will be picking up the threads from where we left off with the old government,' Singh, the top official in the ministry, told reporters in New Delhi on her first day in the job. Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif said on 1 August, 'We will boost trade; we will boost business and will boost investment with India. We will also try our best to solve all longstanding issues with India, including Kashmir.' Comment: The exchanges about talks represent public diplomacy which is aimed at evaluating public reaction in India and Pakistan to the prospect of official talks. So far so good."
Ministry of external affairs is undergoing change - The Times of India: "External affairs minister Salman Khurshid on Tuesday said his ministry is contemplating a plan to have people from industry on-board to facilitate on issues relating to economic diplomacy. External affairs ministry is undergoing a change because of the requirements that Indian diplomats may have to fulfill' he said at a Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) event. ... On the public diplomacy initiative of the ministry, he said 'It is essentially an outreach to add to capital diplomatic instruments and diplomatic exercise we take. It is to show what we are doing and make it more effective and add different dimension as greater public participation takes place.'" See also.
Inside the Public relations Regime [scroll down link for comment] - cotocrew.wordpress.com: "By: hybridrogue1 on July 29, 2013 at 1:33 pm [:] '…with electricity and automation, the technology of fragmented processes suddenly fused with the human dialogue and the need for over-all considerations of human unity. Men are suddenly nomadic gatherers of knowledge, nomadic as never before, informed as never before, free from fragmentary specialization as never before – but also involved in the total social process as never before, since with electricity we extend our central nervous system globally, instantly interrelating every human experience.' — Marshall McLuhan, in Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, 1964 [.] By 'strategic communication(s)' we refer to: (a) the synchronization of words and deeds and how they will be perceived by selected audiences, as well as (b) programs and activities deliberately aimed at communicating and engaging with intended audiences, including those implemented by public affairs, public diplomacy, and information operations professionals. ~16 Mar 2010 report to Congress from the President regarding his administration’s interagency efforts in strategic communication [:] The United States Government has a wide range of programs and activities deliberately focused on understanding, engaging, informing, influencing, and communicating with people through public affairs, public diplomacy, information operations and other efforts. Definition from 2006 QDR Strategic Communication Execution Roadmap [:] Focused United States Government processes and efforts to understand and engage key audiences to create, strengthen or preserve conditions favorable to advance national interests and objectives through the use of coordinated information, themes, plans, programs, and actions synchronized with other elements of national power. Enlisting Madison Avenue: The Marketing Approach to Earning Popular Support in Theaters of Operation, by Helmus et al, RAND report, 2007 http://www.au.af.mil/info-ops/strategic.htm . . . . . http://www.terrorismanalysts.com/pt/articles/issues/PTv2i3.pdf – 'strategic communication' -Steven R. Corman"
The Foreign Service Bidding Process - foreignservicetest.com: "You’ve spent a year or two or maybe more trying to get in to the Foreign Service. You’ve passed exams, been prodded by doctors, and had your background thoroughly investigated. Congratulations! You made it in. Now you get to spend the rest of your career trying to find a job within the Foreign Service. Welcome to the bidding process. In the Foreign Service you will constantly change assignments every two or three years.While you will always end up with some sort of position, to get the one you want is an art. In the FS we call this job hunt 'the bidding process.' Twice a year a list of soon to open jobs is released. When you are a year out from finishing your current assignment, you will get this list and start looking at the options. While the list may have hundreds of jobs all around the world, you will only be qualified for a small portion. First, you have to look at jobs appropriate to your grade. If you are a mid-level officer you will not be looking at ambassadorial slots*. Second, you have to look at the type of position. If you’re a generalist you can technically apply for any generalist position (i.e. political, economic, consular, management, or public diplomacy.) However, you will often be looking only at the jobs in your career track. They why of this is a topic for another blog entry. Third, you will look at the location of the jobs. Do you want to work in DC? In Brazil? In Papua New Guinea? Finally, there are all the intangibles of the hunt. Schools, pets, spousal employment, surfing, movie theaters, spicy food, and a thousand other things that matter to you. Now that you’ve identified the jobs you’re interested in, it is time to try and get that job. You may think that political job in Geneva sounds great.
