Event: Striking a Balance: A New American Security

June 4, 2009 ~ Matt Armstrong

The Center for a New American Security’s Third Annual June Conference is next week. I wish I could attend but you should consider. The speakers include: Judith A. McHale (“Public Diplomacy: A National Security Imperative”), General David H. Petraeus, Thomas E. Ricks, George Packer, Ambassador Samir Sumaida’ie

Useful details:

Event website: here

Date:
June 11, 2009 – 8:00am – 7:00pm

Location:
Willard InterContinental Hotel
1401 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Grand Ballroom
Washington, DC 20004

RSVP:
Event Registration: Click Here
Or RSVP by phone: 202.457.9427

No blogging while traveling but a few links before I go

June 2, 2009 ~ Matt Armstrong ~ 1 Comment

Despite wanting to, I haven’t been able to blog today as I’m crashing on two reports. Plus, I’m on the red-eye to DC tonight, back to back meetings on the Hill, at the State Department for afternoon meetings, and then a 10p flight home. Fun. Still working on dinner plans before the flight home…

Below are some links that are more interesting than my schedule that you should find interesting. Each deserve their own post, which they may get on my return to temperate Los Angeles. For your reading pleasure:

NATO moves to counter Taliban propaganda machine by the Canwest News Service (if you like comparisons, think about what you learned from that story and then read this AP story on the same subject)
Social Media as Public Diplomacy by me over at Layalina.tv
Rethink Washington’s ‘War of Ideas’ by Chris Paul in the Christian Science Monitor
And check out this discussion on the Theory versus Practice of Public Diplomacy and contribute your own thoughts.
New Doctrines Without Strategic Foundations by Raymond

OMB Watch: GAO Report on Public Diplomacy Creates Opportunity for Nonprofits

June 2, 2009 ~ Matt Armstrong ~ 1 Comment

From OMB Watch:

The General Accountability Office released U.S. Public Diplomacy: Key Issues for Congressional Oversight on May 27, 2009. It finds weaknesses in U.S. international communications efforts and notes that the President must issue a new comprehensive communications and public diplomacy strategy by December 2009. Recommendations call for a “clear definition of the problem, desired results, and a delineation of agency roles and responsibilities.” Development of a new strategy creates an opportunity for the U.S. nonprofit sector to urge greater recognition of the role of philanthropy and aid and development programs in countering violent extremism, and development of policies that encourage and facilitate that work.