The "good cop, bad cop" tactic may have some utility in police investigations and real estate negotiations but it's rarely used to good effect in international diplomacy; The fear is that friend and foe alike will lose faith and trust in a nation with a seemingly erratic or devious leadership.

This problem of using dramatically contrary messages in international negotiations is arguably compounded when the same spokesperson acts as the good cop one day, bad cop the next day, etc., etc.; Especially when that spokesperson is the President of the world's one superpower and uses such extravegant language to comdemn anothe country one day, and to praiseit the next.