Diplomacy as Metaphor

In his speech to the nation on Tuesday night, President Obama declared war on the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, drawing on a familiar metaphor in American culture. Presidents have declared war many times in recent history: President Johnson’s war on poverty, President Nixon’s war on cancer, and President Reagan’s war on drugs.

The trouble is, these wars—and perhaps all wars—never really work. All of the scourges listed above—poverty, cancer, and drugs—remain as strong, if not stronger, than they were when war was first declared.

I don’t blame President Obama for his use of the metaphor. In fact, I think he and his speechwriters realize the need to use this language. Because Obama is a cerebral leader who takes his time weighing options and thoughtfully arriving at conclusions, he is perceived as weak by many in our saber-rattling culture.

Nonetheless, wishing we could move to a different metaphor, I propose the word “diplomacy.” It’s true that in diplomacy you negotiate and talk to the other side, and we really can’t do either with the oil leak. But implicit in diplomacy is understanding: understanding why poverty is so prevalent, understanding what causes cancer, and understanding how drugs invade entire communities.

In much of the President’s speech, he actually drew on diplomacy rather than on war as a model for action. Appointing an independent group to determine compensation for workers and businesses in the Gulf is an act of diplomacy. Commissioning a long-term Gulf Coast Restoration Plan is an act of diplomacy. Insisting that we understand the facts about deepwater drilling and the concomitant risks to workers and the environment is an act of diplomacy. And calling on members of both parties to propose ideas to end our country’s dependence on fossil fuels is an act of diplomacy.

President Obama understands and applies diplomacy more than he gets credit for. Or perhaps it’s that diplomacy is held in low esteem. In any case, don’t let the war metaphor fool you; it’s required shorthand that I hope will become obsolete someday.