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Open "America Houses" in Islamic cities around the globe
"Modeled on the successful program the United States launched in Germany following World War II, America Houses would offer state-of-the-art English-language training programs, discussions, and a wide selection of current periodicals, newspapers, and literature. They would offer free Internet access and moderated programs that promote direct exchange with Americans through the use of modern information technology."
Sources: "Barack Obama: The War We Need to Win"
Subjects: Foreign Policy
"America Houses" not built yet
Updated: Friday, January 1st, 2010 | By Louis Jacobson
During the presidential campaign, Barack Obama promised to replicate a program launched in Germany after World War II. "America Houses would offer state-of-the-art English-language training programs, discussions, and a wide selection of current periodicals, newspapers, and literature," he promised. "They would offer free Internet access and moderated programs that promote direct exchange with Americans through the use of modern information technology."
However, we did a search of Whitehouse.gov, Google and Nexis and found no recent mentions of this effort.
Equally notable, the president's fiscal year 2010 budget request for the State Department makes no mention of this program. While the administration sought an increase of $62 million for public diplomacy efforts, including 20 new positions, the detailed list of programs that would receive the additional funds did not include America Houses.
Until any tangible evidence of progress emerges, we're rating this promise Stalled.
Sources: State Department, budget request , fiscal year 2010
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