US Public Diplomacy Efforts During Obama’s Administration to Combat Islamic Extremist

Public diplomacy (PD) is a term that “describes a government’s efforts to conduct foreign policy and promote national interests through direct outreach and communication with the population of a foreign country”.Public diplomacy is an important tool for “promoting security and economic stability throughout the world”. Public diplomacy is multifaceted; it includes listening, collecting information, advocacy, Radio/TV broadcasting, international exchange, branding diplomacy, cultural diplomacy, psychological warfare, and digital diplomacy.Public diplomacy is an integral component in the planning and execution of the United States’ foreign policy. The United States government has 14 “cabinet-level departments and over 48 independent agencies and commissions” that participate in at least one form of official public diplomacy.US public diplomacy programs have most effectively promoted US security and economic stability. The US employs public diplomacy as tool for strengthening the US’s global political and economic ties to serve US national interests. With the United States frequently being considered among the “most dangerous and distrusted countries in the world”, the US policy makers have focused on developing effective and well-resourced public diplomacy strategy. After the 9/11 attacks in 2001, the struggle against “extremist ideologies became vital to US foreign policy”. The US has utilized public diplomacy in its struggle against extremist ideologies and overall war against terrorism. The US has employed its soft power to mitigate threats to US security and counter the spread of Islamic extremist influence.