Public Diplomacy for Dummies

Opinion Journal (WSJ) by Bret Stephens | Jul. 10, 2007 (Opinion)

The Bush administration falters in the battle of ideas.

To say public diplomacy hasn't been this administration's forte is a truism and an understatement. Still, it's hard to recall any presidential initiative as spectacularly misjudged and needless since Ronald Reagan paid tribute to Nazi soldiers at Bitburg. Full Story »

Posted by Tom Cox

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3.7

by Benjamin Buttons - Oct. 1, 2008

This is an opinion piece, and not an analysis of US public diplomacy to date. Public diplomacy, once less obscurely known as propaganda, is a special challenge in a country with a free media. When the media is hostile to the government, it is even more difficult to get the message out. I don't know how our administration is doing in the battle for "their" hearts and minds, but I hope it's doing a better job abroad than it is at home.