The first time I laid eyes on Statecraft: And How to Restore America's Standing in the World, I rolled my eyes and thought, another one of those bullshit books about America as savior of the world! Really! It's bad enough that Marvel Comics created Captain America, that character hero of the World War. I hadn't thought of buying the book at first but curiosity got the better of me. I randomly leafed through a few pages, just to see if there's something worth my while in it and when I saw sections on the discussion of statecraft, I was sold.
Statecraft, as defined by US diplomat Dennis Ross (also author of the book), is the "use of the assets or the resources and tools (economic, military, intelligence, media) that a state has to pursue its interests and to affect the behavior of others, whether friendly or hostile (p.2)." As such, it "involves making sound assessments and understanding where and on what issues the state is being challenged and can counter a threat or create a potential opportunity or take advantage of one (p.2)."
With the definition established, Ross gathers cases wherein statecraft is practiced, both successfully and unsuccessfully. Starting with the German Uuification in NATO to the Serbian conflict and to the political chaos in the Middle East, Ross examines and evaluates how America positions itself in each case while inserting short discussions of two important tools in statecraft: negotiation and mediation. From the cases stated, he offers examples of both good and bad examples of statecraft practice.
Ross concludes with how America can deal with China whose booming economy is causing it to rise as a major global power. He reiterates and emphasizes again the basics of statecraft: clear objectives tied to reality, clear and realistic means to achieve the objectives, recognizing key points of leverage, and timely consulting with key persons involved.
While this book focuses more on state-level cases, I think an average person would appreciate this book as it can also serve as a guide to negotiations and dealings in life. (Aside from that, it also allows readers to have glimpses of what diplomats really do and how they do their job.) Still, I am not sold to the idea that America is the hope of the world. Methinks it is the scourge of the world.
Statecraft, as defined by US diplomat Dennis Ross (also author of the book), is the "use of the assets or the resources and tools (economic, military, intelligence, media) that a state has to pursue its interests and to affect the behavior of others, whether friendly or hostile (p.2)." As such, it "involves making sound assessments and understanding where and on what issues the state is being challenged and can counter a threat or create a potential opportunity or take advantage of one (p.2)."
With the definition established, Ross gathers cases wherein statecraft is practiced, both successfully and unsuccessfully. Starting with the German Uuification in NATO to the Serbian conflict and to the political chaos in the Middle East, Ross examines and evaluates how America positions itself in each case while inserting short discussions of two important tools in statecraft: negotiation and mediation. From the cases stated, he offers examples of both good and bad examples of statecraft practice.
Ross concludes with how America can deal with China whose booming economy is causing it to rise as a major global power. He reiterates and emphasizes again the basics of statecraft: clear objectives tied to reality, clear and realistic means to achieve the objectives, recognizing key points of leverage, and timely consulting with key persons involved.
While this book focuses more on state-level cases, I think an average person would appreciate this book as it can also serve as a guide to negotiations and dealings in life. (Aside from that, it also allows readers to have glimpses of what diplomats really do and how they do their job.) Still, I am not sold to the idea that America is the hope of the world. Methinks it is the scourge of the world.
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