This paper uses public diplomacy and strategic communication to describe an instrument of statecraft that embraces diplomacy, cultural diplomacy, international broadcasting, political communication, democracy building, and open military information operations. Each element is instrumental in its core, but each imports discourse norms requiring limited firewalls to be successful.
Because U.S. public diplomacy is characterized by episodic commitment, organizational stovepipes, tribal cultures, and excessive reliance on “accidental” personalities, reforms of unusual duration and scale are required in a world where geography and military dominance no longer ensure America’s security.To transform the intent of political leaders and some thirty expert studies since 9/11 into action, a business plan is needed to map policy and public diplomacy connections,replace coordination with strategic direction, marshal private sector creativity, and institutionalize planning.
