Unfortunately it is overshadowed for me by the mass murder that occured today in Iraq. This time the forces of all that is un-holy in the region managed to kill some police recruits, and a crowd of people in a local market. So far at least 125 are dead and more than that number wounded. Many of them women and children shopping for groceries.
This homicide bombing in Iraq has really gotten to me. None of the people killed today was a Theo van Gogh, Europe will not mourn their passing. None of them will buy a Bushitler t-shit, moveon.org could not care less for them. It is too dangerous to molest children there, the U.N. will stay away. ANSWER, which has none to offer, will ignore this tragedy or better yet blame it on the President. And 20 year old American boys and girls will continue to fight the battle the rest of the cowardly world continues to pretend does not need to be fought.
I can't write about this anymore tonight.
If you want something good to read about the President's trip I highly reccomend this:
U.S. can sit back and watch Europe implode (here are a few excerpts)
Even more remarkably, aside from sticking to his guns in the wider world, the president also found time to cast his eye upon Europe's internal affairs. As he told his audience in Brussels, in the first speech of his tour, ''We must reject anti-Semitism in all forms and we must condemn violence such as that seen in the Netherlands.''
The Euro-bigwigs shuffled their feet and stared coldly into their mistresses' decolletage. They knew Bush wasn't talking about anti-Semitism in Nebraska, but about France, where for three years there's been a sustained campaign of synagogue burning and cemetery desecration, and Germany, where the Berlin police advise Jewish residents not to go out in public wearing any identifying marks of their faith
*****
The new EU ''constitution,'' for example, would be unrecognizable as such to any American. I had the opportunity to talk with former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing on a couple of occasions during his long labors as the self-declared and strictly single Founding Father. He called himself ''Europe's Jefferson,'' and I didn't like to quibble that, constitution-wise, Jefferson was Europe's Jefferson -- that's to say, at the time the U.S. Constitution was drawn up, Thomas Jefferson was living in France. Thus, for Giscard to be Europe's Jefferson, he'd have to be in Des Moines, where he'd be doing far less damage.
******
Until the shape of the new Europe begins to emerge, there's no point picking fights with the terminally ill. The old Europe is dying, and Mr. Bush did the diplomatic equivalent of the Oscar night lifetime-achievement tribute at which the current stars salute a once glamorous old-timer whose fading aura is no threat to them. The 21st century is being built elsewhere.
To the people of Lebanon, I salute you. To the Iraqi and international dregs of humanity killing innocents in Iraq- may you all burn for eternity. To the apologists around the world who would deny the people of Iraq liberty, freedom and peace- may you never need to call on the U.S. to save you from tyranny . To the good people of Iraq, may God bless you and keep you safe until such time as you no longer need fear the murderous scum who the rest of the world prefers to ignore.
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2/28/2005 03:30:00 PM posted by Dr. Demarche
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The Senate Republican Policy Committee released a memo titled “The Truth About U.S. Foreign Assistance” to very little fanfare earlier this week. Coming as it does so late in the game after a UN official made remarks about “stingy” aid it is little wonder that the report did not generate much buzz. A Google News search today returned only two hits: The Washington Times in Embassy Row and the online magazine The Hill. As far as I can tell only one group has come out in clear opposition to the report: Citizens for Global Democracy. Their major bone of contention is that the report includes military assistance as aid under developmental aid; they brand the report “not so much a complete falsehood as a scheming misrepresentation of the truth”. At the risk of this turning into a new-sisyphan length post here is the executive summary (although I recommend reading the whole piece):
Executive Summary
• The United States is the world’s largest donor of official development assistance (ODA).
• U.S. ODA disbursements increased from $10 billion in 2000 to $16 billion in 2003, and are estimated to have increased to $19 billion in 2004. This number does not include the $18 billion in supplemental funding already provided for reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Since 1998, the pattern for the United States has been one of steadily higher annual real increases in ODA disbursements, while most non-U.S. donors trend downward during this same period.
• The United States is the single largest contributor to all of the major international development organizations, including the United Nations itself.
• In order to appreciate the enormity of American charity, one needs to look at the totality of public-, private-, and corporate-sector aid, including nongovernmental organizations and other forms of charity, which contribute nearly $34 billion per year in international assistance annually.
• In 2004, personal remittances, net private investment, and NGO grants, all of which are considered non-trade financial flows, totaled $48 billion, nearly three times the size of U.S. ODA.
• Other crucial components of U.S. non-ODA foreign aid include the hundreds of millions spent annually on providing U.S. military support and assistance during disaster recovery and humanitarian relief missions and the billions of dollars earned by developing nations that have preferential trade access to U.S. markets.
• Arguably, without the U.S. military serving as the world’s “UPS” to deliver humanitarian supplies and soldiers to assist in overseas disaster zones, the international community would be hard pressed to be able to respond as quickly as it has in the past.
• Private American citizens, through a variety of different venues, have donated nearly $700 million to the tsunami relief effort.
This report, for the first time that I have ever seen, clearly and cogently defines exactly what the United States gives to the world in foreign aid, and breaks it down into what is included and excluded when we talk about “official developmental assistance” (ODA). An excellent example of what is not usually included is military assistance, i.e. “the U.S. military serving as the world’s “UPS” to deliver humanitarian supplies and soldiers to assist in overseas disaster zones.” Such use of the military in the recent tsunami relief efforts alone totaled over a quarter of a billion dollars. Remittances, preferential access to U.S. markets and military support (different than military assistance) are other items traditionally excluded from ODA figures. This serves to drastically lower the "official" amount of aid we deliver, making the U.S. look relatively "stingy."
Of all the facts and figures in the report, though, this one is my favorite:
United Nations: In 2004, the U.S. contributed 22 percent of the U.N. budget or $362 million…Germany, France, and the United Kingdom combined spent $343 million or 21 percent.
You just have to love it.
So what are we to do with this report? While critics of U.S. foreign aid correctly point out that we are not meeting the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) standards that stipulate members should devote 0.7 of their gross domestic product (GDP) to development assistance (we currently spend about 0.24 percent of GDP on foreign aid), we are far in front of the world when it comes to real aid dollars. I have no problem increasing the amount of money we contribute to the world, for instance I can think of $362 million that can be rerouted immediately to ODA. Before we expand our aid programs, however, we must work to ensure that this aid is properly utilized. To date it seems that when it comes to ODA we have managed two of the three- official and assistance. It is time to focus on development.
The days of simply sending money out into the world must come to an end. The American people and the recipients of aid must see a quantifiable result. U.S. foreign aid can and should be used as both a carrot and a stick. We should be willing to assist our friends and those nations sincere in establishing and maintaining free and democratic societies, and withhold aid from those who are not. We should be prepared to measure the effects our dollars are having, and do so regularly. We need to face the fact that we will not always succeed, and will perhaps from time to time have to end aid projects that do not bear fruit. Careful attention will have to be paid to ensure that we are not creating dependency in the countries who receive our aid, but rather that we are helping them to help themselves by creating new markets and suppliers for the world economy.
I don’t have the answers as to how exactly we can do all of this- but I know those answers are out there. I also know that the current aid programs in place are largely ineffective- their continued existence and the growth in aid that we are so proud of is the clearest indicator that we are failing miserably. The goal of any aid program should not be to increase current aid spending from $1 billion to $5 billion, but the exact opposite. An effective aid program should put itself out of business, quickly and efficiently every time, leaving behind an organic form of self help.
The President’s Millennium Challenge Account is one good example of the type of reform that foreign aid needs. In the words of the President:
“We must tie greater aid to political and legal and economic reforms. And by insisting on reform, we do the work of compassion. The United States will lead by example. I have proposed a 50-percent increase in our core development assistance over the next three budget years. Eventually, this will mean a $5 billion annual increase over current levels.
These new funds will go into a new Millennium Challenge Account, devoted to projects in nations that govern justly, invest in their people, and encourage economic freedom.”
I salute the President for his efforts to help the people of the world, and to focus on assisting those who share our dream of a more just world. But I would like to remind the President, the Congress and the directors of the Millenium Challenge Account that each and every one of those billions of dollars was generated by an American worker, and to date many of us are less than pleased with the results we have seen from the spending of our hard earned money. Let's redefine our foreign aid goals and pursue them with all the might and focus we can generate.
