Soccer diplomacy: What the U.S. can Learn from the World’s Sport

I wasn’t going to write a World Cup soccer article, what could I say that others covering the story had not already reported? But a recent Op-Ed in the Denver Post by conservative radio personality Mike Rosen made it impossible for me not to try to put the sport and the world into perspective for those who just don't seem to get it.

Rosen’s article, Soccer is an un-American activity, makes such insightful claims as, “soccer is unnatural,” and “foreigners who play soccer throw like girls'' to finally admitting, “I just find the sport boring.” Rosen’s biggest objection to soccer seems to be the lack of hitting, tackling, and clubbing things - in other words, the lack of overt violence we in America seem to be drawn to. Rosen asserts that anyone who likes soccer doesn't believe in American exceptionalism.'' Maybe his real exception to soccer is that America is not so exceptional at it.

So what does rose's views of soccer have to do with the routine failures of U.S. world relations and diplomacy - everything. What drives Americans like Rosen crazy is that in soccer opposing teams (nations) can play for hours and the game can end in a tie - no extra innings, sudden death, or long bombs. The game just ends and teams shake hands, no winner, no loser. Soccer is a game of subtle movement and grace without violence, in this way, the nuances of the sport mirror diplomacy. In international relations nations can negotiate for hours, months, or years without an absolute winner or loser. Unfortunately, what most Americans don't get is that it is playing the game (just talking and listening) that's important, not doing the victory dance, or holding up the #1 finger.

America should learn the lessons of the World Cup and apply them to how we conduct diplomacy. Experts writing for Foreign Policy magazine last month unanimously cited American short sightedness and impatience for the lack of lasting peace in the Middle East. Add to this criticism our failures in Iraq and Afghanistan and it is clear we can't slug and tackle our way to make the world do what we want, neither can we arrogantly stand alone and brush the rest of the world aside. It seems that in games that pit individual against individual without fancy equipment or billion dollar weapons, America gets out classed more often than not. Maybe that's what makes people like Rosen upset; poor children in developing countries, playing bare footed on a dirt field with a ball made of rags and duct tape can grow to out play our Nike sponsored kids on the soccer field and the Afghan mountains. So who do you think is exceptional Mike? American exceptionality is exploitation, greed, and violence - nothing more.

The world is what it is and exactly like it should be. Maybe if we tried working with nations in subtle movements and patience instead of exerting our will and trying to dominate everything we might be more successful negotiating a more humane peaceful planet based on equality and mutual benefit. We could learn a lot from the World Cup and the world...if we could just get over ourselves.