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Ignorance in Diplomacy Always Leads to War

Reader comment on item: America's Know-Nothing Diplomacy [article]

Submitted by M Tovey (United States), Nov 10, 2016 at 14:14

In a world that is so globally intertwined, that as these modern times have made the intrigues of every national and international sort the pastimes of even the most introverted citizen, to be so inept geographically tells more of a tale that gives limited sense to the lack of knowledge of America's place in the world and that the isolationist mentality of a pre-World War II America is no longer tenable in view of America's more recent history.
The quip, [... in Alice Ollstein's witty (not this observer's appellation) summary, "you can't get into a war with a country you can't find...."], brings to mind an old Peter Ustinoff movie, "The Mouse that Roared," where a faux nation the size of the Monaco regency made the United States pay attention to it in a way that exceeded the proportionality that might be accorded to the issues America has with, say Russia. Saying that, if one cannot find Aleppo, will the Ukraine be any easier?

To be sure, diplomacy in the world with America's diplomatic balance lost in now non-existent eMails, whoever will be president in America needs to have a little more than a desire to shelter in place as the world prepares to nuke itself into oblivion for the want of some peace accord all would be willing to live with.

Seriously, Syria is about to implode with Russia's assistance and someone had very well better know where Aleppo is since the current American Chief Executive is doubling down on the challenges made towards the Middle East's stability- and this former candidate's stance is not going to get it done. Fortunately, the American elections are over and we do not need to worry about Mr. Johnson's lack of anything to be concerned about.

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Reader comments (26) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Those who read my former comment didn't understand it. [294 words]Wallace BrandNov 18, 2016 00:01234129
King-Crane-Mission: A Fool's Errand [156 words]Jorg Thomas MeyerNov 14, 2016 07:07234068
Impartial [12 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
AlbertE.Nov 13, 2016 22:34234057
King and Crain got it right [375 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
jackNov 13, 2016 22:01234054
1English error [52 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Marjorie GannNov 12, 2016 23:54234015
4A Toast to Hillary [97 words]Dan Schwartz, Cherry Hill, NJNov 11, 2016 14:02233961
1Spengler replies [587 words]Dan SchwartzNov 11, 2016 13:58233960
"What is Alepo []sic]? [22 words]Dan SchwartzNov 11, 2016 13:49233959
You have overlooked "The Inquiry" [2603 words]Wallace BrandNov 11, 2016 01:58233950
In defence of Gary Johnson and of humanity ... [261 words]Anne JulienneNov 11, 2016 00:43233949
Time To Tap The Freelance Counter-Jihadis [201 words]DaveNov 10, 2016 21:28233948
Ignorance in Diplomacy Always Leads to War [294 words]M ToveyNov 10, 2016 14:14233940
1Preferred Trump Admin. Choices [102 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Rich McNov 10, 2016 13:52233939
Washington DC and US SD [54 words]stevenlNov 10, 2016 13:09233938
Seriously? [16 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
RaquelNov 10, 2016 11:38233935
Motivations [184 words]AlexNov 10, 2016 10:44233932
ignorance combined with experience is worse [122 words]mythNov 10, 2016 10:08233931
Simply Aghast [29 words]Barry BlackNov 10, 2016 09:10233929
You did the right thing .. [202 words]Anne JulienneNov 13, 2016 00:50233929
Smart Presidents, stupid commissions. [287 words]Michael SNov 10, 2016 08:28233927
5Lack of expertise and knowledge about foreign countries among US "experts" [280 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Grigorij SerscikovNov 10, 2016 03:48233921
2Russia is ahead of US knowledge of local languages [144 words]dhimmi no moreNov 13, 2016 10:41233921
1Russia is ahead of US knowledge of local languages [135 words]Grigorij SerscikovNov 15, 2016 03:55233921
count Putin in [77 words]mythNov 15, 2016 09:35233921
Comment on America's Know-Nothing Diplomacy [50 words]Grigorij SerscikovNov 18, 2016 03:52233921
US is far behind in knowledge of local languages [151 words]dhimmi no moreNov 18, 2016 07:13233921

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