I agree with Charlemagne on this:
If our big bet in Europe is that speaking with one voice will make our norms-based, soft power approach work, what lessons should we draw when Mr Obama's outstretched hand of friendship is smacked away? Because even in a perfect, parallel universe, in which the EU magically falls in line behind Catherine Ashton and the new EU diplomatic service, we will struggle to become one half as united as the American government is. Our 27 countries will always find it hard to match America when it comes to identifying and defending our interests. And though there can of course be differences in the messages sent out by the White House, the State Department, Congress and so on, in general America speaks with one voice to the outside world, in a way that the EU can barely hope to match.And yet all that speaking with one voice, in defence of agreed, common interests, does not seem to shield the Obama administration from snubs.
The truth is that Soft power only works when hard power isn't contradicting it and when actions and policies demonstrate that soft power is about more than empty gestures, but about accepting that others do have their point of view and their own self-interests. Soft power hasn't worked for the Obama administration and has little chances of working for the Eu if it ever gets its act together because it is seen as bandage not confront peacefully real and substantive differences about the world. I think that even Obama realizes how American-centric and naive, it was of him to believe that soft power would fix everything and lead to changes without policy changes.
Or, put another way, you only need hard power when soft power isn't working.
Posted by: Craig | Thursday, 11 March 2010 at 02:04 PM