Back-door diplomacy is the practice of nations to conduct politics out of the view of the public eye and out of the view of the international diplomatic world as required with highly sensitive foreign policy issues. Basically, when there may be a conflict and neither nation is willing to admit it’s own fault, the nations may use backdoor diplomacy to avoid admitting anything to the world or to their own people.

It is nothing new. With that said, I truly do find it amazing that the liberal Left of this country — along with the rabid media — are having a field day with this non-issue. There is nothing wrong with what is taking place, within Trump’s administration. Trump’s talks outside of normal channels is not illegal, and in some cases it is the only way that some things can be taken care of. It is also known that this takes place within all countries, not just America. Without some of these back-door talks, the world simply can not do business in the limelight for all to see. With all of this finger pointing going on, it is just another example of the Left loosing it over the election that they lost. Get over it and let us all go forward as a nation. But don’t count on it. I wish to write a brief history about our own past involvement with back-door diplomacy, but first I have to say this.

There has never been in, our country’s history, a president that ever intentionally alienated our traditional allies. To those that will say prove it, I can. Just look at how Israel was treated. Obama actively sought out our enemies through back-door diplomacy, being our sworn enemy, Iran. The fruit of that deal was the nuclear treaty with his new-found friends. He cut the world’s collective throat with that back-door deal. Please let us not forget the former head-of-state Mohammed Morsi, such a fun-loving and peaceful member of the Muslim Brotherhood. I almost forgot, he is known around the world as a terrorist, but what’s in a name tag. Nothing more than that tag saying that you’re a killer. Oh well. But that’s what Obama’s brand of back-door deals got us.

Secrecy is by no means a condition of rare occurrence in international relations, and it is common for states to withhold publicity on matters pertaining to their national security. Sensitive processes of negotiations are often subject to strict secrecy, as are exchanges with our enemies. It is less common for states to conceal sanctioned relations with friendly states. But it happens. I guess my point on my last words is the fact that some things must be kept as a secret, because of national security.

History has shown us that the back door can be opened for a wide variety of needs — good and bad. FDR knew that in time the U.S. would be drawn into World War II. He wanted it sooner than later. One of America’s best know diplomatic historians, Charles Tansill, stated that FDR wanted to involve America in the European War that began in late 1939. When FDR was unable to do so in a timely manner, he was determined to provoke Japan into attacking American interests somewhere in out territory. By provoking this action, it would also involve Japan’s allies, thus pulling America into Europe’s War. Of course, we all know that Roosevelt succeeded in his quest for war. That back door should have never been opened, but it was. I can not defend Roosevelt’s strategy because of what it cost America in blood and material. But I must say that if we had not entered the war at the time that we did, the outcome would have been horrific for the world. It was bad enough, but it would have been so much worse. Back doors have opened and closed throughout America’s history. Prior to the outbreak of war with Japan, former president Hebert Hoover himself had set up back-door channels with Japan to avert war. This was done months before the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Hoover’s involvement was facilitated by an attorney for the Japanese embassy. When Hoover failed to avert war with Japan, this proved to him that FDR’s firmness amounted to “sticking pins in tigers” and guaranteed our place in WWII through the Pacific “back door.” Some will say that Hoover’s attempt was misguided. Misguided or not, he did not want war for America.

Nations, at times, tell their citizens that they never negotiate with terrorists. Reason being, they think that is what their people want to hear. In some cases, it might take months — and yes, even years — before the truth comes out. That gives time for people to forget and not remember the red lines in the sand. While the bold talk is taking place, they negotiate privately. No one ever gets all that they want, and, for the most part, everyone involved comes out with something. It is more about give and take than anything else. One such stand-off came about under the Kennedy administration, that was during the Cuban Missile Crisis. During that time, his own generals were telling Kennedy to nuke Cuba and Russia. We can also assume that the Russian leader at the same time was being told the same thing by his generals. So you see, he used his back-door diplomacy and got an agreement for Russia to remove their missiles and keep them out. It also averted a nuclear war that no one would have won. The Russians did not walk away empty handed. The U.S. also removed our own missiles from Turkey. It was years before anyone would know the full details of this back-door deal. It was not at that time publicized in America and it allowed Kennedy to save face in the eyes of his opponents.

President Nixon used several back-door channels to communicate with Russia. The first talks with the Russians would take place in 1968, after the elections in November of that year. This was all before the inauguration in 1969. Take note, this was before Nixon was actually in office. So Trump has done nothing that past presidents have not done. He did not do it directly; this took place with one of his personal aids. The talks were about arms control and other issues. By 1972, Nixon’s national security adviser Henry Kissinger was involved in deep talks with Russia and was able to keep it all a secret from others in Nixon’s White House.

Nixon’s back-door negotiations were successful in removing the wedge between Washington and Moscow. This back door led to formal agreements on arms control. This would not be the first or last time Nixon would find other channels of approach. Even before Nixon was elected — and while LBJ was still in office — Nixon did his best to stop any peace deals between North and South Vietnam. It was in Nixon’s opinion that he could broker a better deal for the South after he was elected. This did not happen. Even after he was elected, the talks would go on for years to come, with a stalemate at every corner of approach with the talks. As it turned out, J. Edgar Hoover’s men had bugged Nixon’s office and had reordered his calls, but had not given the information to LBJ. So you see, the back door is never closed, it is always open — but not to the public. We are always the last ones to know anything. The powers that be do not think that we the people can understand what takes place behind the scenes. That is their problem, for we do understand, for the most part, what is taking place.

It’s time for this nation to go forward with our president and stop making this nation’s politicians look like fools on the world stage. Back doors have to be kept open.

Robert Lee is a concerned citizen and U.S. Marine veteran who owns and operates Rockingham Guns and Ammo. His column appears here each Saturday.

Robert Lee

Contributing Columnist