Comments on: Dumb Power http://blog.heritage.org/2009/02/10/dumb-power/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:29:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: AK , India http://blog.heritage.org/2009/02/10/dumb-power/#comment-18427 AK , India Thu, 19 Feb 2009 05:16:02 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/2009/02/10/dumb-power/#comment-18427 It is really unfortunate that even now the Americans (as I see most of the authors of the comments and of course the post are)have not got it... I dont know about what 'hidden' agenda Ms. Clinton or the admiistration has behind Smart Power but calling Public Diplomacy dumb is the dumbest thing you can ever do. All you, friends, on this page have not realised the power that perception leverages. All the young muslims world over, who take to the violent and mindless missions which their so called leadership urges them to take on, have a buy-in into the plans simply because their 'perception' has been managed thus. And yet, the so-called free thinking world is unable to see the power of Public Diplomacy, which has a lot do with 'Perception Management'. Whether the British Council is wrong or right can be a matter of debate, but any organization, for whatever reasons, if is trying to keep public diplomacy at its heart will make some imapct, sooner or later. It is really unfortunate that even now the Americans (as I see most of the authors of the comments and of course the post are)have not got it… I dont know about what 'hidden' agenda Ms. Clinton or the admiistration has behind Smart Power but calling Public Diplomacy dumb is the dumbest thing you can ever do.

All you, friends, on this page have not realised the power that perception leverages. All the young muslims world over, who take to the violent and mindless missions which their so called leadership urges them to take on, have a buy-in into the plans simply because their 'perception' has been managed thus. And yet, the so-called free thinking world is unable to see the power of Public Diplomacy, which has a lot do with 'Perception Management'.

Whether the British Council is wrong or right can be a matter of debate, but any organization, for whatever reasons, if is trying to keep public diplomacy at its heart will make some imapct, sooner or later.

]]> By: Heritage Can Do Better Than This « Softer Power http://blog.heritage.org/2009/02/10/dumb-power/#comment-17367 Heritage Can Do Better Than This « Softer Power Thu, 12 Feb 2009 02:35:53 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/2009/02/10/dumb-power/#comment-17367 [...] Heritage Can Do Better Than This On “The Foundry,” Heritage’s blog of anything political and societal, Theodore Bromund denounces many, many things in his brief blog post, oh-so-cleverly titled “dumb power.” [...] [...] Heritage Can Do Better Than This On “The Foundry,” Heritage’s blog of anything political and societal, Theodore Bromund denounces many, many things in his brief blog post, oh-so-cleverly titled “dumb power.” [...]

]]> By: David Earl, Washingt http://blog.heritage.org/2009/02/10/dumb-power/#comment-17357 David Earl, Washingt Wed, 11 Feb 2009 22:04:03 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/2009/02/10/dumb-power/#comment-17357 Your criticisms seem much more leveled at "soft power," and the sort of public diplomacy of culture, news, and information advocated by Joseph Nye and others, but few legitimate diplomatic practitioners or scholars are advocating for an exclusive policy of conversation, information, and culture. THAT would be dumb power. Hillary's talk of "smart power" conspicuously avoids committing exclusively (or even mostly) to this feel-good type of diplomacy, and, if anything, indications are that she considers the coercive diplomacy of the Bush Administration to be a legitimate strategy (however to a lesser extent). If she was really dedicated to what you call "dumb power," we'd have a nominee for Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs already. She has other things on her mind. Criticizing the British Council is valid, as is criticizing liberals and Hillary Clinton. Uniting all of these rants under the argument that we must dismiss the idea of "smart power"? I'm afraid the pot might be calling the kettle black on this one. Your criticisms seem much more leveled at "soft power," and the sort of public diplomacy of culture, news, and information advocated by Joseph Nye and others, but few legitimate diplomatic practitioners or scholars are advocating for an exclusive policy of conversation, information, and culture. THAT would be dumb power.

Hillary's talk of "smart power" conspicuously avoids committing exclusively (or even mostly) to this feel-good type of diplomacy, and, if anything, indications are that she considers the coercive diplomacy of the Bush Administration to be a legitimate strategy (however to a lesser extent). If she was really dedicated to what you call "dumb power," we'd have a nominee for Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs already. She has other things on her mind.

Criticizing the British Council is valid, as is criticizing liberals and Hillary Clinton. Uniting all of these rants under the argument that we must dismiss the idea of "smart power"?

I'm afraid the pot might be calling the kettle black on this one.

]]> By: Michael DeAngelo, Pi http://blog.heritage.org/2009/02/10/dumb-power/#comment-17185 Michael DeAngelo, Pi Wed, 11 Feb 2009 11:25:35 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/2009/02/10/dumb-power/#comment-17185 Liberals are the dumb one's. It's so apparent, and they don't even see it. What's that tell you about their intelligence. They just prove that you can learn to be stupid. Liberals are the dumb one's. It's so apparent, and they don't even see it. What's that tell you about their intelligence. They just prove that you can learn to be stupid.

]]> By: David Blackie, UK http://blog.heritage.org/2009/02/10/dumb-power/#comment-17016 David Blackie, UK Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:24:05 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/2009/02/10/dumb-power/#comment-17016 The British Council is a problem all on its own, and it's not just in Iran or Russia where the organisation runs into (or creates) problems. The British Council combines being a publicly funded body, sponsored by and dependent on the Foreign Office, with being a registered charity (despite charity law which states clearly that charities may not depend on government), and with being a state-sponsored "business" whereby it opens language schools and other enterprises, competing unfairly, and showing surprise and indignation when expected to pay tax. The organisation gets in the way of British and local enterprise all over the world, including Britain. Dumb is right. The British Council is a problem all on its own, and it's not just in Iran or Russia where the organisation runs into (or creates) problems. The British Council combines being a publicly funded body, sponsored by and dependent on the Foreign Office, with being a registered charity (despite charity law which states clearly that charities may not depend on government), and with being a state-sponsored "business" whereby it opens language schools and other enterprises, competing unfairly, and showing surprise and indignation when expected to pay tax. The organisation gets in the way of British and local enterprise all over the world, including Britain. Dumb is right.

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