The Six Diplomatic Options

[The President of Buranda plans a speech urging the Scots and Irish to fight against "British colonialism".]
Jim Hacker: Humphrey, do you think it is a good idea to issue a statement?
Sir Humphrey: Well, Minister, in practical terms we have the usual six options:
One: do nothing.
Two: issue a statement deploring the speech.
Three: lodge an official protest.
Four: cut off aid.
Five: break off diplomatic relations.
And six: declare war.

Hacker: Which should be it?
Sir Humphrey: Well:
If we do nothing, that means we implicitly agree with the speech.
If we issue a statement, we'll just look foolish.
If we lodge a protest, it'll be ignored.
We can't cut off aid, because we don't give them any.
If we break off diplomatic relations, then we can't negotiate the oil rig contracts.
And if we declare war, it might just look as though we were over-reacting!

In the old days we would of just sent in a gunboat.
Yes!
I suppose that is absolutely out of question.


最近再次怒煲於台北買回來的The West Wing，但我其實最想看的是Yes (Prime) Minister.
打算7 月把碟搜羅回來，雖然可能性應該不大。btw，香港的HMV 其實有得賣，但貴得離譜。
一套要千多元，比任何一套的TV Series 都要貴。