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9/11 Commission Report 9/11 Commission Report Continued from Page 21 Public Diplomacy and War on Terror The 9/11 commission report states that “long-term success demands the use of all the elements of national power: diplomacy, intelligence, covert action, law enforcement, economic policy, foreign aid, public diplomacy, and homeland defense.” Quantitative numbers will not defeat the terrorists and insurgents; however the objectives of defeating the enemy need to be specific enough so that the public can determine whether the goals are being met. In order to defeat an insurgency one must promote a stronger ideology, value system, and security environment, than the opposition. The 9/11 commission emphasizes the use of public diplomacy. Defeating insurgents and terrorists is not based on traditional war tactics; it encompasses a national strategic effort that employs all elements of national power. could directly relate to how friendly countries in American counterinsurgency effort in In 2003, the U.S. government realized the Middle East will be in the war on terror, Afghanistan. how important political and cultural support mainly in Afghanistan.] Recently American The 9/11 commission elaborates on the was to the counterinsurgency efforts in involvement in the Middle East has not been example of humane treatment of prisoners of war. In order for the local populations of accepted well; support for the United States has Afghanistan. An Afghani regional official claimed that Afghanistan was on the right track plummeted. The 9/11 Commission shows that countries like Afghanistan, the U.S. and allies for a stable government and begged the United favorable ratings for the United States has fallen need to project a higher image of morality by from 61% to 15% in Indonesia and from 71% to the civil and humane treatment of terrorists that States not to leave the theater, claiming that Afghanistan would lose progress if the U.S. 38% among Muslims in Nigeria. It also states are captured. Accusations that the U.S. abuses withdrew their political support and local that many disgruntled views about the U.S. its prisoners make it more difficult to win outreach to the public.[6] The Afghan develop from uninformed minds about America political, social, and diplomatic relations in our population is able to interact with U.S. presence and that are distorted by cartoon ideologies. civilian-military operations in Afghanistan.[13] Without careful prevention of derogatory use of Local newspapers in Middle Eastern countries in their country, allowing them to feel more secure and safe, thus countering the insurgent that reinforce the Jihadist theme, portraying the information by the enemy, the United States will ideology. The ability of the United States to U.S. as anti-Muslim, influence these fragile become a victim of the enemy’s use of public interact with the local Afghani population has views. These ideas need to be effectively diplomacy in war. The 9/11 commission believes that been an essential tool to winning the countered in order to win our counterinsurgency public diplomacy should be viewed as a efforts in Afghanistan and our ideological war counterinsurgency operations in the country. According to the 9/11 Commission, against Muslim extremism.More recently dialogue with Arab populations, to enable a conducting public diplomacy with the local Congress and the Administration has sought greater understanding between cultures and population of Afghanistan is necessary for long- ways to use these public diplomacy tactics to societies and to build those long-term term success within the country. “A former influence Arab populations to combat relationships and trust that is needed to be Under Secetary of the State for Public insurgents and terrorists. successful at counterinsurgency warfare. “If we Diplomacy and both chairmen of the 9/11 Most Muslims are moderate and do not don’t have long-term relationships with Muslim Commission expresssed the view that public agree with violence, the Commission claims populations, we cannot have trust. Without that it is possible, through the use of public trust, public diplomacy is ineffective.” diplomacy tools are at least as important in the war on terrorism as military tools and should be diplomay, to drive a wedge between those given equal state and increased funding.” Long- moderate Muslims and the violent terrorists or Criticism term public diplomacy efforts in Afghanistan insugents. The U.S. also needs to stand for a will help show that the new Afghani better future and illustrate it to the local The Report has been accused of not population in Afghanistan and to the Muslim government will be able to make their lives giving the whole story about the warnings the better and more secure than an insurgency community. The U.S. needs to take the moral U.S. received prior to the attacks. While the controlled government. leadership role in Afghanistan and throughout Report did describe that "the system was The 9/11 Commission states that the world. For parents, insurgents in blinking red" and that an al Qaeda attack was currently the United States envisions an Afghanistan can only offer their children imminent, it did not include the testimony of violence and death; the U.S. should utilize eventual Afghani government that is able to former CIA director George Tenet to the build a national army, coordinate infrastructure, public diplomacy to counter the insurgent Commission in January 2004, in which he and coordinate public services in major ideology. claimed to have given a specific warning to the American values and ideals are provinces throughout the country. The 9/11 Administration in a July 2001 meeting with commission also suggests an increased effort in something that the Muslim population can Condoleezza Rice. Commission members the U.S. State Department and the international connect to, agree with, and feel secure with. The Thomas Kean and Lee Hamilton stated that they community to become involved with “the rule 9/11 commission advises that the U.S. stands up had not been told about the meeting. But the of law and contain rampant crime and narcotics for its values and ideals to prevent the Boston Globe reported that "it turns out that the insurgents from distorting the ideology of trafficking” in the area. However, in order to panel was, in fact, told about the meeting, carry out these long-term goals the U.S. should liberty to persuade the Muslim world into the according to the interview transcript and rely on civilian-military teams in order to reach insurgent or terrorist ideology. Only through use Democratic Commission member Richard Ben- out to the population and listen to their concerns of public diplomacy can the U.S. counter these Veniste, who sat in on the interview with Tenet." and implement them with the Afghani political and ideological distortions. Explaining and making clear the U.S. stance on morality, government effectively. Continued on Page 25 Currently there is a strong realization freedom, and liberty to the local populations in The ‘X’ Zone Radio Show Podcasts that negative public opinion about the U.S. the Middle East allows the U.S. to promote the www.xzonepodcast.com