The Role of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs in the Global War on Terrorism

Abstract

Abstract : On 12 September 2001 the day after the horrible attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Towers the United States Government (USG) and the American military officially began the global war on terrorism (GWOT). In a response to the overwhelming flow of compassion from the International Arab and Muslim Communities President Bush quickly reached out to America and the rest of the world to make the USG's case to respond quickly to the terrorist activity around the world. Proposing a global war on terrorism (GWOT) he would deliver an eloquent but stern message successfully framing why America and the freedom-loving citizens around the world needed to unit to fight the war on terrorism. Almost two years later as America faced a second war with the brutal government of Iraq the USG again engaged the international community to state its case for war. This time engaging too slowly America's positive support gained through public diplomacy and public affairs would quickly dissipate. Thus making it very difficult to convince the world and the Arab and Muslim Communities that America and the coalition were doing the right thing by in going to war with Iraq for a second time. This SRP will examine the importance of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. It will review the current USG policy on public diplomacy and the military's role of public affairs. Further the paper will discuss world opinion of USG policy assess whether the U.S. military should carry the burden of public diplomacy to win the hearts and minds and provide a recommendation for improving the USG Pubic Diplomacy posture in our current global war on terrorism.