Diplomacy is a disguised war, in which states seek to gain by barter and intrigue, by the cleverness of arts, the objectives which they would have to gain more clumsily by means of war.
—Randolph Bourne (1886–1918) American Writer, Scholar
MINISTER, n. An agent of a higher power with a lower responsibility. In diplomacy, an officer sent into a foreign country as the visible embodiment of his sovereign’s hostility.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
To say nothing, especially when speaking, is half the art of diplomacy.
—William C. Durant (1861–1947) American Industrialist
A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman’s birthday but never remembers her age.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
Be polite; write diplomatically; even in a declaration of war one observes the rules of politeness.
—Otto von Bismarck (1815–98) German Chancellor, Prime Minister
An ambassador is not simply an agent; he is also a spectacle.
—Walter Bagehot (1826–77) English Economist, Journalist
My advice to any diplomat who wants to have a good press is to have two or three kids and a dog.
—Carl Rowan (1925–2000) American Public Servant, Journalist, Author, Columnist
A diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you actually look forward to the trip.
—Caskie Stinnett (1911–98) American Travel Writer, Humorist