Contention 1: The Internet
The US pursues internet assistance for the topic countries
New York Times 11 Feb 14, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/15/world/15clinton.html
Similarly, social … events in Tunisia and Egypt.
But, the State department is too slow and doesn’t have enough money to ensure internet freedom. More funding and a shift to the Broadcasting Board of Governors solves.
New York Times 11 Feb 14, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/15/world/15clinton.html
Critics say the administration has held back $30 million …The progress does not satisfy critics.
We’re at the tipping point of funding cuts. The status quo will gut international broadcasting and internet freedom projects
Nextgov.com 11 Feb 15, William Matthews, http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110215_3747.php
Internet broadcasts and social networking services … its budget frozen at the 2010 level, she said.
A switch to the BBG ensures both internet security and a thriving culture of journalism in the topic countries. This is democracy assistance at its best.
Nextgov.com 11 August 23, Joseph Marks, http://cima.ned.org/agency-uses-circumvention-tools-advance-democracy
As humorless border guards and red-penned press censors … beaming in international news broadcast.
Thus, the plan:
The United States Federal Government should fully fund international broadcasting and Internet freedom initiatives for Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen, shifting financing and implementation from the State Department to the Broadcasting Board of Governors.
Advantage 1: Democracy
Escalating sectarian violence is on the brink throughout the topic countries —democratic stabilization now checks conflict and critically dampens Iranian regional influence
Nasr 11 Vali Nasr, professor at Tufts University and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, “If the Arab Spring Turns Ugly,” New York Times, 8/27/2011, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/28/opinion/sunday/the-dangers-lurking-in-the-arab-spring.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
THE Arab Spring is a hopeful chapter … responding to President Assad’s provocations.
Conflict breakout in the Middle East escalates globally and goes nuclear
Primakov 10 Yevgeny Primakov, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and member of the editorial board of Russia in Global Affairs, “The Fundamental Conflict,” New Eastern Outlook, 1/2/2010, http://www.journal-neo.com/?q=node/102
The Middle East conflict is unparalleled in terms … Obama’s position does not completely rule out such a possibility.
Plan keeps Syrian protests peaceful, ensures democratic transition, prevents US military intervention
Ziadeb 11 Radwan Ziadeh is a former Reagan-Fascell fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy, June 8, http://www.demdigest.net/blog/2011/06/democracies-must-support-the-most-liberal-and-western-friendly-of-arab-spring-uprisings/
President Bashar al-Assad’s father brutally suppressed … friends who might someday become allies.
That stabilizes the region and offsets Iran’s regional influence
Satloff 11 By Dr. Robert Satloff, Executive Director, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy Testimony prepared for delivery to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs Thursday, June 23, 2011 “Iran and Syria: Next Steps”
Nowhere is this more the case than with Syria… an issue of such strategic importance as Syria is not leading at all.
Internet access key to prevent wars caused by the digital divide
Hallams 10 Dr. Ellen, King's College London, Joint Services Command and Staff College, DIGITAL DIPLOMACY: THE INTERNET, THE BATTLE FOR IDEAS & US FOREIGN POLICY. Paper presented to the Political Studies Association Annual Conference, Edinburgh, 30 March
For people like Ross and Cohen, digital diplomacy is the future … advance US interests and counter enemy propaganda.
Advantage 2: Soft Power
US soft power in the Middle East is at a crossroads. Obama’s credibility is collapsing due to perceived lack of commitment to democracy. Current US government media outlets are outdated and losing ground to local alternatives. Concrete policy change is needed to salvage our influence.
Khatib 11 August 25, CPD Research Fellow, 2010-2012 and Program Manager at the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law (Linda, THE ARAB SPRING CASTS OBAMA AS UNITED STATES PUBLIC DIPLOMACY MESSENGER, http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/newswire/cpdblog_detail/the_arab_spring_casts_obama_as_united_states_public_diplomacy_messenger/)
What should President Barack Obama do next as a U.S. public diplomacy … condemned to falling on deaf ears in the Arab world.
Funding broadcasting bolsters US soft power
Wexler 09 Robert, Chair, House of Representatives, subcommittee on europe, committee on foreign affairs, July 23, “Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty And Voice of America: Soft Power And The Free Flow Of Information”
While there is certainly a place for constructive and critical debate … suppress freedom of expression and press, especially on the Internet.
Providing internet access is literally the definition of soft power. Failure to vote aff ensures US adversaries can avoid our hard power and win future conflicts.
Hallams 10 Dr. Ellen, King's College London, Joint Services Command and Staff College, DIGITAL DIPLOMACY: THE INTERNET, THE BATTLE FOR IDEAS & US FOREIGN POLICY. Paper presented to the Political Studies Association Annual Conference, Edinburgh, 30 March
Such incidents highlight the extraordinary impact that the internet is having on US foreign … traditional, military means of countering Al-Qaeda.
US soft power key to solve multiple global wars and a laundry list of extinction scenarios
Nye 8 professor of international relations at Harvard University, (Joseph“American Power After the Financial Crises,” http://www.foresightproject.net/publications/articles/article.asp?p=3533)
Power always depends on context, and in today's world … realisation that even the largest country cannot achieve its aims without the help of others.
Advantage 3: China
Lack of money for servers is killing US global internet freedom efforts, and the State Department’s larger diplomatic mission prevents it from implementing new tech. The BBG empirically solves and is shielded from political fallout.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee 11 Feb 15, minority staff report, ANOTHER U.S. DEFICIT—CHINA AND AMERICA—PUBLIC DIPLOMACY IN THE AGE OF THE INTERNET, http://www.fdsys.gpo.gov.
U.S. international broadcasting, run by the Broadcasting Board of Governors … serve as the lead U.S. government agency in assisting ICCT efforts.136
We’re losing the battle for influence in the Middle East to China. Plan is key.
China Post 11 March 9, US STRUGGLING TO COPE WITH CHINA'S INCREASING INFLUENCE, Lexis
Quietly, almost imperceptibly, China's global influence has increased … rail telecommunications and construction industries.
The US must prepare for China’s rise to prevent a shift from economic competition to military conflict. Only a shift to the BBG prevents collapse of US public diplomacy.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee 11 Feb 15, minority staff report, ANOTHER U.S. DEFICIT—CHINA AND AMERICA—PUBLIC DIPLOMACY IN THE AGE OF THE INTERNET, http://www.fdsys.gpo.gov.
There seems little question that the next fifty years will witness … attention if we are to be competitive and remain ‘‘in the game’’ with China.
Decline in diplomacy destabilizes US-China relations, leading to unchecked Chinese nationalism and military buildup. Only a shift to the BBG solves.
Lugar 11 Feb 15, Sen. Richard, Ranking minority member, U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, ANOTHER U.S. DEFICIT—CHINA AND AMERICA—PUBLIC DIPLOMACY IN THE AGE OF THE INTERNET, http://www.fdsys.gpo.gov.
This is not that surprising given the extent to which the United States and China …should be the primary driver in the U.S. government on this issue.
Breakdown in relations or loss of US diplomatic capacity with China causes multiple scenarios for nuclear war.
Desperes 01 Senior Fellow at the RAND Corporation (John, China, the United States, and the Global Economy, p. 227-8)
Nevertheless, America's main interests in China have been quite constant … dwindling habitats will affect the global atmosphere and currently endangered species.
