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

Henry Kissinger

Behind the slogans lay an intellectual vacuum.
HENRY KISSINGER

Intellectual Politics
We live in a wondrous time, in which the strong is weak because of his scruples and the weak grows strong because of his audacity.
HENRY KISSINGER

Growth Live Strong Time Weakness
Since Peter the Great, Russia had been expanding at the rate of one Belgium per year.
HENRY KISSINGER

Greatness Growth War
in international affairs a reputation for reliability is a more important asset than demonstrations of tactical cleverness.
HENRY KISSINGER

Important Reputation Worth
Later I learned to improve my forecasting—if necessary by asking the visitor in advance what subjects he intended to raise with Nixon.
HENRY KISSINGER

Learning Myself Necessary
For nations, history plays the role that character confers on human beings.
HENRY KISSINGER

Character History Human Nation Play
The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.
HENRY KISSINGER

Himself Leadership Nation People
Poor old Germany. Too big for Europe, too small for the world
HENRY KISSINGER

Big World
There can’t be a crisis next week, my schedule is already full.
HENRY KISSINGER

Funny Future
In short, the end justifies the means.
HENRY KISSINGER

End Justice
The art of crisis management is to raise the stakes to where the adversary will not follow, but in a manner that avoids a tit for tat.
HENRY KISSINGER

Art Avoid Revenge
It’s a pity both sides can’t lose (commenting on Iran-Iraq war, 1980 – 1988)
HENRY KISSINGER

Lose War
What distinguishes Sun Tzu from Western writers on strategy is the emphasis on the psychological and political elements over the purely military.
HENRY KISSINGER

Strategy Writing
Politicians are like dogs, Their life expectancy is too short for a commitment to be bearable
HENRY KISSINGER

Commitment Dog Expectation Growth Life Politics
Americans hold that every problem has a solution; Chinese think that each solution is an admission ticket to a new set of problems.
HENRY KISSINGER

Perspective Problem Thinking
Intellectuals analyze the operations of international systems; statesmen build them.
HENRY KISSINGER

Intellectual Politics

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

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

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Popular Authors

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