By Sarah Swick, Minaret of Freedom Institute, www.minaret.org
Among the many shortcomings of US foreign policy seems to be a general lack of understanding of key diplomatic terms. In the effort to aid my country in solving these shortcomings, I submit the following examples:
DIPLOMACY: 1. international relations: the management of communication and relationships between nations by members and employees of each nation’s government[1]
This definition would assume that key actors in an international crisis wishing to pursue a ‘diplomatic path’ would engage employed representatives of their respective countries to communicate. Yet, as seen recently with its disputes with Iran and Syria, the United States seems to be taking the ‘low road’ by refusing to enter into direct negotiations.
NEGOTIATION-1. resolving of disagreements: the reaching of agreement through discussion and compromise
An example of American policymakers failure to understand this definition can be seen in their recent attempts to reach the negotiating table with Iran. The United States wishing to halt Iran’s development of nuclear technology, insist that before negotiations could begin, Iran would first have to halt their development of nuclear technology. Perhaps diplomats were confusing negotiation with surrender.
SURRENDER – 1. intransitive verb declare yourself defeated: to declare to an opponent that he or she has won so that fighting or conflict can cease
2. transitive verb give up possession of something: to relinquish possession or control of something because of coercion or force
In addition, as a precondition to a ceasefire in Lebanon, the US insists that the Lebanese government surrender its sovereignty to the United Nations and for Hizbullah to surrender their weapons. Therefore, in the present violent conflict over Lebanon, diplomats also seem to be confusing surrender and ceasefire.
CEASEFIRE– 1. agreement to stop fighting: an agreement between opposing sides in a conflict that they will stop fighting, usually for a limited time during which they will try to reach a more permanent peace agreement
Moreover, in supporting the continued fighting rather than an immediate ceasefire, policymakers claim that a ceasefire will not lead to ‘a more permanent peace agreement,’ despite the clear link between ceasefire and peace in the definition of ceasefire.
PEACE– 1. freedom from war: freedom from war, or the time when a war or conflict ends
Since making a Lebanese effort to disarm Hizbullah a pre-condition for a ceasefire does not terminate the present conflict but rather ignites a new conflict in the form of a Lebanese civil war (as the regime change in Iraq ignited a new conflict there), this leads to the ultimate question as to whether the US policymakers are truly dedicated to peace in the Middle East at all, or whether they have some other objective in mind.
[1] Definitions taken from Encarta’s online dictionary
