The Last Three Feet: Case Studies in Public Diplomacy
BOOK REVIEW
The Last Three Feet: Case Studies in Public Diplomacy
Edited by William P. Kiehl
The Public Diplomacy Council/PDWorldwide, 2012
196 pp. $14.99 (paperback)
ISBN: 978–1–47811–295–2 |
05 февраля 2013
Kitona Operation: Rwanda's Gamble to Capture Kinshasa and the Misreading of an "Ally"
The Kitona Operation, which saw a small force of Rwandan and Ugandan troops land threateningly near Kinshasa in a confiscated airliner, was daring and potentially decisive in a multinational effort to quell unrest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, oust the president, and secure other interests by capturing the DRC capital. The misconception that caused the operation to fail was political. Rwanda and Uganda counted on support from Angola that was not forthcoming. Tactically and as a demonstration of a small military’s prowess, the operation was noteworthy, but it was equally stark in exposing a costly absence of political acumen. The offshoot was that the Second Congo War was perpetuated and could only be ended by extensive diplomacy. |
05 февраля 2013
The Effects of 9/11 on China's Strategic Environment: Illusive Gains and Tangible Setbacks
China sprinted ahead with beefing up its military when it fancied the world wasn’t watching. The thinking went that 9/11 drew attention away from China’s ambitions. But disappointment awaited. Tension returned to the Beijing- Washington relationship and alarmed neighbors moved swiftly to tighten their relationships and interoperability with the United States. Now China faces the dilemma powerful states sometimes confront: it has ostensibly grown stronger, yet in various ways it is relatively weaker because of regional suspicion. Even countries traditionally wary of U.S. entanglements have stepped up joint exercises and dialogue. Neutral states are not cozying up to Washington but neither are they anxious for a quick U.S. departure. It seems the PLA may have expanded its thrust too soon |
05 февраля 2013
