In the post-World War II era, the U.S. was often generous in helping people in poor and war-torn countries improve their lives with developmental projects and gifts. Peace Corps volunteers went out to help -- and to broaden Americans ' understanding of the world



In the post-World War II era, the U.S. was often generous in helping people in poor and war-torn countries improve their lives with developmental projects and gifts. Peace Corps volunteers went out to help -- and to broaden Americans ' understanding of the world

The ministry of appearances

As a White House image conjurer during George W. Bush's first term, Karen Hughes proved that you can fool most of the people some of the time. She'll have a tougher job, though, as undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, a post the president's old Texas friend and advisor will soon take up, pending Senate confirmation.

Improving the "image" of the U.S. abroad, her mission, will be complicated by Mr. Bush's penchant for telling the rest of the world to buzz off. He has done this on global warming, the international criminal court, land-mine control, AIDS-prevention policy, family-planning policy, and the role of the United Nations in Iraq and other trouble spots, to name a few. Pasting a smile face over Mr. Bush's arrogant world view is unlikely to woo as many people in Cairo as it has in Columbus.

Ms. Hughes has been instructed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to make friends for the U.S. in the Arab world, an especially tall order. In accepting the appointment, Ms. Hughes spoke of how "freedom is the universal hope of the human heart," a value cherished by Americans and one the administration says it wishes to spread. It's a worthy goal -- who can argue that Afghanistan's people aren't better off without the despotic Taliban in charge? But the belief persists among Arabs that the U.S. is less interested in the heart than the oil barrel, and the way Mr. Bush's remains pals with the Saudi princes and other Arab despots is viewed by progressives in the Arab world as a tip-off for darker U.S. intentions.

It wasn't so long ago that the world's opinion of the U.S. was mostly high, and that good opinion was based not on PR gimmicks but on substance. In the post-World War II era, the U.S. was often generous in helping people in poor and war-torn countries improve their lives with developmental projects and gifts. Peace Corps volunteers went out to help -- and to broaden Americans ' understanding of the world -- and the U.S. Information Agency ran libraries and education programs. The Peace Corps still plugs away, but the USIA was shut down in 1999. Foreign aid is a fraction of what it once was. Still, as recently as 9/11/01 much of the world wept with Americans after the attacks on New York and Washington. That good will is gone, thanks to Mr. Bush's unwillingness to work with other countries -- an uncooperativeness that is widely seen as an expression of contempt.

After 9/11, the State Department hired an advertising executive, Charlotte Beers, to "market" (selected) American values. TV ads with smiling Muslims extolling home ownership and mall life in America were seen by Arabs as crude propaganda, and the campaign was junked. Ms. Hughes is unlikely to repeat this mistake. She won't get anywhere, though, with her image-mongering unless she can persuade her boss, Mr. Bush, that the way for the U.S. to regain its esteem in the world is to rejoin the world -- to take up the hard and messy work of compromise-seeking and real cooperation. The evidence is scant that Ms. Hughes can do that, or sees any need to.

When this story was posted in March 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:


Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

The Peace Corps Library Peace Corps Online is proud to announce that the Peace Corps Library is now available online. With over 30,000 index entries in over 500 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related reference material in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can use the Main Index to find hundreds of stories about RPCVs who have your same interests, who served in your Country of Service, or who serve in your state.

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Crisis Corps arrives in Thailand After the Tsunami in Southeast Asia last December, Peace Corps issued an appeal for Crisis Corps Volunteers and over 200 RPCVs responded. The first team of 8 Crisis Corps volunteers departed for Thailand on March 18 to join RPCVs who are already supporting relief efforts in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and India with other agencies and NGO's. 19 Mar 2005

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March's Feature Stories - only on PCOL Dream Come True - Revisiting India after 34 years The Coyne Column: Read Winning Vanity Fair PCV Essay Tomas Belsky's paintings inspired by service in Brazil RPCV reunites with friend after 40 years RPCV reviews "Los Heraldos Negros" by Cesar Vallejo Photo Essay: Taking it to the Streets

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March 19, 2005: RPCV Groups in the News New Jersey RPCVs host exhibit in Maplewood on April 2 20 Mar Maryland RPCVs eat crab cakes in Annapolis 17 Mar Illinois RPCVs present "Life on the Big Red Island" 13 Mar San Diego RPCVs host reception with Gaddi Vasquez on March 6 4 Mar Western North Carolina's RPCVs sponsor Africa Night on March 6 3 Mar Connecticut RPCVs held fundraiser on March 5 3 Mar RPCVs: Post your stories or press releases here for inclusion next week.

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March 19, 2005: This Week's Top Stories RPCV points out catalytic effect of Iraq 19 Mar PCVs set up Basketball pool in Ukraine 19 Mar Sam Farr introduces bill to monitor ocean fisheries 18 Mar Bridgeland does not rule out run for Congress 18 Mar Jim Doyle promotes Institute for Discovery 18 Mar Newspaper says Bangladesh is safe for PCVs 18 Mar Joan Ruddiman revisits Peter Hessler's "River World" 17 Mar Mark Schneider says Save Haiti from more violence 17 Mar Troy Johnson joins delegation to Indonesia 17 Mar Chris Shays says baseball not exempt from the law 17 Mar "Hurlyburly" benefits gypsy women in Romania 15 Mar Chris Matthews interviews Schwarzenegger 14 Mar Fred Burke dies in NJ, trained early PCVs 13 Mar Mike Honda introduces Student Privacy Protection Act 13 Mar FT details Cheney-McPherson relationship 13 Mar Tucker McCravy reports on Tsunami Reconstruction 10 Mar Dennis Braddock retires with record of accomplishment 9 Mar

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RPCVs in Congress ask colleagues to support PC RPCVs Sam Farr, Chris Shays, Thomas Petri, James Walsh, and Mike Honda have asked their colleagues in Congress to add their names to a letter they have written to the House Foreign Operations Subcommittee, asking for full funding of $345 M for the Peace Corps in 2006. As a follow-on to Peace Corps week, please read the letter and call your Representative in Congress and ask him or her to add their name to the letter.

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Add your info now to the RPCV Directory Call Harris Publishing at 800-414-4608 right away to add your name or make changes to your listing in the newest edition of the NPCA's Directory of Peace Corps Volunteers and Former Staff. Then read our story on how you can get access to the book after it is published. The deadline for inclusion is May 16 so call now.

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March 1: National Day of Action Tuesday, March 1, is the NPCA's National Day of Action. Please call your Senators and ask them to support the President's proposed $27 Million budget increase for the Peace Corps for FY2006 and ask them to oppose the elimination of Perkins loans that benefit Peace Corps volunteers from low-income backgrounds. Follow this link for step-by-step information on how to make your calls. Then take our poll and leave feedback on how the calls went.

Make a call for the Peace Corps PCOL is a strong supporter of the NPCA's National Day of Action and encourages every RPCV to spend ten minutes on Tuesday, March 1 making a call to your Representatives and ask them to support President Bush's budget proposal of $345 Million to expand the Peace Corps. Take our Poll: Click here to take our poll. We'll send out a reminder and have more details early next week.

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