Masters in The Art of Diplomacy

Henry A. Kissinger and James A. Baker III, now octogenarians, returned to the public spotlight recently to remind us of the timeless virtues of diplomacy, negotiations, and statecraft in a complex and troubled world. Their message was important in this election year. After wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the pursuit of terrorists on every continent over the last decade, these two celebrated Americans recalled that we can sometimes get our way not just by force but with diplomacy. No two public figures better exemplify the American tradition in that ancient art than Baker and Kissinger, both honored by Harvard University during the past two weeks.