News & Opinion on Terrorism & Strategic Communication — October 2, 2007

DoD Strategic Communication Plan for Afghanistan. “”Addressed only to the DOD members of the Strategic Communication Integration Group, and not the Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, it identifies key elements of strategic communications, including those in which DOD is not the lead.” (Mountain Runner, 9/30).

New arrest in U.S. Embassy Bombing Plot. “A second suspect has been arrested in connection with an attempted attack on the US embassy in Vienna, Austrian officials have said.” (BBC, 10/2).

Selling War with Iran. “The long promised “proof” that the Iranian government was contributing to attacks on American soldiers in Iraq presented to reporters in Baghdad on February 11, 2007 was greeted with skepticism–if not downright derision–in the United States and elsewhere. The nearly universal rejection of their claims, however, did not deter the administration from continuing to pursue this line of information operations.” (ePlurbus Media, 10/1).

Documentaries as Public Diplomacy. “Can documentaries by independent filmmakers promote global understanding? A $19 million initiative to be announced today by ITVS International, a unit of the federally mandated Independent Television Service, plans to try, by financing work by foreign filmmakers to be shown on American television and by arranging distribution of American-made independent movies abroad.” (New York Times, 10/1).