VOL. V NO. 13, June 05-June 18, 2009

McHale Addresses Security Issues

After two weeks in office, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Judith McHale addressed students from the State Department’s Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program.

In her June 11, 2009 speech, McHale emphasizes the new administration’s commitment to renewing US engagement with the world and restoring US credibility. McHale’s speech focused on the necessity of public diplomacy for national security. She assured the audience that the Obama Administration recognizes the importance of public diplomacy in 21st century statecraft.

McHale claims that due to new technology, we live in an incredibly interconnected world where people engage with each other more than ever before. Understanding the interconnectivity of our world is essential to successful foreign policy as increased communications allow the US to develop relationships around the world, therefore, diminishing threats by creating partnerships instead.

McHale refers to Secretary Clinton’s theory of “people to people” diplomacy in which we “build new partnerships from the bottom up.”

McHale promises a new approach to public diplomacy by declaring that, “this is not a propaganda contest – it is a relationship race. And we have got to get back in the game.”

In order to successfully engage the international community, McHale outlines a multi-dimensional approach that combines traditional outreach with new technology. Her plan for public diplomacy will operate on two levels. The first focus being communication, using radio, TV broadcasts, websites and media outreach to help explain US policy and action. The second priority is engagement; she proposes direct “people to people” exchanges, speakers, and cultural events to build personal relationships.

Matt Armstrong, in his blog MountainRunner found McHale’s speech to be full of promise and respected her understanding of the difference between public diplomacy and propaganda. He highlighted that although McHale mentioned the remarkable public diplomacy campaign supporting President Obama’s speech in Cairo, she did not discuss how the text message service was not available to numbers within the US because the Smith-Mundt Act, prohibiting the domestic dissemination of US propaganda.

Although Armstrong praised McHale’s approach to handling public diplomacy, he argues, “The real proof will be what happens next.”

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