--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: While the foreign policy elite in…" description: "\"While the foreign policy elite in Washington focuses on the 8,000 deaths in a conflict in Syria – half a world away from the United States – more than ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/robert-d-kaplan-12644_america_while-the-foreign-policy-elite-in-washin_2584763.jpg" --- # While the foreign policy elite in Washington focuses on… ![“While the foreign policy elite in Washington focuses on the 8,000 deaths in a conflict in Syria – half a world away from the United States – more than 47,000 people have died in drug-related violence since 2006 in Mexico. A deeply troubled state as well as a demographic and economic giant on the…” quote by Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/robert-d-kaplan-12644_america_while-the-foreign-policy-elite-in-washin_2584763.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/robert-d-kaplan-12644_america_while-the-foreign-policy-elite-in-washin_2584763.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/robert-d-kaplan-12644_america_while-the-foreign-policy-elite-in-washin_2584763.jpg) > “While the foreign policy elite in Washington focuses on the 8,000 deaths in a conflict in Syria – half a world away from the United States – more than 47,000 people have died in drug-related violence since 2006 in Mexico. A deeply troubled state as well as a demographic and economic giant on the United States’ southern border, Mexico will affect America’s destiny in coming decades more than any state or combination of states in the Middle East.” [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mexico’s internal violence and strategic position will shape U.S. future more than distant Middle Eastern conflicts. **In simple terms:** Mexico’s issues will impact U.S. destiny more than far‑away wars. Key Takeaway Pay attention to Mexico’s role in U.S. policy. Themes geopolitics security demographics economics border Mood concerned analytical Type political strategic When to use this quote - policy planning - border security - investment decisions - humanitarian aid Key Concepts strategic importance state fragility transnational crime Questions to Reflect On - How does Mexico’s violence affect U.S. security? - What policies could mitigate cross‑border crime? A Different Perspective Mexico’s impact may be overstated without considering other global factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [000 Deaths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/000-deaths-254293/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Border Mexico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/border-mexico-592666/) [Borders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borders/) [Combination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/combination/) [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Deaths Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deaths-conflict-1808659/) [Decades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decades/) [Demographics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demographics/) [Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/) [Died](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/died/) [Drug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drug/) [East](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/east/) [Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic/) [Elites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elites/) [Foreign policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreign-policy/) [Giants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giants/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Mexico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mexico/) [Mexico Affect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mexico-affect-1808658/) [Middle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle/) [Middle east](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-east/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [Related](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/related/) [Southern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/southern/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Syria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/syria/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [We released 400,000 classified documents, the most extraordinary history of a war to ever have been released in our civilization. Those documents cover 109,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/we-released-400-000-classified-documents-the-most-extraordinary/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [There could have been more planning in New Orleans, but you look at all the devastation that happened there - have we gotten to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hickenlooper/there-could-have-been-more-planning-in-new-orleans-but-you-look-at/) [John Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hickenlooper/) > [I'd like to move Israel to the northern border of Mexico and see what happens then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/i-d-like-to-move-israel-to-the-northern-border-of-mexico-and-see-what/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [In a museum in El Paso, Texas, there's a map that shows all the places the border between the U.S. and Mexico has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-mullen/in-a-museum-in-el-paso-texas-there-s-a-map-that-shows-all-the-places/) [Laura Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-mullen/) > [Fences would be a hindrance to terrorists should they decide to come across a land border between the U.S. and Mexico and to California.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/fences-would-be-a-hindrance-to-terrorists-should-they-decide-to-come/) [Duncan Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hunter/) > [The evidence is now clear that the majority of people coming across the border are not from Mexico. They're coming from Guatemala, El Salvador,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/the-evidence-is-now-clear-that-the-majority-of-people-coming-across/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [In America, we will build a great wall along the southern border. And Mexico will pay for the wall. One hundred percent. They don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/in-america-we-will-build-a-great-wall-along-the-southern-border-and/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [By encouraging its citizens to violate our border, Mexico is pushing a tremendous welfare burden off of its shoulders and onto ours, while also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-bachus/by-encouraging-its-citizens-to-violate-our-border-mexico-is-pushing-a/) [Spencer Bachus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-bachus/) > [My vision of the border with Mexico is that a truck from the United States going into Mexico and a truck coming from Mexico…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-johnson/my-vision-of-the-border-with-mexico-is-that-a-truck-from-the-united/) [Gary Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-johnson/) > [I will build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay for that wall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-will-build-a-great-great-wall-on-our-southern-border-and-i-will/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Some people put us down. But I still haven't heard of any Americans trying to swim across the border into Mexico!