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General/Overview
- See also Congressional Research Service reports
- U.S. Government Manual
- As the official handbook of the Federal Government, the United States Government Manual provides comprehensive information on the agencies of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. It also includes information on quasi-official agencies, international organizations in which the United States participates, and boards, commissions, and committees.
infoUSA - Authoritative resource for foreign audiences seeking information about American society, political processes, official U.S. policies and culture. [works for home folks as well]
- The Freedom Papers
- Outline of the U.S. Legal System - introduction, history, etc. - from U.S. State Department
- Your Government - quick reference by White House
- Ben's Guide to the U.S. Government, for kids of all ages, from the Government Printing Office
- Federal Citizen Information Center
Democracy
Continuity of Government
Constitution
- See also Congressional Research Service reports about the Constitution
- See also Historical Documents, including Constitution, Declaration of Independence, etc.
- The Constitution of the United States of America, with explanatory notes, State Dept.
- U.S. Constitution Literacy Reader - including most influential Federalist Papers
- Federalist Papers - complete set, posted by the Yale Law School
- The James Madison Papers, Library of Congress
- Constitution of the United States, and Amendments, hypertext version by Emory Law School
- The Constitution of the United States, and associated material, from National Archives
- The Bill of Rights, and associated material, from National Archives
Historic Documents
Elections
President
War Powers
Emergency Powers
- Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports
State Department
Public Diplomacy
A diplomat is a man who can convince his wife she looks terrible in diamonds.
--- former US ambassador to Iraq Edward L. Peck
(see Peck's Postulates, a primer on international relations)
- See also state department
- See also strategic communication at the Cyberspace and Information Operations Study Center
- See also cultural awareness & cross-cultural communication
- U.S. National Strategy for Public Diplomacy and Strategic Communication (local copy), June 2007
- Transformational Public Diplomacy, speech by Karen P. Hughes, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, 10 May 2006
- The Mission of Public Diplomacy (local copy), Karen Hughes; Nominee for Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, testimony at confirmation hearing, 22 July 2005
- Strategic Communications and Planning, State Department -- with many factsheets on various regions and issues
- public diplomacy - (from DOD Dictionary) Those overt international public information activities of the United States Government designed to promote United States foreign policy objectives by seeking to understand, inform, and influence foreign audiences and opinion makers, and by broadening the dialogue between American citizens and institutions and their counterparts abroad.
- public diplomacy - (from State Dept report) the cultural, educational, and informational programs, citizen exchanges, or broadcasts used to promote the national interest of the United States through understanding, informing, and influencing foreign audiences
- White House Office of Global Communications
- President Bush understands the importance of conveying America's message to the world. The Office of Global Communications (OGC) was formed in 2002 to coordinate strategic communications overseas that integrate the President's themes while truthfully depicting America and Administration policies.
- Explaining NATO's public diplomacy, Video interview with Stefanie Babst, Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, 18 Sep 2006
- USC Center on Public Diplomacy, University of Southern California
- U.S. Army War College
- Revitalizing U.S. Public Diplomacy (local copy), by Bowers, USAWC paper, Mar 2005
- This paper will trace the rise and fall of U.S. public diplomacy, discuss problems that prevent us from having a more effective public diplomacy program, and then frame a set of recommendations for a revitalization of U.S. public diplomacy.
- More Effective Public Diplomacy in the Arab and Muslim World (local copy), by Zwiebel, USAWC paper, Mar 2005
- This paper reviews recent State Department public diplomacy efforts and recommends a new agency that can more effectively employ the information element of national power.
- The Role of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs in the Global War on Terrorism (local copy), by Huntley, USAWC paper, Mar 2005
- 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.
- .. more Public Diplomacy papers at the U.S. Army War College and Strategic Studies Institute
- GAO
- Defense Science Board
- Public Diplomacy: How to Think About and Improve It, by Wolf and Rosen, RAND Occasional Paper, 2004
- The authors propose a new approach to conceptualizing and conducting public diplomacy, defined as a process of informing and convincing foreign publics, especially those in the Muslim world, that the ideals Americans cherish-such as pluralism, freedom, women's rights, and democracy — are fundamental human values that will resonate in their own countries.
