George W. Bush Quotes

Diplomacy, is persuasion in the shadow of power.

In the affairs of nations, too much hard power ends up breeding not submission but resistance. Likewise great soft power does not bend hearts; it twists minds in resentment and rage.

Soft power … cannot accomplish much in the absence of a willingness to use hard power.

Democracy is the best school to learn soft power.

And a diplomatist is one who lets the other fellow think he's getting his way, while all the time he's having his own. It never does any special harm to let people have their way with their mouths.

Yet, when one thinks of it, diplomacy without force is a but a rotten reed to lean upon.

Humor, humility, and, of course, honesty, all are qualities that work in public and cultural diplomacy.

I think if I had to do it over again, I'd do it the same way. I would just put more resources into getting the public diplomacy part much stronger than we were able to.

I've been dealing with politicians all my life. All my life. And I've always gotten them to do what I need them to do.

The United States influences government and life everywhere else.

You can do a lot with diplomacy, but with diplomacy backed up by force you can get a lot more done

America’s power to intervene effectively overseas depends on its power to persuade and not merely coerce. The power to persuade depends on a willingness to be persuaded. And that willingness depends, ultimately, on America’s willingness to entertain the prospect that it is wrong.

Diplomacy: The patriotic art of lying for one's country.

I've been very successful in business and I owe it all to politics.

The term “public diplomacy” is often a euphemism for propaganda.

Foreign policy does not mean guns and rifles, but utilizing all legitimate international means to convince others.

Americans must reconcile themselves to limited objectives and work in congress with others, for an essential part of American power is the ability to evoke support from others---an ability quite as important as the capacity to compel.

People throughout the world have always been more impressed by the power of our example than with the example of our power.

Because of the term ‘whip’, it is assumed that members can be beaten into submission, but I’ve seldom seen that be successful. It’s getting to know the individual, what they think, how they feel, what’s going on in their personal life, are they agonizers or quick deciders, what kind of leverage can be used with them or on them.

Power is the true reserve currency in international affairs.

Military campaigns are inseparable from politics.

When the United States comes with resources and ideas, people pay attention.

Diplomats bluster and bluff, but democracies don't really have that many tools they can use to push back, effectively, against the seductive ideas of dictators.

To persuade is more trouble than to dominate, and the powerful seldom take this trouble if they can avoid it.

A ruler must learn to persuade and not to compel.