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Blessed are the people whose leaders can look destiny in the eye without flinching but also without attempting to play God

Henry Kissinger

In effect, none of the most important countries which must build a new world order have had any experience with the multi-state system that is emerging. Never before has a new world order had to be assembled from so many different perceptions, or on so global a scale.
HENRY KISSINGER

Experience Important World
Intellectuals analyze the operations of international systems; statesmen build them.
HENRY KISSINGER

Intellectual Politics
The absence of alternatives clears the mind marvelously.
HENRY KISSINGER

Absence Mindset
The Soviet Union would never be bound by agreements, Deng warned; it understood only the language of countervailing force.
HENRY KISSINGER

Force Language Understand
order without freedom, even if sustained by momentary exaltation, eventually creates its own counterpoise; yet freedom cannot be secured or sustained without a framework of order to keep the peace.
HENRY KISSINGER

Creation Freedom Peace Rule
Order always requires a subtle balance of restraint, force, and legitimacy.
HENRY KISSINGER

Force Rule
Covert action should not be confused with missionary work.
HENRY KISSINGER

Action Difference
The state is a fragile organization, and the statesman does not have the moral right to risk its survival on ethical restraint.
HENRY KISSINGER

Moral Right Risk Survive
A Harvard study has shown that in fifteen cases in history where a rising and an established power interacted, ten ended in war.
HENRY KISSINGER

End Establishment History Power Rise War
Because complexity inhibits flexibility, early choices are especially crucial.
HENRY KISSINGER

Choice Early Habit Important
Blessed are the people whose leaders can look destiny in the eye without flinching but also without attempting to play God
HENRY KISSINGER

Blessing Destiny Eyes God Leadership People Play
America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests
HENRY KISSINGER

Enemy Friendship
If Chinese exceptionalism represented the claims of a universal empire, Japanese exceptionalism sprang from the insecurities of an island nation borrowing heavily from its neighbor, but fearful of being dominated by it.
HENRY KISSINGER

Fear Insecurity Nation Represent
Policy is the art of the possible, the science of the relative.
HENRY KISSINGER

Art Policy Possible Science
Corrupt politicians make the other ten percent look bad.
HENRY KISSINGER

Appearance Bad Politics
Every victory is only the price of admission to a more difficult problem
HENRY KISSINGER

Difficult Price Problem Victory

Blessed are the people whose leaders can look destiny in the eye without flinching but also without attempting to play God

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Blessed are the people whose leaders can look destiny in the eye without flinching but also without attempting to play God

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