- Public Diplomacy in the Middle East, Congressional hearings, 10 Feb 2004
- Communicating Public Diplomacy Objectives (local copy), 10 Feb 2004 remarks by Harold C. Pachios, Commissioner, United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy - issues, problems, advances
- Briefing memo for the hearing “Public Diplomacy in the Middle East” scheduled for February 10, 2004 (local copy), House Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations
- “Public Diplomacy in the Middle East” - testimony by Tomlinson, February 10, 2004 (local copy), House Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations
- U.S. Public Diplomacy: State Department and the Broadcasting Board of Governors Expand Efforts in the Middle East but Face Significant Challenges (local copy) 10 Feb 04 Congressional testimony, as reported by GAO
- “Winning the War of Ideas” - testimony by Morey, February 10, 2004 (local copy), House Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations
- In short, our Council on Foreign Relations Task Force believes the answers are that we must do three things urgently: prioritize, revolutionize and even privatize public diplomacy.
- Iraq: Winning Hearts and Minds, Congressional hearings, 15 June 2004
- Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy
- The U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy is a bipartisan panel created by Congress and appointed by the President to provide oversight of U.S. Government activities intended to understand, inform, and influence foreign publics.
- testimony, reports, remarks, op-ed, and other releases - includes annual reports required by Congress
- The Advisory Group on Public Diplomacy in the Arab and Muslim World was formed in June [2003] at the request of Congress. It is a subcommittee of the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy
- American Public Diplomacy and Islam (local copy), Beers testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Feb 2003
- We need to talk to so many people around the world who do not even know the basics about us. They are taught to distrust our every motive. Such distortions, married to a lack of knowledge, is a deadly cocktail. Engaging and teaching common values are preventive medicine.
- American Public Diplomacy and the Islamic and Arab World:
A Communication Update & Assessment (local copy), Zaharna testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Feb 2003
- One can look at public diplomacy from two perspectives: relationship-building strategies versus messages and image-building strategies. Currently, American public diplomacy appears very much focused on its message and its image.
- American Public Diplomacy in the Islamic World (local copy), Kohut testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Feb 2003 - with results of attitudes surveys
- GAO
- Public Diplomacy -- Capturing the Information Terrain on the Way to Victory, by Urrutia-Varhall, Air Force Fellows Program, 2002
- This paper details the public diplomacy campaign that Saddam executed in 2000 and impresses upon the reader that various public diplomacy techniques such as "faces with a name" can sway public opinion. Using this campaign as background, and to illustrate the value of capturing the information terrain, the events of 9/11 present an opportunity to review the U.S. Government and Department of Defense's public diplomacy strategy during the first 100 days of Operation Enduring Freedom.
- Additional GAO reports on Public Diplomacy
- GAO reports on International Broadcasting
Foreign Assistance, Foreign Aid
Government Agencies
Interagency Cooperation and Operations
- See interagency lessons learned
- Joint Interagency Coordination Group (JIACG)
, at JFCOM
- The JIACG concept seeks to establish operational connections between civilian and military departments and agencies that will improve planning and coordination within the government.
- S/CRS Inter-Agency Team - State Department's Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization
- Interagency Transformation, Education and After Action Review (ITEA) "is a federally funded program that seeks to improve coordination among the executive departments and agencies responsible for crisis planning and response." - National Defense University - many documents and publications
- U.S. Government Interagency Complex Contingency Operations Organizational and Legal Handbook (local copy, 3.2 Mb), Center for Law and Military Operations (CLAMO), Feb 2004
- Interagency Management of Complex Crisis Operations Handbook (local copy), ITEA, National Defense University, Jan 2003
(DOC file)
- Interagency Complex Contingency Operations Handbook (local copy)
- Discussion Needed to Change Interagency Process, Pace Says (local copy), 17 Sep 2004, American Forces Press Service
- Agencies Must Cooperate to Win Terror War, Pace Says (local copy), 15 Sep 2004, American Forces Press Service
- Pace Proposes Interagency Goldwater-Nichols Act (local copy), 7 Sep 2004, American Forces Press Service
- U.S. Government Interagency Domestic Terrorism Concept of Operations Plan
- Crossing Boundaries: Interagency Cooperation and the Military (local copy), by Kelleher, in Joint Force Quarterly, Autumn 2002
- Interagency Cooperation: PDD 56 and Complex Contingency Operations (local copy), by Hamblet and Kline, in Joint Force Quarterly, Spring 2000
- Humanitarian and Peace Operations: NGOs and the Military
in the Interagency Process (local copy), by Davidson et al, NDU Press, Dec 1996
- National Power and the Interagency Process (local copy), by Raach and Kass, in Joint Force Quarterly, Summer 1995
Congress
U.S. Laws
Courts
Reports & Testimony
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