Opinion: The soft power of diplomacy, maintaining alliances, is under attack by US govt
The contest between the two powers — hard and soft — began. The mighty wind blew harsh, ever more threatening gusts to force the man to bend to its power, to remove his coat. Instead, the man pulled his coat tighter to try to protect himself against the fierce assaults. Then the mighty sun appeared and shone calming warmth to encourage the man to feel better after the powerful windy attacks. The man removed his coat and enjoyed the welcoming, soothing sunshine.
Aesop’s fable of the competition between the wind-force and the sun-persuasion passed down as a morality teaching for millennia still holds for human and international relations. From early childhood I always remember hearing this tale. The ancient story comes to mind again today. Its lesson supports diplomacy’s value in using soft power, persuasive tactics, instead of forceful hard power threats and actions.
Diplomacy is among the most important of all human activities. While there are many definitions, diplomacy is generally defined as activity aimed to build peaceful relations among groups of people, to bridge, ideally resolve conflicts, to work for peace. For nation states, diplomacy is considered among the fundamental tools, along with military and intelligence, for conducting foreign policy. The effect of a nation’s conduct of foreign policy should not be laying a foundation for destruction of one’s country. Alienating allies can do that.
Now the value of diplomacy as soft power is under attack by senior leaders of the United States. Destruction of valuable soft power tools, including foreign assistance, international exchanges, collaboration in global organizations, is underway. Threatening language against global partners as well as potential friends is these Americans’ strange new tool. Denigration and threats against friends will be difficult to forget.
As a journalist covering wars and diplomacy and later also as a diplomat, I knew that threats and hostile actions made news. I realized that diplomacy as soft power was much harder to cover as the reporter needed to show it was still a dramatic story. Conducting foreign policy through soft power doesn’t mean there’s nothing happening. I took it as a challenge and worked to tell the stories of diplomacy. Today I continue endeavoring to teach the value of diplomacy worldwide.
Diplomacy maintains alliances through constant work supporting each other and, if differences, airing and resolving them quietly. Diplomacy works steadily, usually behind the scenes to resolve differences to keep friends. Diplomatic leaders prop up and support allies and other friends, seek to build new friendships, and reach out to enemies to talk, though not appease.
Diplomacy offers and encourages peaceful negotiations, not bullying or extortion. Why would any leader of the United States wish to destroy essential friendships through insulting and belligerently threatening allies? Trust is essential. Trust can be and is being destroyed. The impact, anger and destruction of trust, can cause irreparable damage, even possible destruction of our country.
U.S. foreign policy for 80 years until now has continued mostly unchanging regardless of party. Diplomacy has had bipartisan support. For our ship of state, too sharp a change in course will lead to a colossal shipwreck and sinking the mighty vessel. Diplomacy has long worked steadily to keep us safe. Belligerent threats suddenly make our country more unsafe.
Aesop’s tale of the sun winning over the wind still holds today. The ancient story transmitted orally and then in writing for thousands of years does not mention “diplomacy” as a word. Yet its lesson promotes the value of diplomacy in its positive use of diplomatic persuasion over blasting threats and force to resolve conflicts, to win friends and foes
Insults against our friends, coercion, and threats of hostile takeovers all lead to loss of valuable friends, contributing in the long run to war, not peace. For our national security, American citizens need to call for diplomatic action by the country’s leaders. To protect our national and global future, U.S. leaders, government and people need to support the soft power of diplomacy.
Elizabeth “Liz” Colton, an author, diplomat, educator, and Emmy Award winning journalist, currently teaches diplomacy and the media for UNITAR and partner international universities’ global courses. She also serves as Diplomat & Journalist in Residence at Warren Wilson College and as board-chair of Reporters Sans Frontieres/Reporters Without Borders RSF-USA.