Guess what? So do a hundred other qualified FSOs. You need to lobby for the job. Lobbying is the art of convincing the decision makers at the post that you are the man or woman for the job. This networking process often comes down to what you have done in the past and how good your 'corridor reputation' is. Corridor reputation is a very real thing in the Foreign Service. Although there are something like 10,000 Foreign Service Officers, we’re a pretty small and tight community. Some people think that since we move every few years, it is possible to be a jerk at the office. A positive, but especially negative reputation tends to follow you. When you bid on an assignment, the first thing that post is going to do is start reaching out to people they know who might know you. If what they hear is bad, you’re pretty much sunk right from the start, particularly for highly sought after positions. The reverse is also true. I received one of my favorite jobs simply because the hiring officer reached out to a friend of mine and he gave me a good review. If you’re still trying to get in to the Foreign Service, then all of this may be a bit of putting the cart before the horse. However, I know it is something people are interested in and makes up a big part of the FS life. Bidding season is an exciting time and one that many can’t stand, especially the lobbying process. Personally, I think it is kind of fun, but I’ve also had good luck with getting the assignments I wanted. (Also: be careful what you wish for.) * If you’re just starting this process and convinced you are going to end up an ambassador. I’d count on putting that idea aside for the next 20 years and then reassess. Otherwise, work on getting filthy rich and donating to the right campaigns." Image from
My first blog nomination: The Liebster Award! - Life with Ms. Learn: "What a pleasant surprise! Ali from Teaching (Powered by Caffeine) has nominated me for my first bloggy award! So a massive thank you to Ali! ... 1 Random Facts about Myself 1. I'm a gypsy. I've lived in 3 continents, 6 cities all before I was 25. 2. I have two degrees, none in teaching.
My BA was in Mass Communication and Journalism and French, and my MA was in Political Science - Public Diplomacy." Uncaptioned image from entry
RELATED ITEMS
No going back on democracy in Egypt - Editorial, Washington Post: On Thursday, while in Pakistan, Secretary of State John F. Kerry was asked in an interview how the United States — a champion of democracy around the world — can justify supporting Egypt’s military crackdown. Mr. Kerry’s reply was inexplicable. He said, “The military was asked to intervene by millions and millions of people, all of whom were afraid of a descendance into chaos, into violence. And the military did not take over, to the best of our judgment so far. To run the country, there’s a civilian government. In effect, they were restoring democracy.” The White House tells us that the secretary’s statement did not reflect the president’s policy. Good thing, because Mr. Kerry’s remark was careless and dangerous.
The war against al-Qaeda is over - Kenneth Roth, Washington Post: At most, al-Qaeda these days can mount sporadic, isolated attacks, carried out by autonomous or loosely affiliated cells. Some attacks may cause considerable loss of life, but they are nothing like the military operations that define an armed conflict under international law. So why not declare the war against al-Qaeda over?
Ho like Jefferson? Stop spreading the propaganda - Cal Thomas, jsonline.com: On his visit to Washington, D.C., last week, President Truong Tan Sang of Vietnam told President Barack Obama the late revolutionary Ho Chi Minh, was inspired by the U.S. Declaration of Independence and Constitution and the words of Thomas Jefferson. In an ad in The Washington Post, Sang even claimed Jefferson's vision of liberty was the same as Ho's.
Not exactly. According to the U.S. State Department's Vietnam 2012 Human Rights Report: "The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is an authoritarian state ruled by a single party, the Communist Party of Vietnam. ... The most recent National Assembly elections, held in May 2011, were neither free nor fair. Security forces reported to civilian authorities. The most significant human rights problems in the country continued to be severe government restrictions on citizens' political rights, particularly their right to change their government; increased measures to limit citizens' civil liberties; and corruption in the judicial system and police." Does that sound Jeffersonian? Image from article, with caption: President Barack Obama meets with President Truong Tan Sang of Vietnam last week.
The Diplomatic Doldrums: How is the State Department ever going to get a bigger budget if Congress isn’t clear about what it actually does? - Nicholas Kralev, foreignpolicy.com: Members of Congress have a vague idea of what U.S. diplomats are up to, but clearly not enough to justify continuing the current year's funding level. If the State Department wants to see the 2010 enacted budget level of over $56 billion resurrected in the future, it will need to do a better job of explaining to Congress how exactly its work affects Americans at home.
Canada, Mexico become part of U.S. ‘homeland’ during NSA Senate briefing - Andy Radia, ca.news.yahoo.com: American reporters appropriately had a 'wait, what? moment' on Wednesday during a Senate Judiciary committee meeting.
