Response to Assads WMD Massacre: Gauging Worlds Public Opinion and Support

By Libor Benes
My previous article has stressed the importance of a systematic, coordinated, and strong public opinion and other practical support by Europe and other U.S. friends and allies to the U.S. effort to respond to Assads WMD massacre. Contrary to non-democratic regimes manipulative propaganda visible also in Syria and its allies, open and effective work with the public to inform, explain, and educate it on all important aspects of a military operation is the right approach. Such hard work and transparency by governments are vital for both an honest relationship with the public and for success of a military operation. Giving space to such discussions, facts, and arguments is the value of the Western media and a strong advantage of all those who condemn Assad's heinous attack and who support a punitive response. Without anyhow anticipating what the decision by President Obama might be about the nature and substance of a U.S.-led response, I present a few more public relations-oriented thoughts about gauging the results in practical and public support in various countries to a U.S.-led effort in case of some type of a military response. There are several levels that are also indicators of such support and they all at once play a role and their status and implementation must be analyzed: 1) Condemnation of Assads WMD massacre. According to Secretary Hagel, all responsible countries condemned this WMD massacre. 2) Support to a punitive military response through: a) own military participation, b) other practical means. 3) Publicly stated political support to a potential military operation. Here would belong also the attitudes to the main players preparations and arg uments related to a potential military operation. 4) Work with the world public, mainly those with a weak support or against a military response. 5) Practical help with helping to develop the views and attitudes of Russia and China. 6) Visibility of the stated public support in world media. 7) Impact of the practical and stated support. 8) Types and impact of messages in the media and the status of media freedom Here would, among other aspects, also cases of mis-/dis-information in the media belong.

9) Numbers of public support in those countries to a military punitive response. These are the results showing and measuring the efficiency of a governments work and communication with the public. NOTE: My computer is being hacked too much while writing this, so, I have no space to elaborate more these indicators, so I just present them to those who might be interested to make own judgment on the status of these indicators in worlds various countries.