> > > 2) The "diplomacy" consisted of 10 years of economic and diplomatic sanctions. That is to say, the British Govt actively avoided doing anything that might be seen as a diplomatic solution, focusing instead on applying pressure to Lybia, leading to the pain and suffering of untold numbers of civilians.
> >
> > > winter"Any other questions?"mute
> >
> >
> > I have one. I don't know what this particular instance of it consisted of, but this "pressure" that you mention, is that the same as "diplomatic pressure"? And in that case, isn't that diplomacy?
> >
> > Or maybe I misunderstood "yeah" ...
> >
> > jul"just a question about terms"ian
>
> *Economic* pressure. And, yes, maybe that could be considered diplomacy, but if that's so, then threatening to send troops into Afghanistan (military pressure) is also diplomacy.
>
> winter"Take your pick"mute


Hmmmm... I'll pick the ... left! No! The right! I think the diplomacy I've been thinking of is the work done by diplomats, i.e. envoys of the state, and in that case I think both economic pressure and threatening to use force falls under that definition. I'll admit that this is slightly wider than M-w.com:

Main Entry: di·plo·ma·cy
Pronunciation: d&-'plO-m&-sE
Function: noun
Date: 1796
1 : the art and practice of conducting negotiations between nations
2 : skill in handling affairs without arousing hostility : _TACT_

jul"diplomacy can be quite tactless"ian