Senator Diane Feinstein, the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, was defending the National Security Agency's top secret spying when she brought out a prop identifying North America — the United States, Canada and Mexico — as the "Homeland." Image from entry, with caption: Picture of the homeland map via the Associated Press
Chinese State Propaganda Compares China Collapse to Soviet Union - Lu Chen, Epoch Times: An article published on the front page of Xinhua, China’s state mouthpiece, on Thursday warned that if “turmoil” ever came to China, it would be worse than the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The reference to turmoil was taken to mean any move to a democratic political system, or the loss of power of the Chinese Communist Party. “Those angles, mentors and well known people who have malicious motives, if you want to provoke turmoil in China by controlling public opinion, you’ll have to step over my body,” the author, Wang Xiaoshi, wrote towards the end of the diatribe. “I won’t let you succeed as long as I live!” Image from article
North Korea: A Propaganda Trip On Steroids: Sky's Mark Stone managed to escape his minders twice on his visit to the secretive and fascinating state - news.sky.com: "I was asked repeatedly to change lines in my reports. When I refused they
said that they would have to report me to their boss and that I was jeopardising any future trips to the country." Image from entry, with caption: Mr Sin and Mr Kim, the North Korean minders
ObamaCare Propaganda —- Hollywood-Style - Ben Shapiro, frontpagemag.com: Back during World War II, Hollywood mobilized at the behest of the Roosevelt administration. The FDR administration even coordinated with Hollywood through the Bureau of Motion Pictures office of the Office of War Information, which worked alongside filmmakers to censor content and develop patriotic fare. Elmer Davis, who directed the OWI, summed up the concept nicely: “The easiest way to inject a propaganda idea into most people’s minds is to let it go through the medium of an entertainment picture when they do not realize that they are being propagandized.”
From John Wayne pictures to classics like Casablanca, war pictures were churned out portraying the Nazis and Japanese as the enemy, and the Russians as American friends. Now, Hollywood has a new enemy: doctors. That, at least, is the takeaway from the Obama administration’s latest coordination effort with its friends and supporters in Hollywood. Image from entry
ONE MORE QUOTATION FOR THE DAY
"err in the direction of kindness."
-- Geophysical engineer turned writer George Saunders, in his convocation speech delivered at Syracuse University for the class of 2013; Saunders image from
AMERICANA
From; via
HARD TIMES
"many prostitutes are taking up legitimate side jobs to supplement their income."
--Jane Wells, "Funny business: Sex doesn't always sell well," CNBC
RUSSICA
Via FW on Facebook
RUSSIAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS
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When the Nile floods the Potomac: U.S. struggles to cope with the crisis in Egypt -- The uncertainty and immobility of the international community with respect to Egypt's political breakdown has left the United States with no good options in a country that is a major ally in the Middle East - Zvi Bar'el, haaretz.com: "All smiles and dressed in a fine suit, ousted Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi welcomed the EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton earlier this week. ... After the meeting, Ashton hurried to report the details of her discussions to Egyptian Defense Minister Abdel-Fatah el-Sissi and President Adly Mansour. However, things remain at an impasse – Morsi, according to sources close to deposed president, insists on being reinstated while the military maintains the Morsi era is over. The Morsi era may be over, but the Muslim Brotherhood has not disappeared from the political arena. ... Ashton’s public diplomacy efforts, the frequent phone calls from U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and President Barack Obama to al-Sissi, and a second meeting between African Union representatives and Morsi all attest more than anything else to the uncertainty and immobility of the international community with respect to the political breakdown of an important ally. After a prolonged period during which no senior American official commented on the situation, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry declared on Thursday that not a coup
had taken place in Egypt, but an army-led '[restoration of] democracy. ... U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Ann Patterson was subjected to heavy public criticism early July, when her photos while meeting Morsi were marked with red crosses. This week, several protest movements demanded her recall, based on her support of the Brotherhood. The anti-American winds blowing from within the protest movements and within the Brotherhood are also a threat to the military regime, which is concerned over the possibly the United States would suspend military aid, as it has suspended the delivery of F-16 jets. Kerry clarified that suspending the shipment of the warplanes was not connected to other military aid, but al-Sissi has reason to worry, as voices such as that of U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein are calling for a review of the aid to Egypt. ... Obama is likewise very concerned over the possibility Congress will drive a wedge into the United States' relationship with a strategic partner in the Middle East - a relationship in which the United States' role is continually shrinking." Image from
Africa 2013 - Furman University Speech - Riley Institute, Greenville South Carolina - Ambassador Robin Renee Sanders, BlogIt-rrs: The Africa Post (TAP): "My remarks this evening will provide you with a framework on the positive things about Today’s Africa, and also put some of the challenges you hear about such as lack of good governance, corruption, and the rise of fundamentalism in West Africa into perspective. Most Americans focus primarily on the negative; I am here to provide a more balance view, a more balanced lens about Today’s Africa, beginning with the positives.
Then we will take a look at the challenges within that context. ... Long lasting solutions are needed that do not call for the annihilation of one group or another - The old public diplomacy tool about building 'mutual understanding' (which is a not do-as-I-say-discussion, but a real conversation) among disparate groups about contentious issues needs to come back in vogue." Saunders image (along with Rice and Bush) from entry
Indonesia Could Be 10th Largest Economy: But here are the Challenges - valuewalk.com: "Cultural exports became an important part of US foreign policy (the development of soft power), deeply affecting Indonesia. In early 2011, the US launched its first Public Diplomacy Outreach Centre, located at the embassy in Jakarta. The centre aims to facilitate dialogue between the Indonesian public and the US, with a particular focus on youth audiences. Indonesia was chosen to launch the new initiative because of its large number of active social media users, and for the on the government that its educated youth have historically had."
