Dramatically Effective in the Short Term

Matt Bai of the New York Times interviewed John Kerry and reports Kerry's words and Matt's thoughts.

''We need to engage more directly and more respectfully with Islam, with the state of Islam, with religious leaders, mullahs, imams, clerics, in a way that proves this is not a clash with the British and the Americans and the old forces they remember from the colonial days,'' Kerry told me during a rare break from campaigning, in Seattle at the end of August. ''And that's all about your diplomacy.''

When I suggested that effecting such changes could take many years, Kerry shook his head vehemently and waved me off.

''Yeah, it is long-term, but it can be dramatically effective in the short term. It really can be. I promise you.''

I think the thing to remember in this context is that Munich was dramatically effective in the short term. The long term result was a World War that left some 60 million dead.

All bolding is mine. Thanks to LGF for the link.