Diplomacy is simply not found in Washington’s foreign policy toolkit. From the Strategic Culture Editorial Board at strategic-culture.org:
There seems no longer any attempt, or semblance, of seeking diplomacy by Washington. Sanctions and aggression are wielded with reckless abandon. Russia, China, and even America’s own supposed European allies are subject to sanctions by Washington in a high-handed dismissal of any mutual dialogue to resolve alleged grievances.
US President Donald Trump has evolved a certain shrill maximalist attitude in international relations. It can be coined thus: my way or no way.
One recent example is the imposition of sanctions on Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. That indicates the US cutting off any possibility of a negotiated de-escalation of tensions in the Persian Gulf.
Iran’s Zarif revealed this week that when he was on a diplomatic visit to the US last month he was told by officials that he was expected at the White House for a meeting with President Trump. If Zarif baulked at the “offer” then he would be put on a sanctions list, he was allegedly informed. The Iranian top diplomat declined under the circumstances of apparent coercion, only to find that he was indeed later slapped with sanctions. What kind of American diplomacy is that? Sounds like a mafia-type offer not to refuse.
