Quiet Diplomacy: From Cairo to Tokyo in the Twilight of Imperialism [Paperback]

Armin Meyer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 17, 2003

Armin Meyer's distinguished career in public service spanned more than thirty tumultuous years of hot and cold war, beginning in World War II with a secret mission to Eritrea. In the postwar Foreign Service, he served in Afghanistan, and his twenty-year involvement in the quest for Middle East peace included postings in Baghdad, Beirut, and in Washington, D.C. in the State Department's Near East Bureau, where he dealt with Nasserism, Hawk missiles, and Arab refugees. Meyer served as President Kennedy's ambassador to Beirut, assisting in Lebanon's first peaceful presidential transition; as President Johnson's ambassador to the Shah's Iran, dealing with arms, oil, and the Gulf median line challenges; and as President Nixon's ambassador to Japan where he presided over negotiations for Okinawa's reversion to Japanese administration, which ensured the extension of the U.S.-Japan mutual security treaty, and mellowed the Nixon "China shock." He also served as State's first coordinator for combating terrorism. In Quiet Diplomacy, Ambassador Meyer analyzes experiences and lessons learned, and offers valuable guidance for today's diplomacy.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Armin Meyer?s distinguished career in public service spanned more than thirty years. He was President Kennedy?s ambassador to Lebanon; President Johnson?s ambassador to Iran, and President Nixon?s ambassador to Japan. Ambassador Meyer is retired and lives in Washington, D.C.

Product Details

• Paperback: 226 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (November 17, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595301320
• ISBN-13: 978-0595301324
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,095,226 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well written with a very current message, February 13, 2004

By 

Paul Bulson (Vashon, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Quiet Diplomacy: From Cairo to Tokyo in the Twilight of Imperialism (Paperback)

Somehow the U.S. abandoned 'soft diplomacy' as in Theodore Roosevelt's 'speak softly' approach. In this very well written book the author takes the reader through a behind the scenes diplomacy that took place in the Middle East at a very crucial time. Immediately one sees the direct relevance of this account to current events both in the Middle and Far East. In addition to being talented Ambassador to Lebanon, Iran and Japan, the author is a talented writer who engages the reader. Especially enjoyable is the annex, 'Nuggets of Wisdom'. A must read for Middle and Far East history buffs - and should be required reading for any American entering the U.S. Foreign Service.

3.0 out of 5 stars A Pakistan diplomat's perspective, from the pitch this time....., November 27, 2011

By 

T. R. Santhanakrishnan "trsfmly" (Chennai, Tamil Nadu India) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Quiet Diplomacy: From Cairo to Tokyo in the Twilight of Imperialism (Paperback)

Taking you to far away places and letting you have a first hand insight into unfolding events and making you feel you are a part of the ambience is not something new to Jamsheed Marker. He was a cricket commentator in those TV less days when the spoken word was the only way to vicarious enjoyment of a match.

Jamsheed Marker had a long and colorful innings as a diplomat. He was Pakistan's ambassador to the Soviet Union when Bangladesh seceded from Pakistan. He was ambassador to the United States when US sponsored Mujahideen fought against Soviet forces in Afghanistan.

Jamsheed does not disappoint. His prose is entertaining and insight engaging.

Some interesting snippets:

One: When you move from Anglophone West Africa to Francophone West Africa, according to the author, the cuisine improves and plumbing worsens.

Two: The President of Cote d'Ivoire observed that when you send a young African to Paris he returns a Marxist; when you send him to Moscow, he returns a conservative!

Three: After inviting Sekou Toure of Guinea to speak, unaware that the microphone was still on, Indira Gandhi said in Hindi "Oh dear, this man is going to speak forever"!

Four: Desmond Tutu said that when the missionaries came to Africa, they had the bible and the Africans had the land. After the Africans joined the prayers and opened their eyes, the Africans had the bible and the missionaries had the land!

Five: Voltaire said that the best form of government is a benevolent despotism, tempered by the occasional assassination.

Six: Kissinger told Yahya Khan that for a military dictator, Yahya ran a lousy election!

Seven: When a translator conveyed Gromyko's message to Pakistan's ambassador to "please not take any action that would oblige us to fulfill our obligation to a country with whom we have a Treaty of Friendship", Gromyko intervened and clarified that he did not use the word "Please".

Eight: Helmut Schmidt said that "Moscow's concept of settled frontiers was to have Soviet troops stationed on both sides of the border".

However, the book suffers from two major deficiencies: One, it is too sanitized. All people appear nice, hold nice thoughts and say nice words. Two, Jamsheed steers clear of the strategic thinking behind Pakistan's foreign policy.

Pakistan has had a good innings in international relations by positioning itself as the frontier for the free world in the past; and the trench line to protect Islam recently. The success and implied perils of such thinking merited some commentary from the pavilion but is missing.