Forest Fairytale: How the U.S. Military Transformed a Starychi Preschool - Emma Hutchins, Public Affairs Intern and Major Sven Olson, Bilateral Affairs Officer, usembassykyiv: "While on an official visit to Moscow in 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama remarked, '[By] mobilizing and organizing and changing people’s hearts and minds, you then change the political landscape.' On July 17, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv and Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC) translated President Obama’s wise words into action, as they celebrated the completion of a Humanitarian Assistance renovation project at a local school in the village of Starychi in the region of Lviv. ... The Starychi Preschool was a particularly fitting location for a Humanitarian Assistance project, as the village maintains a strong relationship with the International Security and Peacekeeping Center (ISPC), and the school community is a close partner with the locally based Ukrainian military unit.
In fact, the school’s ribbon-cutting ceremony was scheduled to coincide with Distinguished Visitor (DV) day at the multinational military exercise Rapid Trident 2013, which is based out of the ISPC. As a result of the concurrent scheduling, U.S. Ambassador John F. Tefft, Major General David Baldwin, ODC Chief LTC Tracey Rueschoff, and ODC staff all attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the beautifully transformed school. The juxtaposition of these two events highlights the many facets of military work, including international partnership, public diplomacy, and civilian stability." Image from entry, with caption: U.S. Military European Command Transforms Starychi Preschool – Group Photo with Ambassador Tefft
Bookbinder named AIT Public Diplomacy Section Chief - Joseph Yeh, The China Post: "Joseph Bookbinder assumed duties as Public Diplomacy Section Chief for the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) on Aug. 1, the AIT announced yesterday.
Bookbinder, who has served as a Foreign Service Officer for 21 years, joined the United States Foreign Service in 1992 and has had overseas assignments in India, Taiwan and China, the AIT said in a statement." Bookbinder image from
Carleton Communication Professor Awarded Fulbright Research Chair - exchangemagazine.com: "Ottawa - Carleton University is proud to announce that one of its postdoctoral fellows, along with students and a recent graduate, have been named Fulbright students and scholars and Killam Fellows for the 2013-14 academic year. In addition, Carleton will host three winners from other home institutions during the same period. The world-renowned Fulbright program is predicated on the principle that scholarly and academic exchanges are critical to a more peaceful and productive world. Ira Wagman, an associate professor in the School of Journalism and Communication, will be the Fulbright Visiting Research Chair in Public Diplomacy at the Center for Public Diplomacy at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication. The position will support Wagman’s research on the use of media within the United Nations system in the early decades after the Second World War, with a particular emphasis on UNESCO and UNICEF."
Why the U.S.'s Cuban propaganda plane is a complete waste of money The U.S. has spent $24 million beaming anti-Castro programming from the plane. Too bad the government blocks the signal - Keith Wagstaff, theweek.com: "For the past seven years, the United States has been funding a twin-engine plane that flies circle-eights over Cuba, broadcasting everything from baseball games to interviews with anti-Castro dissidents. ... However, the sequester — across-the-board spending cuts that went into effect in spring — might be the thing that finally kills it. The plane is currently grounded in
The United States Can Now Use Its Own Propaganda on US Citizens - Matthew Guariglia, heavy.com: "The United States can now pivot its huge international propaganda operations toward the home front, according to RT. In 1948, the Smith-Mundt Act, also known as the US Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948 was one of the first and most serious pieces of Cold War legislation. The act was simple, it would create a number of broadcasting and media agencies outside of the US and use them to disseminate information about the virtues of capitalism and the superior nature of democracy and the American way of life. This, the 'Cold Warriors' thought, would convince the people of war-torn Europe to choose American democracy to better themselves rather than Soviet communism.
