Robert A Mandell on becoming US Ambassador to Luxembourg

This interview was published on wort.lu with the title:

"The art of diplomacy" and a caption that read “Being a diplomat is two-fold. It's about history and relationships”

http://www.lavoix.lu/wort/web/en/luxembourg/articles/2011/11/168385/index.php

Just for the fun of it, here is another quote from Sir Henry Wotton (1568-1639): "An ambassador is an honest gentleman sent abroad to lie for the good of his country."

Two notes about that quote:

1. In Sir Henry's century, he could not imagine Perle Mesta, an ambassador who would be called Madam.

2. I found no lies in the Wort interview.

I did however notice the absence of the ambassador's priority to look into the Luxembourg tax haven story. But that declaration of intent was at a hearing before Congress. Then you learn at Charm School that some things should get done, not talked about. Done in a charming way. Here is a reminder:

"Mandell told senators that, if confirmed, he plans to focus on increasing U.S. exports and on making Luxembourg's banking industry more transparent." I'm in support, that's the Truth. http://egidethein.blogspot.com/2011/09/winter-park-businessman-bob-mandell-may.html

One has to give compliments for Ambassador Mandell's nice start. Most ambassadors never get to give an interview.