Soap Opera Diplomacy - Part II

While I found it intriguing the first time around, I just find it even more exciting the second time around. Another few articles have come out this week regarding Turkey's soap opera diplomacy to the Arab world and the rapprochement in Turkish-Arab relations. An excellent article, sent to me by my friend Paul, is written by a Turkish journalist who went on a journalist exchange to Syria. His multifaceted understanding of the meaning of this new "soap opera diplomacy" an ability for exchanges as well as Turkey's soft power to influence many in the Arab world is refreshing. The ability for a country like Turkey, with a complicated (at best) history with the Arab world to in the 21st century begin to positively influence its Arab neighbors while maintaining close and positive ties to the West is very encouraging. It makes me think that the U.S. government needs to stop trying to devise unsuccessful public diplomacy strategies to the "Muslim world" and the "Arab Street" and start listening the the multitude of voices coming from the the "Muslim world" and take a good and hard look at how Turkey is showing some great successes in this arena.