A largely peaceful election took place last spring with a high turnout but failed to produce a clear majority, and since then drift and stalemate have been the order of the day.

But I know I'll be hoping that Obama prevails in the coming standoff with House Republicans, even though a victory would still leave the government perilously underfunded.

Some years ago I was often involved in diplomatic negotiations. When we were locked in a stalemate and going nowhere, I often liked to quote from Hamlet, with a small adaptation though.

An acrimonious standoff continues between the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and Democratic-controlled Senate with competing bills being passed or blocked.

The 2009 climate-change talks in Copenhagen ended in disarray after another U.S.-China standoff.