"Bringing democratic control to the conduct of foreign policy requires a struggle merely to force the issue onto the public agenda"

This quote by Eric Alterman speaks to the problem of bringing democratic control to the conduct of diplomacy. It suggests that it is inadequate to merely have a desire to do so, but that it requires a collective effort to make it a top priority. This battle is necessary to guarantee that foreign policy is discussed and discussed in the public sphere, which the general public is given a voice in the decision-making procedure. It is only through this struggle that the public can be empowered to hold their federal government liable for their foreign policy choices. Ultimately, this quote emphasizes the value of making foreign policy a priority in the public discourse, and the need for residents to be actively taken part in the procedure.