539 quotes by diplomats for you to enjoy

No one pursuing reasonable goals and who is prepared to compromise can argue that terrorism is his or his group's only option. Richard N. Haass

Terrorism Goals Group Only Compromise Pursuing Argue No-One His Option Reasonable Who Prepared

Terrorism needs to be de-legitimized in the way that slavery has been. Doing so will make governments and individuals think twice before becoming a party to terrorism; it should also make it less difficult to garner support for international action against those who nevertheless carry it out. Richard N. Haass

Needs Terrorism Will Party Before Action Difficult Think Way Those Out Has-Been Carry Support Individuals Nevertheless Also Make Becoming Doing Been Governments Against Should Less Who International Twice Garner Slavery

I am confident in saying that Oberlin did more for me than vice versa. I took a fantastic class in religion, which led me to archaeology, which got me to the Middle East, which led me to international relations, which launched me on my career. Richard N. Haass

Saying Religion Me Class Vice Versa International Relations Took Relations East Archaeology More Got Am Versa Led Than Did Confident Middle Vice Middle East Which Fantastic International Career

Terrorism is a decentralized phenomenon - in its funding, planning, and execution. Richard N. Haass

Terrorism Execution Decentralized Planning Funding Phenomenon

American influence in the world depends on the ability to act with real capacity and set an example that others will want to follow. This all takes resources. Richard N. Haass

World Will Example Others Resources Ability Follow Takes Real American Depends Influence Want Capacity Act Set

If anything, what happened in Iraq after the fall of Saddam set back prospects for democratic reform in the region, as many came to associate political change with chaos. Richard N. Haass

Change Political Fall Back Chaos Saddam Prospects Democratic Came Iraq Reform After Anything Happened Region Many Associate Set

White House staff are meant to coordinate and set policy, not carry it out. Richard N. Haass

White White House Out Carry House Policy Staff Meant Coordinate Set

There's a pattern in Bush 43's presidency of being attracted to the big and the bold, and my whole reading of him is that he was instinctively uncomfortable with what you might call a modulated foreign policy - a foreign policy of adjustment, of degree. Richard N. Haass

The Trump administration has been characterized by adhocracy during its initial months. The initiative limiting immigration is a case in point. The new policy was not vetted fully within the administration - indeed, then-Acting Attorney General Sally Yates first read the decision after the text of the new executive order was published online. Richard N. Haass

Immigration Decision First Months Indeed Characterized Has-Been Administration Case General Online Point New Attorney Attorney General Executive Policy Read Within Limiting Been Trump Text Sally Order After Fully Initial Initiative Published

The political world is defined by relationships rather than transactions, and by numerous actors at home and abroad with independent power. Navigating such a world is difficult and precarious. Richard N. Haass

Home World Political Power Difficult Numerous Relationships Defined Independent Rather Abroad Precarious Than Political World Transactions Actor

I tend to be one of those who does not equate democratization with the holding of elections. The emphasis ought to be on such things as rule of law, economic reform, and promotion of a free media - in short, essentially independent, free institutions. Richard N. Haass

Law Free Holding Ought Rule Rule Of Law Those Independent Promotion Economic Tend Emphasis Institutions Democratization Equate Does Reform Short Essentially Elections Who Such Things Media Things

I believe in diplomacy; I don't believe in talking to... that talking to Iran somehow constitutes a concession or a favour. Richard N. Haass

Diplomacy Believe Favour Somehow Talking Concession Iran

Our inability to govern ourselves at home, to deal with everything from infrastructure to our debt to tax policy, is reducing the appeal of the American model. Richard N. Haass

Home Our Everything Ourselves Policy Deal Reducing Govern Debt Model American Tax Inability Tax Policy Infrastructure Appeal

Campaigning and governing are two very different activities, and there is no reason to assume that how Trump conducted the former will dictate how he approaches the latter. Richard N. Haass

Will Assume Approaches Latter No Reason He How Governing Trump Campaigning Dictate Very Different Former Reason Activities Two

We have to learn how to work within the limits that are possible, not what is desirable. Roberto Azevedo

Work Possible Learn Within How Limits Desirable

It's not compatible to expect multilateralism to work and, at the same time, to expect to walk out with everything you wanted. This is a recipe for failure. If we prize the system, we have to come knowing that we will need to make compromises. Sometimes painful compromises. Roberto Azevedo

Work Time Failure You Sometimes Walk Will Recipe Everything System Out Compromises Come Knowing Make Expect Prize Same Same Time Wanted Painful Compatible Need

In an era of global value chains, worldwide sourcing and the never-ending search for new markets, we must be careful to avoid the proliferation of regional standards. A multilateral approach holds wider benefits for more actors. Roberto Azevedo

Benefits Value Worldwide Approach Markets Proliferation Must Be Careful More Never-Ending New Global Era Holds Regional Avoid Standards Multilateral Search Chains Actor Wider Careful

Making strong infrastructural reforms, particularly in the area of social security, that's not an appealing prospect for any country or for any political structure. But that's a reality. Roberto Azevedo

Reality Strong Political Country Security Structure Area Prospect Particularly Making Reforms Any Social Appealing Social Security

Quotes by Diplomats