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2/27/2005 11:07:00 AM posted by Dr. Demarche
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This Travel Warning is being issued to inform American citizens that the Department of State has lifted the authorized departure status of non-emergency American employees and adult family members of all employees at the U.S. Embassy in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. However, the Department continues to prohibit minor dependents from accompanying U.S. government employees there. The Department alerts U.S. citizens to ongoing safety and security concerns in Cote d'Ivoire and urges them to defer non-essential travel to that country. This supersedes the Travel Warning of December 3, 2004.
Now, this is good information. But what if I have no choice, I have to go to Abidjan soon and I want something a little more concrete? Like, how can I order a beer there for the gentleman at the bar who might otherwise be inclined to do me bodily harm? I mean, really, who wants to be the ugly American?
No problem, help is here, courtesy of All About Beer magazine and a reader who took note of my mention that unlike Smiley with his appletinis, I am a beer drinker. This excellent reader sent me a list of the phrase “one beer, please” in 28 different tongues- good luck pronouncing some of these:
Chinese: (Cantonese) Ng goi bei bear jou.
Chinese: (Mandarin) Ching gai wor e ping pea jou.
Czech/Slovak: Jedno pivo prosim.
Danish: En øl tak
Dutch: Een bier alstublieft.
Flemish: Een pintje alstublief.
Afrikaans: Een pintje asseblief.
Finnish: Yksi olut, kiitos.
French: Une bière. S’il vous plait.
Gaelic: Pionta beoir abhain led do thuil.
German: Ein bier bitte.
Greek: Mia beera parakolo.
Hindi: Ek beer deejiya.
Hungarian: Egy sört kérek.
Icelandic: Einn bjor takk.
Italian: Una birra, per favore.
Japanese: Birru o ippon kudasai.
Korean: Magjoo hanna Juse-yo.
Latin: Unam cerevisiam si placet.
Norwegian: En øl takk.
Polish: Jedno pivo prosze.
Portugese: Uma cerveja por favor.
Russian: Odno pivo pozhaluista.
Spanish: Una cerveza por favor.
Swahili: Pombi moja tafadhali.
Swedish: En öl tak.
Tagaolog: Isang beer nga.
Thai: Khor beer neung khoud, krup (change krup to ka if you are a female).
Remember folks, everytime you leave the country you are the face of America. So drink responsibly, tip the bartender and try to order at least one beer in the local language!
Cheers!
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2/26/2005 06:38:00 AM posted by Dr. Demarche
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To this end I try to keep up with the writings of the faithful opposition, which lead me to Common Dreams today, a site which bills itself as "Breaking News & Views for the Progressive Community." I found a piece there by Juan Cole (professor of modern Middle Eastern and North African studies at the University of Michigan) that was originally published in the L.A. Times, titled "The Downside of Democracy: What if the U.S. doesn't like what the voters like in the Mideast and beyond?" An excellent question, one with which I have struggled myself. The Iraqis could very well elect a mullahcrocy, if not now then in the near future. As Mr. Cole asks:
...What if the newly elected regimes are friendly to states and groups that Washington considers enemies? What if the spread of democracy through the region empowers elements that don't share American values and goals?
As I read the beginning of this article I thought that today was the day, at last, where I would find what I have long yearned for- a legitimate contribution from the left, no whining, no brow-beating, but a useful piece of thinking that might help America, Iraq and our allies move forward. Of course, I was let down once again. Mr. Cole abandoned his opportunity to be part of the solution with the rest of the article between that beginning and the conclusion:
Are such outcomes acceptable to the Bush administration? If not, how will it respond? Given the war on terror, it is unlikely to simply take these electoral setbacks lying down.
But if Washington falls back on its traditional responses -- covert operations, attempts to interfere in parliamentary votes with threats or bribes, or dependence on strong men like Musharraf -- the people of the Middle East might well explode, because the only thing worse than living under a dictatorship is being promised a democracy and then not really getting it.
He is completely correct it would indeed be disastrous should democracy fail in the ME and his scenario come to pass. But why is that the only scenario he can imagine? Where is the learned recommendation on how to avoid that very situation? Why does such an excellent, thought provoking question peter out into the assumption that our only possible response is violence and coercion? While very disappointed, I nevertheless decided to check out Professor Cole's blog Informed Comment, where I found If America were Iraq, What would it be Like?. This is another excellent question, but once again there are no answers. Perhaps the professor simply prefers the Socratic Method. Regardless, I was drawn back to the question that started this piece. What will we do if democratically elected Islamic republics arise in the Middle East?
As I see it we have two options:
1. Accept them and establish diplomatic relations.
2. Oppose them and marginalize them.
If we are sincere about democracy in the Middle East we must pursue option number one. But we must also recall that democracy is only part of the equation. Freedom is the second state of being we are hoping to establish in the region. This is precisely the concept that many of our colleagues on the left have the hardest time dealing with. We want to see democratically elected governments that guarantee freedom for the people of their nation- not some of the people, not just one gender or religion, but all of the people of the nation. Freedom to form opposition parties and to voice opinions, to run for office and if elected to serve, the very freedoms that those on the left like to loudly proclaim are being lost in America while the blinding irony of the fact that they disprove this idea every time they loudly kvetch about the party in power goes right over their heads.
Bearing this theme in mind, then, I once again have a challenge for our readers; something to do over the weekend. I invite and encourage all of you to answer the good professor's questions posed above (repeated here):
What if the newly elected regimes are friendly to states and groups that Washington considers enemies? What if the spread of democracy through the region empowers elements that don't share American values and goals?
Look forward twenty years or so, imagine a ME where Iraq has elected a Shia government along the lines of Iran. Let your imaginations run wild. In other words, be part of the solution, not the problem. I have my own ideas, which I'll share soon, but I am interested in seeing what you all think.
I look forward to reading your responses. Feel free to email them to me (see right hand frame for address), or to post them at My Blog is Your Blog if they are too long for the comment section, and leave a commen linking to your post, or just break them into chunks for commenting. If you do e-mail a response please let me know if I can post your name, e-mail and homepage when I run the updates. If you post a response on your own blog please link back to this piece and leave a comment here letting us all know. Hopefully we'll get some interaction form the other side of the aisle. Maybe even Professor Cole will chime in. But I doubt it.
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2/25/2005 09:29:00 AM posted by Dr. Demarche
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You say you want a revolution
Well you know
We all want to change the world ~ The Beatles
The events in Lebanon over the last few weeks have been astounding to witness. The assassination of former PM Hariri has unified the anti-Syrian populace, and brought together disparate portions of the Arab population in the region like nothing before. As one protestor phrased it:
"It is the beginning of a new Arab revolution," argues Samir Franjieh, one of the organizers of the opposition. "It's the first time a whole Arab society is seeking change -- Christians and Muslims, men and women, rich and poor."
I have no doubt that the murder of Hariri provided an excellent focal point for the long-suffering people of Lebanon. But it takes more than focus to convince people to unite and face a very real threat. It takes hope. And where, pray tell, did hope come from for the Lebanese? Read on:
"It's strange for me to say it, but this process of change has started because of the American invasion of Iraq," explains Jumblatt. "I was cynical about Iraq. But when I saw the Iraqi people voting three weeks ago, 8 million of them, it was the start of a new Arab world." Jumblatt says this spark of democratic revolt is spreading. "The Syrian people, the Egyptian people, all say that something is changing. The Berlin Wall has fallen. We can see it."
As the President visits Europe this week, this is the message that he and his team should be spreading. Things are changing. The static malaise that has shrouded the Middle East for so long is being shaken off. Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya (sort of) and now Lebanon, which can only have a trickle down effect on Syria and then Iran. As the president has said so often, freedom is on the march.
Of course there are those in the ME who oppose this idea, and in fact go so far as to equate the new liberals in the Arab world with the terrorists who have held the region down for decades:
"… The Arab arena has recently experienced a new group of extremists [who are] more dangerous to the Arabs than the fanatic fundamentalists. [There are] few differences between the old and new kinds [of extremists]: the new [extremists] do anything they want throughout the world, and gain respect and esteem, while the other kind hide in caves in Afghanistan and languish in the darkness of the jails; the first [kind] wear new suits and Western clothes, [while] the old [kind] are clad in Arab robes, Afghan clothes, and hats. In addition, [the second kind grow] long beards, while the new extremists are clean-shaven."
As the peoples of the world struggle to move forward those who would oppress them for their own gain, or out of race hatred, remain stuck in the past. From a recent Hizbollah rally:
Hassan Nasrallah: "We consider it [America] to be an enemy because it wants to humiliate our governments, our regimes, and our peoples. Because it is the greatest plunderer our treasures, our oil, and our resources, while millions in our nation suffer unemployment, poverty, hunger, unmarriagability, ignorance, darkness, and so on. America… This American administration is an enemy. Our motto, which we are not afraid to repeat year after year, is: 'Death to America.'"
