Speaking softly serves America surprisingly well

America’s response to

a suspected Russian missile strike on Poland

in November is an example of how to operate. Ignoring the kamikaze clamour to invoke Nato’s collective self-defence clause, US President Joe Biden and his allies quietly parsed the facts and found that the missile came from Ukraine. There was no leaping to conclusions or brinkmanship. Muting Washington’s evergreen hawks should be a rule of thumb for how America does business.

It goes against the grain, of course. America’s most bellicose president, Teddy Roosevelt, suggested that the US should speak softly and carry a big stick. What stuck out was the first half of Roosevelt’s dictum, since it was so at odds with the character of a nation that even then aimed to remake the world in its image. Wanting others to be like you is an aggressive impulse, even when it is well-meant.