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 KISSINGERIt’s a pity both sides can’t lose (commenting on Iran-Iraq war, 1980 – 1988)
More Henry Kissinger Quotes
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If history teaches anything it is that there can be no peace without equilibrium and no justice without restraint.
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Poor old Germany. Too big for Europe, too small for the world
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The war is just when the intention that causes it to be undertaken is just. The will is therefore the principle element that must be considered, not the means, He who intends to kill the guilty sometimes faultlessly shed the blood of the innocents
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Each success only buys an admission ticket to a more difficult problem.
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Nobody will ever win the battle of the sexes. There is too much fraternizing with the enemy.
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When statesmen want to gain time, they offer to talk.
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In the end, peace can be achieved only by hegemony or by balance of power.
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Intellectuals analyze the operations of international systems; statesmen build them.
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The mindset for walking lonely political paths may not be self-evident to those who seek confirmation by hundreds, sometimes thousands of friends on Facebook.
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in international affairs a reputation for reliability is a more important asset than demonstrations of tactical cleverness.
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The nice thing about being a celebrity is that if you bore people they think it’s their fault.
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A leader does not deserve the name unless he is willing occasionally to stand alone.
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Because complexity inhibits flexibility, early choices are especially crucial.
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Corrupt politicians make the other ten percent look bad.
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It has the added advantage of being true.
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In his essay, ‘Perpetual Peace,’ the philosopher, Immanuel Kant, argued that perpetual peace would eventually come to the world in one of two ways, by human insight or by conflicts and catastrophes of a magnitude that left humanity no other choice. We are at such a juncture.
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in international affairs a reputation for reliability is a more important asset than demonstrations of tactical cleverness.
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Chinese thinkers developed strategic thought that placed a premium on victory through psychological advantage and preached the avoidance of direct conflict.
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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.
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Military men are just dumb, stupid animals to be used as pawns in foreign policy.
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The issues are too important to be left for the voters.
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Can governmental orders be invented from scratch by intelligent thinkers, or is the range of choice limited by underlying organic and cultural realities (the Burkean view)?
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For the balance of power is never static; its components are in constant flux.
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Every victory is only the price of admission to a more difficult problem
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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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For nations, history plays the role that character confers on human beings.
HENRY KISSINGER