Do we need a National Strategy on Public Diplomacy and Strategic Communication?

I think its safe to say the Karen Hughes-developed document is considered OBE. While the NSC-developed '1055 report' is not everything everyone would want (and could it ever be?), is it not a baseline on which department and agencies could build? I think there might be a misconception about the (past) ability of U/S Hughes to direct other Departments (not). Its more important that each Dept and agency have a strong concept of how to organize its own efforts which will make any interagency effort much more productive.

That said; having a strong document outlining USG efforts (from this administration) to combat extremism globally would be helpful.

@ErsatzG7,
I agree that the Karen Hughes document is *functionally* OBE however it continues to come up in polite conversation, at least in the conversations I'm involved with. In my personal experience, when it does come up, it is usually raised by a foreign national (one time, for example, it was a Romanian officer) but it has also been mentioned by two Americans (one legislative branch, one executive branch) who each raised it as a valid reference to current and future strategy.

The NSC 1055 report to Congress is not a baseline on which departments and agencies can build because it is not a strategy. It is an organizational framework that did not, according to my discussions on the Hill and it is their perceptions that matter more than mine in this regard, answer the request of Section 1055 of the NDAA. Regardless, the NSC/White House 1055 does not provide the guidance and imperative necessary for some to fight the bureaucratic and intellectual inertia that must be overcome.

Matt, I'm starting to think Dan Kuehl had it right all along. We need a National Information Strategy vice National Strategy for PD and SC. That is, a holistic look at information that considers content, connectivity and cognition. We currently have the "Maginot line" defenders of the net at all costs (to include shutting down social media) in one corner and we have "tweeters" expecting full use and openness in the other. This clash continues to exist and the answer is, of course, a balanced approach that describes both opportunities and threats. A national information strategy that explicitly gave us that would be beneficial.

Let’s not over think SC/PD. The US SC/PD problem is not a lack of strategy or definition. It’s the lack of ability to recognize how its deeds reflect its image. That’s all. Global engagement, cultural exchange programs, American Corner’s are all splendid. But all of these efforts combined reach a small minority of the target audience and in the end, amount to a hill of beans.

The overwhelming majority of this target audience, like in say, Pakistan, are staunch in their belief’s that the US is managing some type of global terrorist conspiracy through it’s devious network of think tanks. Do Pakistani’s really see America through its USAID success stories or PAO press release? No, they see it through Drone attacks and a hearty flow of anti-American press.

Just take the small example of the visa process, on how the real strategy is common sense.:

Hundreds, if not thousands, of Pakistani’s visit the US Embassy and its Consulate’s on a daily basis. To get to the Embassy in Islamabad, first you must park your car about one-mile from the embassy (for obvious reasons). Then a shuttle bus takes you to security screening area, and once through there, to an outdoor waiting area. People have been known to wait up to six hours outdoors, on hard benches with no water or shade, while sluggish bureaucrats behind a 5-inch thick wall of bullet proof glass call out numbers in a Ben Stein-ish tone. Imagine standing in line at the DMV for six hours, outside in 115 degree heat, then times that by 10. All of this to eventually be denied a visa. I know several Pakistani’s who have gone through this process and their ability to be sympathetic to US goals, practically vanished.
I’m not suggesting the US up its visa rate as some PD tactic. But at least make these pending rejections somewhat bearable. Why not have air-conditioned tents with free water, televising public diplomacy ads on big screens? Advertisers would kill for six hours of anyone’s time. The US has it!

So, let’s start by assessing how we’re really affecting people en masse and forget about defining strategic communications, which just seems like a never ending wank.