The only stipulation was that this peacetime propaganda machine could only be used overseas, until now. As of July 2, Section 501 added to the the controversial National Defense Authorization Act
(NDAA) abolishes the stipulation that the United States must leave its propaganda over seas. It says: 'the Secretary and the Broadcasting Board of Governors may, upon request and reimbursement of the reasonable costs incurred in fulfilling such a request, make available, in the United States, motion pictures, films, video, audio, and other materials disseminated abroad pursuant to this Act, the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994 (22 U.S.C. 6201 et seq.), the Radio Broadcasting to Cuba Act (22 U.S.C. 1465 et seq.), or the Television Broadcasting to Cuba Act (22 U.S.C. 1465aa et seq.). Any reimbursement pursuant to this paragraph shall be credited to the applicable appropriation account of the Department of State or the Broadcasting Board of Governors, as appropriate.' That means that the pamphlets, films, magazines and radio programs the United States beams into Cuba and other countries to convince them of US superiority, will now become an avenue of media and entertainment inside the United States. An important question to ask is: why does the United States government think it needs to disseminate propaganda among its own citizens? As public opinion continues to rebel against the systems of domestic and international surveillance, an operational domestic propaganda machine would become an important asset in pacifying the public in case of any more Snowden-esque revelations. Ask yourself: would a government truly encouraging free speech and the open ability for all people to criticize their government reallyneed to to pump their citizens full of propaganda?" Via TL on Facebook. Image from entry
Senate Confirms Three New Members For The BBG Board - bbg.gov: The United States Senate has confirmed three new members to serve on the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees all U.S. government-supported civilian international media. The Senate this evening unanimously approved Jeffrey Shell, Matthew C. Armstrong and Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker for membership on the bipartisan board. Shell was confirmed as chair of the board. During the coming days, the three new Governors will be appointed by the President and sworn in. Jeff Shell is president of NBC Universal International, a position he has held since 2011. He previously served as president of Comcast Programming Group from 2005 to 2011. Prior to joining Comcast, Shell held a number of positions, including CEO of Gemstar TV Guide International and President of the FOX Cable Networks Group. As president of the FOX Cable Networks, he oversaw the operations of FOX’s entertainment and sports cable programming businesses. He currently serves on the board of the National Constitution Center. Shell earned a B.S. in Economics and Applied Mathematics from the University of California, Berkeley and an M.B.A. from Harvard University. Matthew C. Armstrong is an author, speaker, and strategist on issues related to public diplomacy. In 2011, he served as executive f the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy. Previously, 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. Armstrong earned a B.A. and an M.P.D. from the University of Southern California. Ryan C. Crocker is dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A and M University – a position from which he had taken a leave of absence to serve as U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan from 2011 to 2012. His is also the James Schlesinger Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Virginia. Prior to resuming his position as dean, Ambassador Crocker was a Kissinger Senior Fellow at Yale University. His 37-year career in the Foreign Service included service as U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait, and Lebanon. He is a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Board of Trustees of Whitman College. Ambassador Crocker is a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Presidential Distinguished Service Award, the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Award, and the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Civilian Service. He earned a B.A. from Whitman College. See also (1) (2)
Czech newspaper publishes commentary on employee discrimination at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Prague - BBGWatcher, usgbroadcasts.com: "Lidove Noviny, the oldest Czech newspaper, published an op-ed article by a former Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty journalist Lev Roitman, ”Na USA apeluje český senátor. Místo prezidenta” (“A Czech Senator Appeals to the U.S. Instead of the Czech President”).
Expert: Lithuanian diplomats’ conversation leak is likely to be the work of Russian special services - lithuaniatribune.com: "Lithuanian political scientist Nerijus Maliukevičius claims that the leaked information on the alleged Lithuanian diplomats’ conversations could be beneficial
for those who want to compromise Lithuania’s diplomacy, and, therefore, he perceives the hand of Russian special services in this story. ... 'And time has probably come for us to realise that there’s no longer a line between the private and public diplomacy, the private and official diplomacy in the century of Snowden, Wikileaks, and PRISM stories. It is very complicated and it makes the work of diplomats very complicated,' Maliukevičius continued." Maliukevičius image from article
Into the Fray: Resign, just resign! -- Recent developments reveal a dramatic erosion in Netanyahu’s strategic perspectives that makes it impossible to justify his continued incumbency.’s strategic perspectives that makes it impossible to justify his continued incumbency - Martin Sherman, Jerusalem Post: "For decades Israel has left itself to be mauled in the court of public opinion, making it seemingly isolated, and vulnerable to international pressures aimed at wringing perilous concessions. However, this not an inevitable consequence of some law of nature, but the results of decades of dereliction of duty, of neglect to establish an adequate public diplomacy endeavor that could contend, curtail and counter such pressures.
