Mind Over Muscle...

Subject: Honey Works a Lot Better than Vinegar...


you know what nobody wants to talk about is that America does not know how to use diplomacy.

Immediately, when you talk to an American official, it's my way or the high way.

What we don't seem to realize is that so much more can be obtained through the intelligent use of diplomacy.

If you doubt that check the history books.

The past master of diplomacy has always been the Brits. They have it down to a science; understand all of the nuances and know how to play both sides against the middle and it is always to their advantage.

Even in WWII, they were the skilled players who knew every trick in the book.

And then when you look at what we're doing in the field of diplomacy, it looks like we were locked out of class that day.

. Our typically black and white approach is here it is; if you don't like it, you can lump it and we will blow you up as we please.

The Brits were always too smart to talk like that even if they felt like it at times. You in fact never knew where you stood with the Brits. That was proved to me today when I saw a wonderful documentary on the use of diplomacy by the Imperialist British government when it planned its maneuvers leading up and including WWI. I am going back to the time of Lloyd George, Balfour, and the secret agreements with the French and Russians that carved up The Arabian Penninsula.

This well-crafted documentary documented how the Brits used treachery, diplomacy, and sleight of hand to promise the middle east to both the Jews of Eastern Europe, thinking that they could use the power of the Jews to work in their favor in winning support for the English cause, and to the Arabs under prince Faisel. In truth, while they were making promises to both Arab and Jew, the English had the whole area mapped out and they conveniently used all sides to their own advantage while actually ceding Syria and Lebannon to France under their agreement and taking Iraq and the Canal, which was essential to the English Empire, for themselves.

This was the work of a secret agreement in addition to the Balfour Declaration and the efforts of Lloyd George.

Mainly, it was all designed to take down the Turks and carve up their territory for their own personal advantage.

At the time, they recognized Iraq's oil potential.

If you were to move the entire strategy fifty years forward, you could not avoid discussing the role of British diplomacy later in the 50's when it came time to securing Iran's oil wealth and getting rid of Moussadegh and bringing on the Ayotollah....and making the Americans the heavies. Remember, it was Eisenhower who backed them up...and the Iranians never forgot it.

They just prove a point however if you are smart, you can get just as much or more using your mind over muscle. This government seems incapable of learning their lesson.

Les Aaron