Posted on 08/28/2009 8:42:16 AM PDT by EinNYC
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has written a searing critique of government efforts at “strategic communication” with the Muslim world, saying that no amount of public relations will establish credibility if American behavior overseas is perceived as arrogant, uncaring or insulting. The critique by the chairman, Adm. Mike Mullen, comes as the United States is widely believed to be losing ground in the war of ideas against extremist Islamist ideology...The Obama administration orders fresh efforts to counter militant propaganda, part of its broader strategy to defeat the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan...“I would argue that most strategic communication problems are not communication problems at all,” he wrote. “They are policy and execution problems. Each time we fail to live up to our values or don’t follow up on a promise, we look more and more like the arrogant Americans the enemy claims we are.”...The perception of America as an arrogant oppressor has not changed noticeably, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan...Admiral Mullen expressed concern over a trend to create entirely new government and military organizations to manage a broad public relations effort to counter anti-Americanism..."The Taliban and Al Qaeda live largely among the people. They intimidate and control and communicate from within, not from the sidelines.” American messages to counter extremist information campaigns “lack credibility, because we haven’t invested enough in building trust and relationships, and we haven’t always delivered on promises,” he wrote...“We shouldn’t care if people don’t like us. That isn’t the goal. The goal is credibility. And we earn that over time.” Members of Congress also have expressed concern about the government’s programs for strategic communication, public diplomacy and public affairs...He wrote that “good communications runs both ways.” “It’s not about telling our story,” he stated. “We must also be better listeners.”
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
So the left creates the image and now they want to correct the image.
There are more policies staying the same than changing. Check back in 6 months where Obama will announce that Gitmo is staying open.
We are only a few paces behind the Europeans on the road to Weenieville...
Well, we could offer them a box of free porn made in Hollywood, some alcohol, a box of condoms, a free visit to Planned Parenthood for their daughters and a transcript of President Obama’s speech praising the efforts of homosexuluals to gain acceptability in the USA. No doubt they will automatically fall in love with us then.
Yep, Bush did a REAL good job cleaning out the General and Flag Officer ranks of POSs like Mullen.
Why are we wooing Muslims?
Short answer? LUNACY.
the “story” in the NYT seems very selectively cherrypicked from here:
http://www.jcs.mil/newsarticle.aspx?ID=142
(not a Mullen fan, but he had more to say than the NYT wants us to believe)
HUH? Why try to work in that bizarre angle?
Thanx for the post.”The impression of America as an arrogant opressor” Correction-they see us as weak and indecisive.
There new Muslim policy written and they did not even have to pay me for it!
Maybe we should just surrender. That will woo them.
From what I’ve heard of him, I’ve never liked Mike Mullen. He appears to be an appeasing wimp. First the Chinese, and now the Muslims. Bush cleaned a few of the clintonoids out of the Pentagon, but Mullen was a mistake, IMHO.
Oh, sure, showing weakness and bowing down to them will really make the Muslims respect us.
Not.
Fire this lunatic NOW. I do not care what Muslims or other countries ‘think’ of us. I want a military capable of beating the every lovin out of any other military in the world. I want a CoC not afraid to use same
Or the one I like ——— (after beating one senseless and leaving them barely alive...)”And if I have to come back you wil REGRET it....”
Mullen = Chamberlain
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