As the eloquent British columnist Melanie Phillips scolded in a brilliant but scathing interview on Israeli TV: 'Israel has made itself defenseless... Israel has vacated the battlefield of ideas ...' Never a truer word was spoken. In recent years, public support for Israel in the US has been near record levels, outstripping that for the Palestinians by a factor of 4 to 1. Yet this massive advantage has not been mobilized (purposely?) to impact US policy-making toward Israel." Image from article, with caption: Netanyahu during cabinet meeting to vote on Palestinian prisoners release, July 28, 2013
Regional Observatory on Financing Culture in East-Central Europe: Memo July 2013: A memo sent to correspondents, friends and acquaintances of the Budapest Observatory (BO) in July 2013 -- To be read in a cool corner - budobs.org: "A British Council publication on cultural diplomacy contains a map about the saturation of the world with cultural institutions
of the twelve most important countries in British eyes (pp.21-22). We did the same with the nine countries from our region that maintain such institutions abroad . ... BO [Budapest Observatory] has repeatedly complained about the indifference of the enterprise and industry sector of the EU vis-à-vis the excitement for creative industries in cultural communities." Image from entry
Margallo Calls Sub-Saharan African Ambassadors Representatives of Spain’s “Global Policy” in the Region - africaupclose.wilsoncenter.org "José Manuel García-Margallo, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, hosted a working lunch today for Sub-Saharan African ambassadors where he highlighted the 'global policy' that was 'designed' in Spain and is 'intended to be permanent' in the region.
According to a Ministry statement, an 'example' of this policy is
Ministry invites young journalists to Finland in August - Press release, finnland.de: "The Ministry for Foreign Affairs [of Finalnd] has invited 19 young foreign journalists and journalism students to attend the 21st Foreign Correspondents’ Programme (FCP) in Finland. The training programme provides an opportunity for these young professionals to learn more about Finland and Finnish society. This year the programme runs from August 5 to 30. The participants come from the following countries: Argentina, Belarus, Brazil, China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, the UK, Ukraine, the United States, and Vietnam. The aim of the FCP is to provide the participants with a broad knowledge and understanding of Finland. In the longer term the programme can be seen as an investment in future media relations and as an integral part of the Ministry’s efforts in the field of public diplomacy."
North Korea and Iran Trading Weapons and Oil - finance.townhall.com: "India-Pakistan: Indian Foreign Secretary Ms. Sujatha Singh said, 'There is a new government in Pakistan now. We will be picking up the threads from where we left off with the old government,' Singh, the top official in the ministry, told reporters in New Delhi on her first day in the job. Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif said on 1 August, 'We will boost trade; we will boost business and will boost investment with India. We will also try our best to solve all longstanding issues with India, including Kashmir.' Comment: The exchanges about talks represent public diplomacy which is aimed at evaluating public reaction in India and Pakistan to the prospect of official talks. So far so good."
Ministry of external affairs is undergoing change - The Times of India: "External affairs minister Salman Khurshid on Tuesday said his ministry is contemplating a plan to have people from industry on-board to facilitate on issues relating to economic diplomacy. External affairs ministry is undergoing a change because of the requirements that Indian diplomats may have to fulfill' he said at a Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) event. ... On the public diplomacy initiative of the ministry, he said 'It is essentially an outreach to add to capital diplomatic instruments and diplomatic exercise we take. It is to show what we are doing and make it more effective and add different dimension as greater public participation takes place.'" See also.
Looking Back in History: The Public Diplomacy of Free France during WWII - Paul Rockower, Levantine: "Voila [sic] ! I have a new blog up on The American Security Project (where I am an Adjunct Fellow) on the public diplomacy of
Free France during WWII." Uncaptioned image from entry
Mean people don't evolve... - Paul Rockower, Levantine: “To all those who grossly misunderstand Darwinian ‘survival of the fittest,’ a new study shows that selfish traits are not favored by evolution- but rather those who best cooperate. Public diplomats are obviously at the apex of the evolutionary scale (it is a good thing modesty is not favored by evolution...).”
Inside the Public relations Regime [scroll down link for comment] - cotocrew.wordpress.com: "By: hybridrogue1 on July 29, 2013 at 1:33 pm [:] '…with electricity and automation, the technology of fragmented processes suddenly fused with the human dialogue and the need for over-all considerations of human unity. Men are suddenly nomadic gatherers of knowledge, nomadic as never before, informed as never before, free from fragmentary specialization as never before – but also involved in the total social process as never before, since with electricity we extend our central nervous system globally, instantly interrelating every human experience.' — Marshall McLuhan, in Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, 1964 [.] By 'strategic communication(s)' we refer to: (a) the synchronization of words and deeds and how they will be perceived by selected audiences, as well as (b) programs and activities deliberately aimed at communicating and engaging with intended audiences, including those implemented by public affairs, public diplomacy, and information operations professionals. ~16 Mar 2010 report to Congress from the President regarding his administration’s interagency efforts in strategic communication [:] The United States Government has a wide range of programs and activities deliberately focused on understanding, engaging, informing, influencing, and communicating with people through public affairs, public diplomacy, information operations and other efforts. Definition from 2006 QDR Strategic Communication Execution Roadmap [:] Focused United States Government processes and efforts to understand and engage key audiences to create, strengthen or preserve conditions favorable to advance national interests and objectives through the use of coordinated information, themes, plans, programs, and actions synchronized with other elements of national power. Enlisting Madison Avenue: The Marketing Approach to Earning Popular Support in Theaters of Operation, by Helmus et al, RAND report, 2007 http://www.au.af.mil/info-ops/strategic.htm . . . . . http://www.terrorismanalysts.com/pt/articles/issues/PTv2i3.pdf – 'strategic communication' -Steven R. Corman"
