Soft Power

As best understood, 'Soft Power' is the ability to attract people to the fun, free and totally cool League of Hot! Democrazies side without coercion.

Legitimacy is central to soft power. If a people or nation believes Great Satan's objectives to be legitimate, more better and more likely to persuade them to follow that lead without using threats and bribes.

Legitimacy can also reduce opposition to—and the costs of—using hard power when the sitch demands.

Appealing to others’ values, interests, and preferences can, in certain circumstances, replace the dependence on carrots and sticks. Cooperation is always a matter of degree, and it is profoundly influenced by attraction.
And that is the rub.

Unfree, unfun and nigh unhinged illegit regimes generally have ZERO values, interests and preferences in common with Great Satan and all she stands for.

Since certain govs tend to be autocratic despotic tyrannies (horrid or benign) their central value, interest and preferences are always about maintaining control.

Arab League is a great example of this.

When the dang near insane Field Marshall Pres for Life Omir Bashir of Sudan became the world's 1st head o' State to be indicted by ICC for War Crimes and Crimes against humanity - Arab League rallied in absolute solidarity for Field Marshal Prez Bashir

"We emphasis our solidarity to Sudan and our dismissal and rejection of the decision handed down by the International Criminal Court"

Obviously, Arab League worries such an internat'l preceedent against unelected leaders could be zero'd in on their leaders for life -- who lose every war, provide zero services for their people and seem only adept at rec'ving foreign aid, constructing police states (all becoming computerized), censoring media, tormenting their own people and/or fiddling about with WMD.

And such regimes routinely distort and deceive events - historical and au courant specifically in regards to Great Satan.

With a pitiful literacy rate and no free media -- this is easy to do.

Hopefully, that could change, as noted in "A Day in the Life" of Madam Sec HRC

"Undersec for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith McHale and Special Representative Richard Holbrooke describe a practical way to counter Taliban propaganda and enhance America’s image in Pakistan."

"Their approach turns on two key facts: that 50% of Pakistanis are illiterate and that 60% of them are under age 30. The idea: reach them through radio, cellphones, and cable TV. Clinton approves and orders swift action."

'Soft Power' is truly never soft. By definition, hard power has got to be cruising the hood.

How did Nippon become seduced by baseball? Wherefore didst Deutschland dig The Beatles? Why did Mommy India and Land of the Pure cotton to cricket?

Easy! Hard Power by legit, fun and free choice democrazies was on display.

In addition to reach captive peoples (kids actually) through high tech -- Great Satan has another op to use 'soft power' in the cultural arena.

Like Beyonce' and Gwen Stefani before her - Great Satan should whip out every trick in the book. Greenday concerts in Gaza, Strip clubs in Damascus, Gay bars in Cairo, Casinos in Libya and Xian Summer Camps and churches in Jeddah.

Since Deutschland has a totally gay foreign minister - give him the Iran Portfolio. Why should Great Satan send a gay ambassador to New Zealand? Khartoum would be way better.

Any of these moves would pressure unfree regimes and cause them to scramble to counter and explain why their control freak mentality is legitimate and that fun and free choice is not.

Smart power is neither hard nor soft—it is the skillful full meal deal of both. Smart power means developing an integrated strategy, resource base, and tool kit to achieve American objectives, drawing on both hard and soft power.

The Smart Power approach underscores the necessity of a fully crunk military, but also invests heavily in alliances, partnerships, and institutions at all levels to expand American influence and estab the legitimacy of Great Satan in action.


Pic - "Soft Power"