Crowd: "Death to America"
"Death to America"
"Death to America"
"Death to America"
"Death to America"
"Death to America"
The last time there was this much flux in the ME and we heard chants like that we lost an Embassy in Iran. Today we read about blogs in Iran, and the growing support for freedom of expression. With a median age of 23.5 years and a majority of the population under 30, today’s youth in Iran are a far cry from the generation that stormed the gates in 1979. According to Der Spiegel:
They watch TV from all over the world, even though satellite connections are illegal, download pop music from the internet, and order banned American movies from overseas relatives. They drink alcohol. And their drug parties are no less wild than those in Berlin or New York.Tehran lives with every extreme. Drugs, AIDS and prostitution have become a mass phenomenon in a country that likes to see itself as a model for the Islamic world.
In short, they are fed up with the mullahcrocy. They are ready for a revolution, but for one ingredient. Hope. We know they are watching TV, and listening to the radio, and surfing the net. If the MSM truly wants the Bush administration to avoid bloodshed in Iran (or at least American lead bloodshed) they can help by getting out the message: your wall has fallen. Arabs are ready for democracy, and the world will support you.
The conditions for revolution in Iran are ripe. If the rest of the world, and particularly the moderate Arab world, can supply hope, we might yet see a democratic miracle in Iran. This is the challenge for diplomats around the world, and the clock is ticking.
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2/23/2005 04:22:00 AM posted by Dr. Demarche
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Beware the Law of Unintended Consequences
In this piece from the Miami Herald the author puts forth the idea that the murder of Hariri may be the catalyst that will bring France and the United States together again with a common cause:
The law of Unintended Consequences warns us to expect the unexpected. Prepare, then, for the unexpected to take shape as the shockwaves pushing out from the smoldering crater in Beirut recast crucial relationships around the world. Whoever orchestrated Hariri's assassination imagined the explosive event would produce results in accordance with a master plan. It is unlikely, however, that the master plan included strengthening the bonds between the United States and France. But closer ties between Paris and Washington will undoubtedly result from the Hariri murder.
The killing of Chirac's good friend comes at a key moment in relations between Washington and Paris. With both countries looking for ways to heal the wounds from the disagreement over the Iraq war, working together to push Syria out and bring stability to Lebanon provide the perfect setting to build a new, respectful relationship. This time, both players have lead roles. France, Lebanon's and Syria's former colonial ruler, has a key cultural and political relationship with the region, making it the ideal partner to work with the United States.
I have to admit that this never even crossed my mind. Could it possibly be true? Well, there is no doubt that Chirac felt the loss of his friend deeply and personally, he is in Beirut today to offer his condolences to Hariri’s family in person.
"This abominable crime, which belonged to another era and of which Rafik al-Hariri was the victim, has evoked the horror and consternation of the whole international community," Mr Chirac told reporters.
The Lebanese have seized on the killing and funeral as the focal point for a renewed push against Syria. According to press accounts, the people of Lebanon were moved by Chirac’s appearance and very vocal. I found this on the appearance of Chirac at the funeral:
The dignitaries were surrounded by heavily armed police holding back hundreds of chanting Hariri supporters, who shouted, "Syria out, Syria out" before singing Lebanon's national anthem. Chirac got a rousing round of applause from the crowd, who yelled "Vive Chirac, Vive France."
If the assassination of Hariri is what Tom Friedamn interprets it to be, a declaration from Syria that they are ready to play by “Hama Rules” over the occupation of Lebanon, then a cohesive front between the U.S. and France will be vital :
Message from the Syrian regime to Washington, Paris and Lebanon's opposition: "You want to play here, you'd better be ready to play by Hama Rules - and Hama Rules are no rules at all. You want to squeeze us with Iraq on one side and the Lebanese opposition on the other, you'd better be able to put more than U.N. resolutions on the table. You'd better be ready to go all the way - because we will. But you Americans are exhausted by Iraq, and you Lebanese don't have the guts to stand up to us, and you French make a mean croissant but you've got no Hama Rules in your arsenal. So remember, we blow up prime ministers here. We shoot journalists. We fire on the Red Cross. We leveled one of our own cities. You want to play by Hama Rules, let's see what you've got. Otherwise, hasta la vista, baby."
The UN, at the urging of the US and France and with Hariri’s support recently passed Resolution 1559 calling for the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon. The core of the resolution follows:
“1. Reaffirms its call for the strict respect of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity, and political independence of Lebanon under the sole and exclusive authority of the Government of Lebanon throughout Lebanon;
“2. Calls upon all remaining foreign forces to withdraw from Lebanon;
“3. Calls for the disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias;
“4. Supports the extension of the control of the Government of Lebanon over all Lebanese territory;
“5. Declares its support for a free and fair electoral process in Lebanon’s upcoming presidential election conducted according to Lebanese constitutional rules devised without foreign interference or influence;
“6. Calls upon all parties concerned to cooperate fully and urgently with the Security Council for the full implementation of this and all relevant resolutions concerning the restoration of the territorial integrity, full sovereignty, and political independence of Lebanon;
“7. Requests that the Secretary-General report to the Security Council within thirty days on the implementation by the parties of this resolution and decides to remain actively seized of this matter.”
Could this, then, be the event that allows both the U.S. and France to finally shake off the disagreement over Iraq? The United States has demonstrated that we are sincere in our desire to bring democracy to the Middle East, and the brave voters of Iraq demonstrated that they are ready to participate. France stood up for what it believes in when it opposed the invasion of Iraq, but seems to have shown a willingness to move forward, especially in light of the elections. SecState Rice was received warmly in France and in general it appears that the Europeans are at least resigned to the current administration. Coupled with the Euro lead in dealing diplomatically with Iran, the murder of Hariri could indeed prove to be the straw that bridged the rift between the US and France, and with that the rest of the EU.
If this crime does become a catalyst to bring the US and France, and ultimately the EU, together in the ongoing struggle against terrorists and the regimes that support them, and as a result spread democracy and liberty, than Hariri and the others who died in the blast will not have died in vain. It is a shame that it may have taken the death of a friend of Chirac’s to bring the French around, that the suffering of the Iraqi people under Saddam was not enough to produce more than countless resolutions, but it took the death of one man in the Netherlands to shake the Dutch from their complacency.
We should welcome the French and the rest of the EU if they decide that Syria is the place where they decide to take a stand, but we must also continue to remind them that even in the countries where they do not have personal friends, people deserve freedom and liberty as well.
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2/17/2005 03:35:00 PM posted by Dr. Demarche
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On Valentines Day he posted a column at Town Hall entitled “Condi’s tough road ahead.” In this piece he made much of two issues: a 2003 report on democracy and dominoes in the Middle East and his all time favorite theme, visa issuance, in support of his theme that State is filled with people who are willing to sell out America in order to prove the Bush doctrine wrong.
Regarding the report (which I have not seen) Mowbray says the following:
Sometimes, though, State battles Bush more directly. On February 26, 2003, the State Department released a report—which was leaked to the LA Times—called “Democracy Domino Theory: Not Credible.” On the same day, Bush laid out his vision for, well, a democracy domino theory in the Arab world.
A simple Google search for the article from the LA Times revealed that the title of the report in question is actually "Iraq, the Middle East and Change: No Dominoes", while “Democracy Domino Theory: Not Credible” is the title of the L.A. Times article. Mowbray made the same mistake last June when he referred to the report by the title of the L.A. Times article, in not one article, but two. One has to wonder, did he even read the L.A. Times article?
Based only on my own reading of the Mowbray piece and the L.A. Times article I have defend the writers of the report. If the research and analysis that they completed led to the conclusions that "Liberal democracy would be difficult to achieve," and "Electoral democracy, were it to emerge, could well be subject to exploitation by anti-American elements" than it is their duty to report that. Policy makers than must take the report into account when considering their options. Such reports are meant to provide background and analysis, not to rubber-stamp anyone’s plan or central idea.
Who in their right mind thought liberal democracy would be easy to achieve, anyway? I never heard the President or any other elected official state that. As for exploitation by anti-American elements, that is always the risk with electoral democracies. We are looking to establish democracies, not puppets. Once democracy is established it is up to us to work to overcome anti-American sentiments.
