Writing at Project Syndicate, long-time diplomat Richard Haass offers ten lessons from recent history. I list them for your enjoyment, if that is the word, minus his justification for each, which explanations I invite you to consult.
There is a lot of mea culpa in these lessons. Hat tip to RealClearPolitics for the link.
First, war between countries, thought by more than a few academics to be obsolete, is anything but.
Second, the idea that economic interdependence constitutes a bulwark against war, because no party would have an interest in disrupting mutually beneficial trade and investment ties, is no longer tenable.
Third, integration, which has animated decades of Western policy toward China, has also failed.
Fourth, economic sanctions, in many instances the instrument of choice for the West and its partners when responding to a government’s violations of human rights or overseas aggression, rarely deliver meaningful changes in behavior.
Fifth, the phrase “international community” needs to be retired. There isn’t one.
Sixth, democracies obviously face their share of challenges, but the problems authoritarian systems face may be even greater.
Seventh, the potential for the internet to empower individuals to challenge governments is far greater in democracies than in closed systems.
Eighth, there is still a West (a term based more on shared values than geography), and alliances remain a critical instrument to promote order.
Ninth, US leadership continues to be essential.
Lastly, we must be modest about what we can know.
In case you haven’t followed diplomacy, Haass has just debunked many views diplomats have sworn by over the last several decades. It isn’t quite like a Pope saying “Who knew? Christ was merely a wise man.” but it is darned close.
