A new foreign policy

Many of the world's most life-changing events have taken place without a bang, almost quietly. A few days ago, an experienced Greek diplomat, a German judge and a close adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sat down at the same table in a small building next to the German Chancellery in Berlin. Such a scene would have been unthinkable a few years ago, as the only mediators between Greece and Turkey since 1950 have been American. Dean Acheson, Clark Clifford, Cyrus Vance and Richard Holbrooke are some of the better-known mediators for Cyprus or over the Aegean.

Things change rapidly, however, around us and across the globe. America has retreated into its shell and the traditional foreign policy mechanisms have collapsed. A very active and capable ambassador may convey a different image to the domestic audience, but the truth cannot be hidden and, unfortunately,...