--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe the Obama administration was…" description: "\"I believe the Obama administration was asleep at the switch, not paying attention to what NATO and E.U. expansion - and promoting democracy in places l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed1/john-mearsheimer-3817_attention_i-believe-the-obama-administration-was-a_1469128.jpg" --- # I believe the Obama administration was asleep at the… ![“I believe the Obama administration was asleep at the switch, not paying attention to what NATO and E.U. expansion - and promoting democracy in places like Ukraine and Georgia - meant to the Russians.” quote by John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed1/john-mearsheimer-3817_attention_i-believe-the-obama-administration-was-a_1469128.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed1/john-mearsheimer-3817_attention_i-believe-the-obama-administration-was-a_1469128.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed1/john-mearsheimer-3817_attention_i-believe-the-obama-administration-was-a_1469128.jpg) > “I believe the Obama administration was asleep at the switch, not paying attention to what NATO and E.U. expansion - and promoting democracy in places like Ukraine and Georgia - meant to the Russians.” [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that U.S. policy ignored Russian security concerns, leading to heightened tensions. **In simple terms:** U.S. ignored Russia’s worries about NATO expansion. Key Takeaway Consider geopolitical impacts of policy choices. Themes geopolitics security policy democracy Mood cautious analytical Type political strategic When to use this quote - foreign policy analysis - strategic planning - diplomacy - risk assessment Key Concepts realism balance of power spheres of influence Questions to Reflect On - How might different U.S. actions have altered Russian responses? - What are the long‑term effects of NATO expansion on regional stability? A Different Perspective Overlooks internal political dynamics within Russia. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Administration Asleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/administration-asleep-5326788/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Attention Nato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention-nato-5326789/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-obama-682056/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [NATO](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nato/) [Nato Expansion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nato-expansion-1212852/) [Obama administration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obama-administration/) [Paying Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paying-attention/) [Russia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russia/) ## Related quotes > [NATO expansion, E.U. expansion, and turning Ukraine and Georgia and other countries into liberal democracies were all about creating a giant zone of peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/nato-expansion-e-u-expansion-and-turning-ukraine-and-georgia-and/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [I'm a realist, and I thought from the get-go that NATO expansion was going to lead to one heck of a lot of trouble.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/i-m-a-realist-and-i-thought-from-the-get-go-that-nato-expansion-was/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [In the eyes of Russian leaders, E.U. expansion is a stalking horse for NATO expansion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/in-the-eyes-of-russian-leaders-e-u-expansion-is-a-stalking-horse-for/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [The Russians have intensely disliked but tolerated substantial NATO expansion, including the accession of Poland and the Baltic countries. But when NATO announced in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/the-russians-have-intensely-disliked-but-tolerated-substantial-nato/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [NATO expansion and Russian expansion - one leads to the other, and one reflects the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-corbyn/nato-expansion-and-russian-expansion-one-leads-to-the-other-and-one/) [Jeremy Corbyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-corbyn/) > [ \[Egon\] Bahr even said: If Russia agreed to the NATO expansion, he would never come to Moscow again. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/egon-bahr-even-said-if-russia-agreed-to-the-nato-expansion-he-would/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [It has been known for some time that a major nuclear war might lead to nuclear winter that would destroy the attacker as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-has-been-known-for-some-time-that-a-major-nuclear-war-might-lead/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [As far as the Ukraine is concerned, it's a mess. And that's under the Obama's administration, with his strong ties to NATO.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/as-far-as-the-ukraine-is-concerned-it-s-a-mess-and-that-s-under-the/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Let's go back to the beginning of the Obama administration, when Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama led NATO in toppling the government in Libya.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/let-s-go-back-to-the-beginning-of-the-obama-administration-when/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [ If we believe \[Obama\] to be a good man who would never kill noncombatants in a cafe in Houston, sitting out in a sidewalk… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/if-we-believe-obama-to-be-a-good-man-who-would-never-kill/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [I do not believe that Obama is smarter than anybody else. I do not believe he has cut a new path and is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-do-not-believe-that-obama-is-smarter-than-anybody-else-i-do-not/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Think about that: 81 percent of Americans believe that Obama lies to them at least 'now and then' on 'important matters.