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The Newsletter “The
Committee expects the Department to engage the creative talents of the
private sector to the maximum extent possible to develop new public diplomacy
approaches and initiatives. In this regard the Committee expects the Department
of State to establish an advisory group on public diplomacy for the Arab
and Muslim world to recommend new approaches, initiatives and program
models to improve public diplomacy results.” “Americans
are brilliant at communications; why should we apparently be all thumbs
in the area of public diplomacy?”
Responding to the above directive and challenge, Secretary of State Powell directed the creation of an “An advisory group on Public Diplomacy for the Arab and Muslim World”. Its 13 members met from July through September 2003. In that period it held hearings with specialists and practitioners in both the public and private sectors, traveled extensively in Middle Eastern countries as well as the UK and France, and has now issued an 80 page report to the Appropriations Committee of the House titled “Changing Minds; Winning Peace – a New Strategic Direction for US Public Diplomacy in the Arab & Muslim World”. The Group was chaired by Ed Djerejian, and its other 12 members included men and women from the academic, media and private sectors, with Christopher Ross, senior advisor for Arab World Public Diplomacy at the State Department, as consultant. Summary reporting on the report has been included in the press, and AAD members can access the full report and its executive summary on www.bakerinstitute.org. It notes, inter alia, that while the committee's mandate focused on the Arab and Muslim world, the report’s recommendations also go to the larger challenges of US public diplomacy. Among its recommendations is the establishment of a Cabinet-level Special Counselor to the President for Public Diplomacy “to establish strategic goals and messages, to oversee the implementation of programs that meet those goals...” It also recommends that the President's Letter of Instruction to Chiefs of Mission should be revised to emphasize the critical importance of public diplomacy to national security...” Significantly the report notes that “much of the resentment toward America stems from real conflicts and displeasure with policies, including those involving the Palestinian -Israeli conflict and Iraq”. The report recommends a “dramatic increase in funding”, noting that the professional level of fluency in the local languages and the level of knowledge about Arab and Muslim societies must be dramatically enhanced. In that connection, it notes that today the Department lists 279 Arabic speakers, but only one-fifth of them have Arabic fluency. It recommends an independent Corporation for Public Diplomacy be created to facilitate funding for private and non-profit broadcasting and internet applications. Meanwhile, some in the private sector have begun separately to organize an effort to promote public diplomacy and improve the image of American businesses abroad. DDB Worldwide chairman, Keith Reinhard, is leading the Taskforce to Mobilize American Business for Public Diplomacy, a group of private sector agencies, businesses and academics that hope to come to an understanding of how American companies are perceived overseas. The taskforce, a grassroots effort that has gained considerable attention over the past few months, wants to generate new ideas that American businesses can implement to avert anti-American Sentiments. According to the results of a Roper ASW study released in July 2003, those questioned in 30 countries expressed their distaste for America by being less likely to consume American products. Even more concerning is that the power brand rating of American products has fallen overall during the course of the last year. The ‘power brand’ rating system is a formula used to calculate how well products are known or liked abroad. Only Ford made gains, while Coke and AOL remained the same. Japanese and European brands, however, have both had significant gains. By the end of 2003, the taskforce’s goal is to see the formation of an organization of US businesses to take on the burden of public diplomacy that will change antipathetic feelings of America for the better. AAD members can get further information on this effort from cari.eggspuehler@sf.ddb.com. (Ms. Eggspuehler worked with Charlotte Beers, former Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy at State, when Beers was in office.) HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT OFFICES ABROAD (DHS) DHS has announced plans to open permanent Homeland Security offices early next year in embassies and consulates in Egypt, Indonesia, Morocco, Pakistan and the UAE. Two such offices were opened earlier in August in Saudi Arabia - one in Riyadh and another in Jeddah. According to press reports, these moves reflect a major expansion of efforts to scrutinize visa applicants with possible ties to Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. In accordance with Homeland Security legislation enacted last year, consular officers will continue to review applications and interview visa applicants. But the Homeland Security Department will have final review authority, with power to investigate applicants who raise suspicion on security grounds. Cresencio Arcos has been named to head the new Office of International Affairs at DHS. Arcos is a retired FSO, who previously served as ambassador to Honduras and most recently was AT&T’s regional vice president for Latin America and Canada. UPCOMING ACADEMY PROGRAMS The Academy
