Defense Support to Public Diplomacy: Options for the Operational Commander
Abstract
With the end of the Cold War came a uni-polar world in which the United States stood alone as the sole super power. One of the major fallouts of the perceived peace dividend created by the new world order was the thought that the U.S. government no longer needed to actively communicate with the nations of the world. The primary agency tasked with communicating outside the United States, the U.S. Information Agency (USIA) was gutted primarily for short sighted fiscal reasons. Communicating globally with friends, foes, allies, and adversaries is as important today as it was in the Cold War. Unfortunately, the coordination and synergy needed for effective public diplomacy has still not been given the necessary priority and resources to be fully effective. On 06 November 2008, the Government Accounting Office issued a press release listing thirteen "Urgent Issues" for the next President and Congress. Number 5 on that list is improving the United States' image abroad through public diplomacy and broadcasting. Operating under one central information strategy and theme across the different geographic commands and government agencies will ensure that U.S. policies display images of security, collaborative progress, and hope to the world.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 04, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA502997
Entities
People
- Matthew F. Harmon
Organizations
- Naval War College