Join the new world

Introduction

“Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.” -JFK

In the nearly three years I've roamed the virtual landscape of the New World, I've had much success and experience in the art of diplomacy. I rose through the ranks from serving as Ambassador to eCroatia to being a multi-term Foreign Minister. I did this in more than one country. I've lobbied for my country's entrance into global alliances, and I've even tested the waters for conceiving a new regional alliance. I think I'm qualified to teach you all a little about the art of diplomacy. This is for all who engage in diplomacy, from Ambassadors and Foreign Ministers, to Presidents and Prime Ministers.

Lesson I

"Country First"

One of the most important things to remember when representing your country is to never put anything above the wellbeing and security of your country. Foreign affairs is a game filled with lies, deception, and at times, corruption. If you stand by your country, you will be successful.

Lesson II

"Neutrality is an assured path to destruction."

This is a game. In this game, there is no better retention tool than war. War is a source of fun and excitment that no government program could ever hope to equal. War drives the economy by raising the demand and consumption of weapons and food. War encourages journalists to write more frequently. War for the right reasons and at the right time, is good for the country. However, War for the sake of war usually does not end well.

A neutral country is a prime target for invasion and political take overs. In this game, neutrality is only a short term policy. It is common for new countries to utilize this policy in their fist months of existance. However, there always comes a time to pick a side, or face destruction alone.

Lesson III

"Burning all your bridges will leave you stranded."

In Diplomacy, it is never smart to abandon your oldest and closest allies, for new allies. For once you develope the reputation of being an unloyal double-crosser, it will become extremly difficult to shake it. A clear example of this is the eUnited Kingdom. In WWIII, the eUK turned it's back on it's eUSA and eCanadian allies, and allowed eHungary to invade North America. Till this day, the eUK is trying to repair their reputation. It is your job to build bridges, not destroy them.

Lesson IV

"Do what your told, when your told."

When you are put in a position of power, always follow the orders of your superiors. When working in the Department of Foreign Affairs, you serve your country at the privelege of the President or Prime Minister. You should never engage in your own Foreign Policy. Always seek authority from a higher power (unless your the President or PM) before negotiating a peace treaty, war game, or Mutual Protection Pact(MPP).

Lesson V

"A good Diplomat says what he means and means what he says."

Honesty is something I hold in the highest regard when dealing with other country's and other players. If you can not trust a single word the other says, there can be no negotiation. A Diplomat with the reputation of a liar, is a soon to be ex-Diplomat. If others do not believe a word you say, they will not deal with you. This is especially important for MoFA's and Presidents. Doing what you said you would is the key to building trust and respect. In the New World, trust and respect are the biggest components of a stong Alliance.

Lesson VI

"Maintain your Composure"

In Diplomacy, maintaing your composier is key to getting what you want. Screaming, swearing, and insulting people can only get you so far. Unless your in the Military. In times of crisis, a Foreign Policy team with it's head on staight, is the first step towards solving the crisis. A President that literally grovels for peace during negotiations is just a sad and pathetic sight. Even if your country is losing regions left and right, never panic. There is always a way out of a sticky situation. You just have to look for it and know how to play the game. A country that says "All is lost!" is doomed to remain in servitude to stronger country's. A country that says "We have not begun to fight!" will survive.

In eIsrael, whenever the Turks invaded and pushed us to our last region in the south, we never surrendered and neither did our Foreign Affairs team. And everytime, we came back. It was because we looked for a way out of our situation by looking for allies willing to join us, as appossed to rolling over and playing dead. It matters not how small or large the country is, it matters how well the country's leaders handle times of crisis.

Lesson VII

"R-E-S-P-E-C-T"

Be respectful. It doesn't matter how big of an idiot or an ignoramus the person, or country for that matter is, be respectful. Don't be afraid to be the more mature person. As a representative of your country, your actions can reflect either positively or negatively on your country.

Lesson VIII

"Don't try to Police the world."

Every country has enough of its own problems. These problems can be both simple and complex. What you need to understand is that you can not solve all the world's problems, and neither should you try. The vast majority of the world's problems have nothing to do with your country. Therefor, it is not your country's job to solve them. Once you understand this, you can get on with solving your own problems.

Lesson VIIII

"Don't build an Empire you can't maintain."

As I've said before, War drives the game. When waging war for imperialist means, you would do good to stay within your realm of influence. Building an Empire across more than one Continent is sure to fail. There are exceptions to this, as there are to any lesson. If the borders of your Empire touch friendly territory, it is much easier to hold onto it. However, if it borders rival and unfriendly territory, it is more likely that your enemies will seek to swiftly liberate your colonies. You should also never expand too far outside your borders unless you have a specific goal in mind, and the support of your allies. This is the problem the eUS faced during the campaign in eIran.

Lesson X

"Choose your friends carefully."

A Head of State would do well to remember this when forging new alliances. It's not about having the strongest allies. The strongest friends are the ones most likely to throw you under the bus in order to achieve their own selfish ambitions. It's not about having the most allies. Because having to support so many allies would prove to be costly and a waste of Gold. It's about having the best allies. This should be your goal.

Conclusion

These are some of the lessons I've learned in my journey through Foreign Affairs. Both as a player in Foreign policy and as an observer. I hope I've taught you something. Thanks for reading.

-Jamarcus