When it comes to Consular Affairs Mowbray has long had it in for the Bureau of Consular Affairs and Assistant Secretary Maura Harty. From the Town Hall piece referenced at the top:
But on her most important task—preventing terrorists from again exploiting ridiculously lax visa polcies—Harty has failed. Consular training has not been beefed up, and her subordinates at Consular Affairs still believe the customer they serve is foreign visa applicants. Worst of all, the country that sent us 15 of 19 terrorists still receives the red carpet treatment. Nearly 90% of all Saudi nationals applying for visas receive them—a far higher figure than almost anywhere else in the Arab world.
I have no idea what the issuance rate is in Saudi Arabia, he may be correct on that point. The rest of that paragraph, however, is hogwash. No one, not a single Consular officer, believes that serving visa applicants is more important than weeding out the bad guys. Consular staff numbers have increased and training has been greatly expanded. I urge you to read the “Statement of Maura Harty to the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon The United States” for a glimpse at how A/S Harty and Consular Affairs view the role of consular work in the war on terror.
I would also remind Mr. Mowbray and the rest of the world that Consular Affairs (CA) and Consular officers, especially in the non-immigrant visa (NIV) sections around the world, work within a framework of laws established by the Congress and validated by the President. These very same members of Congress put unbelievable pressure on Consular officer around the world to issue visas important to their constituents- to the point that you can find form letters to get help with visa problems on some Congressional web sites (of course some are better than others). It is drilled into each and every FSO that relations with Congress (the keepers of the purse) are vital, as a result many officers are loath to deny a visa case that a Congressman has asked for assistance in. This is one of the dirty little secrets of the NIV world, and should be the real target of “investigative journalists” like Mowbray. If the immigration system is broken (and I think it largely is) it is the lawmakers that are to blame.
I challenge Mr. Mowbray to offer some constructive criticism, an idea or two, that CA could pursue to tighten visa security if he wants to continue to push for reform at State. He is certainly free to express his opinions; he is after all an opinion columnist. I for one, however, would like to see some evidence that he is researching his pieces and perhaps a little less vitriol. Smiley and I refer to ourselves as part of the Republican Underground, but when we do so we are not implying that there is an element in the Department of State which is actively countering the President. Are there those who did not vote for the President? Sure there are. Is there opposition to some policies? Without a doubt, even I don’t blindly follow the lead of the President. Is that healthy? How could it not be?
We are not supposed to be an echo chamber for the administration. Occasionally we are going to offer opinions that differ from what the White House expects. That is what they pay us to do. I have yet to meet anyone in this job, from a blue state or a red state, who does not care deeply for the United States of America. You couldn’t do this job if that were the case. Mr. Mowbray has made his name and reputation as an outspoken, even shrill, detractor of the State Department. UNfortunatelt he has been beating the same drum for so long he now sounds like any other extremist. The time for sloganeering and pandering to the "blame it on State" crowd is past. What we need now are fresh ideas and legitimate, constructive criticism. Mr. Mowbray, can you deliver?
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2/16/2005 02:26:00 PM posted by Dr. Demarche
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Anti-Americanism: A Sample (not really a news site, but interesting)
Supposedly, even sane people carry in small doses the symptoms of various mental disorders. The hidden masochist in me made me collect anti-Americanisms for quite some time. In doing so I concentrated on the printed specimens that reflect popular sentiment in Europe. What ultimately matters in democracies is what the "people" believe. In the case of dictatorships the sentiments of the masses do not matter: one has to inquire about what the elites think. In both cases, the image projected by the printed media, whether controlled or not, also requires attention.
Tabloid Is Anti-Americanism for Dummies
What exactly is an anti-American "primaire"? Well, one way to translate it is "anti-Americanism for dummies." The question is, who are the dummies? Not the 10 freelance journalists who write the articles that live in the house that Mr. Royer built! They are clever anti-American Frenchmen making fun of ordinary French people who make fun of Americans in that simple ordinary way that's so funny if you just get the joke. By the way, is Mr. Royer pro-Chirac? No. And if President Bush had won with an 80% margin like Mr. Chirac, would the remaining 20% of redeemable Americans voters be worth saving? He didn't see what I meant by that. But he has nothing against the French people - 80% - who voted for Mr. Chirac.
Australian PM's accusation of EU anti-Americanism draws French ire (I love the Aussies!)
PARIS : An accusation by Australian Prime Minister John Howard that France was guilty of lingering "anti-Americanism" drew sharp words from Paris during a visit by the Australian foreign minister.
French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier, standing next to his Australian counterpart Alexander Downer, told journalists he was "very, very surprised" to hear Howard's remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on the weekend.
Fashionable anti-Americanism
Ritual condemnation of the USA has been la tendance du jour since the Mayflower hauled anchor at Plymouth in 1620. But mankind has advanced some over the past four centuries: nowadays, taking pot-shots at the United States is a booming multi-billion dollar industry, and one my bank manager is keen I invest in.
Regrettably, however, I can't indulge in the unceasing chorus of Yank-bashing. My financial balance suffers for it, but I'm what's known in intellectual circles as an "Americaphile". I told this to an American pal who'd taken shore leave on a recent trip past Europe. "Oh, so you're the one," he grinned.
Sure it's fiction. But many Turks see fact in anti-US novel.
ISTANBUL, TURKEY The year is 2007. After a clash with Turkish forces in northern Iraq, US troops stage a surprise attack. Reeling, Turkey turns to Russia and the European Union, who turn back the American onslaught.
This is the plot of "Metal Storm," one of the fastest- selling books in Turkish history. The book is clearly sold as fiction, but its premise has entered Turkey's public discourse in a way that sometimes seems to blur the line between fantasy and reality
U.S. Companies Rethinking Their Marketing in Europe
American multinationals are less than enthusiastic about discussing how they have subtly changed their images in response to current political realities. Mr. Courtois and his deputy, Wilfried Grommen, the European general manager for business strategy, were unavailable for interviews.
"No U.S. company wants to admit that they are downplaying their heritage. That could be suicidal at home in the current political climate," said Nick Wreden, an American brand consultant based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, who wrote a book called "FusionBranding."
OK, I am going to comment on the last one. This frankly annoys me in a very serious manner. These companies could just as easily promote America as try to pretend they are not American. In the article there is reference to Starbucks in Germany using German landmarks on their mugs. That is fine, but why not use something that demonstrates the ties between Germany and America? How about the Brandenburg Gate over the phrase "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" (An aside: I visited Berlin not too long ago and there is a Starbucks maybe 100 yards into what was the east side of the Brandenburg Gate. Anyone standing where that shop is now when Reagan gave that speech would have been able to hear him. I think that is really cool.) Uggh. Just my two cents for today.
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2/15/2005 02:22:00 PM posted by Dr. Demarche
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Thanks for all the comments and e-mail. Earlier this week I got a great e-mail from "Rurik- the Poet Lariat" entitled "The international situation gets verse". He sent me a spoof on the UN set to the tune of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" - it's posted below. This inspired me to see how creative our readership is. Here is the challenge: post a poem, song spoof, limerick, haiku whatever about the UN or any international affair or topic you like and we'll pick a winner. I can't really send out a prize, this being an anonymous site and all, but we'll figure out some way to reward the winner. The rules are as follows: it has to fit in a single comments space (i.e. 1000 characters or less) and has to be more or less profanity free, just use your own judgment. Contest ends on 28 February. Oh, and pUNs are acceptable too (sorry, couldn't resist).
The Twelve Days of Annanzaa
On the first day of Annanzaa the UN gave to me
A sniper in a palm tree.
On the second day of Annanzaa the UN gave to me
Two pseudo-doves
And a sniper in a palm tree.
Twelve Countries bumming
Eleven gripers griping
Ten spies a-peeping
Nine peace-keepers sleeping
Eight agencies milking
Seven inspectors skimming
Six commissioners preying
Five bribery rings
Four brawling Kurds
Three false friends
Two pseudo-doves
And a sniper in a palm tree.
- The Poet Lariat
If you think this is a lynching, it only gets verse.
End of post.
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2/15/2005 01:25:00 PM posted by Dr. Demarche
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To Abba Eban, the late great Israeli statesman and diplomat, we owe the rediscovery of the following statement which he attributes to President Jefferson: "For two years we have not heard from our ambassador in Spain; if we again do not hear from him this year, we should write him a letter"[2]. Many things have changed in diplomacy since then. And yet, the diplomat's craft[3] has an astounding potential for survival. Its more or less imminent death has been predicted many times, mostly in the context of revolutions in communications technology. Today, of course, we think of the World Wide Web and its consequences for a profession, which relies so much on words and knowledge management. But in all likelihood the advent of the telegraph was even more decisive. When the first dispatch sent by cable reached his desk in Whitehall, Lord Palmerston is reported to have exclaimed: "This is the end of diplomacy". Similarly, Queen Victoria, when consulted whether the British Legation in Rome should be elevated to the status of full Embassy, is said to have immediately rejected this proposal because, in her assessment, given the new telecommunication techniques, the time for ambassadors, their pretensions and privileges were definitely over. [4] Here, of course, Her Majesty was wrong.
