Reader comments
John Hughes: USIA needs to be revived to fight anti-Americanism

Wow | 2:10 a.m. July 23, 2008

Hughes,
You've really outdone yourself this time. To pontificate on negative views of the US abroad without so much as a mention of the startlingly anti-democratic, dishonest, dishonorable and destructive foreign policy of these last eight years is journalistic dereliction of the highest order. And what's your prescription? More PR and propaganda. Brilliant! We're largely in the fix we're in, because the rest of the world doesn't believe a word out of the mouths of our leaders--nor should they. Just this week, George W. Bush revealed his opinion in an unguarded moment (captured on video, despite a ban on video cameras at the function he was addressing) that "Wall Street got drunk" and the country is now riding out the hangover, a stark contrast to the rosy economic outlook he insisted upon during a televised address to the nation. You must allow that our lousy image abroad is at least partially of this administration's making.

Anonymous | 7:18 a.m. July 23, 2008

Get rid of the root cause of the anti americanism, George in this case, and things will repair themselves.

The Ugly America | 9:22 a.m. July 23, 2008

"The Ugly American" is the title of a 1958 political novel by Eugene Burdick and William Lederer. It became a bestseller, was influential at the time, and is still in print.

The novel describes how the United States is losing the struggle with Communismï¿½what was later to be called the battle for hearts and mindsï¿½in Southeast Asia, because of arrogance and failure to understand the local culture.

Also keep in mind Ultra-Nationalism is one of the 14 warning signs of Fascism. Some believe it has already arrived in the form of the Neocon movement.

Comments continue below

Roland Kayser | 9:47 a.m. July 23, 2008

Can we call it the Ministry of Propaganda?

News Blackout | 10:10 a.m. July 23, 2008

Let's not forget to add the MSM to the top of the list of why we find ourselves in the current situation. They simply will not tell the truth. They will not question leaders. They will not ask hard questions. There is no investigative reporting anymore.

The MSM are supposed to be the front line watch dogs against corruption, bad policy, etc., and they have become a partner to it. If it weren't for the watchfulness of valiant citizenry and the internet, I think we would be further down the road of our self inflicted demise than we are.

Lewt | 10:18 a.m. July 23, 2008

After "Shock and Awe", just what would we have to spend, and how many commentators would we need to purchase to UNDO things and once again convince the world we're really their pals? Mr. Hughes has made this plea before. It might work better if we had a president who was in the habit of reading.

Anonymous | 10:41 a.m. July 23, 2008

When certain disagreeable facts are uncovered by the media this is automatically put into the Limbaugh category of "the drive-by media." Which translates into: MY propaganda is truer than yours.
And there we go again, off to the races.

Reality check | 12:06 p.m. July 23, 2008

See the space vehicle Europe and Russia are building? I guess, Europeans weren't impressed our space shuttle. China was be on the moon before we return.

The world's most powerful military has lost ground in Afghanistan seen Bush told the world our mission had been acomplished.

If we complain about China, they will dump their US debt.

The income for American workers, adjusted for inflation, as dropped. Americans pay the most per person on health care as the life expectancies for Americans decline and child mortality increases.

Could the problem with America's image globally, is that people outside America are more objective about America than most Americans are today?

Talking a good game isn't the same as winning. Recalling past glory isn't excelling today. The fact you were one's the greatest means nothing to toay's winner.

You don't see waves of Canadians storming Washington. There are no boat loads of European heading for America's shores. Engineers from India are returning to India.

Life is great for Rush. Life isn't great for those whose jobs have been outsourced. It's not going to be great for those loosing there jobs in this down turn.

#1 warning sign | 12:25 p.m. July 23, 2008

"The Ugly American."
Great book. Great movie.
Today, there are some types that would have it burned and the authors placed before a new House on UnAmerica activities to answer charges of sedition.

Powerful and continuing expressions of nationalism is the #1 warning sign of fascist systems.

Anonymous | 1:58 p.m. July 23, 2008

If you don't see where you can improve, you never improve. You don't learn without making mistakes. Learning is a vital step toward progress.

RE: #1 warning sign | 4:22 p.m. July 23, 2008

Seeing signs and making up signs is the #1 sign you need a thicker tinfoil hat.

Anonymous | 5:14 p.m. July 23, 2008

No, RE: #1 -
A study was made on Franco, Hitler and Mussolini a while back and ... and ... well .... uh, ... er ...
never mind.

Thomas | 5:13 p.m. July 23, 2008

The conceit of liberals who seem to think everyone loved America until George W. Bush took office betrays their typically complete ignorance of history.

(Because after all, why should a progressive bother with studying dead white males, when building the Glorious Future is all that matters?)

Now, the fact that an awful lot of liberals appear to be mindless simpletons doesn't necessarily mean that the bulk of Republican officeholders aren't *equally* mindless simpletons. Just because a fair number of George W. Bush's critics are fools doesn't mean that he's not, in fact, a mediocrity. It *does* suggest that if our strategy for making America's enemies love us consists of nothing more than voting George W. Bush out of office, we're in trouble.

funny, funny Thomas | 6:22 p.m. July 23, 2008

I think Thomas is having a tough time with the country turning left of center (the way it works best) rather than way, way right after the Cheney/Bush dream team duped everybody into believing WMD's existed in Iraq.
He is no doubt one of those Bush-worshippers who believe it's all fine and dandy to shock-and-awe women and children of Iraq, (for the greater good) because after all, we're all Americans and if you disagree with Cheney and Bush's policies you are guilty of sedition

Lewt | 9:26 p.m. July 23, 2008

Wow. Thomas sees so many stupid people out there. That means he must be smmmaaaarrrrtttt.

IIE | 3:26 p.m. Aug. 21, 2008

Working for the International Visitor Leadership Program under the State Department's bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, I have had the opportunity to see student leaders, clerics, women entrepreneurs and government leaders open their minds to a whole new America because of their visit to the United States on this program. You will be surprised how many people around the world function off of their Hollywood based perceptions of the US. One Chechnyan girl's parents begged her not go come to the US because she said they are rude and mean people. When inquiring why they thought Americans were rude, she said it is because they saw it on TV. So I say we need to give the world something more to judge us with than Hollywood and President Bush. Why not give them a chance to see more of the real America?

IIE Again... | 3:38 p.m. Aug. 21, 2008

For all the Mormons in the house, there was a political adviser from Kazakhstan along with Muslim Imams from Pakistan who came here to learn more about religion in the US. In the program's opening meeting, he expressed his excitement that he was going to Utah to learn about the Mormons. He was especially excited to see the Mormons walking around with their many wives and children on the streets of Salt Lake City. Ridiculous, I know. But this man had seen Big Love and the news that depicted Mormons as polygamists still. We had to explain to him that this does not happen in the Mormon religion anymore and he will not be able to see polygamist families because they are illegal and will not be easily found. He insisted that we find the polygamist families. After his visit to Utah he changed his mind. This man also thought that all small towns in America were like one depicted in the Wonder Years TV series. Understanding each other is key to progress, even if that means we have to do a little PR. It's not only a battle, but a race for hearts and minds.

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