More On America’s Image
“What’s gone wrong with America’s image and why – reprise 2006″. For more food for thought on this subject there is lot to chew on in WhirledView.
Some excerpts:… “An America that does not understand – and makes little effort to understand – why it has become so unpopular abroad is almost certain to find itself both disliked and ineffective in many parts of the world.
“The W administration response? Convene a new-old committee to draw up a classified list of a dozen target countries most in need of U.S. public diplomacy attention and most of whom anyone with half a brain could identify while taking a shower. Give me a break.
“The GAO, however, suggests other ways the State Department could improve America’s image-burnishing process. This even if only dealing at the margins – until the unilateralist, over-militarized, secrecy-fixated W administration has finally been put to rest in some out of the way cemetery in Crawford, Texas. Please, let’s keep Washington’s National Cathedral and the Capitol Rotunda for people who deserve to be honored by this country.
“Pew provides the evidence, Rieff explains the consequences, the GAO helps explains why.
“While the Pew study is financed and conducted by the private sector, GAO’s was congressionally mandated. Combined, they represent yet more stinging indictments of the Bush administration’s continuing failure to establish a coherent approach to ‘telling America’s story to the world’ in the post 9/11 era. This despite budget increases of 21-28 percent for public diplomacy projects in the Muslim world– especially for increased exchanges of people (mostly from there to here). But the staffing has not kept up with the funding for projects since before Powell left in 2004.
“Rice’s approach is to shift staff – about 28 public diplomacy positions all told – through something cutely labeled ‘transformational diplomacy’ from Europe and Washington, D.C. to the Muslim world, India, China and Latin America.
“In fact, ‘transformational diplomacy’ is a farce. Look at the numbers. There are about 58 Muslim majority countries in the world alone. Add in India, China and most of Latin America and the number of increases in positions Condi plans represents probably between one-quarter and one-half a person per country.
“As the GAO emphasizes, public diplomacy staffs overseas just can’t handle the increased funds and programs. This problem is at its worst in the Muslim world where tours of duty are short, positions are left unfilled because of staff shortages and these shortages are made worse by positions siphoned off to shore up the ill-fated Iraq venture. Further, only 60 to 70 percent of the American officers who fill these positions have even minimum proficiency in the language of the country to which they are assigned. Those there are cooped up in crusader castle embassies with drawbridges up, moats brimming and soldiers guarding the gates.
“Seven strikes and you should be out, but . . .
“In my view, the GAO and Pew 2006 reports demonstrate just one more reason that the dismemberment of the U.S. Information Agency in 1999 was a huge mistake. State has now had almost seven years to get public diplomacy right. Thus far it has failed miserably.”…
As a senior editor (during 1993-1994) with the more than four decades old wellknown SPAN magazine – that was once under the USIS and now the American Embassy in New Delhi, I can understand the point being made here so forcefully.
7 Responses to “More On America’s Image”
Swaraaj, ten thousand more diplomats cannot make a difference in world public opinion. Especially if Bush continues to thrash around the world like a wild wounded elephant. Its deeds, world events, and, media influence that decides world opinion. Diplomats just service it.
pl read again…this also talks of diplomacy beyond diplomats…
…also there is a world beyond media…when once upon a time the American image was great in some countries the media never reflected it…so what the media tends to neglect does not mean that there is no news…
Swaraaj
Once upon a time Briton was great. Once upon a time France was great. Once upon a time Spain was great. Once upon a time Germany was great. The fact that they are not great anymore has absolutely nothing to do with the number of diplomats. Not then, not now, not ever. Besides, we have email now.
It also has nothing to do with how much money we funnel through diplomats to whatever poppycock country salivates over it.
Do you realize how many nations owe their very existance to the United States? May I point out that there is an American world beyond Bush, both now and in the future?
Swaraaj,
Did you make that image yourself? Of the eagle and the American flag I mean?
Freaking beautiful picture man.
Subtopic in the article: Getting The U.S. Message Out Abroad
Oh I think the world has gotten the U S message, loud and clear!
Swaraaj said:
…also there is a world beyond media…when once upon a time the American image was great in some countries the media never reflected it…so what the media tends to neglect does not mean that there is no news…
Swaraaj…who controls the media?
We do, we the people. We have the choice to read, watch, and/or listen to what the media has to say, and accept it, reject it, ignore it, or just flat don’t read, watch or listen to it.
Most of all we can use our own minds to glean the truth and fact from all sources of media reports, figure out from it what is right, what is left unsaid, and or purposfully omitted should the media source be from a government or public source.
Nobody, especially the media needs to inform me that our nation is sick and has a temprature.
All I have to do is look around my neighborhood, my city, my county, and my state to get a read about what’s going on.
I get more news by watching stock prices fluctuate than I ever will from the Wall Street Journal.
And I follow the journalists creed…who, what, where, when, and how, and when I don’t already know, have the god given common sense to ask someone that does know.
This political arena isn’t, ain’t, and never has been rocket science folks.
Its just like when one of us screws up here..when our government screws up..there is sure as hell gonna be some other nation around to point it out to us and give us their opinion(s), just as someone here in this blog lets us know their opinion(s) if we (in their esteemed minds) screw up. And that’s the way it goes and its just politics and differences of opinions….here.
However it can be something entirely different when its nation to nation sic North Korea/U S A, Iraq/U S A, Iran/U S A…need more examples?.