Losing the PR War

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld gives the U.S. low marks in communication:

Rumsfeld: U.S. Losing War Of Ideas

Rumsfeld made the remark in response to a question from a member of his audience at the Army War College, where he delivered a speech on the challenges facing the country in fighting a global war on terrorism.

"If I were grading I would say we probably deserve a 'D' or a 'D-plus' as a country as to how well we're doing in the battle of ideas that's taking place in the world today," he told his questioner. "I'm not going to suggest that it's easy, but we have not found the formula as a country" for countering the extremists' message.

I can understand Rumsfeld's frustration. No matter what we say, the world just doesn't seem to understand that when we invade sovereign countries and kill their inhabitants it's for their own good.