Office Of Strategic Influence

Office Of Strategic Influence, Sure That Will Fly...

By Roy D. Follendore III

February 27, 2002

"The Office of Strategic Influence," give me a break! Before I go on some diatribe about this I want to preface it by saying that I am an American, and I believe in America. I just don't happen to accept that America must exist within an us or them world. I believe in American values and it is because of those values that write this. There is a reason why a large percentage of Arab Muslims do not believe that Muslims were involved in the September 11th terrorism. The reason is simple. They do not get news that is believable. Everything in the western world is alien to poor desperate people who have little or nothing. A child who is never taught anything but survival all of its life sustains itself on hatred and regret because that it the most nourishing and least expensive of emotions.

If we want to influence the world then we need to speak to the world in its language. It is not enough to dump bags of flour and rice with USA logos into the bowls of the poor. We must also feed their minds and their hearts. When we do good deeds for the poor in other countries, then we must also bring in the means for them to understand why we do so. They must work for this good will that we offer in order for them to appreciate it. If we give a bowl of food then we must expect that family to provide a bowl of food for others. They may do that in any number of ways, including cleaning, building shelter, clearing a field or taking care of livestock. This is the idea of asking others to give back what we are giving in kind. What they do should be accountable and a receipt should be given for this work. Americans can not expect that any value will be placed on food relief without a reciprocation of value. This is not a barter of simple obligation but rather one of the reciprocation of respect.

If we want an "Office of Strategic Influence," then it can not be one of mere propaganda. It must be one of American character. I just hope that our good President has been learning from all of the foolish and expensive ideas that has been spewing out of his administration. Someone with good common sense needs to sit him down and explain to him that he is not the Emperor and this is not pre World War II Japan. A little more of this "Axis of Evil," "Crusade" and "Office of Strategic Influence" stuff and no one in this World is going to be taking him as a rational leader. And while we are on the subject, "The Office of Homeland Security?" Yaw go pick me up some grits, why don't ya. We Americans could do without all of the homey jive. I for one will take a lot more transparent administration and security please.

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