The Arab public sphere is dominated by narratives that emphasize deep animosity toward the United States. Such suspicions often are rooted in real differences over policy. But they are also driven by self-serving machinations.

Our decentralized culture, soul-making that depends more on the private sector than government, will not fly everywhere. Think China or Russia. Better to pass along the fruits of our tradition of innovation in the arts, to explain the philosophies and practices in which such creativity can grow and thrive.

In the U.S., pundits may tweet about Syria. But average citizens in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Syria are risking their lives because of what they tweet. Yet, they still choose to engage.

In many countries, political leaders' greatest fear is that the people they rule will learn too much about the rest of the world and become uncomfortably assertive. Deposed rulers in the Arab states and elsewhere can attest to the disruptive power of information.

Perhaps the greatest deterrent to extremism is prosperity. If people have a decent place to live, can put food on the table for their families, and see their children healthy and being educated, they are likely to tune out recruitment efforts by terrorists and other proponents of violence.

One false way to convince "people" the world over (including in our very own USA) that you're "doing something" when you actually have nothing to do/decide upon, is to be "on the move," with the complacent media, eager for any story, "reporting" on your "new initiative."

Today, American public diplomacy, once implemented by an independent and very imperfect agency, is hidden away at the regulations-driven State Department, some would say like a coffin at a funeral home, despite the good intentions of the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.

From boil to simmer and back again. It never ends. Political passions in the Middle East do not cool. The cautious hopefulness that flowered after the Arab uprisings of 2011 has withered, replaced by a fearful fatalism about what lies ahead.

As investigations continue into what really happened in Libya it will also be important that steps be taken to ensure that U.S. diplomacy efforts and our diplomats do not once again retreat behind ever higher embassy walls in the name of added security.

Numerous governments are enthusiastically tweeting on a daily basis, joining the ranks of individuals, NGOs, and other political players who have embraced this tool. But this is happening with little understanding of network dynamics. Where does the information go?

We must stay strong and resilient in our convictions as Americans always do, and stand our ground to promote our values and our national interests. That is how we can best honor the memory of those who gave their lives in Benghazi.

We can't expect our diplomats, who are at the frontlines of our global engagement efforts, to do all the heavy lifting. We are all responsible for how America engages with the world.

The embassy, and its sibling the consulate, is not only meant to function as a practical means to conduct the business of diplomacy; these buildings are representations of the very identity of their nation of origin.

As Egypt and the larger Arab world evolve, so too must U.S. public diplomacy change to conform to the region's new realities.

Despite division on what to do with the Arab Spring, one thing was for certain, the educated classes of young people felt this was their time to take the lead and push the envelope.

Ten years ago, the Innocence of Muslims controversy would not have happened. YouTube did not exist, and without this means of reaching a global audience, the offensive snippets of the "film" would never have been seen.

Americans' attention rarely strays beyond domestic discontents these days, and when it does extend overseas it is most likely to settle on the endless war in Afghanistan or the puzzle that is China. Meanwhile, as has almost always been the case, events in Africa receive little notice.