This post was written by Hatchet reporter Joy Finneran.

Lieutenant General Brent Scowcroft reflected on the dramatic changes in foreign policy throughout his nearly six decades in the field while speaking at an event hosted by the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication Wednesday evening.

The former national security adviser under presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush commented on the “evolution and revolution” of getting political messages to the American people.

“One of the things that makes the current scene different than any others is related to the Arab Spring,” he said.

With School of Media and Public Affairs Director Frank Sesno as host, Scowcroft elaborated on how a situation like the Arab Spring would have been drastically different in previous years. By using Twitter and other social networking sites, individuals have the power to assemble a crowd quickly.

“What happened now is that technology has caught up with us and is dramatically changing the playing field,” Scowcroft said.

Kalisha Holmes, a senior in The Elliott School of International Affairs, asked the general about President Barack Obama’s direction of foreign policy.

“In general, he is putting us on the right track” Scowcroft answered, citing the President’s policy approach to Libya.

The constant transformations in public diplomacy caused by technological advancements are “changing the fundamental character of the international system,” Scowcroft said.