America's legitimacy crisis in Asia

America's legitimacy crisis in Asia - Van Jackson, examiner.com: "President Barack Obama’s charisma and message of change has won over much of the world. His new approach to the Middle East and Afghanistan has helped improve once-strained relationships with longtime allies.

And his vision of a world free from nuclear weapons is at once ambitious and inspiring. But for all the hype about improving America’s image in the world, some of the most strategically important nations still view the United States quite unfavorably. Rather than celebrating President Obama’s success in winning over the hearts and minds of those countries already inclined to add America as a Facebook friend, the Obama administration should focus on making public diplomacy inroads into strategically important countries with a history of enmity toward the United States. … It is time for a soft power offensive. A transformation of U.S. policy toward Asia--and particularly toward North Korea, China, Pakistan, and Russia--would likely have the most dramatic effect in terms of swaying public opinion in these countries (acknowledged, North Korean public opinion is largely irrelevant under the current regime). Still, substantive policy changes are not the only way to improve perception of the United States. Symbolic diplomatic visits, increased development aid, and expanded track II diplomacy can all contribute to improved perceptions of the United States and, subsequently, improved relations with historically hostile nations."

http://www.examiner.com/x-16317-DC-Asia-Policy-Examiner~y2009m7d16-Americas-legitimacy-crisis-in-Asia