Communications around the globe have of course improved dramatically since President Jefferson and Lord Palmerston's day (although we still speak of "cables" and send "telegrams"). But what can we expect from diplomacy in the information age? The author does a fairly good job of describing how diplomats can use technology to stay plugged in to the world around them, and to instantly reach out to colleagues and contacts around the clock and around the world. There are a few topics in the paper, though, relating to Information Technology (IT) that I take serious issue with. Consider the following:
Internet as information tool for the diplomat (emphasis added):
Today it has become quite standard for the modern diplomat to have a tailor made mosaic consisting of the web sites of different national and international news agencies on his or her computer desktop or laptop and to consult them first thing in the morning. Secondly, every diplomat needs to have the homepages of all organisations and institutions, relevant for his work, ready on her or his list of "favourites". Diplomats today will be electronically connected with colleagues all over the world and thus can quickly and informally gather important information. A tremendous shift in the main focus of diplomatic work occurs: no more factual reporting, no tele-copying of documents that in former times would have been obtained only after using a lot of diplomatic charm on some insider. Internet access increases the amount of information readily available. However, this information needs to be sorted and also be put in context. Factual reporting is best left to the public media. Diplomacy, even more than it has done hitherto, must concentrate on in depth analysis and drafting recommendations for action and reaction.
This paper is, of course, written by a European. No American diplomat (I hope) would ever seriously imply that we abandon factual reporting in favor of the media. Which media source are we to rely on? I suppose we could trust the New York Times as the "Paper of Record", no, wait, I forgot about this and this. Ok, maybe the Washington Post? Oh no, there was this. Maybe the Boston Globe. Whoops, this cancels that idea. Surely we can trust CNN, or maybe CBS? Well, maybe not. I would argue that in the information age diplomats must focus on factual reporting more than ever. What we really need, however, is to ween ourselves from the 24 hour news feed and acting on the speculation of some hackneyed "journalist" looking for a scoop.
The author next examines the manner in which various IT innovations should ease the internal processes of diplomacy. Many of the areas he addresses are indeed in place and very effective:
- direct contacts between all officers,
- development of an informal reporting style;
- teamwork: officers can, independently from their geographic location, work together on a report to the minister, a draft statement, a position paper.
I am not certain that these innovations have been instrumental in "speeding up the decision making process", however, but that might just be growing pains as officers less inclined to use new technology retire and are replaced with officers for whom e-mail is the staff of life. The author also discusses the benefits of hyperlinks and web-sites, and I find him to be spot on in his anticipation of the best possible use of these resources, especially when he says:
Web-sites assume an important function in the "representation" of a country, one of the traditional functions of diplomacy. Web-sites need to be professionally developed and maintained. There has to be close co-ordination of the ministry's central web-site and those of missions abroad to prevent contradictions and in order to demonstrate corporate identity
I think the author may have seriously misjudged the current potential for IT, however, in the area of "Negotiating per Internet." He lists advantages ( and I agree with all of them: concentration on content, clarity, lucidity of formulation, less misunderstandings, transparency, easy to maintain record of proposals , etc) and preconditions, but does not really examine the likelihood of these conditions being met. His first two pre-conditions alone are the death knell of this idea:
"partners must share a common view on the purpose of the negotiations and the time frame; [and] ground-rules need to be established (who are the active negotiating partners? with whom can you share the text? who establishes the final text?)"
So where am I going with this? Back to my current favorite topic: Public Diplomacy. The referenced paper is much more wide ranging than I have alluded to. But it all comes down to this for me (emphasis added):
Many of the above mentioned developments (the nexus between diplomacy and internal politics, the broadening of issues to be dealt with by diplomats, the communication revolution and others) have helped to give prominence to a rather new concept in foreign relations: public diplomacy[27]. The diplomat today is above all a communicator and mediator of positions of his/her own country vis-à-vis all sections of the politically informed public in the host country. The main business is no longer discreet and confidential dealings with the foreign ministry of the host country but public diplomacy aimed at explaining and canvassing support for positions among government circles, parliament, the political parties, the business community, the social partners, the media and representatives of academic and cultural life. For this the diplomat must build up and cultivate a dense and stable network of contacts in all areas of society with a view to becoming actively involved in shaping public opinion in the host country.
I know that some of our readers have their doubts about the efficacy of Public Diplomacy. I see it as the best and brightest hope for American diplomacy. While I am not convinced that PD in it's current form works as well as it could, I do know that there are officers out there in some of the smaller consulates, who are doing amazing things. They are addressing small groups, exposing the host country population to living, breathing representatives of the United States. These officers are what the military calls "force multipliers." They require little in the way of resources and achieve tremendous "bang for the buck." As I have said in previous posts, I think we should all have an aspect of PD in our jobs.
The question is how do we get there? I was somewhat surprised when I reached the end of the report to find that I could not agree more with the author when he asked "What qualifications does the 21st century diplomat need?" and answered himself as follows:
· a pluridisciplinary education;
· linguistic skills;
· patience to listen and observe;
· proficiency in intercultural communication;
· sensitivity to socio-cultural differences;
· feeling comfortable with the latest communications technologies;
· ability to perform at ease in public;
· free of elitism[40];
· service orientation;
· a high level of tolerance;
· neither a "softie" nor the "elbow type";
· readiness for life-long learning, mid career training;
· stress resistance, coolness in crises;
· management skills;
· ability to work in teams; collaborator instead of competitor;
· a keen interest in global issues.
The future is now, and as the dinosaurs of American diplomacy retire the younger generations of officers and staff are going to have to make their voices heard. We need to take a good hard look at the tools we have at our disposal, and out failure to get our message heard. If Euorozone diplomatic recruiting and training is moving in this direction this might be one area where we can learn from our European colleagues.
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2/13/2005 02:20:00 PM posted by Dr. Demarche
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United Nations peace keepers stationed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been banned from having sex with local residents as a result of allegations of widespread sexual abuse of women and girls by peace keepers. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan sent a letter to the Security Council requesting a curfew and 100 more military police to monitor the abuse.
I can't even make fun of this. I am too sickened. Mr. Annan is, of course, "deeply shocked and outraged:"
At least seven cases of sexual exploitation and abuse have been substantiated against peace keepers serving in Bunia, in north-eastern Congo, where the UN is helping the country to recover from years of conflict. Children as young as 12 have been bribed with eggs, milk or a few dollars in exchange for sex, according to UN reports.
Deeply shocked and outraged? Are you kidding me? We are talking about 12 year olds who are starving to death and are being used for sex in exchange for a glass of milk. 20/20 is reporting that a UN official is running an internet pedophilia ring from the Congo. Luckily for the children of the Congo, Annan has announced a "zero tolerance policy." Zero tolerance of what? Pedophilia? Trading humanitarian food stuffs for sex? Or embarrassing the embattled Koffi Annan? A question Mr. Annan- do you really think a man who trades food for sex with starving children gives a rat's ass about your policy? Nobody in the UN cares about these kids- they want to protect their gravy train, period.
"Annan is having a tough time, especially in Washington, where his grip and management is being questioned," said a Western diplomat. "It is important that Annan shows that he is on top of things."
Mothers in Iraq should know how lucky they are that the UN pulled out of their country.
This has to be it got Annan and the UN. They are abusing children, who knows how many, that are counting on the UN for food and water, for the very basics of life.
I can't even write about this anymore tonight. I seriously think I might be sick. Search it on Google if you want to read more.
End of post. Hopefully the end of the UN.
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2/11/2005 03:28:00 PM posted by Dr. Demarche
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Is there another Eisenhower in this generation, or another McCain? I am not talking about the general officers and colonels of today, but about the lieutenants and captains, the privates, corporals and sergeants. Will we see these men and women again in twenty or thirty years (or sooner), as they climb onto the stage of national power? I certainly hope so, and I am confident we will. Many of the veterans of these conflicts have already emerged in the blogosphere, such as the amazing Armor Geddon. They are already making their voices heard.
