Anyone who has ever studied the history of American diplomacy, especially military diplomacy, knows that you might start in a war with certain things on your mind as a purpose of what you are doing, but in the end, you… — George F. Kennan Copy Share Image
War has a momentum of its own and it carries you away from all thoughtful intentions when you get into it. Today, if we went into Iraq, like the president would like us to do, you know where you begin.… — George F. Kennan Copy Share Image
We should not lose ourselves in vainglorious sohemes for changing human nature all over the planet. Rather, we should learn to view ourselves with… — George F. Kennan Copy Share Image
Forms of government are forged mainly in the fire of practice, not in the vacuum of theory. They respond to national character and to… — George F. Kennan Copy Share Image
“In the face of this situation we would be better off to dispense now with a number of the concepts which have underlined our… — George F. Kennan Copy Share Image
“If you accept a democratic system, this means that you are prepared to put up with those of its workings, legislative or administrative, with… — George F. Kennan Copy Share Image
The jealous and intolerant eye of the Kremlin can distinguish, in the end, only vassals and enemies, and the neighbors of Russia, if they… — George F. Kennan Copy Share Image
Do people ever reflect, one wonders, that the best way to protect against the penetration of one's secrets by others is to have the… — George F. Kennan Copy Share Image
Actually, the inability of any society to resist immigration, the inability to find other solutions to the problem of employment at the lower, more… — George F. Kennan Copy Share Image
There is more respect to be won in the opinion of this world by a resolute and courageous liquidation of unsound positions than by… — George F. Kennan Copy Share Image
The nuclear bomb is the most useless weapon ever invented. It can be employed to no rational purpose. It is not even an effective… — George F. Kennan Copy Share Image
The United States cannot reshape other countries in its own image and that, with a few exceptions, its efforts to police the world are… — George F. Kennan Copy Share Image
