PCR in the News | Citizen Diplomacy

PCR Project Co-Director Rick Barton and Executive Director for the Partnership for a Secure America Matthew Rojansky published a piece in the Des Moines Register yesterday on the promotion of citizen diplomacy to restore America's image in the world (the CSIS Smart Power project also tackles these issues). Full post is available here, excerpt below:

John McCain and Barack Obama agree: America's image in the world has suffered and it's past time to do something about it.

McCain wants to demonstrate "once again the virtues of freedom and democracy," by defending international rules to preserve peace and freedom. Obama promises, with a doubling of foreign aid, "to send once more a message to those yearning faces beyond our shores" that says "you matter to us." The truth is, while the next president can do a lot of good with new policies and a more hopeful message, he can't do it alone.