Important Stuff to Know About -The Diplomatic Toolkit : Make Yourself Heard

A Steady State Firepit Discussion Publication | by Charles A. Ray

How NOT to Do Diplomacy: Talk Loud and Swing a Big Bat

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” This saying from Proverbs 15:1 might be great for Little League or a sewing circle, but in the rough and tumble of international relations, it just does not cut it.

When you’re in the room with the big boys, there’s only one way to make yourself heard and relevant—you have to make yourself heard. Furthermore, you’ve got to back those words up with the ability to enforce them. In other words, you have to have a big bat and make sure that everyone knows you’re more than willing to swing it.

Teddy Roosevelt was on to something when he said, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” He understood that we have a right and a responsibility to intervene in the affairs of nations that are underdeveloped or less civilized than we are.

For example, when a country treats a leader that we favor in a manner that we deem unfair, we should shout our unhappiness from the rooftops and back that up with some good, sound whacks across their nose if they don’t fall into line. There will be those who will accuse us of violating the sovereignty of that country, but who cares what they think? Not us. We don’t have to.

The same applies to countries that possess resources that are important to us. If necessary, we must be prepared to take it by force. What’s the point of having the world’s most powerful military if you’re not ready to make use of it?

If you want to be a winner in the game of international relations, you have to be willing to play hardball. There are no friends in world affairs, just competitors, some of them less rancorous than others. What you do have are winners and losers, and you want to make sure you are always in the winner’s circle.

Charles A. Ray spent 20 years in the U.S. Army with two tours in Vietnam. He retired as a senior US diplomat, serving 30 years in the U.S. Foreign Service, with assignments as ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Republic of Zimbabwe, and was the first American consul general in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. He also served in senior positions with the Department of Defense and is a member of The Steady State.

Founded in 2016, The Steady State is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(4) organization of more than 290 former senior national security professionals. Our membership includes former officials from the CIA, FBI, Department of State, Department of Defense, and Department of Homeland Security. Drawing on deep expertise across national security disciplines, including intelligence, diplomacy, military affairs, and law, we advocate for constitutional democracy, the rule of law, and the preservation of America’s national security institutions.