French Foreign Minister Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord quipped, “A diplomat who says ‘yes’ means ‘maybe,’ a diplomat who says ‘maybe’ means ‘no,’ and a diplomat who says ‘no’ is no diplomat.” President Harry Truman observed, “Tact is the ability to step on a man’s toes without messing up the shine on his shoes.” And Prime Minister Winston Churchill grumbled, “Diplomacy is the art of telling people to go to hell in such a way that they ask for directions.” Thanks to diplomacy, unlikely nations have grown empires, prevented wars, forged friendships, and made peace. Its successful execution is rooted in a keen understanding of human nature. Join A. Wess Mitchell and me as we discuss his book Great Power Diplomacy on The Evangelization & Culture Podcast.
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