Examples of the use of soft power include strategies used during the Cold War and include not only propaganda such as Radio Free Europe but also films, popular music, and even advertisements for things citizens in target countries wanted, such as jeans.

Based on the idea that the U. S. is so strong that we will win virtually any dispute. Nye acknowledges that there may be times when a country has not choice but to use a pre-emptive military strike. However, even in the current war on terrorism, soft power could play an important role by drawing other countries as allies to our cause2. We were able to do this when Iraq invaded Kuwait, but have been markedly less successful using this strategy in the current war with Iraq. Soft power is the most effective means for the United States to combat foreign terrorism.

There is no doubt that nature of the events of September 11, 2001, played a critical role in determining both our immediate and our more long-term re

Soft power can be used in a variety of ways. One subtle but powerful effect could come from foreign Muslim students who study here and then return to their countries of origin and their cultures of birth. They are in an ideal position to report to friends and family members that it is quite possible to enjoy parts of American culture without losing one's religion6. However, since the attacks on September 11, 2001, the United States has restricted the number of such students it gives student visas to. Proponents of soft power see this as a mistake, a loss of opportunity to communicate what America is really like to those we would like to influence7.

Nye does not suggest that soft power can always supplant military action. In addition, he is not completely critical of Bush's prosecution of the current war. However, he says, "the Bush administration undercut its own strategy and helped al-Qaeda gain new recruits throughout the Islamic world...polls show that after the Iraq war, more people in 'friendly' countries such as Jordan and Pakistan were attracted to Osama bin Laden than to George W. Bush5. Proponents of soft power would have rather seen Bush acquire more universal support from other countries before proceeding with the war.

Laqueur also points out that using soft power requires a different kind of thinking than using military might demonstrate8. Generals and presidents know how to use aircraft carriers and tanks, and their strengths and limitations do not change just because the target changes. However, terrorists are a diverse group of people with differing agendas and goals. While traditional warfare can be used against them, it cannot be used easily, and the likelihood is that the country so attacked will suffer collateral damage, or injury to innocent parties and non-military targets. Such events make soft power much harder to use. Terrorists don't have hard and identifiable military targets, and since they desire to be inconspicuous, will not march about in uniforms9.

Laqueur16 makes strong arguments, however, in favor of Bush's approach to emphasize military might when dealing with al-Qaeda and other terrorists. He points out that smaller military actions are rarely effective while demonstrations of massive strength are often successful. This was markedly true in Afghanistan after the September 11 attacks as well as the war with Iraq over Kuwait. It has been true to a lesser extent during this war. He does recognize that such tactics to engender significant resentment among the civilians in the country attacked. There's a kind of surface validity to our pre-emptive attack of Iraq as well, since that is exactly what al-Qaeda did to the United States on September 11 - an unprovoked, massive strike. In addition, al-Qaeda picked targets that were largely non-military in nature, except in their unusual definition of what a target should be. The great majority of deaths were civilians either in the World Trade Centers or on the planes used in the attack, with a much smaller number of military or military-related people killed at the Pentagon.

Those who advocate soft power do not suggest it can be our only tool in the war on terror. Rather, they believe that when the use of force is necessary, those efforts will be more successful when combined with soft power as well21. Our country has done some of this. Groups have gathered such things as school supplies so children can continue their education. These supplies are often distributed by military personnel.

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2447
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)