Barack Obama Quotes About Diplomacy

• You might not be ready for diplomacy with Beijing if you can't visit the Olympics without insulting our closest ally.

  Barack Obama

  Insulting, Allies, Olympics

  Second Democratic Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech, delivered 6 September 2012, Charlotte, North Carolina

• Sanctions alone could not stop Iran's nuclear program. But they did help bring Iran to the negotiating table.

  Barack Obama

  Leadership, Science, Technology

  "CNN Newsroom" with Wolf Blitzer, www.cnn.com. April 2, 2015.

• It is very important for I think those of us who desperately want peace, who see war as, at some level, a break-down, a manifestation of human weakness, to understand that sometimes it’s also necessary – and you know, to – to be able to balance two ideas at the same time; that we are constantly striving for peace, we are doubling up on our diplomacy, we are going to actively engage, we are going to try to see the world through other people’s eyes and not just our own.

  Barack Obama

  War, Eye, Thinking

  "Obama Talks With PBS’ Jim Lehrer". "NewsHour" with Jim Lehrer, talkingpointsmemo.com. December 23, 2009.

• We will continue to deepen our engagement using every element of American power - diplomacy, military, economic development, the power of our values and our ideals.

  Barack Obama

  Military, Memorable, Engagement

  Remarks by President Obama at the University of Queensland, obamawhitehouse.archives.gov. November 15, 2014.

• Hunger, disease and poverty can lead to global instability and leave a vacuum for extremism to fill. So instead of just managing poverty, we must offer nations and people a pathway out of poverty. And as president I've made development a pillar of our foreign policy, alongside diplomacy and defense.

  Barack Obama

  People, President, Pathways

  "Politics and Foreign Aid: What Romney and Obama Can Learn from Huckabee and Lincoln" by Tom Murphy, www.huffingtonpost.com. October 23, 2012.

• Ultimately, only diplomacy can bring about a durable solution to the challenge posed by Iran's nuclear program. As President and Commander in Chief, I will do what is necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. However, I have a profound responsibility to try to resolve our differences peacefully, rather than rush towards conflict.

  Barack Obama

  Leadership, Wisdom, Spring

  "Obama admits Israel has good reason for scepticism over Iran nuclear deal" by Dan Roberts, www.theguardian.com. November 25, 2013.

• I think that there is a particular mindset that was on display in the run-up to the Iraq war that continues to this day. Some of the folks who were involved in that decision either don't remember what they said or are entirely unapologetic about the results, but that views the Middle East as a place where force and intimidation will deliver on the security interests that we have, and that it is not possible for us to at least test the possibility of diplomacy.

  Barack Obama

  Running, War, Thinking

  Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

• We should not anticipate that every time countries come together that we are doing some revolutionary thing. Instead of hitting home runs, sometimes we're going to hit singles.

  Barack Obama

  Running, Country, Home

• And, as a consequence of the pressure that we've applied over the last couple of weeks, we have Syria -- for the first time -- acknowledging that it has chemical weapons, agreeing to join the convention that prohibits the use of chemical weapons, and the Russians -- their primary sponsors -- saying that they will push Syria to get all of their chemical weapons out. The distance that we've traveled over these couple of weeks is remarkable.

  Barack Obama

  Couple, Distance, Justice

  "Full Transcript: President Obama Speaks Exclusively to George Stephanopoulos on 'This Week'". "This Week" with George Stephanopoulos, abcnews.go.com. September 15, 2013.

• In a world of complex threats, our security and leadership depends on all elements of our power - including strong and principled diplomacy.

  Barack Obama

  Inspirational, Strong, Elements

  Fifth Presidential State of the Union, delivered 28 January 2014

• Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us such a world power. Hundreds of millions of people may never set foot in the United States, but thanks to you, they've experienced a small part of what makes our country special. They've learned something about our values. We have shaped a world culture through you...in a way that has made the world better.

  Barack Obama

  Country, Believe, Feet

• We've said to the Iranians all along . . . we still remain open to diplomacy. But it's been very clear that the Iranians don't want to engage with us.

  Barack Obama

  Want, Said, Diplomacy

• I would meet directly with the leadership in Iran.

  Barack Obama

  Iran, Diplomacy

  "Meet the Press" with Tim Russert, www.nbcnews.com. November 11, 2007.

• The promotion of human rights cannot be about exhortation alone. At times, it must be coupled with painstaking diplomacy. I know that engagement with repressive regimes lacks the satisfying purity of indignation. But I also know that sanctions without outreach -- condemnation without discussion -- can carry forward only a crippling status quo. No repressive regime can move down a new path unless it has the choice of an open door.

  Barack Obama

  Moving, Rights, Doors

  Nobel Prize for Peace Acceptance Speech and Lecture, delivered 10 December 2009, Oslo City Hall, Oslo, Norway

• We've achieved this historic progress through diplomacy, without resorting to another war in the Middle East. I want to also point out that by working with Iran on this nuclear deal, we were better able to address other issues.

  Barack Obama

  War, Iran, Issues

  "President Obama Gives Statement About U.S.-Iran Deals This Weekend". "Weekend Edition Sunday", www.npr.org. January 17, 2016.

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