I have never served in the military. I tried two years of Army ROTC in college and that was enough to convince me to seek other ways to serve. Everyday when I walk into the Embassy and see the Marine Security Guards, or the Defense Attaché’s Office staff I wonder if I made the right choice. There is something innately comforting about seeing that Marine first thing in the morning, and knowing that the Ambassador has a professional military staff to advise and guide his decisions.
We will need the veterans of the war on terror in place ready to serve again in the future. It may be unfair to ask of them, but America has always had warriors transition into politics. To quote General George Washington:
“When we assumed the soldier, we did not lay aside the citizen.”
We need reminders that war really is hell, that our freedom truly is not free, and that even though it may be necessary going to war must be weighed carefully- we need men like Senator John McCain who survived and persevered and emerged to lead and can be counted on to provide a voice of reason.
To our veterans returning: thank you, thank you, thank you. I wish you and your families well, and hope that you are successful in whatever endeavors you pursue. I only ask that you not recede entirely in to the lives you may once have had, but keep an eye on America. She will need you once again, at some point. Whether you are a Republican or Democrat or Independent, you are a large part of the future of American leadership, and I look forward to meeting you again someday, as you amswer the call again.
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2/11/2005 02:19:00 PM posted by Dr. Demarche
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Strong words alone will not dislodge an entrenched dictator like Hosni Mubarak. Obviously we're not going to send the 3rd Infantry Division to achieve regime change in Cairo. How, then, is Bush going to back up his demand for democracy? Here's a modest proposal: Reduce or eliminate altogether the $2-billion annual U.S. subsidy to Egypt unless there's real economic and political progress.
Since 1975, Washington has provided Cairo more than $50 billion in military and economic aid. Initially this largesse had two justifications: first, to keep Egypt out of Soviet clutches; second, to reward it for concluding a peace treaty with Israel. The first rationale no longer applies. And the second? Egypt has lived in peace with Israel, but so for the most part has Syria — and it hasn't gotten a cent from U.S. taxpayers. Arab states coexist with Israel because they have failed to destroy it, not because they've been bribed.
Now we have blogged repeatedly about foreign aid here at the Daily Demarche (here, here, here, and most recently here) about what we give, who we give it to and what we get out of it. This is the first piece I have seen in a major MSM source in some time calling for a reasoned re-examination of our foreign aid policy. I sincerely hope this is the start of a new trend in examining how we make use of our aid dollars and hold recipients responsible for their behavior. I do not oppose aid as a tool of diplomacy, but I do think we can reasonably expect some return on our dollars other than state sponsored anti-Americanism. Of course the venerable Cato Institute recently pointed out that empirical evidence indicates such an expectation may be unfounded:
Nor is aid generally effective at promoting reforms in recipient nations. Post-soviet Russia and dozens of countries around the world -- including heavily indebted ones -- are evidence that countries promise necessary reforms but ignore aid conditions once the money is received. By the end of the 1990s, the World Bank acknowledged what has also become a consensus among development experts: there "is no systematic effect of aid on policy."
One of the reasons for aid's disappointing performance is that "rich countries don't hold the managers of aid institutions accountable for their long record of failure," according William Easterly, a leading development economist formerly at the World Bank. Indeed, aid agencies rarely cut off recipients who misuse those funds, something of which all recipients are well aware. Largely because the lack of accountability hasn't changed, Easterly opposes increases in foreign aid.
I know that a segment of the international community and anti-American left will accuse the U.S. of "buying" friendly governments if we hold recipients to some standard in order to receive aid. That is a sophomoric argument. Any government anywhere in the world is free to reject aid from us if they do not like the strings that are attached. What other country lends or gives money to another that is openly hostile to it? From the L.A. Times again:
The Egyptian media also love more-modern conspiracy theories. They accuse the U.S. of dropping poisoned food packets in Afghanistan and spreading AIDS in Africa. Almost every terrorist outrage, including 9/11, is blamed on Americans or Israelis. Ibrahim Nafi, editor of the government newspaper Al-Ahram, wrote last year: "The West, and specifically those that are at the helm of their empire of evil, are the real terrorists…. The West is currently engaged in a war of annihilation against Muslims…."
As far as I can tell the Egyptian government is doing nothing to refute claims such as these- and neither are we. This ties in nicely with our failure to succeed in public diplomacy. As one reader pointed out, we should be on site for every dedication of every project funded by U.S. tax dollars, showing the flag and getting the word to the man on the street that Uncle Sam picked up the tab for the newest waste-water treatment facility.
The President's budget proposal calls for increases in foreign aid- and the world is watching- and eagerly scouring the budget to see how much they get. Now is the time for the President to redefine what it means to receive aid from America. This is the opportunity to tie aid to the growth of democracy and the long term development of recipient nations. For far too long we have been simply giving money away without demanding something to show for it. The days of counter balancing the Soviet Union are over- our aid must continue, but it must be used as a tool for diplomacy to promote the vision of the world the President offered in his inaugural address. Egypt is not the only country that needs to answer for it's aid, but it may be the most egregious offender.
Former Secretary of State Powell had this to say about foreign aid in January of this year:
...If a country needs aid year after year, decade after decade, it will develop a dependency on outside assistance.
Indeed, foreign aid to undemocratic regimes can be counterproductive in that it increases the longevity of the ruling autocracy by making it easier for despots to keep their small clique of supporters happy. Foreign aid will not make a real difference if markets are manipulated by autocrats who control access to credit, licenses, and jobs. Foreign aid will not generate growth if sound banking institutions cannot arise, because transparency exposes nepotism and other forms of corruption. Foreign aid does not work if the heavy hand of authoritarianism crushes individual initiative.
I repeat: Egypt has received over $50 billion in foreign aid in from America since 1975. I don't know if Powell had Egypt in mind, but if the shoe fits...
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2/10/2005 12:34:00 PM posted by Dr. Demarche
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(Click on "Read the rest of this post" and scroll down for the updates)
There have been many comments on the site of late (thanks!) regarding Public Diplomacy (PD) and our national effort to promote and explain American foreign policy. Frequent readers will already know that I am not terribly impressed with existing efforts by the Department of State to spread the message of America. I think PD is a great idea, and that it has a lot of potential for our various missions around the world, but that it is largely under utilized. As a corollary to that I am of the opinion that we do very poorly when it comes to Public Affairs (PA) at home as well. To clarify the terms:
"Public Diplomacy seeks to promote the national interest of the United States through understanding, informing and influencing foreign audiences."
"Public Affairs is the provision of information to the public, press and other institutions concerning the goals, policies and activities of the U.S. Government. Public affairs seeks to foster understanding of these goals through dialogue with individual citizens and other groups and institutions, and domestic and international media. However, the thrust of public affairs is to inform the domestic audience."
While we cannot expect that PD will be able to sway the hearts and minds of the jihadis we should be able to reasonably expect our efforts to bear fruit with our allies, or at least with the countries that receive billions in aid from us. Last September then-Secretary Powell gave an interview on NBC that dealt largely with PD:
MR. FRANCIS: Mr. Secretary, a couple of weeks ago I was in Egypt [link added by Dr. D]. I hadn't been there in quite some time. I walked the streets, talked to a lot of people. In the one country that you would think in the Middle East where we still had some currency, I found none. And that's what prompts me asking you for this: American public diplomacy seems to be going nowhere. Would you agree or disagree with that?
SECRETARY POWELL: We have a problem. We have a problem with attitudes in the Arab world and attitudes in the Muslim world. But it is not just a problem with public diplomacy in the form of just, you know, how we go about sending our message out, but we're having difficulty with our message right now.
Do we ever have a problem with our message! America is a country inhabited by people with hopes and dreams like any other, and which is committed to the ideals of freedom and democracy. Why are we having such a hard time getting this message across and what are we doing about it?
In October 2003 a report titled Changing Minds Winning Peace: a new strategic direction for US. public diplomacy in the Arab & Muslim world (herein after "the report") boldly called for:
an immediate end to the absurd and dangerous under funding of public diplomacy in a time of peril, when our enemies have succeeded in spreading viciously inaccurate claims about our intentions and our actions.
Our adversaries' success in the struggle of ideas is all the more stunning because American values are so widely shared. As one of our Iranian interlocutors put it, "Who has anything against life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?" We were also told that if America does not define itself, the extremists will do it for us.