The Foreign Service Bidding Process - foreignservicetest.com: "You’ve spent a year or two or maybe more trying to get in to the Foreign Service. You’ve passed exams, been prodded by doctors, and had your background thoroughly investigated. Congratulations! You made it in. Now you get to spend the rest of your career trying to find a job within the Foreign Service. Welcome to the bidding process. In the Foreign Service you will constantly change assignments every two or three years.While you will always end up with some sort of position, to get the one you want is an art. In the FS we call this job hunt 'the bidding process.' Twice a year a list of soon to open jobs is released. When you are a year out from finishing your current assignment, you will get this list and start looking at the options. While the list may have hundreds of jobs all around the world, you will only be qualified for a small portion. First, you have to look at jobs appropriate to your grade. If you are a mid-level officer you will not be looking at ambassadorial slots*. Second, you have to look at the type of position. If you’re a generalist you can technically apply for any generalist position (i.e. political, economic, consular, management, or public diplomacy.) However, you will often be looking only at the jobs in your career track. They why of this is a topic for another blog entry. Third, you will look at the location of the jobs. Do you want to work in DC? In Brazil? In Papua New Guinea? Finally, there are all the intangibles of the hunt. Schools, pets, spousal employment, surfing, movie theaters, spicy food, and a thousand other things that matter to you. Now that you’ve identified the jobs you’re interested in, it is time to try and get that job. You may think that political job in Geneva sounds great.
Guess what? So do a hundred other qualified FSOs. You need to lobby for the job. Lobbying is the art of convincing the decision makers at the post that you are the man or woman for the job. This networking process often comes down to what you have done in the past and how good your 'corridor reputation' is. Corridor reputation is a very real thing in the Foreign Service. Although there are something like 10,000 Foreign Service Officers, we’re a pretty small and tight community. Some people think that since we move every few years, it is possible to be a jerk at the office. A positive, but especially negative reputation tends to follow you. When you bid on an assignment, the first thing that post is going to do is start reaching out to people they know who might know you. If what they hear is bad, you’re pretty much sunk right from the start, particularly for highly sought after positions. The reverse is also true. I received one of my favorite jobs simply because the hiring officer reached out to a friend of mine and he gave me a good review. If you’re still trying to get in to the Foreign Service, then all of this may be a bit of putting the cart before the horse. However, I know it is something people are interested in and makes up a big part of the FS life. Bidding season is an exciting time and one that many can’t stand, especially the lobbying process. Personally, I think it is kind of fun, but I’ve also had good luck with getting the assignments I wanted. (Also: be careful what you wish for.) * If you’re just starting this process and convinced you are going to end up an ambassador. I’d count on putting that idea aside for the next 20 years and then reassess. Otherwise, work on getting filthy rich and donating to the right campaigns." Image from
Like Summer Itself, These Jobs Will Gone Before You Know It - publicaffairsjobs.blogspot.com: "Here's a heart-of-Summer set of previously noted opportunities closing next week: ... "German Embassy – Public Diplomacy Officer and Website Writer (pdf) – high-level German language skills required – Aug. 1."
My first blog nomination: The Liebster Award! - Life with Ms. Learn: "What a pleasant surprise! Ali from Teaching (Powered by Caffeine) has nominated me for my first bloggy award! So a massive thank you to Ali! ... 1 Random Facts about Myself 1. I'm a gypsy. I've lived in 3 continents, 6 cities all before I was 25. 2. I have two degrees, none in teaching.
My BA was in Mass Communication and Journalism and French, and my MA was in Political Science - Public Diplomacy." Uncaptioned image from entry
RELATED ITEMS
No going back on democracy in Egypt - Editorial, Washington Post: On Thursday, while in Pakistan, Secretary of State John F. Kerry was asked in an interview how the United States — a champion of democracy around the world — can justify supporting Egypt’s military crackdown. Mr. Kerry’s reply was inexplicable. He said, “The military was asked to intervene by millions and millions of people, all of whom were afraid of a descendance into chaos, into violence. And the military did not take over, to the best of our judgment so far. To run the country, there’s a civilian government. In effect, they were restoring democracy.” The White House tells us that the secretary’s statement did not reflect the president’s policy. Good thing, because Mr. Kerry’s remark was careless and dangerous.
The war against al-Qaeda is over - Kenneth Roth, Washington Post: At most, al-Qaeda these days can mount sporadic, isolated attacks, carried out by autonomous or loosely affiliated cells. Some attacks may cause considerable loss of life, but they are nothing like the military operations that define an armed conflict under international law. So why not declare the war against al-Qaeda over?
