FAO Quotables

"But being right, even morally right, isn't everything. It is also important to be competent, to be consistent, and to be knowledgeable. It's important for your soldiers and diplomats to speak the language of the people you want to influence. It's important to understand the ethnic and tribal divisions of the place you hope to assist."
-Anne Applebaum

Monday, January 16, 2012

How to become a diplomat 101

For my Intro to International Relations Class, we are reading Force and Statecraft by Lauren, Craig and George.  The following is my paraphrase of their paraphrase from Callieres's 1716 On the Manner of Negotiating with Princes regarding diplomacy:
 Diplomats should be carefully educated in the lessons of history and trained in diplomatic skills and techniques, and should know exactly the state of the military forces both on land and sea.


This itself is a good argument for why one can't directly access into the FAO community.  The fleet experienced gained can prove critical when posted overseas in situations where that knowledge will be needed..

2 comments:

  1. Which is still a challenge when you are an Army FAO working marine issues because you are the only DOD guy around

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  2. Good point! Sounds like we need more Navy FAOs downrange!

    ReplyDelete