It's nice to think of this artistic collaboration going on between among Syrian and Lebanese artists in Aley, Lebanon: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Culture/Art/2013/Mar-13/209841-aley-serves-as-refuge-for-syrian-artists.ashx#axzz2Ojtr85zY .
A World Perspective
Although I agree with Maya Angelou about the inappropriate paraphrasing of the "drum major" quotation, this quotation makes sense to me.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Sunday, March 24, 2013
On the edge of nationwide strife?
This article -- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2298080/Peace-Lebanon-dangles-thread-Prime-Minister-resigns-amid-political-crisis.html?ito=feeds-newsxml -- suggests that war is eminent in Lebanon, although one or two mentions of interviews with Lebanese indicate that the PM resigning is fairly expected and normal. I have been comparing the English-language Lebanese press (Daily Star and An-Nahar) and their coverage leans more toward the latter. Let's hope for that. Al-Monitor, though, recently published a piece by Jean Aziz (who also writes for the liberal-leaning Al Akhbar of Lebanon) -- http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/03/lebanon-enters-government-vacuum.html comparing Miqati's resignation -- which is widely reported as because he couldn't get the Cabinet to agree to extend the ISF chief's tenure past March -- and the lack of parliament's passage of an election law for the upcoming general elections, to the months before the Taif agreement, then the Doha agreement. Failing outside intervention in passing an election law and without a strong, credible ISF chief, Lebanon could tumble internally, the article suggests. It concludes with a question about whether the Lebanese people themselves come up with an agreement. It's hard to know how to assess the situation from over here, and not reading the Arabic media. I hope for Lebanese civil society activists across the diverse political and confessional landscape to be at the table. I wish I had time to monitor their activism. 'Rooting for you, Lubnan!
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Please, please, please, not again
The situation in Lebanon, with the number of Syrian refugees estimated to be in the range of 220,000-350,000 (http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php) has continued to fester. Reports of Syrian child soldiers, rape, early marriages to protect daughters, severe malnutrition and depression, are increasing. Lebanese, people around the Middle East, and across the diaspora continue to fear another war. An example of the growing concern, with some Sunni Muslim leaders in Lebanon feeling ready to battle Hizbullah forces (that support the Syrian presidency and army) within Lebanon, is reported in today's New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/14/world/middleeast/lebanons-sunnis-gird-for-a-fight.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 .
Governments need to engage their public diplomacy networks to listen, understand, and take concrete policy steps to quell the Syrian war and the increasing stirrings of war in Lebanon. The world is waiting for diplomatic negotiation to work. I hope that the USG and other UN Security Council and Arab League member states pause, convene, and reflect on what another civil war in Lebanon would look like -- how disastrous it would be. Public diplomacy -- abroad and at home -- is what's needed to inform USG and other stakeholder states' policies so that they are credible. If they are credible to all in the global networks of key stakeholders, then the explaining part of public diplomacy will directly support nonviolent peacebuilding. The global stakeholders include Hizbullah, Salafi Muslims, Maronite and Orthodox Christians, Druze, Israelis -- their political leaders must be at the table with UNSCR. Today. We have reached a crisis in Lebanon that will only make the war in Syria last longer. Please, let's not wait. From experience, we have a good idea of what will happen without emergency, all-inclusive intervention.
Today is a political anniversary day in Lebanon, a reminder of what Lebanon has been through and how the US and Lebanon have a shared interest in peace there:
Press Statement
PRN: 2013/0288
Governments need to engage their public diplomacy networks to listen, understand, and take concrete policy steps to quell the Syrian war and the increasing stirrings of war in Lebanon. The world is waiting for diplomatic negotiation to work. I hope that the USG and other UN Security Council and Arab League member states pause, convene, and reflect on what another civil war in Lebanon would look like -- how disastrous it would be. Public diplomacy -- abroad and at home -- is what's needed to inform USG and other stakeholder states' policies so that they are credible. If they are credible to all in the global networks of key stakeholders, then the explaining part of public diplomacy will directly support nonviolent peacebuilding. The global stakeholders include Hizbullah, Salafi Muslims, Maronite and Orthodox Christians, Druze, Israelis -- their political leaders must be at the table with UNSCR. Today. We have reached a crisis in Lebanon that will only make the war in Syria last longer. Please, let's not wait. From experience, we have a good idea of what will happen without emergency, all-inclusive intervention.
