From Le Monde diplomatique, the American Century only began 60 years ago. But it seems already to be over, with the disaster of Iraq forcing some of the United States’ ruling elites to realise that its hegemony has been severely weakened. But nobody seems to know what to do next, or even how to behave, and more on the politics of absolute power. Calling Miss Manners: If rising powers don't improve their diplomatic skills, world politics is going to start looking like a bad episode of reality television. Are diplomats necessary? A review of Independent Diplomat: Dispatches from an Unaccountable Elite by Carne Ross. Diplomacy is not all beer and skittles but the book Undiplomatic Activities can give that impression (and more). When the world goes to hell, policymakers often turn to ICG president Gareth Evans for solutions. An interview on his take on the Bush administration and our collective responsibility for crises in Burma, Iraq, and possibly Iran.
