The strongest voice in foreign-policy decision-making is Mr Mbeki himself.

ECONOMIST: South Africa

"I think it's important for the United States to be less at the mercy of foreign countries and their decision-making and politics, and more under our own control to address these problems, " Abraham said, two days after the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries agreed to cut oil output by a million barrels a day.

CNN: Bush: No 'short-term fixes' to energy woes

In addition, the press corps did not have an on-camera briefing, or an off-camera gaggle, with you yesterday to ask the White House about its decision-making process during this major foreign policy crisis.

FORBES: The Egyptian Crisis-Let Obama Do His Job

Ultimately, that kind of decision-making gets rejected, as if it were a foreign body.

NEWYORKER: Streaming Dreams

Obama, who's been called naive for some of his recent foreign policy statements, said a lengthy tenure in Washington is no guarantee of good decision-making.

NPR: Democratic Presidential Hopefuls Debate in Iowa

To be sure, efforts at influencing U.S. decision-making are common among a host of legitimate interest roups, including many foreign countries.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy

At the diplomatic level, foreign governments wage lawfare by pressuring the United States to become party to international regimes that assume decision-making authority in critical areas.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Waging lawfare

Mr. Pierini blames EU treaty law for giving the U.K., France and Germany the power to stifle a common foreign policy and says the separation of aid and humanitarian assistance from the EU's diplomatic decision-making has undermined some of the soft power it can otherwise project.

WSJ: Syria Debate Illustrates EU's Foreign-Policy Weakness