The Foreign Service Journal, May 2005

L E T T E R S can values and policies. There is a tried-and-true formula for doing so. Following World War II, the United States adopted a wide-rang- ing new policy of public diplomacy. This consisted of broadcasting the Voice of America around the world and sending public affairs officers to every American embassy. One of the most successful elements were the American Cultural Centers near uni- versities in towns all over the world, especially in Germany, Italy, and Japan — our defeated adversaries — where students (and others) had ready access to the best American lit- erature, periodic evening showings of classic American movies, and occa- sional guest lecturers from presti- gious universities. Because of congressional pressure to save a few dollars, all of these cul- tural centers, as well as most of our post–World War II consulates, have been closed. Our Swiss cousins have been clever enough to combine their cul- tural centers and libraries with Swiss consulates and Chambers of Com- merce on separate floors of single buildings convenient to town centers around the globe. And they usually have a couple of great Swiss restau- rants on the ground floor and base- ment to underwrite operating costs. I would suggest that this is the for- mula to satisfy Ms. Hughes’ task, which demands an effective U.S. out- reach program in the Middle East: combine cultural centers with Am- erican Chambers of Commerce and American consulates, plus a couple of the better U.S. chain restaurants, in the major cities of every Muslim country. Congress should finance such public diplomacy efforts, where Islamic students, businessmen and other interested persons would have ready access to the best of American culture (instead of the worst as pur- veyed by contemporary Hollywood M A Y 2 0 0 5 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 9