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hope/some-people-put-us-down-but-i-still-haven-t-heard-of-any-americans/) [Bob Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hope/) > [Illegal immigration is not just a matter of interest in states along our border with Mexico. It is having an effect on local economies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-wicker/illegal-immigration-is-not-just-a-matter-of-interest-in-states-along/) [Roger Wicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-wicker/) > [I am part of the demographic and I love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehcad-brooks/i-am-part-of-the-demographic-and-i-love-it/) [Mehcad Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehcad-brooks/) > [I pride myself in being able to straddle demographics, and if that was said as Barney Stinson, it would mean a little different thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/i-pride-myself-in-being-able-to-straddle-demographics-and-if-that-was/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [Public Enemy started out as a benchmark in rap music in the mid-1980s. We felt there was a need to actually progress the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/public-enemy-started-out-as-a-benchmark-in-rap-music-in-the-mid-1980s/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) ## More by Robert D. Kaplan > [“And so this is where the post Cold War has brought us: to the recognition that the very totalitarism that we fought against in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/and-so-this-is-where-the-post-cold-war-has-brought-us-to-the/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [“Or take the opportunity offered to the United States following the attacks of September 11, 2001, when both Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Mohammed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/or-take-the-opportunity-offered-to-the-united-states-following-the/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [When you talk about aiding this country against that country or about fighting terrorism, when you actually take that decision and strip it down,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/when-you-talk-about-aiding-this-country-against-that-country-or-about/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [“One marker, which I would read a bit later on, tells the familiar story of Narcissa Whitman, "trail-blazer and martyred missionary," who followed the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/one-marker-which-i-would-read-a-bit-later-on-tells-the-familiar-story/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [Given the level of anti-Americanism in the world, given the level of frustration with the United States throughout the Muslim world, you've got a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/given-the-level-of-anti-americanism-in-the-world-given-the-level-of/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [The Cold War went on for so long that it bred a kind of worldwide military establishment. Even when budgets went down in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/the-cold-war-went-on-for-so-long-that-it-bred-a-kind-of-worldwide/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [“So far we have seen the weakening and collapse of small and medium-sized states in Africa and the Middle East. But quasi-anarchy in larger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/so-far-we-have-seen-the-weakening-and-collapse-of-small-and-medium/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [“Europe is a landscape; East Asia a seascape. Therein lies a crucial difference between the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/europe-is-a-landscape-east-asia-a-seascape-therein-lies-a-crucial/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [“Macedonia, the inspiration for the French word for "mixed salad" (macedoine), defines the principle illness of the Balkans: conflicting dreams of lost imperial glory.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/macedonia-the-inspiration-for-the-french-word-for-mixed-salad/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [The more dynamic the capitalistic expansion, the greater the disparity. It is from the disparity that we are going to get all the political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/the-more-dynamic-the-capitalistic-expansion-the-greater-the-disparity/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [It is easy to be a moral perfectionist when one is politically unaccountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/it-is-easy-to-be-a-moral-perfectionist-when-one-is-politically/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [The masses cannot ultimately be free: only the individual can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/the-masses-cannot-ultimately-be-free-only-the-individual-can-be/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [The closer one gets to either the eastern or the southern fringe of the German-speaking world-the closer one gets, in other words, to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/the-closer-one-gets-to-either-the-eastern-or-the-southern-fringe-of/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [“The South China Sea functions as the throat of the Western Pacific and Indian oceans—the mass of connective economic tissue where global sea routes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/the-south-china-sea-functions-as-the-throat-of-the-western-pacific/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [“A better age would have to follow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/a-better-age-would-have-to-follow/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) [Explore all 54 Robert D. Kaplan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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