Ho like Jefferson? Stop spreading the propaganda - Cal Thomas, jsonline.com: On his visit to Washington, D.C., last week, President Truong Tan Sang of Vietnam told President Barack Obama the late revolutionary Ho Chi Minh, was inspired by the U.S. Declaration of Independence and Constitution and the words of Thomas Jefferson. In an ad in The Washington Post, Sang even claimed Jefferson's vision of liberty was the same as Ho's.
Not exactly. According to the U.S. State Department's Vietnam 2012 Human Rights Report: "The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is an authoritarian state ruled by a single party, the Communist Party of Vietnam. ... The most recent National Assembly elections, held in May 2011, were neither free nor fair. Security forces reported to civilian authorities. The most significant human rights problems in the country continued to be severe government restrictions on citizens' political rights, particularly their right to change their government; increased measures to limit citizens' civil liberties; and corruption in the judicial system and police." Does that sound Jeffersonian? Image from article, with caption: President Barack Obama meets with President Truong Tan Sang of Vietnam last week.
The Diplomatic Doldrums: How is the State Department ever going to get a bigger budget if Congress isn’t clear about what it actually does? - Nicholas Kralev, foreignpolicy.com: Members of Congress have a vague idea of what U.S. diplomats are up to, but clearly not enough to justify continuing the current year's funding level. If the State Department wants to see the 2010 enacted budget level of over $56 billion resurrected in the future, it will need to do a better job of explaining to Congress how exactly its work affects Americans at home.
Canada, Mexico become part of U.S. ‘homeland’ during NSA Senate briefing - Andy Radia, ca.news.yahoo.com: American reporters appropriately had a 'wait, what? moment' on Wednesday during a Senate Judiciary committee meeting.
Senator Diane Feinstein, the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, was defending the National Security Agency's top secret spying when she brought out a prop identifying North America — the United States, Canada and Mexico — as the "Homeland." Image from entry, with caption: Picture of the homeland map via the Associated Press
Chinese State Propaganda Compares China Collapse to Soviet Union - Lu Chen, Epoch Times: An article published on the front page of Xinhua, China’s state mouthpiece, on Thursday warned that if “turmoil” ever came to China, it would be worse than the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The reference to turmoil was taken to mean any move to a democratic political system, or the loss of power of the Chinese Communist Party. “Those angles, mentors and well known people who have malicious motives, if you want to provoke turmoil in China by controlling public opinion, you’ll have to step over my body,” the author, Wang Xiaoshi, wrote towards the end of the diatribe. “I won’t let you succeed as long as I live!” Image from article
North Korea: A Propaganda Trip On Steroids: Sky's Mark Stone managed to escape his minders twice on his visit to the secretive and fascinating state - news.sky.com: "I was asked repeatedly to change lines in my reports. When I refused they
said that they would have to report me to their boss and that I was jeopardising any future trips to the country." Image from entry, with caption: Mr Sin and Mr Kim, the North Korean minders
ObamaCare Propaganda —- Hollywood-Style - Ben Shapiro, frontpagemag.com: Back during World War II, Hollywood mobilized at the behest of the Roosevelt administration. The FDR administration even coordinated with Hollywood through the Bureau of Motion Pictures office of the Office of War Information, which worked alongside filmmakers to censor content and develop patriotic fare. Elmer Davis, who directed the OWI, summed up the concept nicely: “The easiest way to inject a propaganda idea into most people’s minds is to let it go through the medium of an entertainment picture when they do not realize that they are being propagandized.”
From John Wayne pictures to classics like Casablanca, war pictures were churned out portraying the Nazis and Japanese as the enemy, and the Russians as American friends. Now, Hollywood has a new enemy: doctors. That, at least, is the takeaway from the Obama administration’s latest coordination effort with its friends and supporters in Hollywood. Image from entry
ONE MORE QUOTATION FOR THE DAY
"err in the direction of kindness."
-- Geophysical engineer turned writer George Saunders, in his convocation speech delivered at Syracuse University for the class of 2013; Saunders image from
AMERICANA
HARD TIMES
"many prostitutes are taking up legitimate side jobs to supplement their income."
--Jane Wells, "Funny business: Sex doesn't always sell well," CNBC
RUSSICA
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RUSSIAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS
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ACADEMIA
Boy who killed family turns up 46 years later as college professor - Mike Robinson, Reuters, usnews.nbcnews.com: A small Illinois university said on Friday it was standing by a long-time psychology professor recently revealed to have shot and killed his father, mother and teenage sister in Texas more than four decades ago, although he was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Millikin University, a Presbyterian school in
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