has an active schedule leading up to its annual Awards Luncheon Ceremony,
at noon on Wednesday, December 10 in the Diplomatic Reception Rooms of
the Department of State. This year’s ceremony marks the 20th anniversary
of the Academy. On Tuesday, October 14, the Academy's Board will meet
to consider recommendations from its committees for the recipients of
the three major awards. They are: - The Douglas Dillon Award for a Book of Distinction on the Practice of Diplomacy. Some 26 books have been nominated and are being reviewed by the Book Award Committee. - The Arthur Ross Award for Distinguished Reporting and Analysis on Foreign Affairs - a new award begun in 2002 and presented then to James Lehrer, of the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. This year about a dozen nominations are being reviewed by a Media Award Committee. At its meeting, the Board will also review recommendations from its Membership Committee of member names to fill five upcoming Board vacancies and a ballot to fill six vacancies in the Bylaw limit of 100 “active” members of the Academy itself. Meanwhile, the Academy is also active in developing programs for the coming year; able to do so in light of its improving financial condition, including a substantial increase in the grant from the Arthur Ross Foundation. OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS Mark Palmer will be speaking at the Secretary’s Open Forum as part of its Distinguished Speaker Program at noon on November 5. His topic is “The Real Axis of Evil: Removing the World’s Remaining Dictators Through Diplomacy.” The event will take place in the Loy Henderson Auditorium at the State Department. You can register for this program by calling 202-647-0488 or going to www.state.gov/s/p/of. MONTHLY SEMINAR/LUNCHEONS The next session of the Academy’s monthly Seminar/Luncheon series will be held on October 29 at noon at DACOR/Bacon House, 1801 F Street NW. In September our guest and presenter was Andrew Kohut, Executive Director of the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, discussing recent polls that highlight the problems in public diplomacy noted in the new report cited above. Kohut described what he termed a “free fall” in the American image abroad, especially in Muslim countries like Indonesia, where polls reflect a drop in a favorable image from a 75% figure prior to 9/11 to 15% this past summer. CHALLENGE GRANTS An important indicator of the strength of a nonprofit organization is always the demonstrated readiness of its membership to work in support of its programs and objectives. The Academy is blessed with a strong core group of activists. No less important is a financial commitment. The Academy is proud to record that for the fourth year in a row, its members have responded overwhelmingly to a challenge to meet and surpass the levels of two major program grants from the Delavan and Cox Foundations. We reaffirm our gratitude for the sustained support over many years from these two foundations. AMBASSADORIAL APPOINTMENTS Zalmay Khalilzad (NC), who has recently been serving as the President's special envoy for Afghanistan, has been nominated as ambassador there, succeeding Robert Finn (C). The current ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Robert W. Jordan (NC), reportedly plans to step down soon for Personal reasons. W. Robert Pearson (C) has been confirmed as Director General of the Foreign Service and chair of the Board of the Foreign Service. Pearson previously served as ambassador to Turkey. Bob Blackwill (C), former ambassador to India, is now a Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator for Strategic Planning in the NSC. Carl Ford (NC) is leaving his position as Assistant Secretary for Intelligence and Research (INR). His replacement has not yet been announced. Jack Pritchard (C) recently resigned as Special Envoy for Negotiations with North Korea. The new Director for Policy Planning at State is Mitchell Reiss (NC), formerly Dean of International Affairs at the College of William and Mary. He succeeds Richard Haas (NC), now President of the Council on Foreign Relations. Donald Steinberg (C) has been the Deputy Director of Policy Planning; he has been nominated as ambassador to Nigeria. John Limbert (C), who recently completed a tour as ambassador to Mauritania, is the new president of the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA). Limbert was a hostage in Iran, 1979-81. Randall Tobian (NC) has bee nominated to be Coordinator of United States Government Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS Globally. STUDENT ESSAY CONTESTS One of the Academy's program objectives is to encourage diplomatic study and writing at the collegiate level. Since 1999 that has included an essay contest, in collaboration with the School for Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University, on American diplomatic practice. Those eligible are college seniors admitted at that School and planning graduate studies in the field of diplomacy. The prize is a tuition grant funded by Philip Merrill, publisher of Washingtonian