Communication and International Relations

In her 2004 article, “From Bombs and Bullets to Hearts and Minds: U.S Public Diplomacy in an Age of Propaganda,” global communications professor Nancy Snow advances an explanation for America’s negative global image. She states that the sharp inconsistencies between word and deed in U.S. foreign policy, combined with the nation’s ability to “get away with it” due to power, helps to explain why the U.S. is so hated in many parts of the world.

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Yellow Journalism: Alive in the 21st Century?
By Carla Lapov

In the 1890’s, the phrase “Yellow Journalism” described American newspaper articles written to incite hatred of Spain. Today, it is a reference to journalism that features irresponsible or unprofessional sensationalism. Is today’s unchecked repeating of the administration’s spin a form of yellow journalism? Could the relentless accounts of Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction and alleged ties to Al Qaeda be examples of the media being pressured by governments to incite hatred of Iraq?

Describing an all-time national image low, she points to strong international opposition to the war in Iraq, as well as majority belief among even traditional European allies that, in its war on terror, the United States is motivated only by national interest. She also reminds us that U.S. media messages are not the only ones the world is exposed to, and cites Al-Jazeera’s Iraq war coverage that positions the U.S. as embarking on an “imperial war for domination and occupation.” Snow writes that for the U.S. to change its image, “We may have to start by ‘walking our talk.’”

“Public Diplomacy—How to Think About it and Improve It” is a 2004 report published by the non-profit think tank, the RAND Corporation. The report outlines recommendations regarding, in particular, U.S. public diplomacy efforts in Muslim nations and the Middle East, where, it notes, American image problems are most “acute.”

The report notes that tactics and techniques used in marketing commercial goods do not automatically translate to the advancing of beliefs and values—“public” goods. It also notes that a given target audience abroad may not even want what the U.S. is selling; for an audience to believe American values are worthwhile, they must also believe that “[our] efforts to further these values are genuine, persistent, and enduring…”

The 2005 documentary, “Rush to War,” delves into U.S. government rationale for the Iraq War and explores outcomes. Positioning modern military and political history alongside discussion with scholars, journalists, and foreign policy experts, the film also examines U.S. image in the Middle East, and globally. Like Snow and the Rand Report, this film underscores the importance of consistency and credibility in winning hearts and minds. American foreign policy inconsistencies such as the post 9-11 dropping of sanctions against Pakistan—a Muslim country with nuclear capabilities Iraq was said to have—are presented. Columbia University professor Rashid Khalidi notes that our nation’s move into Iraq isn’t the first time the world has observed a disconnect between U.S. rhetoric and action, and MIT professor Noam Chomsky cites poll results showing 95% of the Arab world believes oil is the dominant U.S. interest in the region.