Broadband Will Be New Tool in Diplomacy Arsenal

Increasing broadband penetration will allow the U.S. to increase engagement abroad and will be an essential element of the Obama administration's diplomatic strategy, said Alec Ross, a senior adviser to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. "Twenty-first century statecraft" has the potential to "expand and enhance" the way by which the government engages the rest of the world, Ross said. In particular, Ross suggested America's position as a "driver of innovation" will give America an edge when practicing diplomacy. New media technologies are already allowing the president, vice president and secretary of state to push their messages directly to the people of foreign nations. And in some cases, Ross said people in those countries have responded by demanding that same openness of their own governments.