Look a compliment in the mouth?

Diplomacy's flirtiest compliment has to be calling someone the 'nicest-looking guy'. All that tech-bro talk of sweet non-data pales in comparison to such political bromance talk. But is calling another leader 'nicest-looking guy' really a compliment? Or an insurance for things to come, like telling your partner, 'Honey, have you been working out?' before telling her or him, 'We need to talk.' Especially before cosying up to someone you've spent years pretending to not find attractive. Could the charm offensive be a prelude to a strategic betrayal? Nah, surely we must be reading too much into a genuine compliment paid by a genuine guy in the genuine business of international politics. To think that it's the equivalent of saying 'You're like a brother to me' right before someone marries your ex, we admit, is being too negative.

This compliment is also a masterclass in plausible deniability. Should the potentially jilted leader protest, the flatterer can always reiterate, 'But I said you're the nicest-looking guy! I even admired your tie!' Meanwhile, deals are in the pipeline with the 'not-so-nice-looking guy' who's worth having as a 'a visionary partner' because, well, he's loaded. So, when a leader calls another 'nicest-looking', check the flight logs. Someone could be about to land in hostile territory with roses, deals and a camera crew.