Geography USA

National Geographic Documentary - Grand Canyon the Hidden Secrets A nation's foreign policy, as being a continuation of its local policy, should never lose sight of it's geographic interests: the wealth on its shores or absence of it, and the same reckoning of it is neighbors. This accounting and inventory of any nation's resources and liabilities, from it is military, manpower, land, inner waters, natural resources, perceptive infrastructure, etc. is steady with the dictum, "know yourself, your friends, plus your enemies. "

A innovator which goes to transactions without a firm knowledge of his country's strong points and weaknesses is an unprepared leader with a weak and shaky palm.

Rule No. 4: Size (Power) Matters.

Powerful, triumphal states write (or rewrite) history. In war and in peace, size issues. From the Roman disposition to post-war, Pax Americana, power (military, ideological, politics, psychological, and economic) influenced the course of record.

But although most often, big states get what they want, indirectly, smaller states who understand how to play the power game can occasionally make up for their smaller size. One simple way is to obtain strong relations and partnerships with powerful states, like the US, Russia, or Chinese suppliers, an alliance that shields weak states from the predatory machinations of more robust ones.

Short of conflict, almost all of the time, powerful states accomplish their international policy goals through a combo of quiet diplomacy, convincing leverage, and rewards and punishment (carrot and stick).

A rare sort of a tiny state wielding admiration and power far over and above its shores is Singapore. This tiny island city-state, lacking any natural resources, earned its spurs by replacing its underdeveloped position with a powerhouse, expensive economy that is the envy of numerous nations. In international forums, Singapore's tone is always accorded value.

Rule No. 5: Generally there Are No Permanent Good friends, Only Permanent Interests.

Overseas policy is governed by the morality of hard-nose pragmatism. To paraphrase proper thinker Leslie H. Gelb, idealism, reason, and ideals are fine "but they can be only foreplay. "

Modern-day friends may be tomorrow's enemies and vice-versa. Consider the following:

1). China and tiawan and Russia, once Many nasty cold war foes could now be considered relatively viable partners in international relations.

2). Australia, a formidable and resented American enemy during the last two World Conflicts, is now a reliable US ally.

3). Likewise Japan, the that triggered a near mortal whack against US naval pushes in the Pacific movie theater, has been a close American ally.

Again, the conclusion (economic and security partnerships) justifies the means (sleeping with an once disliked enemy).

Statecraft recognizes that the world is not black or white but a blend of both. A wise leader quickly discovers that it's far better be as self-reliant as is feasible and not to expect too much from other international locations.

The author is a former diplomat and reporter. He is the writer of "The God in Einstein and Zen, very well soon to be available at Barnes and Manager, Amazon. com, Trafford. por, and E-books (kindle and nook).