Modern diplomacy origins trace to 13th-century Milan. Sforza’s Milan saw many modern diplomatic traditions begin (ambassador credential presentation,…) and was first to practice balance of power.
One of first American diplomats was Franklin, who secured French support against England, leading to Treaty of Alliance, a turning point in Revolutionary War.
But nowadays, Obama’s America is less popular in MENA than Bush’s. In Turkey, its popularity plummeted from 52% in 2000 to 10% in 2011.
Obama-style solution? E-diplomacy: US State Department operates 230 Facebook accounts, 80 Twitter feeds, 55 YouTube channels, according to this research, leveraging tools like Klout, Facebook Insights,… for influence and measurement.