The Layalina Review: Volume VI No. 9 | Layalina Productions, Inc.

The Layalina Review

	The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media The Layalina Review is a peerless bi-weekly source for monitoring developments in the spheres of public diplomacy and Arab media. Its readers include academics, Foreign Service Officers, students, members of Congress and their staffs, foreign diplomats, and professionals in both the private and public sectors. Published 26 times per year, the review is free to subscribers and available in PDF, HTML, and RSS formats. The Layalina Review is brought to you thanks in part to a grant from The Dr. Scholl Foundation of Illinois.
Statistic of the Week The UAE is the 'most connected' Arab country, followed by Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, in a new study. PDF RSS Twitter Facebook Recent Issues Vol. VI No. 14: 7/2-7/15, 2010 Vol. VI No. 13: 6/18-7/1, 2010 Archives Subscribe to our Publications Layalina Review Staff Leon Shahabian Senior Editor Anne Hagood Managing Editor Amelia Bell Contributor Mirna Oud Contributor Lorraine Jablonsky Contributor Elodie Liobard Contributor The views expressed here are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Layalina Productions, Inc.	VOL. VI NO. 15, July 16-July 29, 2010 WikiLeaks and Afghanistan Wikileaks, an organization that has published numerous internal memos to reveal “unethical behavior” by governments and corporations, recently disclosed a trove of classified military field reports about the Afghan war, stirring quite a controversy. DoD’s Operations’ New Namesake US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) recently replaced the term psychological operations (PSYOP) with the term military support to information operations (MISO) to allegedly improve the procedures of the public affairs officer and clarify operations. However, some in the field disagree, claiming that it will only bring more confusion. Using New Media Landscape to Digitize Public Diplomacy As the social media revolution becomes a more prominent feature in Arab youth's daily experience, the US is now keener than ever to utilize these tools to promote greater engagement between American and Islamic societies. Mrs. Clinton Goes to Pakistan Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s visit to Pakistan appeared more successful than her previous visit in October 2009, possibly hinting that her public diplomacy efforts have yielded some success. Getting Rid of Extremists Saudi Arabia recently fired or transferred some 2,000 high school teachers described by the Saudi Interior Ministry as extremist and potential supporters of terrorism, indicating a change of policy against terrorism in the Kingdom. Oops, Hollywood Said it Again The Oscar-winning film-maker Oliver Stone stirred quite a controversy following his description of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler as history's "easy scapegoat," angering Jewish and Holocaust remembrance organizations. Clashing Civilizations and Cooperative Civilians With little, if any, perceivable advances being made on relations between the US and the Muslim world, commentators propose new approaches to foreign policy and public discourse. Meanwhile, citizen-led initiatives in the United States and the Middle East are developing creative new projects to improve relations at a local level. Niqab Ban Unveils Controversy in Middle East Syrian Minister of Higher Education Ghaith Barakat recently decided to ban the niqab in universities, following the dismissal of 1200 school teachers for wearing it in class last month. This appears to be the latest attempt to combat what the Syrian government perceives as growing radicalism within the country. Battlegrounds Shifting in War on Terrorism More details of Faisal Shahzad's bomb plot come to light as parts of his martyrdom video recently aired on Al-Arabiya. With all eyes on Pakistan and Yemen, the UN also recently placed Anwar Al-Awlaki on the Al-Qaeda and Taliban Sanctions Committee list.

The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media

The Layalina Review is a peerless bi-weekly source for monitoring developments in the spheres of public diplomacy and Arab media.

Its readers include academics, Foreign Service Officers, students, members of Congress and their staffs, foreign diplomats, and professionals in both the private and public sectors.

Published 26 times per year, the review is free to subscribers and available in PDF, HTML, and RSS formats.

The Layalina Review is brought to you thanks in part to a grant from The Dr. Scholl Foundation of Illinois.

Statistic of the Week
The UAE is the 'most connected' Arab country, followed by Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, in a new study.

Recent Issues

Vol. VI No. 14: 7/2-7/15, 2010

Vol. VI No. 13: 6/18-7/1, 2010

Archives

Layalina Review Staff

Leon Shahabian
Senior Editor

Anne Hagood
Managing Editor

Amelia Bell
Contributor

Mirna Oud
Contributor

Lorraine Jablonsky
Contributor

Elodie Liobard
Contributor

The views expressed here are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Layalina Productions, Inc.

VOL. VI NO. 15, July 16-July 29, 2010

WikiLeaks and Afghanistan
Wikileaks, an organization that has published numerous internal memos to reveal “unethical behavior” by governments and corporations, recently disclosed a trove of classified military field reports about the Afghan war, stirring quite a controversy.

DoD’s Operations’ New Namesake
US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) recently replaced the term psychological operations (PSYOP) with the term military support to information operations (MISO) to allegedly improve the procedures of the public affairs officer and clarify operations. However, some in the field disagree, claiming that it will only bring more confusion.

Using New Media Landscape to Digitize Public Diplomacy
As the social media revolution becomes a more prominent feature in Arab youth's daily experience, the US is now keener than ever to utilize these tools to promote greater engagement between American and Islamic societies.

Mrs. Clinton Goes to Pakistan
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s visit to Pakistan appeared more successful than her previous visit in October 2009, possibly hinting that her public diplomacy efforts have yielded some success.

Getting Rid of Extremists
Saudi Arabia recently fired or transferred some 2,000 high school teachers described by the Saudi Interior Ministry as extremist and potential supporters of terrorism, indicating a change of policy against terrorism in the Kingdom.

Oops, Hollywood Said it Again
The Oscar-winning film-maker Oliver Stone stirred quite a controversy following his description of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler as history's "easy scapegoat," angering Jewish and Holocaust remembrance organizations.

Clashing Civilizations and Cooperative Civilians
With little, if any, perceivable advances being made on relations between the US and the Muslim world, commentators propose new approaches to foreign policy and public discourse. Meanwhile, citizen-led initiatives in the United States and the Middle East are developing creative new projects to improve relations at a local level.

Niqab Ban Unveils Controversy in Middle East
Syrian Minister of Higher Education Ghaith Barakat recently decided to ban the niqab in universities, following the dismissal of 1200 school teachers for wearing it in class last month. This appears to be the latest attempt to combat what the Syrian government perceives as growing radicalism within the country.

Battlegrounds Shifting in War on Terrorism
More details of Faisal Shahzad's bomb plot come to light as parts of his martyrdom video recently aired on Al-Arabiya. With all eyes on Pakistan and Yemen, the UN also recently placed Anwar Al-Awlaki on the Al-Qaeda and Taliban Sanctions Committee list.