Democracy is the best school to learn soft power.

American power in the world relies on these ideals of openness and critical debate.

Democracy is the best school to learn soft power.

Every politician just has to remember how he got his position in the first place. A young candidate running for Congress or any outsider interested in public office could only achieve his goals by relying on soft power. They could not force anyone to vote for them. They needed to convince their potential voters, they needed to do fundraising, they needed to be attractive candidates.

The national interest is predetermined by geopolitics or the history of a country. Important political leaders never just followed their interests - they were concerned about the interests of their people.

In the information age, it's not just whose army wins, but whose story wins.

Terrorism is like jujitsu: The small players win if they make the large player use his strength against himself.