The sticky business of Diplomacy

Hilary Clinton, new US secretary of state, has been criticised for not confronting China with its appalling record on human rights abuses. These critics just don’t understand the nature of diplomacy. Diplomacy means shaking hands with someone we perhaps don’t like very much for the greater good. If we only talked with nations who we 100% agreed with we would have no one to talk with. Yes, China may be run by assholes, but saying that to their faces is only going to alienate them, not remove them. Clinton knows that the priority for now is gaining cooperation on the environment and the global economy. Politicians have to make difficult decisions using the art of compromise. Issues like Tibet and human rights are not forgotten, but have to come either later or else never. Clinton is playing the long game.