Opinion
Persuasion, not popularity, should be Obama's goal
Examiner Editorial
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November 26, 2008
As Barack Obama works to shape his new foreign policy team and its guiding principles, he ought to avoid the trap of treating American popularity abroad as an end in itself. Indeed, too slavish a pursuit of popularity for its own sake might actually get in the way of achieving far worthier, broader objectives.
The Ethics and Public Policy Center (a conservative think tank) held a forum last week on the subject of “public diplomacy,” which is how a country’s government communicates not with other governments, but with the citizenry in other nations. Far from mere “propaganda,” public diplomacy is a strategic effort to understand and engage foreign populations and to help them appreciate how U.S. policies would help advance their own interests, too.
Jeffrey Gedmin is president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which directs communications efforts in 28 languages. He explained to the EPPC audience the proper goal of public diplomacy. “It is not for the United States to be popular,” he said. “[The goal should be] to advance American interests consonant with American values.”
Kenneth Pollack, director of research on Middle East policy at the Brookings Institution, agreed. Good public diplomacy recognizes, he said, that “there is not a quick fix” for low popularity, and that the success (or failure) of actions speak far louder than any words can. But he added this important caveat: “Words must accompany the actions. We’re not selling anything, not advertising.” What we are doing, he said, is patiently explaining how American interests are beneficent.
As an example, Gedmin cited Ronald Reagan’s insistence on placing intercontinental ballistic missiles in western Europe in the 1980s. Deeply derided among large swaths of the western European public, protested in the streets by millions, Reagan’s efforts promoted long-term goals ahead of short-term popularity. But Reagan repeatedly made strong efforts to explain himself, and made his case with every tool available (including Radio Free Europe). Now those same nations routinely credit Reagan with having done much to end (and win) the Cold War.
Gedmin did say that Obama has a unique ability to do public diplomacy well – because, he said, Obama is a “weapon of mass attraction.” He is a particularly skillful messenger, Gedmin said. And that’s all the more reason why Obama should not substitute American interests for popularity – because his own communications ability gives him the chance, if he will use it wisely, to convince the world of the benefits of American strength.
The Ethics and Public Policy Center (a conservative think tank) held a forum last week on the subject of “public diplomacy,” which is how a country’s government communicates not with other governments, but with the citizenry in other nations. Far from mere “propaganda,” public diplomacy is a strategic effort to understand and engage foreign populations and to help them appreciate how U.S. policies would help advance their own interests, too.
Jeffrey Gedmin is president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which directs communications efforts in 28 languages. He explained to the EPPC audience the proper goal of public diplomacy. “It is not for the United States to be popular,” he said. “[The goal should be] to advance American interests consonant with American values.”
Kenneth Pollack, director of research on Middle East policy at the Brookings Institution, agreed. Good public diplomacy recognizes, he said, that “there is not a quick fix” for low popularity, and that the success (or failure) of actions speak far louder than any words can. But he added this important caveat: “Words must accompany the actions. We’re not selling anything, not advertising.” What we are doing, he said, is patiently explaining how American interests are beneficent.
As an example, Gedmin cited Ronald Reagan’s insistence on placing intercontinental ballistic missiles in western Europe in the 1980s. Deeply derided among large swaths of the western European public, protested in the streets by millions, Reagan’s efforts promoted long-term goals ahead of short-term popularity. But Reagan repeatedly made strong efforts to explain himself, and made his case with every tool available (including Radio Free Europe). Now those same nations routinely credit Reagan with having done much to end (and win) the Cold War.
Gedmin did say that Obama has a unique ability to do public diplomacy well – because, he said, Obama is a “weapon of mass attraction.” He is a particularly skillful messenger, Gedmin said. And that’s all the more reason why Obama should not substitute American interests for popularity – because his own communications ability gives him the chance, if he will use it wisely, to convince the world of the benefits of American strength.
