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Subject: 
Re: I'm just going to take a back seat.... Re: You Can Lead A Horse To Water....
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Fri, 14 Mar 2003 20:20:45 GMT
Viewed: 
770 times
  
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Bruce Schlickbernd writes:
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Larry Pieniazek writes:
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Bruce Schlickbernd writes:
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, John Neal writes:
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Bruce Schlickbernd writes:

Are you honestly trying to say that diplomacy is universally and always
unsuccessful in all cases everywhere on the planet?  That nothing has ever
been accomplished by diplomacy?  You may wish to modify your statement or at
least limit its sweeping nature.

Okay, I was thinking in terms of *major* global conflicts, such as war.  More
specifically, I'm looking for examples of diplomacy effectively dealing with an
aggressor (nation or entity).

JOHN

Cuban Missle Crisis.  Defused through diplomacy.

Huh??

Defused through us blockading Cuba and threatening to go to war if the
missiles weren't removed, then refusing to blink.

But we did blink, if not quite as hard and fast.  That's the whole point.
Both sides had escalated the confrontation to the point that neither saw a
way out, but continuing it was too horrifying for words.  Only through
diplomacy was the situation defused - historians usually credit Kruschev as
getting the better of the deal.  The value of more direct communication (for
diplomacy) was so obvious, that the Moscow-Washington hot-line was installed
as a direct result of the confrontation.

Big stick diplomacy is not the same as "diplomacy".  Without strength,
diplomacy is impotent, as Larry pointed out.  One cannot negotiate from a
position of weakness.  That is why having a strong America is so good for the
world-- because of the threat of massive force, and because we are the most
benevolent "super" power to have ever existed.  Our only "imperialist" intent
is to export the concept of freedom to the world.



Oh, and while we're on that topic, I am reminded of how the French acted
then... they said "If you have evidence, that's good enough for us, we don't
have to actually see it, we take you at your word".

See what happens when there's a really big army that would be invading
France via Germany in the mix?


But then Bush is no Kennedy.

Neither is Dan Quayle, or so I've heard;-)

JOHN



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: I'm just going to take a back seat.... Re: You Can Lead A Horse To Water....
 
(...) Of course it is. The implied threat of force in disputes of this nature is part of the diplomacy. It is not a simplistic, "Do as ah sez or I'll hurt youz real bad," - unless you are incompetent, that is, or simply bent on war ("Violence is the (...) (22 years ago, 14-Mar-03, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: I'm just going to take a back seat.... Re: You Can Lead A Horse To Water....
 
(...) But we did blink, if not quite as hard and fast. That's the whole point. Both sides had escalated the confrontation to the point that neither saw a way out, but continuing it was too horrifying for words. Only through diplomacy was the (...) (22 years ago, 14-Mar-03, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

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