"Better to jaw-jaw than to war-war," Winston Churchill once quipped, showing that not even tough-minded war leaders prefer war to diplomacy in principle. But deciding when to negotiate with foreign adversaries, what to say to them, and when to resort to methods other than talk is not simple. In efforts to resolve international problems,every course of action including straightforward,non-coercive diplomacy has its pros and cons.

Caption
Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC) from Unmanned Surface Vessel Squadron 3 (USVRON 3) operate remotely in San Diego Bay on May 15, 2024, ahead of the unit’s establishment ceremony. (US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Claire M. DuBois)