Europe’s High Representative Catherine Ashton Is Boxing Clever
Foreign policy can at times seem a lot like boxing.
You have to know when to strike, pull back, jab a little, test defences and then go for the knockout punch. Running around the ring, however elegantly, is not enough.
Nor is an impressive Joe Frazier-like assault, which attempts to overwhelm an opponent, but eventually runs out of steam. As she jumps into the ring, what kind of fighter will Catherine Ashton, the EU’s new High Representative, shape up to be – and how does she compare to her generation of diplomatic punch-throwers?
There are different styles of boxing, much as there are different ways to practice diplomacy. US diplomats Richard Holbrooke is the Mike Tyson of high-level negotiators. A history of diplomatic ear-chewing and fight-ending, knockout punches means that many would-be opponents go weak-kneed even before the US diplomat steps into the ring. In the late 1990s, Holbrooke got close to Serbia’s strongman, Slobodan Milosevic, spending hours in his company only to pummel him into submission at the right moment.
But like Tyson, Holbrooke’s best fights may now be behind him. Up against younger opponents, like President Hamid Karzai, whose foot speed does not allow the US diplomat close for his technique to work, Holbrooke struggles. Notable out-fighters include NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen and former US top diplomat James Baker.
Sweden’s Carl Bildt and Britain’s David Miliband, on the other hand, fight more like a young Muhammed Ali. Hyper-activity combined with quick footwork and effective jabs can tire even the fittest of their opponents. But like other so-called out-fighters, the Swedish diplomat still does not have the necessary strength in his punch. In recent negotiations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, he could not floor Milord Dodik, the leader of the country’s Serb entity, despite going several rounds. The same could probably be said of David Miliband, who has yet to score an unequivocal diplomatic victory.
Muhammed Ali became stronger later in his career, learning to use his large frame for more power. Similarly Bildt, now free from running EU Presidency, may be able to focus his power while Miliband, should he succeed Gordon Brown in No 10, may finally gain the power needed to floor opponents.
Finally, there are brawlers. Such fighters stand for everything that is brutal. Brawlers lack finesse, but make up for it in raw power, often able to knock out an opponent with a single punch. In boxing, American legends Sonny Liston and Rocky Marciano come to mind. In diplomacy, brawlers do not come any better than Prime Minister Vladimir Putin of Russia, the George Foreman of international politics. He eschews style for power and aggression. Often it works, producing immediate results and a fearsome reputation, which he uses to psyche out opponents. But sometimes even a single, heavy punch fails to knowout opponents. Though the Russian leader sought to oust Georgia’s Mikhel Shakashvili with a powerful blow, he and the Tbilisi government still stand.
It is of course hard to judge Ashton’s style, as she has had no championship fights yet. Her past performance as Trade Commissioner gives clues to how she will fight, but the jump to the High Representative’s slot is like a boxer’s move from one weight class to another; it often requires a re-think of style and strategy. Judging from her sparring session with the European Parliament, however, a number of conclusions can be drawn.
First, the High Representative clearly has what boxing commentators would call “chin”, the ability to take punches and continue fighting. This allowed Muhammed Ali to weather Joe Frazier. Diplomatically, nobody has “chin” quite like Hilary Clinton, who can take a pummelling but bounce back.
Looking at her parliamentary hearing performance last Monday, the characteristics of an out-fighter shine though. Out-fighters prefer a slower match, with distance between themselves and their opponent. They like to move fast, but prefer drag out the bout and often win on points, not knock-outs. Javier Solana was a classic out-fighter. His stamina, which meant he could round after round, for example with Iran’s nuclear negotiator, was well-known. Baroness Ashton’s answers, and unwillingness to rush into issues (even when they, like Yemen, have dominated the news), indicates the patience of an out-fighter.
A lot will depend on the High Representative’s first bouts. If she is compelled to deal with Iran’s nuclear programme, she will come up against a number of skilled out-fighters, who will not shy away from using a kind of iron-in-the-glove dirtiness. Fighters are often shaped by their first bouts, growing in confidence or collapsing. In a way, Lady Ashton exhibits a number of skills that are key to any kind of boxer, namely discipline, commitment and a willingness to train, train and train. In her focus to build Europe’s diplomatic service, the High Representative is building the muscle she will need to make an impact.
It is already clear that she may turn out to be effective, but the High Representative will probably never be a charismatic, crowd-drawing fighter. She lacks the chutzpah and antics of a Muhammed Ali. In her commitment to “quiet diplomacy”, she has made a virtue of this style. But in boxing, like in diplomacy, a bit of pizazz and audience-pleasing can be useful. Get ready for a technically-solid, effective, but drawn-out kind of fighting that rarely, if ever, will end with a knockout blow. The kind of boxing that keeps a fighter in the match, but earns a fan base that consists of fighter aficionados, not laymen.
This post was first published by Global Europe.
Topics: 2010, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Britain, Carl Bildt, Catherine Ashton, David Miliband, diplomacy, diplomat, diplomatic, diplomats, European Parliament, fight, goal, Gordon Brown, Governance, government, High Representative, history, jab a little, James Naker, knockout punch, Mike Tyson, moniter, monitor, NATO, negatiator, news, No 10, Parliament, parliamentary, performance, pull back, Richard Holbrooke, strategy, strike, Sweden, technique, test defences, the EU, U.K., UK, United Kingdom, US, victory, Yemen
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