Letter to the New York Times

I'm on an anti-Thomas Friedman binge. Here's a letter I just wrote to the NYTimes. Wonder if it will get published. It's been awhile since one has (haven't written to them much lately anyway):

In his "It's All About Leverage" column, Thomas Friedman offers poor advice to Barack Obama in regards to dealing with other nations. Mr. Friedman calls for the U.S. acquiring leverage before it talks with anyone. Granted, it is nice to have leverage, but what making leverage a requirement for talks really means is being able to have the U.S. strong-arm other nations into doing what it wants. This reflects a diplomatic poverty. It is not a diplomacy where there is mutual respect and a desire to achieve an outcome to which both sides are genuinely agreeable and from which both sides benefit. Even without leverage, two sides should still be able to talk and be resourceful enough to achieve a diplomatic objective. Mr. Friedman's advice is not far off from the disastrous George W. Bush style of diplomacy: be able to force an outcome or don't deal at all. This style of diplomacy has engendered much anti-American resentment, and I hope this similar advice is ignored by Barack Obama should he become president.