HOW SHE SEES IT U.S. needs to improve its image abroad

By JILL A. SCHUKER
SPECIAL TO NEWSDAY
Perhaps no issue is more jarring to America's self image than the plummeting support and regard in which America is held internationally. New numbers from the highly respected Pew Research Center reflect growing and deeply negative perceptions about America's actions and intentions.
This is not a frivolous story. With the Bush-Kerry presidential contest already having started in earnest with harsh rhetoric, it is essential to address the real issues raised by these Pew numbers -- which show that most people polled in eight of nine foreign countries (the exception being Great Britain) had negative views of the United States. America's seriously eroding international support spells palpable danger for our national interests among both friends and enemies. It is a wake-up call for revitalized public diplomacy.
America's challenge is to be able to provide needed international leadership at a time when there is a loss of faith in our "word" and our message. Such disbelief damages the very underpinning of our real strengths abroad and at home: others' confidence in us, our confidence in ourselves and the reliability of our relationships internationally.
Reality
Whatever the direct resonance on Spain's national election of both the recent terrible terrorist attack in Madrid and the now-defeated government's immediate reaction to it, one reality is clear: the loss of support and faith in American-led policies and credibility regarding Iraq and elsewhere.
The reason for disaffection may be the policies themselves, of course. But there is a deeper, more dangerous issue at work. It is the perceived arrogance and dismissive attitude that is characterizing -- or caricaturing -- America abroad.
Honorable and dangerous though our role is in rebuilding Iraq, we entered the initial conflict militarily raising rather than putting to rest questions about our timing, rationale and commitment to broadening support. The Bush administration also is fighting deep credibility problems with lax or ineffectual communications about our international actions, whether pursuing terrorists who pose a threat of enormous complexity, dealing with intelligence failures or explaining controversial and complicated policies such as "giving a pass" to the Khan international nuclear proliferation network. In the process, confidence, precious time and support have been lost abroad and at home.
Despite long-shared values and deeply-held concerns on terrorism -- which should be a strong foundation for cross- border and intercontinental realpolitik cooperation under U.S. leadership -- we are having trouble building stable, long-term coalitions of the willing to replace older coalitions of the obvious and dependable.
Respected leadership grows out of inspiration, trust, example, persuasion and dialogue as much as it does from raw power. The tools of leadership must include an ability to navigate diverse cultures, providing vision and logic that create the conditions of cooperative action and enable benefit-of-the-doubt support. Leadership means having a global voice that is resonant, not just muscular. In sum, this means practicing effective public diplomacy.
Cultural sensitivity
Instead, we have lost our public diplomacy edge at a time of great peril internationally. Missing in action are the legions of foreign-language speakers who both understand and can talk in, to and with "the street." We need replenishment of our retiring professional foreign service personnel and tangible, strong budget support for their work. We need those who incorporate cultural sensitivity in their work, knowing how to project principled and resonant images of United States policies on both the front line and in the policy corridors.
How we address and retool our educational institutions, our government institutions, and civil society to prepare ourselves for continued serious leadership and international public-service challenges are crucial components for analysis and attention in this pivotal presidential election year. If we fail, we have given away a strategic and tactical advantage to those who wish us harm.
X Schuker, an international consultant, is a former special assistant to President Clinton for national security affairs at the National Security Council, directing public affairs. Distributed by the Los Angeles Times-Washington Post News Service.