John Mearsheimer

Great power wars are very costly and dangerous, causing massive loss of life and worldwide turmoil, and possibly spreading to involve other…

— John Mearsheimer

Russia's invasion of Georgia in August 2008 should have dispelled any remaining doubts about Putin's determination to prevent Georgia and Ukraine from…

— John Mearsheimer

States care about relative wealth, because economic might is the foundation of military might.

— John Mearsheimer

A state's potential power is based on the size of its population and the level of its wealth.

— John Mearsheimer

I hate shaving.

— John Mearsheimer

Daily life is essentially a struggle for power.

— John Mearsheimer

If anything, the historical record demonstrates that great powers can inflict enormous punishment on their adversaries - with blockades, sanctions, sieges and…

— John Mearsheimer

I hate authority.

— John Mearsheimer

If Ukraine becomes a pro-American liberal democracy, and a member of NATO, and a member of the E.U., the Russians will consider…

— John Mearsheimer

The Russians have intensely disliked but tolerated substantial NATO expansion, including the accession of Poland and the Baltic countries. But when NATO…

— John Mearsheimer

Despite its huge population, booming economy and growing nuclear arsenal, President Clinton, like his predecessors, refuses to show India the respect it…

— John Mearsheimer

Just to focus on the Middle East... I think it is quite clear that, except for the Iran nuclear deal, under President…

— John Mearsheimer

The Persian Gulf war of 1991 and the Kosovo war in 1999 also hardened India's determination to possess nuclear weapons. The United…

— John Mearsheimer

For all good sorts of security reasons, Israel wants to remain the only nuclear power in the Middle East, but a nuclear-armed…

— John Mearsheimer

Because there is no world government to protect states from one another, major powers are acutely sensitive to threats - especially near…

— John Mearsheimer

The United States was not interested in conquering, occupying, and integrating Iraq into a greater United States.

— John Mearsheimer

Ukrainian nuclear weapons are the only reliable deterrent to Russian aggression. If the U.S. aim is to enhance stability in Europe, the…

— John Mearsheimer

The ideal situation for any state is to experience sharp economic growth while its rivals' economies grow slowly or hardly at all.

— John Mearsheimer

One can justify provocative moves if they serve an important strategic goal.

— John Mearsheimer

States that teach a dishonestly self-exculpating or self-glorifying history should be publicly criticized and sanctioned.

— John Mearsheimer

I think you can look at the capabilities of a particular state, the military capabilities of a particular state, and that tells…

— John Mearsheimer

Since Lithuania is a NATO member, the United States would almost certainly come to its defense if Russia attacked the country.

— John Mearsheimer

Nuclear weapons are an excellent deterrent against aggression, and India lives in a dangerous neighborhood. Since gaining independence in 1947, it has…

— John Mearsheimer

Important benefits often accrue to states that behave in an unexpected way.

— John Mearsheimer

Normally the world's most powerful political ideology, nationalism had limited influence in the Soviet Union because it was at odds with communism.…

— John Mearsheimer