Today is a political anniversary day in Lebanon, a reminder of what Lebanon has been through and how the US and Lebanon have a shared interest in peace there:
Anniversary of Lebanon's Cedar Revolution
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
March 14, 2013
Today marks the eighth anniversary of Lebanon’s Cedar Revolution, when the Lebanese people took to the streets to peacefully demonstrate and demand a sovereign and democratic country free from foreign interference and to call for the truth behind the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 22 others.
The Lebanese people continue to face challenges as they work to ensure a stable, sovereign, and independent state that unifies all Lebanese. As Lebanon prepares for its parliamentary elections, we call on all parties to reject the use of violence and to resolve their differences peacefully and at the ballot box, consistent with the Lebanese constitution. Lebanon’s democratic process is a valuable achievement, and we urge Lebanon and its leaders to uphold their commitment to this process and hold elections on time.
The United States steadfastly supports the people of Lebanon and their advance toward a sovereign, stable, independent, and prosperous Lebanon.
The Lebanese people continue to face challenges as they work to ensure a stable, sovereign, and independent state that unifies all Lebanese. As Lebanon prepares for its parliamentary elections, we call on all parties to reject the use of violence and to resolve their differences peacefully and at the ballot box, consistent with the Lebanese constitution. Lebanon’s democratic process is a valuable achievement, and we urge Lebanon and its leaders to uphold their commitment to this process and hold elections on time.
The United States steadfastly supports the people of Lebanon and their advance toward a sovereign, stable, independent, and prosperous Lebanon.
PRN: 2013/0288
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Interested in "diaspora diplomacy" ?
Recently, Clingendael, the Netherlands Institute of International Relations, published a Discussion Paper that resulted from some of my dissertation fieldwork. It's called: "American Diaspora
Diplomacy: U.S. Foreign Policy and Lebanese Americans" and is downloadable for free at
http://www.clingendael.nl/publications/2012/20121206_discussionpaperindiplomacy_125_trent_beveiligd.pdf
Feedback will be much appreciated, and I am always looking to connect with folks with similar research interests :-) .
Diplomacy: U.S. Foreign Policy and Lebanese Americans" and is downloadable for free at
http://www.clingendael.nl/publications/2012/20121206_discussionpaperindiplomacy_125_trent_beveiligd.pdf
Feedback will be much appreciated, and I am always looking to connect with folks with similar research interests :-) .
Friday, March 8, 2013
From one of the most respected international statesmen alive...
Ambassador Clovis Maksoud's writing, teaching, and diplomatic practice are a deep wellspring of knowledge. I believe he is around 90, still busy at American University and as a journalist for several media outlets. From him I have learned a lot about the meaning of diversity in the Middle East. He has witnessed so much of the last century's suffering, only occasionally seasoned with diplomatic success by Middle Eastern, U.S. and other governments. Maksoud always keeps the local citizen at the center of his analysis. See this current example: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/03/a-painful-sight-of-a-majority-of.html .
Saturday, March 2, 2013
More on "Argo"
This essay http://blog.heritage.org/2013/03/01/argo-oscar-win-infuriates-iran-but-the-iranian-people-think-otherwise/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+WhatsNewInPd+%28What%27s+New+in+Public+Diplomacy%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher#When:00:34:54Z on "Argo" is in a recent issue of "The Foundry." It opposes my perspective in my previous posting that Mrs. Obama's involvement in the presentation of the film's Oscar award, citing the film's popularity among Iranians. It also suggests that "Argo" is effective public diplomacy. Hmmm. Soft power, yes, but I think this suggestion is an example of conflating cross-cultural internationalism and PD.
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