The sad fact is that international politics has always been a ruthless and dangerous business, and it is likely to remain that… — John Mearsheimer Copy Share Image
Great-power politics is tragic because the structure of the international system forces states that seek only to be secure nonetheless to act… — John Mearsheimer Copy Share Image
The key to undoing the Taliban is to sow dissension within its ranks by offering carrots - bribes and positions in a… — John Mearsheimer Copy Share Image
This self-defeating behavior, so the argument goes, must be the result of warped domestic politics. — John Mearsheimer Copy Share Image
In the anarchic world of international politics, it is better to be Godzilla than Bambi. — John Mearsheimer Copy Share Image
Because there is no world government to protect states from one another, major powers are acutely sensitive to threats - especially near… — John Mearsheimer Copy Share Image
Respect for sovereignty is the most significant norm in international politics, and its purpose is to minimize war and facilitate peaceful relations… — John Mearsheimer Copy Share Image
Since the mid-1990s, Russian leaders have adamantly opposed NATO enlargement, and in recent years, they have made it clear that they would not stand… — John Mearsheimer Copy Share Image
The unpleasant truth is that some borders are untenable and preserving them causes conflict, not peace. — John Mearsheimer Copy Share Image
Great powers react harshly when distant rivals project military power into their neighborhood, much less attempt to make a country on their border an… — John Mearsheimer Copy Share Image
When the United States worked to contain the Soviet Union during the Cold War, we went to enormous lengths to get as many countries… — John Mearsheimer Copy Share Image
The central aim of American foreign policy has traditionally been to dominate the western hemisphere while not permitting another great power to dominate Europe… — John Mearsheimer Copy Share Image
Nuclear weapons are the ideal middle-class weapons for Americans. They provide massive amounts of deterrence on the cheap. — John Mearsheimer Copy Share Image
Erosion of sovereignty is one more reason a powerful state with a liberal foreign policy ends up fighting never ending wars and fostering militarism… — John Mearsheimer Copy Share Image
Simply put, the most powerful state is the one that prevails in a dispute. — John Mearsheimer Copy Share Image
What disappoints me about Obama is that, when he came into office, he gave the impression he was going to reduce America's global commitments,… — John Mearsheimer Copy Share Image
