Word: blunt
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
There is no doubt that divestment is a powerful tool, capable of positive change when used properly. It is a moral and economic lever that can coerce people and nations to change unjust practices. But this powerful lever is also a blunt tool; divestment squeezes all the citizens of the target country, whether or not they agree with the government’s decisions. And in this age of globalization and multinational companies, divestment also affects workers in other countries. Because of its power and its bluntness, divestment should be used sparingly...
...over backwards" to help Moussaoui out of fear of violating his rights and being overturned on appeal, said a government lawyer. "It becomes very bizarre," he said, "but you don't want to execute people who don't get a fair shot." Washington defense lawyer Richard Sauber was more blunt, saying, "It's a nightmare for prosecutors...
Moral clarity in foreign policy is a virtue, as all but the most cynical, superior Europeans would concede. The blunt language that Bush used after Sept. 11 sent a message, and it was heeded. Countries like Pakistan and Yemen were left in no doubt as to where their interests lay, and they acted accordingly. But in the muddled, shades-of-gray world of great-power politics, neither moralism nor clarity can ever be enough. That lesson the Bush Administration has now learned. Pity about Chechnya...
...Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al Saud of Saudi Arabia, the author of the recent Arab peace initiative. Believing Bush too biased in favor of Sharon, he turned down previous invitations. Abdullah resisted pressure from other Saudi officials to cancel this trip too, but his message will be just as blunt: The Middle East crisis is worsening, yet the Administration is still waffling...
...Moral clarity in foreign policy is a virtue, as all but the most cynical, superior Europeans would concede. The blunt language that Bush used after Sept. 11 sent a message, and it was heeded. Countries like Pakistan and Yemen were left in no doubt as to where their interests lay, and they acted accordingly. But in the muddled, shades-of-gray world of great-power politics, neither moralism nor clarity can ever be enough. That lesson the Bush Administration has now learned. Pity about Chechnya...