Quotes About Diplomacy

What happened in 1603?" Grant asked, his mind still on Tyrrel. "We had the Scots tied to our tails for good." "Better than having them at our throats every five minutes.

One of the greatest victories you can gain over someone is to beat him at politeness.

our relations were those of a capital to a colony: diplomatic and vigorously cordial.

In America, however, foreign policy could be determined by popular appeal, through advertising and informational campaigns aimed at the common man who voted.

We pushed it, but when the State Department says 'you're being a bunch of assholes' what are you going to do?

The foreign leaders with whom Nixon got along best, like President Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan of Pakistan, were almost always authoritarian strongmen.

Every day's a negotiation and sometimes it's done with guns.

Es sabido que en política internacional las imposiciones deben sustentarse por las armas. Dicho de otro modo: cada nación tiene la importancia de su ejército. El que mea más lejos es el más poderoso y puede imponer su voluntad a los demás.

Los ejércitos en sí mismos no son malos, lo que son malas son las guerras.

If you can't be kind, at least be vague.

As dear Erasmus said in De Civilitate, "It is safe to admit nothing that might embarrass one if repeated." Gossip

Any attempt to explain that they are undecided, rather than declining, should be brushed aside with the explanation that although you need to plan now, you understand that they are not in a position to accept and you wouldn't dream of pushing them.

the life preserver to be tossed is: "I don't think you realize how that sounds. I can't imagine that you really believe that, but in any case, let's talk about something else.

emperador? —Antes de que el emperador os reciba, vos y yo tenemos que hablar; estoy seguro de que llegaremos a un acuerdo satisfactorio para vuestro rey y el mío. —Os recuerdo que sois francés como yo y estáis obligado a Luis. —¡Ah, mi buen rey Luis!

Afghanis love Indians. The hospitality that they extended to us will remain with me for the rest of my life.

You should give no indication that we wish the three-way division of Bosnia.

For me, America is really, truly the indispensable nation.

If the U.N. is ineffective, the whole concept of multilateralism will collapse.

A robotic arms race seems inevitable unless nations collectively decide to avoid one.

For 22 years, Bandar bin Sultan was Saudi Arabia's influential, irrepressible ambassador in Washington.

It's important to engage with governments around the world in how they're thinking about AI - to help inform them.

You know how it is: when you politicize things, it is not the best ingredient to get things done.

I would like to be George Clooney diplomatic. I just don't have the wherewithal yet or the inner serenity.

People talk about smart sanctions and crippling sanctions. I've never seen smart sanctions, and crippling sanctions cripple everyone, including innocent civilians, and make the government more popular.