But I have to say the diplomatic option looks very, very difficult.

In the game controlling a Great Power gives special diplomatic options not available to other countries.

Realistically, America has little choice but to explore every diplomatic option.

The nation rushed to war without exhausting all diplomatic, political and economic options.

The decision to go to war was taken only after diplomatic options were exhausted, he says.

Other allies may insist on exhausting diplomatic options before going to war.

But a wide variety of diplomatic options are available to Moscow and Washington if, at last, they can agree that the war must end.

The diplomatic options should therefore be explored with conviction until they are exhausted.

"When we feel we've exhausted all diplomatic options, you'll know it," a senior American official said.

"She will go to explain the stakes involved and her feeling that diplomatic options are becoming exhausted," a senior Administration official said.