This article argues that the United States is not only fighting a war against international terrorism by classical, military means, but is also engaged in a battle over the ‘hearts and minds’ of the Muslim world. It examines the USA’s public diplomacy efforts to manage the after-shocks of 9/11, and identifies the key concepts that underlie public diplomacy. The article presents a brief overview of the main points of criticism that these policies have provoked. It concludes that although the USA’s public diplomacy is an essential (and still underdeveloped and undervalued) component of its overall policy towards the Middle East, it will take more than better communications to address the USA’s credibility and image problems in that region.
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