--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A diplomat’s words must have no relation…" description: "\"“A diplomat’s words must have no relation to actions—otherwise what kind of diplomacy is it? Words are one thing, actions another. Good words are a con..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/926/t-r-fehrenbach-17440_diplomacy_a-diplomat-s-words-must-have-no-relation_655188.jpg" --- # A diplomat’s words must have no relation to… ![“A diplomat’s words must have no relation to actions—otherwise what kind of diplomacy is it? Words are one thing, actions another. Good words are a concealment of bad deeds. Sincere diplomacy is no more possible than drywater or iron wood.” quote by T. R. Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/926/t-r-fehrenbach-17440_diplomacy_a-diplomat-s-words-must-have-no-relation_655188.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/926/t-r-fehrenbach-17440_diplomacy_a-diplomat-s-words-must-have-no-relation_655188.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/926/t-r-fehrenbach-17440_diplomacy_a-diplomat-s-words-must-have-no-relation_655188.jpg) > ““A diplomat’s words must have no relation to actions—otherwise what kind of diplomacy is it? Words are one thing, actions another. Good words are a concealment of bad deeds. Sincere diplomacy is no more possible than drywater or iron wood.”” [T. R. Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Diplomacy loses credibility when words and deeds clash; true diplomacy cannot hide immoral actions. **In simple terms:** Words and actions must match for real diplomacy. Key Takeaway Align speech with deeds. Themes integrity politics trust ethics Mood skeptical critical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - government negotiations - corporate communications - international treaties - public statements Key Concepts realpolitik moral hazard credibility Questions to Reflect On - Can you trust a leader whose promises differ from policies? - How do hidden motives affect diplomatic outcomes? A Different Perspective If actions are covert, words may still be ineffective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Diplomacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diplomacy/) [Good words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-words/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Peacebuilding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peacebuilding/) ## Related quotes > [“Propaganda - a war of words. Diplomacy - words of peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-agon/propaganda-a-war-of-words-diplomacy-words-of-peace/) [Ted Agon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-agon/) > [Tact is kind; diplomacy is useful; euphemism is harmless and sometimes entertaining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-burnside/tact-is-kind-diplomacy-is-useful-euphemism-is-harmless-and-sometimes/) Julian Burnside > [I know no diplomacy save that of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-know-no-diplomacy-save-that-of-truth/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Diplomacy is unfashionable in the world of knee-jerk reaction and the dogmatic sound bite on television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-hurd/diplomacy-is-unfashionable-in-the-world-of-knee-jerk-reaction-and-the/) [Douglas Hurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-hurd/) > [“diplomacy is simply the name we have agreed to give to lying about national affairs. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/diplomacy-is-simply-the-name-we-have-agreed-to-give-to-lying-about/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Diplomacy in general does not resolve conflicts. Wars end not due to peace processes, but due to one side giving up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pipes/diplomacy-in-general-does-not-resolve-conflicts-wars-end-not-due-to/) [Daniel Pipes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pipes/) > [Diplomacy, n. is the art of letting somebody else have your way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frost/diplomacy-n-is-the-art-of-letting-somebody-else-have-your-way/) [David Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frost/) > [The model of the Abraham Accords between Israel and the Arab world serves as a powerful reminder that diplomacy is not an end itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hagerty/the-model-of-the-abraham-accords-between-israel-and-the-arab-world/) [Bill Hagerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hagerty/) > [We need to strengthen Asian diplomacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ichiro-ozawa/we-need-to-strengthen-asian-diplomacy/) Ichiro Ozawa > [While we need to provide leadership and stability to the world, we should do that through diplomacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-de-leon/while-we-need-to-provide-leadership-and-stability-to-the-world-we/) [Kevin de Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-de-leon/) > [Obama is hardly the first president to seek rapprochement with our adversaries and reconciliation with our enemies, of course. 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In diplomacy you cover the known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-archaeology-you-uncover-the-unknown-in-diplomacy-you-cover-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There is no time for patience - there is no time for diplomacy - there is no time for policies, legislations and meaningless paperwork.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/there-is-no-time-for-patience-there-is-no-time-for-diplomacy-there-is/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) ## More by T. R. Fehrenbach > [“There was and is no danger of military domination of the nation. The Constitution gave Congress the power of life or death over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-fehrenbach/there-was-and-is-no-danger-of-military-domination-of-the-nation-the/) [T. R. 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Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach/) > [“The problem is to see not what is desirable, or nice, or politically feasible, but what is necessary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-fehrenbach/the-problem-is-to-see-not-what-is-desirable-or-nice-or-politically/) [T. R. Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach/) > [“But control does not imply petty interference.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-fehrenbach/but-control-does-not-imply-petty-interference/) [T. R. Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach/) > [“Americans have never admitted that guns may serve a moral purpose as well as votes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-fehrenbach/americans-have-never-admitted-that-guns-may-serve-a-moral-purpose-as/) [T. R. Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach/) > [“Yet every democratic government is reluctant to face the fact. Reservists and citizen-soldiers stand ready, in every free nation, to stand to the colors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-fehrenbach/yet-every-democratic-government-is-reluctant-to-face-the-fact/) [T. R. Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach/) > [“Washington had not even one pipeline into official circles of enemy capitals; they could not even estimate what the potential aggressor was thinking or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-fehrenbach/washington-had-not-even-one-pipeline-into-official-circles-of-enemy/) [T. R. Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach/) > [“The real issues are whether the power of Western Civilization, as God has permitted it to flower in our own beloved lands, shall defy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-fehrenbach/the-real-issues-are-whether-the-power-of-western-civilization-as-god/) [T. R. Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach/) > [“A free press is equally free to print the truth or ignore it, as it chooses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-fehrenbach/a-free-press-is-equally-free-to-print-the-truth-or-ignore-it-as-it/) [T. R. Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach/) > [“Collective security had a fine sound, but it was still little more than a word; it would still be the United States, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-fehrenbach/collective-security-had-a-fine-sound-but-it-was-still-little-more/) [T. R. Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach/) > [“History has shown very clearly that for democracy to continue, the people, and not the generals or even the executive authority, must have control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-fehrenbach/history-has-shown-very-clearly-that-for-democracy-to-continue-the/) [T. R. Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach/) > [“A nation that does not prepare for all the forms of war should then renounce the use of war in national policy. A people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-fehrenbach/a-nation-that-does-not-prepare-for-all-the-forms-of-war-should-then/) [T. R. Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach/) > [“In effect, Truman had engaged the nation in war by executive action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-fehrenbach/in-effect-truman-had-engaged-the-nation-in-war-by-executive-action/) [T. R. Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach/) [Explore all 37 T. R. Fehrenbach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach/) ## More Diplomacy quotes > [“There is no time for patience - there is no time for diplomacy - there is no time for policies, legislations and meaningless paperwork.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/there-is-no-time-for-patience-there-is-no-time-for-diplomacy-there-is/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [For diplomacy to be effective, words must be credible - and no one can now doubt the word of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/for-diplomacy-to-be-effective-words-must-be-credible-and-no-one-can/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [In archaeology you uncover the unknown. In diplomacy you cover the known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-archaeology-you-uncover-the-unknown-in-diplomacy-you-cover-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ \[Putin\] is a bully. And bullies only understand when we punch them in the nose, but we need to do that economically. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ayotte/putin-is-a-bully-and-bullies-only-understand-when-we-punch-them-in/) [Kelly Ayotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ayotte/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The most successful cultural diplomacy strategy integrates people-to-people or arts/culture/media-to-people interactions into the basic business of diplomacy. The programs in Afghanistan, Egypt, and Iran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-p-schneider/the-most-successful-cultural-diplomacy-strategy-integrates-people-to/) [Cynthia P. Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-p-schneider/) > [War is always a failure. It means we've failed in diplomacy and we've failed in talking to one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/war-is-always-a-failure-it-means-we-ve-failed-in-diplomacy-and-we-ve/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [There comes a point where you see no evidence that the carrot and diplomacy are working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/there-comes-a-point-where-you-see-no-evidence-that-the-carrot-and/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Russia may very well be front and center again in 2020 as they were in 2016 regarding interference in America's presidential election. But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/russia-may-very-well-be-front-and-center-again-in-2020-as-they-were/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [Iran has little capacity to deploy force. Its strategic doctrines are defensive, designed to deter invasion long enough for diplomacy to set it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/iran-has-little-capacity-to-deploy-force-its-strategic-doctrines-are/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“Expecting accountability from the UN system was akin to expecting a blind dog to catch a flying Frisbee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-soussan/expecting-accountability-from-the-un-system-was-akin-to-expecting-a/) Michael Soussan > [Kolkata is a musical city. What I like about people here is the lack of diplomacy. Some of the best Indian classical musicians belong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sukhwinder-singh/kolkata-is-a-musical-city-what-i-like-about-people-here-is-the-lack/) [Sukhwinder Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sukhwinder-singh/) > [Obama is hardly the first president to seek rapprochement with our adversaries and reconciliation with our enemies, of course. But his determination to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-f-hayes/obama-is-hardly-the-first-president-to-seek-rapprochement-with-our/) [Stephen F. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-f-hayes/) > [Sanctions alone could not stop Iran's nuclear program. But they did help bring Iran to the negotiating table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/sanctions-alone-could-not-stop-iran-s-nuclear-program-but-they-did/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Be polite; write diplomatically; even in a declaration of war one observes the rules of politeness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/be-polite-write-diplomatically-even-in-a-declaration-of-war-one/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) [Browse all 634 Diplomacy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diplomacy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A diplomat’s words must have no relation to actions—otherwise what kind of diplomacy is it? Words are one thing, actions another. Good words are a concealment of bad deeds. Sincere diplomacy is no more possible than drywater or iron wood.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "T. R. 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