The report goes on:
Government is only one player among many trying to influence the opinions of people in other countries, and state-to-state diplomacy alone will not improve negative attitudes of citizens. In fact, quite the opposite. For example, the United States has, in recent years, increased its material and moral support for the regime in Jordan, but attitudes toward the U.S. among average Jordanians have worsened sharply. According to research by Pew, 25 percent of those polled in Jordan had a favorable view of the U.S. in the summer of 2002 and just 1 percent in the spring of 2003. Similarly, Egypt is the second-largest recipient of U.S. assistance in the world, yet a report on public diplomacy issued in September 2003 by the U.S. General Accounting Office (G AO) stated that "only a small percentage of the population was aware of the magnitude" of that aid. We were told repeatedly during our visit to Cairo that Egyptians were grateful to the Japanese for building their opera house. But they were unaware that the United States funded the Cairo sewer, drinking water, and electrical systems and played a key role in reducing infant mortality in Egypt.
Read that excerpt again. Billions of dollars of aid to Egypt and they thank the Japanese for the opera house. I doubt a better example of the failure to properly engage in public diplomacy can be found. Allow me to rephrase- I sincerely hope a better example cannot be found.
The entire report makes for fascinating reading, and I highly recommend taking the time to peruse it. There is no whitewashing of the fact that we are losing the war of ideas, our enemies are indeed defining us. The goal of such a study, of course, is recommendations for improvement and there are many made here. A few of the best, in my opinion:
-Given the drastic reduction in AID scholarships awarded to students in the region, from 20,000 in 1980 to 900 currently, there should be a significant increase in funding for scholarships across the board.
-Given the strategic importance of information technologies, a greater portion of the budget should be directed to tap the resources of the Internet and other communication technologies more effectively.
-Major increases in resources should be devoted to helping Arabs and Muslims gain access to American education, both in the U. S. and in Arab and Muslim countries. We urge creativity in linking U. S. educational institutions with their counterparts in the regions.
-A serious financial commitment, both private and public, should be made to educational institutions such as the American University of Beirut, the American University in Cairo, and others.
In a world where our traditional allies are less inclined to be pro-American and our enemies are increasingly non-nation state entities it is vital that we reach out on a personal level to the people of the world. The suggestions made in the report are examples of how we can and should be doing this.
While there are fringe elements of the radical left in America that truly believe we are the source of all evil in the world most Americans find it difficult to believe that we are not seen as a benevolent father-like figure, protecting the Western world and redistributing our tax dollars in the form of aid to the less developed nations. For much of the globe however, America as a construct is seen in a much different light:
Simply put, the rest of the world both fears and resents the unrivaled power that the United States has amassed since the Cold War ended. In the eyes of others, the U.S. is a worrisome colossus: It is too quick to act unilaterally, it doesn't do a good job of addressing the world's problems, and it widens the global gulf between rich and poor. On matters of international security, the rest of the world has become deeply suspicious of U.S. motives and openly skeptical of its word. People abroad are more likely to believe that the U.S.-led war on terror has been about controlling Mideast oil and dominating the world than they are to take at face value America's stated objectives of self-defense and global democratization.
No matter how negative these assessments are, however, they tell only part of a more complicated story. The relationship between the rest of the world and its sole superpower may be rocky, but it has enduring strengths. A majority of people around the world admire America's democratic values and much about its way of life. While they express deep misgivings about the U.S.-led war on terror, they feel more secure living in a world in which no other nation can challenge the United States militarily. In short, while they chafe at the U.S. role as the world's supercop, they're also relieved that no one else is walking the beat.
This "relief" is the very connection that we should be looking to strengthen from a feeling of "better America than China" into a sense that we are serious when we speak about the spread of democracy and freedom. As our Embassies become more fortress like and we have less and less direct, personal, contact with our host country neighbors it becomes even more imperative that we maximize every resource to communicate with the world. Whenever possible officers should be engaging the host country population directly, coupled with exchanges and grants for host country nationals to visit America and learn first hand. Beyond that we should be using the Internet, television, film and radio as much as possible to provide information about America and Americans.
America alone will not be able to sway the world's opinion. Too many criticize us in ignorance, having never traveled to America, or worse having been denied a visa to do so. Many judge us by Hollywood, or our music videos (there's no escaping Britney or Eminem). We must focus on helping those who do support us, or at least do not hate us, convince their countrymen that America is not the root of all evil, but rather the home to people similar in many ways to themselves. We love our children and want a better world for them. We do not want war, with anyone, anywhere. We have a society based on values which might be different from those of another country, but which are real and defining for us. We are proud of the assistance we provide to the world, and equally proud of the independence we enjoy. Our public diplomacy should be spreading this message at every chance.
I hope to explore this topic in more detail, and if any of our PD colleagues out there are reading this your comments and e-mails are actively solicited. At the top I also mentioned Public Affairs- telling America what State does around the world and how poorly we do it- that will be the topic for another post. (End of original post)
Begin Update:
First, thanks for all the great feedback. I was going to address your remarks in the comments section, but needed more room.
Many of you have gone right to the heart of the issue- we need to redefine our PD goals. A few of you suggested PD is an outdated tool of diplomacy. I truly disagree with that idea. Diplomacy between nations is very necessary- but our current crop of enemies are largely not bound by national identity or accepted rules on international law. If we can deny the jihadis their recruits we can win the battle before it is fought. I don't have all the answers on how to do this, but I have a few ideas, and clearly so do all of you.
Phil advocates ""citizen diplomacy", and says "We Americans should be our own advocates." This is an excellent idea with a long standing tradition- we used to call folks who practiced this pen pals. Is there any reason the government can't sponsor modern day pen pals via the internet? It's a small thing, to be sure, but that is what large successes are built on. Michael adds to this thought: "This is a two way road. We are all on it. But we can not even get this message straight in the US let alone in the world. I like the idea from Phil's idea: "citizen diplomacy". We Americans should be our own advocates. It is not about the dollars but what we do with the dollars." Well said. Engaging any interpersonal problem at the individual level is the quickest way to root out misconceptions.
Dean refers to the Michael Moores of America as the unofficial State Department, and he is right. In my corner of the Eurozone Fahrenheit 9/11 was a smash hit. So why aren't we sponsoring showings of it, perhaps coupled with Michael Moore Hates America and a panel of speakers from both sides? The very fact that a movie like Fahrenheit 9/11 exists is proof that something is still right and strong in America. Where is the Chinese or Cuban version of this movie? I think Moore is a pernicious twit, but he is a good propagandist- so why not use him and his film? America was built on the idea that conflicting ideas can share the same space. That is the message we can take to the world with movies like his.
When it comes to foreign students in the US the reaction is very mixed. William Perry says "...I am far from sure foreign kids studying in my academic discipline come away with a better impression of this country -- only more pseudo-sophisticated arguments against it." I agree- if we bring in exchange students to attend the big liberal universities where Noam Chomsky will preach his self hatred filled polemics at them. I am thinking, however, on a smaller scale- more high-school aged exchange students who will live with host families. Grass roots exchanges. Maybe offer a tax incentive for families that host kids to encourage more families to do it. For every child that has a taste of America, and for every family whose child has a good experience in the US we will reap benefits one hundred fold the effort and cost.
Barnabus has what may be the best of a very good group of comments: "Our diplomats should focus on "baby kissing," such as honoring the local war dead/heroes, participating in parades, festivals (all with a little funding by the U.S.), being seen next to the mayor when he opens the new library-which if we are smart has a computer room donated by the U.S. It is in this way that respect can be built up on both sides. Secondly, we must take on the foreign press directly." I should have written this myself.
Secretary Powell was fond of saying "You are all diplomats, no matter what your job in our missions." I think this is true, and I think we are failing miserably at making this idea the reality. Before we can put this idea into practice we need better and more language training above all else. We send vast numbers (proportionately speaking) of people overseas with little or no language training. I find that simply arrogant. Imagine meeting an Egyptian diplomat in D.C. that spoke no English. How would you react? How seriously would you take him? I can assure you that many members of our staff in Cairo are not even functional in Arabic.
Next we need to provide our diplomats, at all levels within our missions, with the time, and yes money, to reach out. We file countless reports that nobody reads because that is what DC clamors for, and that is how we are rated. Every position should have a PD aspect from our IT folks who could talk to engineering students to the Economics officer who should be addressing Chambers of Commerce, and everyhting in between. Innovation in PD needs to be a priority and the best practitioners should be rewarded "early and often." It is far to late once a policy wonk has been promoted to a lofty position t realize she has no people skills.
