Diplomacy is unfashionable in the world of knee-jerk reaction and the dogmatic sound bite on television.

Diplomacy is unfashionable in the world of knee-jerk reaction and the dogmatic sound bite on television.

People know they are lacking something, they are constantly wanting some kind of spiritual guidance.

We should be wary of politicians who profess to follow history while only noticing those signposts of history that point in the direction which they themselves already favour.

We must admit that history is enjoyable to a large extent because it enables us to pass judgment on the past.

Silence is regarded as a sort of sin now, and it has to be filled with a lot of gossip and soundbites.

It is normal for politicians in all countries to profess themselves the pupils of history, anxious to draw the right lessons from her teaching.