--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Any Ambassador or Foreign Service Officer…" description: "\"Any Ambassador or Foreign Service Officer who has his or her head screwed on right knows that the U.S. position in the world is far more dependent on o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/lawrence-eagleburger-19898_ability_any-ambassador-or-foreign-service-office_3082213.jpg" --- # Any Ambassador or Foreign Service Officer who has his or… ![“Any Ambassador or Foreign Service Officer who has his or her head screwed on right knows that the U.S. position in the world is far more dependent on our ability to compete in world markets.” quote by Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/lawrence-eagleburger-19898_ability_any-ambassador-or-foreign-service-office_3082213.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/lawrence-eagleburger-19898_ability_any-ambassador-or-foreign-service-office_3082213.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/lawrence-eagleburger-19898_ability_any-ambassador-or-foreign-service-office_3082213.jpg) > “Any Ambassador or Foreign Service Officer who has his or her head screwed on right knows that the U.S. position in the world is far more dependent on our ability to compete in world markets.” [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. U.S. global standing hinges on economic competitiveness, not just military power. **In simple terms:** Economic strength is key to global influence. Key Takeaway Invest in economic competitiveness. Themes economics foreign policy global power trade Mood analytical strategic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - international relations - business strategy Key Concepts market competition innovation policy making Questions to Reflect On - How can economic policy complement diplomatic efforts? - What sectors should the U.S. prioritize? A Different Perspective Economic focus may overlook diplomatic nuances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Ambassador Foreign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambassador-foreign-5262601/) [Ambassadors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambassadors/) [Compete World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compete-world-523559/) [Dependent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dependent/) [Foreign service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreign-service/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Officers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/officers/) [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) [Position World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position-world-324193/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Markets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-markets-1546381/) ## Related quotes > [I want to state unequivocally for the world, as well as for the markets, as well as for the American people: I have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-bachmann/i-want-to-state-unequivocally-for-the-world-as-well-as-for-the/) [Michele Bachmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-bachmann/) > [“Put differently, the liberation of world markets, a process powered by the liberation of unprecedented amounts of fossil fuels from the earth, has dramatically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/put-differently-the-liberation-of-world-markets-a-process-powered-by/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [Before I leave the earth, I'll have released a bunch of albums and a bunch of movies. I'm going to do it all. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-white/before-i-leave-the-earth-i-ll-have-released-a-bunch-of-albums-and-a/) [Jessica White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-white/) > [Ann and I will carry out this equivocal message to the world: Markets must be open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/ann-and-i-will-carry-out-this-equivocal-message-to-the-world-markets/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [But things move on and by the time you've plotted your position the world around you has changed and you are running -panting- to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahdaf-soueif/but-things-move-on-and-by-the-time-you-ve-plotted-your-position-the/) [Ahdaf Soueif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahdaf-soueif/) > [The most important thing for us to do as beings is to be aware of our position in the world on a micro and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/the-most-important-thing-for-us-to-do-as-beings-is-to-be-aware-of-our/) [Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) > [What is more important is that Foreign Service Officers understand business, about the needs of U.S. business and how to help U.S. companies make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/what-is-more-important-is-that-foreign-service-officers-understand/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [Now there is a cultural change under way in the Foreign Service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/now-there-is-a-cultural-change-under-way-in-the-foreign-service/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [When I was a child, all I wanted was to enter the Austrian team and to compete on the World Cup tour. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-maier/when-i-was-a-child-all-i-wanted-was-to-enter-the-austrian-team-and-to/) [Hermann Maier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-maier/) > [Illinois and Chicago have shown they can compete on the world stage, and we will continue to answer the challenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/illinois-and-chicago-have-shown-they-can-compete-on-the-world-stage/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [I compete all over the world, so I travel two or three times a month and spend at least six months a year out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-rutherford/i-compete-all-over-the-world-so-i-travel-two-or-three-times-a-month/) [Greg Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-rutherford/) > [America can compete with anyone in the world as long as the playing field is level. China's been cheating over the years. One by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/america-can-compete-with-anyone-in-the-world-as-long-as-the-playing/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [We can only compete in the world against competitors from Asia, the United States, or wherever if we look at unmet needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-van-houten/we-can-only-compete-in-the-world-against-competitors-from-asia-the/) [Frans van Houten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-van-houten/) > [I enjoy competing, and I love to get out there, and I feel like I could compete with anyone in the world, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urijah-faber/i-enjoy-competing-and-i-love-to-get-out-there-and-i-feel-like-i-could/) [Urijah Faber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urijah-faber/) > [I want to initiate a bilateral agenda that helps Mexico and the U.S. together compete with the world better, especially with the economies of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrique-pena-nieto/i-want-to-initiate-a-bilateral-agenda-that-helps-mexico-and-the-u-s/) [Enrique Pena Nieto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrique-pena-nieto/) ## More by Lawrence Eagleburger > [ If George Bush \[Jr.