If you were the US how would you handle the propaganda war?

[John Paul]

Simple enough question.I am asking it because the US has never seemed able of making effective use of propaganda towards overseas populations,its strengths seem to lie in getting the home front pumped up.I'm not saying that all of our overseas efforts have ended in failure,but this seems to be the impression for the last thirty plus years.So how would you handle the current situation?As once again everyone is saying that we're doing a rather poor job at it.

[Chuck?]

In my opinion, there is only one way for the US to win the propaganda war. It's like asking how could the British win the propaganda war against America during the Revolutionary War. Most of the overseas population has strong, unfavorable views against the United States. Only after a withdraw from world affairs will the United States win the progaganda war.

[Cheetah772]

Originally posted by John Paul
Simple enough question.I am asking it because the US has never seemed able of making effective use of propaganda towards overseas populations,its strengths seem to lie in getting the home front pumped up.I'm not saying that all of our overseas efforts have ended in failure,but this seems to be the impression for the last thirty plus years.So how would you handle the current situation?As once again everyone is saying that we're doing a rather poor job at it.

That's easy...

Just sent CNN cameras into morgues and video the dead Iraqi soldiers, and drag the surrendering troops before the camera and humiliate them completely.

No, seriously, I think there's not a good way for us to use propaganda tactics effectively.

To do that it would require a state-run news agency, which obviously we don't have in America.

I've noticed that in many of these countries nearly all of them have state-run news agency and be able to spew out propaganda more effectively than us simply because it is a part of their overrall strategy.

Here in America, it's impossible to do that because we don't have an overrall news strategy other than trying to get our side heard and protrayed accurately.

The best thing we can do overseas is to use native people as reporters and use native-run TV and radio stations rather than funding them with our money. Try to avoid our participation as possible and have things run from behind the scenes.

Dan

[Chuck?]

Throughout history the world has viewed the 'big dog' as the bad guy, whether this was true or not. The only thing that will work in the long term is to stick to the lofty ideas that this country has always worked towards: liberty, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, equal justice before the law, and government by the people, for the people, and of the people. To get down in the mud and fight propaganda wars with two-bit dictators isn't a good strategy.

Why do hundreds of millions of people want to come to our shores every year and work at crummy, thankless low wage jobs? Because of the freedoms and liberities the citizens of this country take for advantage. Here one can make a decent living through hard work, education and training regardless of class, religion, color, or ethnic background. Here one isn't killed or locked up when they speak up against the government. Here one can worship the God of their choice, or no god at all. Here one has a voice in the direction of the government.

[John Paul]

Originally posted by Chuck
Throughout history the world has viewed the 'big dog' as the bad guy, whether this was true or not. The only thing that will work in the long term is to stick to the lofty ideas that this country has always worked towards: liberty, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, equal justice before the law, and government by the people, for the people, and off the people. To get down in the mud and fight propaganda wars with two-bit dictators isn't a good strategy.

Why do hundreds of millions of people want to come to our shores every year and work at crummy, thankless low wage jobs? Because of the freedoms and liberities the citizens of this country take for advantage. Here one can make a decent living through hard work, education and training regardless of class, religion, color, or ethnic background. Here one isn't killed or locked up when they speak up against the government. Here one can worship the God of their choice, or no god at all. Here one has a voice in the direction of the government.
:thumup:

[Martin Schenkel]

Originally posted by Chuck
Throughout history the world has viewed the 'big dog' as the bad guy, whether this was true or not.

For this reason, I think most anti-American sentiment is less directed at American ideals, than it is directed at America's place in the world as the only superpower. If Russia, China, Britain, Zimbabwe or Lichtenstein were in the same position, they too would be subjected to similar resentment.

[John Paul]

i would like to see that.

FEAR US FOR WE ARE MIGHTY LICHTENSTEIN!!!:hail: :laugh:

[Martin Schenkel]

Originally posted by John Paul
i would like to see that.

FEAR US FOR WE ARE MIGHTY LICHTENSTEIN!!!:hail: :laugh:

You never know. It's the quiet ones that you have to keep your eye on.....:cheeky:

[Fading Captain]

Originally posted by Chuck
Throughout history the world has viewed the 'big dog' as the bad guy, whether this was true or not.

Agreed Chuck--as I strongly agree with the rest of your post. While I detest flag waving pep-rally patrioticism (of any nature) and that confounded Lee Greenwood song, I am, well, proud (and thankful) to be an American.

But America needs to understand the sensitive and delicate nature of being "big dog." And I am not sure that most Americans do, especially our politicians. Geographically and ideologically we suffer from an unhealthy isolationism (even in the information age); we are not the most culturally sensitive or understanding people on the planet.

If people do not like you for being the "big dog," they sure as hell are not going to like you for being the "big dog" and engaging in iron-fisted, cowboy diplomancy without the sanction of the UN or the international community.

For America, I think that the key to winning the propaganda war involves getting back to the principles that the country was founded upon, the principles that Chuck mentions. But we also need to consider the historical context that created these principles.

What am I getting at? I am getting at the fact that to win the propaganda war we have to stop acting like the very country that we once fought for freedom against--the British empire circa the late 18th century.

:flag:

[Ivan Rapkinov]

The Mouse That Roared...

..Peter Sellers I think?