For most of the world's major economies, however, a degree of soft speech is required.
Wielding a big stick on larger countries is likely to alienate them. In recent years, we have seen significant alienation of U.S. allies. The result has been that foreign policy objectives in Iraq and Afghanistan have not met with the anticipated success. Objectives with respect to much stronger adversaries, such as China or Russia, clearly cannot be met by the U.S. alone. Therefore, speaking softly will cultivate relationships and allegiances. Coalitions can be built to help the U.S. attain its foreign policy objectives.
Ultimately, it is worth remembering that size of the America's stick is limited by the extent to which it is can be used. Many adversaries have significant sticks of their own, which limits the willingness of the U.S. To use its full might. As such, the real power of the United States is lower than its theoretical power. Roosevelt understood that...
could forge and maintain significant allegiances, thereby increasing the nation's power and allow it to attain more of its foreign policy objectives.
Foreign policy must be set within the confines of the current situation. The U.S. cannot operate as though it has no stick, because that is simply not the case. Nor should the U.S. overestimate its power in the world. It may be the strongest nation but it is not the only strong nation. The ability to achieve foreign policy objectives consistently will be attained only by building a coalition of allies sufficiently powerful as to be immune from resistance. This can only be achieved through the "speak softly" approach, as other nations will act only in their own interests. The U.S. does not have the power to compel other strong nations strictly through force, so it must find more diplomatic means of building the alliances necessary to achieve its foreign policy objectives.
