h a l f b a k e r yWarm and Fussy
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What is the scaryest thing in the world? Well, it's a tough
question, but I'd vote for uncertainty. To keep your enemies
in check why not try a random foreign policy?
The set up is simple. Make a list of "bad things" other
countries might do to you. include everything, ranging from
snubbing
you at a dinner party to bombing your tiny nation.
Make a list of "good things" too: like lifting embargos and giving
you statues and such.
Now make two more lists: these are the "bad things" and "good
things" you might do in retribution. Again the range is large:
snubbing, bombing, tariffs ... it's all the same to you.
When a bad thing happens you do a random bad thing in
return, when a good thing happens same deal.
No one will want to do bad things to you because you're
utterly un predictable! Place a tariff on your Kumquats? I don't
think so! You might bomb them-- or maybe you'll just insult
them by slapping them with your diplomatic glove the next
time you see them... there is no way to tell. Soon you will rule
the world.
I call this philosophy: randompolatik
(?) Richard Nixon: Foreign Policy
http://www.pbs.org/.../nixon/nixonfp.html
Mentions the "Madman" policy at the end. [Uncle Nutsy, Jul 16 2001, last modified Oct 21 2004]
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'Surrealpolitik'.
I like it. If you get a dirty fork at an Embassy reception, nuke their oil refinery. |
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Massacre 3,000 people and you get to host the Olympic Games. |
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I thought the unpredictability (as enforced by changing legistlature every two years) was what the U.S.S.R. feared most about U.S. policy. |
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[angel] Perhaps I should clairfy: bad actions ==> bad things
happen to you good actions ==> good things happen to
you. |
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In other words, only the degree of the response is
random, not the nature of it. |
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put one or 2 of the good ones on the bad list and vice versa... that way everyone will do everything they can to stay away from you... then you can abolish diplomats all together... |
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It was a culture of fawning diplomatic appeasement which led to Hitler starting WWII. You might want to rethink this little nightmare. Responses to acts by belligerent nations must be weighed carefully unless you happen to be the school bully. |
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Henry Kissinger posited the "madman" approach to international politics, in which a country acts in as insane a manner as possible, in hopes of convincing other nations to give it a great deal of latitude. Richard Nixon considered it a valid tactic under some circumstances (see link), so this idea is somewhat baked. |
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