Cuban Missile and Persian Gulf Crisis

Diplomacy as the art of conducting relations (treaties, external trade, peacemaking, war, issues of environment, culture, and external representation) through a polite, non-hurtful manner on behalf of a state through the engagement of professionals. There are three main functions of diplomacy, which are intelligence gathering, image management, and policy implementation. Diplomacy also aims at creating a favorable image of the state. Representations of all States, as well as negotiation, are the most important functions of diplomacy. Largely the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962 brought Cold War superpowers the United States and the Soviet Union to the brink of nuclear war in one of the sternest tests of global diplomacy in history. The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 was skillful diplomacy because both leaders didn’t lose the faces and came away with concessions, a permanent hotline was set up, and supported the theory of containment and co-existence communication, and even negotiations were done by these two nations. Also, the situation was handled amicably, however, the Persian Gulf Crisis to a lesser extent is said to resemble the failure of diplomacy because of the renewal of economic sanctions (escalation of sanctions) by the United States on Iran, military force (desire to revenge), no foundation of the dialogue was available and the maximum pressure campaign by Trump. Trump senior officials and his administration’s lack of direct engagement with Tehran, withdrawal of the U.S. from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) resembles that the Persian Gulf Crisis resembles the failure of diplomacy. The writer is going to show why the Cuban Crisis has achieved diplomacy whilst the Persian Gulf resembles a failure of diplomacy and defines the following term diplomacy.

It is imperative to first define some of the key terms. The key term for this essay shall be diplomacy. Diplomacy as a method whereby international actors conduct their business through a group of well-outlined practices like presentation, communication, and negotiation (Robertson and Maurice 2005). Diplomacy can be defined as a process between actors (diplomats, usually representing a state) who exist within a system (international relations) and engage in private and public dialogue (diplomacy) to pursue their objectives in a peaceful manner. Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting relations between representatives of states through accredited and officially recognized instruments or agents. A diplomacy is a form of contact or communication between two or more states with the sole cum of influencing, deterring, altering, or reinforcing the view, actions, perceptions, and behavior of others. Communication is vital in diplomacy. Hence, diplomacy primarily involves the strategies and mechanisms used by states and alternative actors within the pursuit of their policy goals.

The Cuban Missile Crisis show skillful diplomacy because it gives solutions as the resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis is said to be the key to the success of the diplomatic strategy underlining the agreement that was to focus on verification rather than the seemingly impossible goal of establishing trust. President Kennedy showed Presidential greatness and toughness in that the United States would not tolerate any hostile threats, which also marked the diplomatic success in US history, which is coercive diplomacy where one makes a threat that will benefit both the two sides and will not lead to war. John Kennedy used coercive diplomacy successfully when he was able to bring about a peaceful resolution to the Cuban Missile crisis and as well, as to averting possible warfare between The United States and the Soviet Union. This becomes clear that the Cuban Missile Crisis resembles skillful diplomacy because it was able to bring peaceful resolutions as well as avert possible wars. One of the main objectives of diplomacy is communication in the Cuban Missile Crisis the ability of senior leadership to either communicate directly with one another or through trusted emissaries spiced with open communication and strategic miscommunication between the two sides indicate diplomacy, therefore, one can say that the Crisis indeed resembles diplomacy. Also, the Cuban Missile Crisis was unique in the fact that it took place mainly in the White House and the Soviet Kremlin, with little or no foreign policy input from either the U.S. Congress or the legislative arm of the Soviet government by doing, so they were trying to reduce chances of misunderstanding and miscalculation this lead to essentially successful diplomacy and peace-making. This becomes clear that indeed the Cuban Missile Crisis resembles skillful diplomacy.

Strategies can be used as diplomacy, the quarantine or blockage strategy that Kennedy accorded to international law it is considered, as a war but to Kennedy, it was an option that demonstrated US resolution but created space for intense bilateral diplomacy to find solutions to the crisis before those additional missiles- carrying Soviet ships would arrive at Cuba, high -intensity diplomacy both formal and informal, Therefore one can notice that the Cuban Missile Crisis is an example of skillful diplomacy. Kennedy's successful use of coercive diplomacy added to negotiation concessions, Khrushchev agreed to remove missiles in place and to discontinue the deployment of new missiles into Cuba while the US agreed to remove its Jupiter missile stationed in Turkey. The Cuban missile crisis stands as a singular event during the Cold War and strengthened Kennedy’s image domestically and internationally. It is against this view that one can dispute that the Crisis is an example of skillful diplomacy.

