Diplomacy
Dec 4th, 2007 by Micah Tillman | 5 Comments |
I was listening to Bill Richardson give a speech on C-SPAN Radio the other day. I was struck by two things:
(1) His emphasis on diplomacy, coupled with his insistence that he always gets what he wants thereby.
(2) His claim that America should stop being the world’s police-force and start being its conscience (I believe he added “again” to that phrase).
First, what is diplomacy if you insist on getting what you want? Isn’t the preference for diplomacy supposed to be a sign that one is not arrogant, that one thinks the other side might be partially in the right and that one might be partially in the wrong, that one is willing to make concessions?
Isn’t the most fundamental problem liberals have with conservatives that conservatives are so darn sure they’re right, no matter what anybody else says? Conservatives populate the selfish, close-minded, and less-intelligent of the political world’s two halves (which sounds like what conservatives say about liberals too).
That is, don’t most people connect the willingness to listen to others — which is necessary for diplomacy — to the admission one isn’t absolutely certain that the way one sees things is the correct or only legitimate way?
Given that. How can you insist on getting what you want?
Second, how is being the world’s conscience not as arrogant as being the world’s police-force? Or being conservative? How can “we” tell other people what they should and shouldn’t do (but stop short of enforcing what “we” think is right)?
Diplomacy has its place, but I prefer aggressive negotiation.
Sadly, however, my lightsaber is in the shop.
*grin* Yes. Well.
I’ve been trying to figure out exactly how “diplomacy,” “negotiation,” and “compromise” all relate. Because it seems to me if the first two aren’t founded on the last one, then the only other option is to found them on force.
I keep thinking, “On Richardson’s view of things, shouldn’t we be replacing our ‘Save Darfur’ signs with ‘Condemn Khartoum’ signs?”
*waves hand*
These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.
I’m sorry, I titled yesterday’s entry on my blog “Give Yourself to the Dark Side”, and I’ve been on a Star Wars kick ever since.
It happens, even to the best of us.
Sometimes.