Sunday, September 15, 2013

Advice that won't be taken

Writing about Syria, Adam Garfinkle's sage advice concerning What We Should Do Now:
Above all, the Administration needs to use the coming autumn not just to restore American credibility, but even more fundamentally to rebuild its image as being capable of mature, professional and responsible foreign policy behavior. If it doesn’t do that, there is no hope of its developing an effective policy toward the Syrian mess and, indeed, the region as a whole. In the meantime, my only advice would be to please shut up unless it is absolutely necessary to say something in public. The staccato headlines of late, nearly every one of them sending the gaffe meter through the roof, need to stop. As some used to like to say, the whole world is watching. 
It's the speak softly and carry a big stick thing, yet again. Good advice for well over 100 years now.

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