France outmanuevered The US at diplomacy.

[rodeodance]

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/001592.php


The Diplomacy Prize Goes to France This Round

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August 11, 2006
The Diplomacy Prize Goes to France This Round

Around the United States and the world, there are high school, community college, and university exercises called "Model United Nations". Basically, students divide themselves into different national and regional clusters. There are NGOs in the simulated exercises -- usually crises that the students need to work through -- as well as students assigned to perform U.N. Secretariat functions.

At the end of the multi-day meetings, prizes are distributed to college teams and students for exemplary performance. The best prizes go to those players who out think and out maneuver better resourced nations and rival universities or high schools.

In the case of the UN Resolution likely to be voted on tonight establishing a cease fire in Lebanon and compelling both an Israeli military withdrawal and a sizeable "Hezbollah-free zone" as well as the deployment of a joint United Nations/Lebanon military force in Southern Lebanon -- French diplomacy has been the pace-setter.

I'm about to go on Air America's "The Majority Report" with Sam Seder and will be back shortly to fill in why the French deserve a prize for all the string-pulling and maneuvering they pulled off behind the scenes.

On a break during the show -- but here is the scoop on France's impressive, Machiavellian diplomacy.

[annabanana]

1. not a surprise..

1) The French have traditionally had an edge in this department (what with the official language thing).
2) We haven't "done" diplomacy for quite awhile.

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. With Bush in charge, that diplomacy title is wide open.

A snail in a pond has more chances of outmaneuvering Bush on diplomacy.

[peacetalksforall]

3. The U.S. can be diplomatic, This regime is all about PNAC

and I fear that these peace talks are just stage setting for PNAC because they haven't done the same to Iran and Syria as Israel did to Lebanon.

PNAC is still on the attack. They are in their last two years of gain. They are ferocious and rabid and without consciences. This isn't over.