International Diplomacy

[poliphilo]

When you're the world's only superpower everybody wants to be your friend- even if they say otherwise.  The Obama administration seems to understand this. They go round smiling at people- and people are so flattered they fall over themselves to be obliging.

You don't need to wave the big stick; everyone knows it's there;  wave it too much and you start to look jittery and insecure.

I'm fascinated by what just happened in North Korea- and how easy it was for Bill Clinton to win concessions. I think Kim Jong Il would fold like a mereingue if the World suddenly decided it loved him and wanted to do photo-ops with him. He's a very needy man.

Comments

[michaleen.livejournal.com]

I think you're correct: Kim Jong Il is indeed a very needy man. And Bill has that way of looking at you with that soulful puppy look, as if he really does care - absurd as that impression might be in a politician.

They made quite a match, I suspect.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

They said something very similar about Tony Blair- that when you went one to one with him he gave you the feeling that you were the only person in the world who mattered.

[michaleen.livejournal.com]

Didn't know that about Blair. He and Bill Clinton must have been quite a match. Small wonder they got on so well.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Blair, like Clinton, is a real charmer.

[mamadar.livejournal.com]

My theory is that Bill gave Kim secret tips on how to get hot young interns to fall for you.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The first of which might be, "get a hair cut".

He can't get a haircut!

[jubal51394.livejournal.com]

If he did he'd be "four foot nothin"!

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

I think Kim Jong II got more than a photo op out of the Big Dog's visit.

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

I worry when we think alike about politics, but I'm in complete agreement with you.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Possibly.

I'm hoping that- whatever happened- this will be the first step towards bringing North Korea back into the family of civilised nations.

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

It is very telling (about Bill) that he only wanted to go if he were assured that it would succeed. Kim is not the only needy one there.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I think emotional neediness is something most high-flying politicians have in common.

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

Perhaps, but Bill is so clearly the poster boy for Adult Children of Alcoholics, it's not funny.

[veronica-milvus.livejournal.com]

Billy boy took a bit of a risk though - he could so easily have been taken hostage himself. I wonder what he conceded that N. Korea wanted? Maybe it was medication for a leader who has cerebrovascular challenges.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

That's not unlikely.

But whatever was said and done, I'm glad the channel has been opened.

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

You make a really good point. In spite of Monicagate, Bill Clinton is extremely likeable, and he really does care about the little people (like a GOOD Democrat should!)

Got that right!

[jubal51394.livejournal.com]

And people don't get any "littler" than that jerk!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I think he was the right man for this particular job.

[petercampbell.livejournal.com]

A friend of mine was having dinner in a restaurant when Clinton and his entourage arrived. She said that you could feel his charisma whenever he walked in (she didn't realise at that point who it was) - he's obviously got the "it" factor, however you might care to define that particular quality.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

There's something about charisma that's not fully explicable in rationalistic terms. There's a mystique about it.