I envision a reinvigorated PD policy as one of the bulwarks in a succesfull American foregn policy for the rest of this century. Our enemies have figured out how to formulate and spread their message. There is no reason we can't do the same- especially when our message has the distinct advantage of being true,
Thanks for all the comments so far, I am nowhere near done with his topic, and I hope you aren't either. More to come.
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2/08/2005 12:08:00 PM posted by Dr. Demarche
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End of post.
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2/08/2005 10:58:00 AM posted by Dr. Demarche
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OK, welcome back. Now I really like it when another blogger rebutts something we write here, I enjoy the challenge of rethinking my position and am always glad to get out of the echo chamber for a while. In this case L'Ombre makes it clear that he does not agree with me, and chooses a few key points to counter.
He claims that EU nations "round up suspects all over the place" (quick aside: go to Bug Me Not to get passwords and logins for many registration required sites without creating your own login- The LA Times "free subscription" is very invasive) and I will stipulate that they have enjoyed some successes. What they have not done, however, is become mobilized by the fact that there are terrorist cells alive and well in the EU. How many al Qaeda members are there on the loose for every one that is captured?
L'Ombre then goes on to write:
Dr D thinks that showing ID is an aid to security. Why? Any competent terrorist will have half a dozen apparently valid passports or ID cards. They may not work when scanned by a real customs/immigration guy but they will work fine when shown to a harassed check-in desk person.
First of all, I am not sure I buy into the very Robert Ludlum like idea that every terrorist has a bevy of identities a la Carlos the Jackal, but let's set that aside. I think showing an ID is a good idea because it provides a bit of human interaction- a moment in which a potential terrorist is face to face with what could, and should, be a trained observer. Consular officers and almost all police investigators are taught to look at "micro-expressions" and other non-verbal cues when conducting an interview. There is no reason airline personnel cannot be taught the same thing. In addition passports with pages missing or otherwise defaced may tip off a trained clerk. Every reasonable step to keep a terrorist off an airplane should be taken, period. I do not hold this akin to a police state.
L'Ombre continues (this is a quote of him quoting me):
Dr D also comes out in favour of the EU, which is rather odd:
The Europeans have to date been loathe to cede any national security powers to the EU. Shortly after the van Gogh murder Deutsche Welle reported on the problems caused by the wide ranging mix of police powers found in the Union.
I am not certain what he means when he states that I am "in favour" of the EU. I am not particularly fond of some of the actions (or inactions) the EU has undertaken of late, and it often strikes me as a largely self defeating system. I am not a European and so have no say in the formation of the EU or in it's policy decisions- but I am a big fan of the single currency. As a concerned outsider, however, I feel comfortable making recommendations or pointing out what I perceive as flaws in the works. For example, I am not recommending that the member states cede sovereignty or national authority to the EU, but if the Union is going to hold there are certain powers that must reside primarily at the center. Case in point: in America the local police may investigate a local crime, but there are trip wires that might kick a case up to the federal level. States rights are preserved and the common good is served. Is that not the goal of the EU?
Regarding the points made about data bases, I have to fully disagree with L'Ombre. From a technical side he might be correct, I am not a software engineer. From a crime prevention and end user side I think he is dead wrong. The existence of a central database for terrorist information is critical. All information regarding a particular person need not reside in one data base, but a central catalog of databases is needed for reference. Let's say the Germans arrest someone for a petty crime and search this database. They then learn the Spanish have information on this person. The Germans can then go to the Spanish for details. Without a catalog of information no one knows what they do not know.
I agree 100% with L'Ombre about US immigration issues, and have blogged about it before; here, here and here. It is an issue I am very passionate about, as is terrorism. So when L'Ombre suggests I "look at fixing the US's catch and release immigration issues before worrying about how we do things in Europe" I have to respond with the following.
The EU is an attempt to break down barriers and borders and I applaud that. Unfortunately al Qaeda has beaten you to the punch. For the Islamofascists borders are meaningless, the war on terror is global whether we like it or not. We cannot afford to each look to ur own borders, and to solve one problem at time. We can and must work together to resolve the issues facing us on multiple fronts. Protecting airplanes and denying terrorists freedom of movement are two key elements in this ongoing battle. The US cannot afford to deny the merit of a particular idea because it is EU in origin, nor can the EU do the reverse. Each system must be willing and able to face the other in the cold light of day and have our various flaws and foibles identified, with two stronger systems serving and protecting their constituencies better as the ultimate goal.
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2/07/2005 12:34:00 PM posted by Dr. Demarche
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Certain elements in Palestine and their anti-Semitic supporters in America and Euroville are gnashing their teeth at the thought of democracy in Iraq. Democracy may well be contagious, and peace just might break out in the region. For those who earn their bread and butter on the suffering of the Palestinian people, either as "politicians" in the Palestinian Authority (PA) or as intellectuals who have built their careers on bashing Israel and America, the idea of the end of hostilities between Israel and the PA is frightening. Each new crisis in the region, every homicide bomber and military exchange is greeted with pronounced shadenfreude. And now, in the shadow of the Iraqi elections, real change just might be on the horizon. The millions of refugees that have been created by the stinginess of the Arab world (to borrow a word from the UN) may actually have a shot at a peaceful future.
The Palestine Chronicle, a website which counts Noam Chomsky as an honorary editorial board member, recently published an on-line article entitled "Iraq Elections: Democracy or Hypocrisy". Care to guess which side the article settles on?
After the obligatory nod towards the courage of the Iraqis and the universal right to freedom the author quickly, and awkwardly, pulls Dr. Martin Luther King into the ME peace process:
A common American will continue to face the day-to-day problems. The drug mafia will continue to grow, Social Security issues will remain, and Medicare and Medicaid may not resolve the problems of a common man.
If Martin Luther King, Jr, was alive today, he would have organized a similar movement as of his own: a broad-based protest movement to halt the immense damage wrought by Americas unquestioning and virtually unconditional support of the racist policies of the Likud government in Israel and the ongoing brutal and illegal occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip; as well as the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan; and ongoing grave violations of the Geneva Conventions and the Convention against Torture for the prisoners in Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, and in private jails and torture centers elsewhere in the world.
I suppose that the author is free to conjecture whatever he may wish for any potential actions or stance Dr. King might have taken were he alive today. What follows, however, is pure fantasy. The author has as his central theme that the entire election process in Iraq was a sham, set up by the American government to assuage the Iraqi people and take their minds off the occupation. To that end the "occupiers" will and have used any and all means to control the country:
A lot of Iraqis believe that a lot of the attacks and unrest have been orchestrated by the occupying forces using covert operations, stock-in-trade of both the interim prime minister Allawi and the current US viceroy ('Ambassador') John Negroponte. The areas where security 'militates against voting' are those where voters can't be relied on to vote for someone 'unpalatable'.
Electronic Iraq, a partner site to the Electronic Intifada, has taken another approach: discredit the elections by belittling the number and types of voters:
Millions of Iraqis participated in the election, but it is still unclear how many. International journalists were limited to five polling stations in Baghdad , four of which were in Shi'a districts with expected high turnout. The U.S.-backed election commission in Iraq originally announced a 72% participation immediately after the polls closed, then downscaled that to "near 60%" - actually claiming about 57% turn-out. But those figures are all still misleading. The Washington Post reported (two days after the vote, on page 7 of the Style section) that the 60% figure is based on the claim that 8 million out of 14 million eligible Iraqis turned out. But the 14 million figure itself is misleading, because it only includes those registered Iraqis, not the 18 million actually eligible voters. Similarly, the claim of very high voter participation among Iraqi exiles is misleading, since only 280,000 or so Iraqis abroad even registered, out of about 1.2 million qualified to register and vote. The participation of women, both as candidates (imposed by the U.S.-backed electoral law) and as voters, was significant, but key demands of Iraqi women, particularly involving economic and social rights disproportionately denied to women, are unlikely to be met through this electoral process.
Their goal: to turn the story back to Palestine.
There were no international monitors in the country [Iraq]- unlike Afghanistan (with 122 monitors) and Palestine (with 800) during difficult elections held under occupation..
As American foreign policy becomes more focused on the spread of democracy and freedom we must not forget the people of Palestine. I am not speaking of the PA here, the sooner we can forget about them the better, but rather the families which the Arab world has held hostage all these many years in order to have poster children for their jihad against Israel. We must not let the bitterness of petty men who have come to love their status as the downtrodden darlings of the world for the terrorist chic interfere with peace. When even al Jazeera recognizes that the President is sincere when he says
"The goal of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace is within reach - and America will help them achieve that goal,"
we must keep in mind that losers often cry bitter grapes.
