BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 400
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The “art of the deal” does not translate directly from the world of business to the world of diplomacy. Diplomatic deal-making requires mastery of four basic elements: integration of diplomacy with the credible threat of force; the rewarding of friends and the punishing of enemies (rather than the opposite); a diplomatic focus on interests rather than emotions; and a refusal to condescend to the citizens who will be affected.
Given the sad state of American diplomacy after eight years of the Obama administration, including the last four with John Kerry as Secretary of State, …read more