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-thiessen/think-about-that-81-percent-of-americans-believe-that-obama-lies-to/) [Marc Thiessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-thiessen/) > [“Many supporters believe--or want to believe--that Obama will be a transformative political leader in a transformative time. They eagerly await the flowering of peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-lusane/many-supporters-believe-or-want-to-believe-that-obama-will-be-a/) [Clarence Lusane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-lusane/) > [I believe that both Obama and Trump would describe themselves as outsiders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-believe-that-both-obama-and-trump-would-describe-themselves-as/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I do believe that Obama is at war with Islam, it is never too late to embrace Islam. If we were to establish Sharia…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anjem-choudary/i-do-believe-that-obama-is-at-war-with-islam-it-is-never-too-late-to/) [Anjem Choudary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anjem-choudary/) ## More by John Mearsheimer > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/since-the-mid-1990s-russian-leaders-have-adamantly-opposed-nato/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [The unpleasant truth is that some borders are untenable and preserving them causes conflict, not peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/the-unpleasant-truth-is-that-some-borders-are-untenable-and/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [Decapitation is a fanciful strategy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/decapitation-is-a-fanciful-strategy/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [Great powers react harshly when distant rivals project military power into their neighborhood, much less attempt to make a country on their border an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/great-powers-react-harshly-when-distant-rivals-project-military-power/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [I hate sleeping in the woods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/i-hate-sleeping-in-the-woods/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [When the United States worked to contain the Soviet Union during the Cold War, we went to enormous lengths to get as many countries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/when-the-united-states-worked-to-contain-the-soviet-union-during-the/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [The central aim of American foreign policy has traditionally been to dominate the western hemisphere while not permitting another great power to dominate Europe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/the-central-aim-of-american-foreign-policy-has-traditionally-been-to/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [Nuclear weapons are the ideal middle-class weapons for Americans. They provide massive amounts of deterrence on the cheap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/nuclear-weapons-are-the-ideal-middle-class-weapons-for-americans-they/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [States have two kinds of power: latent power and military power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/states-have-two-kinds-of-power-latent-power-and-military-power/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [Erosion of sovereignty is one more reason a powerful state with a liberal foreign policy ends up fighting never ending wars and fostering militarism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/erosion-of-sovereignty-is-one-more-reason-a-powerful-state-with-a/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [Simply put, the most powerful state is the one that prevails in a dispute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/simply-put-the-most-powerful-state-is-the-one-that-prevails-in-a/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [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,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/what-disappoints-me-about-obama-is-that-when-he-came-into-office-he/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [The question of whether or not the United States or any other great power should expand, should pursue regional hegemony, or pursue global hegemony,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/the-question-of-whether-or-not-the-united-states-or-any-other-great/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [The more closely any ism accords with human nature, the more relevance it will have in the real world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/the-more-closely-any-ism-accords-with-human-nature-the-more-relevance/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [Offensive realism predicts that the United States will send its army across the Atlantic when there is a potential hegemon in Europe that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/offensive-realism-predicts-that-the-united-states-will-send-its-army/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) [Explore all 121 John Mearsheimer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I believe the Obama administration was asleep at the switch, not paying attention to what NATO and E.U. expansion - and promoting democracy in places like Ukraine and Georgia - meant to the Russians.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Mearsheimer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/i-believe-the-obama-administration-was-asleep-at-the-switch-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attention" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/i-believe-the-obama-administration-was-asleep-at-the-switch-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed1/john-mearsheimer-3817_attention_i-believe-the-obama-administration-was-a_1469128.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed1/john-mearsheimer-3817_attention_i-believe-the-obama-administration-was-a_1469128.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed1/john-mearsheimer-3817_attention_i-believe-the-obama-administration-was-a_1469128.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I believe the Obama administration was asleep at the switch, not paying attention to what NATO and E.U…” — John Mearsheimer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Mearsheimer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I believe the Obama administration was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/i-believe-the-obama-administration-was-asleep-at-the-switch-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/i-believe-the-obama-administration-was-asleep-at-the-switch-not/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```