Russ Campbell’s Blog: Military Threat Is Essential to Effective Diplomacy
President Theodore Roosevelt famously said: “speak softly, and carry a big stick.” His idea was to negotiate peacefully, but with the ever-present threat of the “big stick,” military action. Perhaps in this proverb lies is a valuable lesson for leaders of the Western democracies, and especially for President Obama.
On the weekend, well coordinated and armed militants attacked government buildings in six cities in eastern Ukraine. Echoing the Russian takeover of Crimea last month, many attackers reportedly carried Russian-origin weapons and were outfitted in bulletproof vests and camouflage uniforms with insignia removed.
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