magazine. This academic year entrants are asked to do an essay on one of the following topics: - Discuss the emphasis on unilateralism in current American foreign policy from the perspective of “American Exceptionalism” – our sense of uniqueness and special mission in world affairs. - Discuss future relations between the US and the “New Europe” – the ever stronger and expanding European Union. What are the points of common interest, and differences, which will effect those future relations?” What will be the future role of NATO? In 2002 the Academy began a new program: the Leonard Marks Foundation Essay Contest Award for Creative Writing on American foreign policy. This award is limited to international affairs degree candidates in this fall semester at the 19 members schools of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA). Entrants are asked to submit a paper on a significant international challenge to the US, and propose a policy course to address that challenge over the next 3-5 years. The paper must be in the form of an action memorandum for the Secretary of State. DIPLOMATS IN RESIDENCE This year the Department of State has assigned 16 Foreign Service Officers as Diplomats in Residence at colleges and universities across the country for the 2003-04 academic year - the largest number of such assignments in some years, now with a heavy emphasis on recruiting. BOOKS OF INTEREST Former ambassador Howard Schaffer, now at the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, has completed Ellsworth Bunker; Global Troubleshooter, Vietnam Hawk. It is the 19th in the DACOR-ADST “Diplomats and Diplomacy” series. The book will be launched at a reception at DACOR/Bacon House on December 3rd. Ellsworth Bunker (together with Alex Johnson and John McCloy) was a founder of the Academy at its origins in 1983. A book published in 2002 has only recently come to the Academy's attention. It is Coercive Diplomacy and International Order; a short (174 pages) but widely commended piece by James Nathan, currently executive director of the Alabama World Affairs Council. Realities of Foreign Service Life - published by the Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide (AAFSW), is a collection of reflections on Foreign Service life as experienced by members of the Foreign Service community. It is available via www.aafsw.org or e-mail editor@aafsw.org. The Expert Expatriate; Your Guide to successful Relocation Abroad - Moving, Living, Thriving, published by Intercultural Press - e-mailbooks@interculturalpress.com. Foreign at Home and Away: Foreign-Born Wives in the US Foreign Service, by Margaret Bender, available at www.amazon.com. OTHER RECENT PUBLICATIONS OF INTEREST The Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS) at the National Defense University publishes books, manuscripts and related documents that would be of interest to Academy members. A recent document in the Institute’s “Strategic Forum” series is “Preemptive Action: When, How and to What Effect?”, prepared by Elaine Bunn. Another is “Finding a Kashmir Settlement: The Burden of Leadership”, by former ambassador Teresita Schaffer. INSS can be reached at 202 685 3838. FOREIGN AFFAIRS FUNDING Congressional focus on the FY04 Foreign Ops budget is part of a continuing process on the Hill, some of it dependent on action on the President’s supplemental request of $87 billion for Iraq/Afghan reconstruction. On the latter, as indicated in press reporting, there is considerable unanimity for the $65 billion for military operations; less so for the portion for reconstruction in Iraq. Nonetheless prospects seem good for a bill to be on the President’s desk by end October. Meanwhile a Continuing Resolution is in place for other funding through October, with Foreign Ops likely to be part of an omnibus spending bill. Of separate interest, funding covering the US reentry into UNESCO is still under some debate, but US reentry was formally marked with the recent presence in Paris at UNESCO of the First Lady, Laura Bush. NEWS OF MEMBERS At the Hubert Humphrey Institute of the University of Minnesota on May 3, Max Kampelman delivered a major address in a celebratory anniversary of Humphrey’s birth. Edward “Ned” Walker is this fall’s occupant of the Sol M. Linowitz Chair on International Relations at Hamilton College. Ned is an alumnus of Hamilton College. David Newsom is currently teaching a lecture course on “Americans in Iraq” at the Miller Center in Charlottesville. The course, reviewing the history of past American involvement in Iraq, is part of the offerings of the Jefferson Institute of Life-long Learning, affiliated with the University of Virginia. Madeline Albright
has recently been named as one of the twenty-six members of the New York
Stock Exchange. Her memoir Madam Secretary (with Bob Woodward) has recently