The Cuban Missile Crisis has some results that it had produced which resemble skillful diplomacy. Two other important results of the crisis came in unique forms a direct telephone link between the White House, and the Kremlin was established, and it became known as the “Hotline.” Secondly having approached the brink of nuclear conflict, both superpowers began to reconsider the nuclear arms race and took the first steps in agreeing to a nuclear Test Ban Treaty this indicated that the Cuban Missile Crisis was skillful diplomacy because they ended up creating treaties to be used in the future. This becomes clear that the Cuban Missile Crisis is an example of skillful diplomacy. In the Persian Gulf crisis Trump reinstated Iran economic sanctions thinking that they were going to agree to what the US Trump government wanted in terms of the nuclear deal this is supported by this definition of coercive diplomacy as ‘forceful persuasion’ the attempt to get a target –a state, a group (or groups) within a state, or a non-state actor– to change its objectionable behaviors through either the threat to use force or the actual use of limited force”. Trump reinstated sanctions on Iran and this was not going to affect Iran's economy only but the way things where would make the Strait of Hormuz be blocked and this will affect globally since the price of the oil will sharply increase because the passage where it passes through will be blocked therefore this resembles the failure in diplomacy.

In Iran’s case, its disregard for established diplomatic principles was both shocking and extreme, not only did it violate established diplomatic principles but hostage-taking by a state as a war crime under the Geneva Conventions. It also marked a new anti-Western political path for Iran, one in stark opposition to its pro-US stance during the time of the Shah this becomes clear that the Persian Gulf Crisis resembles a failure in diplomacy. The Persian Gulf Crisis was based on the realism theory whereby the crisis was driven by self-interest, egocentric, and a war of all against all this is seen when Iran and Iran-linked forces have attacked and seized commercial ships causing the destruction of some critical infrastructure in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf and posed threats to U.S. forces and interests, including downing a U.S. unmanned aerial vehicle. Iran has reduced its compliance with the provisions of the JCPOA. The Administration has been deploying additional military assets to the region to try to deter future Iranian actions, therefore one can note the Persian Gulf crisis resembles a failure in diplomacy after all President Donald Trump has said he wants a diplomatic solution that would not only ease tensions but resolve broader disputes with Iran, centered on a revised JCPOA that encompasses not only nuclear issues but also Iran's ballistic missile program and Iran's support for the regional armed faction, it is against this view that one can say the Persian Gulf crisis resembles failure in diplomacy because the issue started in 2019 but they wanted diplomacy solutions in 2020 after some war has emerged.

Trump administration pulled out of the nuclear deal saying it was flawed and according to some scholars this is political isolation in that the USA wanted to break off diplomatic relations that will end up blaming Iran and the implementation of the maximum pressure strategy which was allegedly aimed it might bringing Iran back to negotiations for a “better deal,” has instead made Iran respond with aggressive actions against US allies in the Persian Gulf. Also, maintenance of the peace without injuring the interest of the state is the major objective of diplomacy but the USA failed that because they assassinated the General Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)’s Quds Force which Further, set into motion an unprecedented escalatory pattern between the countries, which culminated by Iran’s ballistic missile strikes against US forces in Iraq. Rather than negotiation to take place, they ended up killing each other, which at the end would have created war if the current Coronavirus has not emerged. This becomes clear that the Persian Gulf Crisis resembles a failure in diplomacy though Iran has expressed interest in diplomacy if it included the future lifting of sanctions by the United State of America, therefore, this shows that the Persian Gulf crisis resembles a failure in diplomacy because of the above statement.

In conclusion, diplomacy is an area of a specialist in International Relations that focuses on the study of tactical inter-governmental relationships aimed to advance national interests without being confrontational between/among nations. Diplomacy is the vessel for peaceful cooperation, dialogue, negotiation, cohesion, and harmony between/among nations. Diplomacy is the governmental channel for economic/trade, social, cultural, political, and technological knowledge anchored on mutual relationships between/among nations. Diplomacy is a veritable means for conflict resolution, and peacebuilding in crises between/among nations. Diplomacy facilitates information, communication, and knowledge exchange/sharing between/among nations. Diplomacy in the Cuban missile crisis ended peacefully because of the following diplomacy tactics that thy used these include the private diplomatic agreement

REFERENCE

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