International relationships are preordained to be clumsy gestures based on imperfect knowledge.

West’s line treats diplomacy and cross-national politics as inherently constrained by partial information, cultural misreading, and the limits of empathy at scale. “Preordained” suggests this is not merely a failure of particular leaders but a structural condition: states act through institutions, stereotypes, and strategic necessities that simplify complex realities. The phrase “clumsy gestures” evokes symbolic acts—treaties, summits, threats, aid—that try to communicate intent but often land awkwardly because each side lacks full knowledge of the other’s history, motives, and internal pressures. The quote implies a sober, anti-romantic view of international affairs: even well-meant policies can misfire, and moral certainty is dangerous when knowledge is necessarily imperfect.