Under President Obama’s leadership, U.S. influence among Middle East nations has waned, and in fact declined since President Bush left office. During last week’s visit to Ramallah, Palestine, Obama was the object of demonstrations by irate Palestinians. They are not alone in their anger over neglect and unfulfilled presidential promises, …
Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement in Cairo today, bringing to a halt Operation Pillar of Defense. The ceasefire ends eight days of fighting in Israel and the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel sent a strong message to terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip by using …
An obvious conclusion from the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi is that whatever the Obama Administration’s effort has been to deprive al-Qaeda and its affiliates of oxygen, it is not working. Public diplomacy may not appear to be the immediate issue in Thursday’s Benghazi hearings in the House …
The attacks on United States embassies in the Middle East raise questions about President Obama’s policy in the region. But the administration’s reaction to these events is troubling as well. Its strong condemnation of a video it claims incited the violence, its attempt to censor the video, and its weak …
“The death of U.S. public diplomacy” was how one Twitter user last Tuesday described the now-infamous apology from the U.S. embassy in Cairo for the ill-conceived movie Innocence of Muslims. Strong words, but there is no doubt about it: The need for American public diplomacy in the Middle East needs …
The breaking news keeps breaking when it comes to revelations surrounding the attacks and protests aimed at U.S. embassies going on throughout the Islamic world. Protests have spread to at least eight countries. Reports indicate that four people have been arrested relating to the killing of the U.S. Ambassador to …
Diplomats abroad represent the government of the United States. They must, therefore, speak with tact, but also with honesty. After all, most of the people they’re speaking to have no firsthand experience with the U.S. Our diplomats are teaching foreigners about America. In fact, the “primary purpose of United States …
The statement Tuesday from the U.S. embassy in Cairo apologizing to Muslims and condemning “the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims”—even as an angry, threatening mob was gathering outside the embassy compound—was no aberration. Though subsequently denounced by both the White House and the …
A newly published study by the American Security Project (ASP), “The New Public Diplomacy Imperative,” highlights public diplomacy (PD) as a crucial element of our national security strategy and details the many obstacles for U.S. public diplomacy to reach its potential. Over the past few decades, a new interest in …