been published by Miramax Press. Jim Schlesinger spoke on The Alliance System and the Geopolitics of Oil at the University Club here in Washington on October 9. In June, Ed Rowell lectured in Brattleboro, Vermont, to the Windham Affairs Council and the friends of the Brattleboro Museum on the new US National Security Strategy after nine months and on the entry into Iraq. He will speak in October at an annual seminar at the Luxembourg campus of Miami University of Ohio. Anthony Quainton is now Diplomat in Residence at American University, currently teaching a class on “Analysis of American Foreign Policy.” Our Chairman Joseph Sisco received at a recent meeting of the University of Chicago Alumni, its professional achievement award. He was also the keynote speaker on September 22 at the Abba Eban Memorial Conference at GW University. Terry Todman is currently serving as Special Envoy for the OAS in Haiti for a two-month period. Bob Kimmitt and Brent Scowcroft are members of the twenty-three-member board of the International Republican Institute, chaired by Senator John McCain. Frank Carlucci, Lee Hamilton, Dick Holbrooke and Terry Todman are all members of the board of directors of the National Endowment for Democracy. Winston Lord is Chairman Emeritus. A son of Harry Barnes is serving as DCM at the American embassy in San Jose, Costa Rica. Tom Boyatt spoke on October 2 at the World Affairs Council of the Greater Hampton Roads, Virginia on “The 100 Years War of the 20th Century.” He also spoke at a reunion of Princetonians in that area, and to students at Old Dominion University (ODU). Dick Holbrooke is a member of the Board of Trustees of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Dennis Ross spoke on September 4 in the Dag Hammarskjöld Library at the UN for the Ralph Bunche UN Lecture Series, to commemorate the centenary of his birth. In July, Ross provided testimony before the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States—more commonly known as the “9/11 Commission,”—regarding the 2001 World Trade Center attacks. On May 14, he was also the keynote speaker at the World Affairs Councils of America’s Ambassadors’ Roundtable dinner at the Stamford Marriott in Connecticut. In June, Bob Keeley lectured on a cruise aboard the MS Corinthian with an itinerary from Naples to Athens, covering southern Italy, Sicily and Greece. The topics were 5th Century B.C. Athenian democracy and the role and status of women in classical Greece. The passengers were Vassar College graduates and spouses. Sam Lewis was in Athens in August speaking on future security arrangements in the Middle East. Ted Eliot has been active on the public speaking circuit in California, speaking in recent weeks at Sonoma State University, Santa Rosa Junior College and at the Marin Academy. Philip Kaiser was honored by the Government of Hungary in a ceremony at its embassy attended by Foreign Minister Kovacs. The honor for Phil (shared with Jimmy Carter) is in the form of a Special Order, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the return by the US to Hungary of the Cross of St. Stephen – an event that was instrumental in triggering the political upheaval in Eastern Europe that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Phil was ambassador in Hungary at the time. Bruce Laingen spoke at the Alabama World Affairs Council in Montgomery on September 30 on “Iran; Axis of Evil or Opportunity?” Stape Roy was a panelist on July 8 at a conference organized by the Asia Society on "The War in Iraq and Implications for Asia". A new advisory group, the Homeland Security Advisory Council, was announced by the White House in July. Bill Webster is its vice chair; Joseph Grano, Jr., CEO of UBS Paine Webber, is the chair. Lee Hamilton and Jim Schlesinger are among its members. Brian Atwood testified on September 23 before the SFRC on the President’s supplemental request for the reconstruction effort in Iraq. Atwood is Dean of the Humphrey Institute of the University of Minnesota. (Text forwarded to AAD members) Luigi Einaudi, currently Assistant Secretary General of the OAS, spoke at the Ford Latin America Group/Partners of the Americas Luncheon Series on October 8. Phyllis Oakley has been named chair of the Board of the US Committee for UNFPA – the UN’s Population Fund. She also continues as an adjunct professor at SAIS, the Johns Hopkins University. EMAIL AS A COURIER We are impressed
and proud of the number of Op-Ed articles and other material by Academy
members that are appearing currently in the media and on the Web. We have
begun a practice of forwarding all of current and substantive interest
that we come across to all AAD members with email addresses and, where
we can, to those with only FAX addresses. We have one related request
and that is to ask that wherever possible you indicate the fact of your
Academy membership in your submissions. The Academy welcomes being identified
with you! A Chance to
Turn the Nuclear Tide by James E. Goodby August 5, International Herald
Tribune QUOTABLE QUOTES “Diplomacy
is peaceable coercion to promote the interests of the state and nation.” “Diplomacy
must be judged by what it prevents, not only by what it achieves.” “Roses
are redder; bluer am I; seeing you kissed by that charming French guy.” QUOTABLE STATISTICS All three of the current military attaches at the French Embassy in Washington are graduates of the International Fellows program of the National War College. The College this academic year has International Fellows students from 42 countries. “From
his house on Lafayette Square - Secretary of State Hay (in 1899) - it
was only a five minute walk to his office or to the White House, where
the Cabinet met on Tuesdays. On Thursdays¸ he received the entire
diplomatic corps, which could fit into his office” (The Old Executive
Office Building).
THE
NEWSLETTER
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