\] decided he was going to turn the troops loose on Syria and Iran after that he would last in office… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/if-george-bush-jr-decided-he-was-going-to-turn-the-troops-loose-on/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [The question really is how do we get Embassy Officers into the minds of the American business community. That is a much more difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/the-question-really-is-how-do-we-get-embassy-officers-into-the-minds/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [There's Hezbollah, there's Hamas, there is a whole range of terrorist targets out there related to Palestine and to Israel that we ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/there-s-hezbollah-there-s-hamas-there-is-a-whole-range-of-terrorist/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [And beyond that, the next issue is how do we guarantee one of these weapons, not necessarily this missile, but nuclear weapons ends up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/and-beyond-that-the-next-issue-is-how-do-we-guarantee-one-of-these/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [Small- and medium-sized companies do not know what we have to offer and that needs to be changed. We must react just as strenuously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/small-and-medium-sized-companies-do-not-know-what-we-have-to-offer/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [We have to spend a lot more time training people to be good advocates of U.S. business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/we-have-to-spend-a-lot-more-time-training-people-to-be-good-advocates/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [Americans usually believe that nothing is impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/americans-usually-believe-that-nothing-is-impossible/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [Some day, somebody is going to have to start talking about what happens to us all a decade from now if we let these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/some-day-somebody-is-going-to-have-to-start-talking-about-what/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [If you take a look at Afghan history, usually they have united to defend against an outside enemy, and as soon as that's accomplished,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/if-you-take-a-look-at-afghan-history-usually-they-have-united-to/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [That said, there is a tendency to help the large industrial conglomerate more quickly than the small company you have never heard of. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/that-said-there-is-a-tendency-to-help-the-large-industrial/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [The consequence of a world full of nuclear powers to me is so incomprehensible in terms of the dangers that that implies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/the-consequence-of-a-world-full-of-nuclear-powers-to-me-is-so/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [There are sometimes problems for which there is no immediate solution, and there are sometimes problems for which there is no solution,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/there-are-sometimes-problems-for-which-there-is-no-immediate-solution/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [I think what he's - what he believes, and he may be correct, I don't know, that we have some intelligence information that leads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/i-think-what-he-s-what-he-believes-and-he-may-be-correct-i-don-t-know/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [If we had made it clear from the very beginning that we were not going to tolerate another nuclear power on the face of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/if-we-had-made-it-clear-from-the-very-beginning-that-we-were-not/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [In the best of all worlds everyone in the Embassy is doing something to assist U.S. exports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/in-the-best-of-all-worlds-everyone-in-the-embassy-is-doing-something/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) [Explore all 32 Lawrence Eagleburger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Any Ambassador or Foreign Service Officer who has his or her head screwed on right knows that the U.S. position in the world is far more dependent on our ability to compete in world markets.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lawrence Eagleburger" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/any-ambassador-or-foreign-service-officer-who-has-his-or-her-head/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/any-ambassador-or-foreign-service-officer-who-has-his-or-her-head/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/lawrence-eagleburger-19898_ability_any-ambassador-or-foreign-service-office_3082213.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/lawrence-eagleburger-19898_ability_any-ambassador-or-foreign-service-office_3082213.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/lawrence-eagleburger-19898_ability_any-ambassador-or-foreign-service-office_3082213.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Any Ambassador or Foreign Service Officer who has his or her head screwed on right knows that the U.S…” — Lawrence Eagleburger", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lawrence Eagleburger", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Any Ambassador or Foreign Service Officer...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/any-ambassador-or-foreign-service-officer-who-has-his-or-her-head/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/any-ambassador-or-foreign-service-officer-who-has-his-or-her-head/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```