Diplomatic Influence Quotes
The President had watched the speech of Israeli foreign minister Abba Eban before the Security Council of the United Nations.
This principle has been promoted by almost every party and government in every democracy—and even in totalitarian nations, that had an aggressive foreign policy that and had domestic critics. By eliminating internal debate of the foreign policy or war policy, the government accomplishes two objectives. Foreign enemies, rivals and even friends perceive that the nation is much more united on the policies than it really is, and the administration does not have to spend time and effort fending off critics or opponents domestically. The price, as every nation has discovered, is not only more intense and sometimes violent opposition when things do not go right or as promised, but the nation tends to maintain a failed policy too long and does not change and minimize its damages. The Vietnam War in America was a classic example of both of these prices being paid dearly.
Kissinger had observed in his unpopular view that he was saying exactly what the George W. Bush administration had officially said on several occasions. This response is quoted by those who use it as an example of how low the reputation of the George W. Bush administration had sank with America’s foreign allies. Kissinger was seen as a much more important and influential factor despite the fact that he had been out of office for over two decades. At the time, many American allies had given up on Bush and because he was so unpopular with Americans as well as foreigners, they assumed that his statements would not represent American policy or opinion as soon as Bush’s term was over. The new President of whichever party would, it was assumed, repudiate most of the Bush actions and try and rebuild America’s shattered reputation. In that scenario, Kissinger’s views would not only be more representative of American positions than that of Bush and his diplomatic representatives.
