Quotes and Thoughts

As promised, here are some other quotes, as found in Henry Kissinger’s book, Diplomacy:

1.) Intelligence services

“What political leaders decide, intelligence services tend to seek to justify. Popular literature and films often depict the opposite – policymakers as the helpless tools of intelligence experts. In the real world, intelligence assessments more often follow than guide policy decisions” -- Diplomacy, p.303

Given the recent news about the "935 Falsehoods," this is particularly enlightening.

2.) National standards of behavior:

“[There is] but one system of ethics for men and for nation – to be grateful, to be faithful to all engagements under all circumstances, to be open and generous, promoting in the long run even the interests of both.” – Thomas Jefferson, Diplomacyp.32

I wonder how Jefferson would view then-White House counsel Alberto Gonzales’ strict legal interpretation on the Geneva Convention’s applicabilty to the war on terror.

3.) Are democracies more peace loving than other forms of government?

“Sparta, Athens, Rome, and Carthage were all republics ... yet were they as often engaged in wars, offensive and defensive, as the neighboring monarchies of the same times.... In the government of Britain the representatives of the people compose one branch of the national legislature. Commerce has been for ages the predominant pursuit of that country. Few nations, nevertheless, have been more frequently engaged in war....” - Alexander Hamilton, Diplomacy, p.33

4.) Foreign intervention:

Wherever the standard of freedom and independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will her [America’s] heart, her benedictions, and her prayers be. But she does not go abroad, in search of monsters to destroy.” – John Quincy Adams, Diplomacy, p.35

5.) Possible U.S. intervention in World War I:

"Our people are short-sighted, and do not understand international matters.... Thanks to the width of the ocean, our people believe they have nothing to fear from the present contest [World War I], and they believe that they have no
responsibility concerning it.” – Theodore Roosevelt, in a letter to Rudyard Kipling, Diplomacy, p.43

Among other things, the events of 9/11 ended our preception of the "two oceans of security" that separated us from the troubles of other regions. But I wonder how well future generations of Americans will “understand international matters.” And a democracy, will they feel any responsibility in our government's actions?

6.) Live and let live:

“We mean to live our own lives as we will; but we mean also to let live. We are, indeed, a true friend to all the nations of the world, because we threaten none, covet the possessions of none, desire the overthrow of none.” – Woodrow Wilson,
Source, p.422

Later presidents would advocate or effect "regime change" in South Vietnam, Chile, Nicaragua, Grenada, Libya, and most notably, Iraq.

7.) Aggression

“...[B]ecause we demand unmolested development and the undisturbed government of our own lives upon our own principles of right and liberty, we resent, from whatever quarter it may come, the aggression we ourselves will not practice.” – Woodrow Wilson, Source, p.297

Wilson described his goal as "the destruction of every arbitrary power anywhere that can separately, secretly, and of its single choice disturb the peace of the world; or if it cannot be presently destroyed, at least its reduction to virtual impotence." – Woodrow Wilson, Source, p.175

How would he view the concept of invasion as a pre-emptive defense? (Though he would probably denounce it, in fact I don't believe he would have a big problem with it. After all, it was Wilson who ordered the Occupation of Veracruz and the Punitary Expedition against Mexico.)

8.) National moral perfection:

"A country that demands moral perfection of itself as a test of its foreign policy will achieve neither perfection nor security.” – Diplomacy, p. 471

9.) Security of our troops:

"But above all, know this: America will confront those who threaten our troops, we will stand by our allies, and we will defend our vital interests in the Persian Gulf." - 2008 State of the Union Address [emphasis mine]

"Fighting a war on behalf of the 'security of our forces' is strategically vacuous. Since war itself is what is risking their security, making 'security of our forces' the objective must turn into a tautology.” – Diplomacy, p.484