A career public diplomacy officer and former U.S. Ambassador to Latvia, Brian Carlson is Vice President of the Public Diplomacy Council and advises private clients on military and foreign affairs issues.
As America publicizes an extensive list of financial, technology and military sanctions against Russia to deter an invasion of Ukraine, the Administration is leaving one of its most potent tools in the shed. Washington Post columnist David Ignatius noted in the January 7 Washington Post that the U.S. would like to turn Ukraine into a…
The Public Diplomacy Council has taken on some outstanding new members over the last few months. As the national organization dedicated to the advancement of the public diplomacy profession, we believe that effective public diplomacy is indispensable to successful national security. For that reason, the Council promotes improved professional practice, academic study of the field,…
During my time at the U.S. Embassy in Riga, Latvia was preparing itself to join NATO as well as the European Union. The U.S. Congress was interested checking out the Latvians and the other prospective Alliance members, so our embassy experienced a pretty steady procession of senators and congressmen, as well as spouses and aides,…
By Ambassador Brian Carlson Years ago, during the Cold War, Soviet propaganda continually portrayed the United States and NATO nations as militaristic, provocative and dangerously over-armed. Every new Western weapons system and Congressional appropriation became more grist for Soviet-sponsored psyops mills around the world, while the USSR’s and Warsaw Pact’s own military spending and armaments…