--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: American strategic doctrine suggests that…" description: "\"American strategic doctrine suggests that Mexico is of second-level importance to the United States. It ranks below Japan and Indonesia, Brazil and Ind..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcf/stephen-kinzer-2514_american_american-strategic-doctrine-suggests-tha_2214781.jpg" --- # American strategic doctrine suggests that Mexico is of… ![“American strategic doctrine suggests that Mexico is of second-level importance to the United States. It ranks below Japan and Indonesia, Brazil and India, Egypt and Israel, and European powers including Britain, France, and Germany. This is a grave geopolitical miscalculation.” quote by Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcf/stephen-kinzer-2514_american_american-strategic-doctrine-suggests-tha_2214781.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcf/stephen-kinzer-2514_american_american-strategic-doctrine-suggests-tha_2214781.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcf/stephen-kinzer-2514_american_american-strategic-doctrine-suggests-tha_2214781.jpg) > “American strategic doctrine suggests that Mexico is of second-level importance to the United States. It ranks below Japan and Indonesia, Brazil and India, Egypt and Israel, and European powers including Britain, France, and Germany. This is a grave geopolitical miscalculation.” [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author argues that U.S. policy undervalues Mexico, treating it as a lower priority than many other nations, which he sees as a strategic error. **In simple terms:** U.S. ignores Mexico’s importance. Key Takeaway Reevaluate Mexico’s role in policy decisions. Themes geopolitics policy U.S.-Mexico relations Mood critical analytical Type political strategic When to use this quote - diplomacy - trade negotiations - military cooperation - immigration reform Key Concepts strategic miscalculation foreign policy regional influence Questions to Reflect On - Why is Mexico strategically vital? - What are the risks of neglecting it? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on other regions can skew priorities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) [American Strategic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-strategic-2120800/) [Below](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/below/) [Brazil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brazil/) [Britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/) [Doctrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctrine/) [Egypt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egypt/) [European](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/european/) [France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/france/) [Geopolitical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geopolitical/) [Germany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/germany/) [Grave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grave/) [Importance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/importance/) [Including](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/including/) [India](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/india/) [Indonesia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indonesia/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Japan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/japan/) [Mexico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mexico/) [Mexico Second](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mexico-second-4918778/) [Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powers/) [Ranks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ranks/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Strategic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategic/) [Strategic Doctrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategic-doctrine-4918780/) [Suggests Mexico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suggests-mexico-4918779/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) ## Related quotes > [Mexico is the second most important destination of U.S. exports. What does this mean? The U.S. sells to our country almost the same as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrique-pena-nieto/mexico-is-the-second-most-important-destination-of-u-s-exports-what/) [Enrique Pena Nieto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrique-pena-nieto/) > [ American strategic \[nuclear\] forces do not exist solely for the purpose of deterring a Soviet nuclear threat or attack against the U.S. itself. Instead,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-s-gray/american-strategic-nuclear-forces-do-not-exist-solely-for-the-purpose/) [Colin S. Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-s-gray/) > [I was at the Royal Shakespeare Company, where I thought, in my naivete, I'd stay for the rest of my career. I'd thought I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mckay/i-was-at-the-royal-shakespeare-company-where-i-thought-in-my-naivete/) [Christian McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mckay/) > [Yesterday in this country we had people die of hunger and malnutrition. In some parts of this country, the infant mortality rate rivals that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alcee-hastings/yesterday-in-this-country-we-had-people-die-of-hunger-and/) [Alcee Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alcee-hastings/) > [A lot of directors in television have come up through the technical ranks. They have all the technical skills in the world. They're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-penn/a-lot-of-directors-in-television-have-come-up-through-the-technical/) [Arthur Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-penn/) > [“Everything passes through the eyes of top bureaucrats who closely watch to ensure that no intruder can enter their ranks and disrupt the order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/everything-passes-through-the-eyes-of-top-bureaucrats-who-closely/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [Coming up through the ranks of any calling can be rough, but that battered soul who survives the early years of courting the comic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/coming-up-through-the-ranks-of-any-calling-can-be-rough-but-that/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [Flipping through the 'Toronto Star' one day in 2008, I noticed a piece about a phenomenal boxer from the Philippines who had won several…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-hill/flipping-through-the-toronto-star-one-day-in-2008-i-noticed-a-piece/) [Dan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-hill/) > [“As long as your father's alive, you aren't yet the duchess. All that deference isn't truly warranted, is it?" In an oppressive tone, Lady…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-dodd/as-long-as-your-father-s-alive-you-aren-t-yet-the-duchess-all-that/) [Christina Dodd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-dodd/) > [You can usually tell how healthy a ballet company is by the degree of your interest in the middle ranks of the dancers -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/you-can-usually-tell-how-healthy-a-ballet-company-is-by-the-degree-of/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [Who included me among the ranks of the human race?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-brodsky/who-included-me-among-the-ranks-of-the-human-race/) [Joseph Brodsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-brodsky/) > [When I was coming up through the ranks, I won a lot - and probably won too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-busch/when-i-was-coming-up-through-the-ranks-i-won-a-lot-and-probably-won/) [Kyle Busch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-busch/) > [The lust to meet authors ranks low, I think, on the roll of holy appetites; but it is an authentic pang.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/the-lust-to-meet-authors-ranks-low-i-think-on-the-roll-of-holy/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“Books were so simple about these things, fairy tales so straightforward! There were peasants, and then there were kings and queens. Sometimes there were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-braswell/books-were-so-simple-about-these-things-fairy-tales-so/) [Liz Braswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-braswell/) > [From the Chinese perspective, Korea ranks about third or fourth in terms of trading volume and about third in terms of investment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-myung-bak/from-the-chinese-perspective-korea-ranks-about-third-or-fourth-in/) [Lee Myung-bak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-myung-bak/) ## More by Stephen Kinzer > [It is truly vital for the United States to assure that it is not attacked with weapons of mass destruction; to prevent wars in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/it-is-truly-vital-for-the-united-states-to-assure-that-it-is-not/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Because Iran understands Afghanistan far better than Americans do, making Iran a partner in a long-term effort to transform Afghan agriculture makes sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/because-iran-understands-afghanistan-far-better-than-americans-do/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Land ownership in Guatemala is more unequal than anywhere else in Latin America. Roughly 90 percent of Guatemalan farms are too small to support…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/land-ownership-in-guatemala-is-more-unequal-than-anywhere-else-in/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Honduras is strongly anti-Communist, maintains no diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union, and has provided vital support for United States-backed rebels fighting to overthrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/honduras-is-strongly-anti-communist-maintains-no-diplomatic-relations/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Any country that grants asylum to Snowden risks retaliation from the United States, including diplomatic isolation and costly trade sanctions. Several don't seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/any-country-that-grants-asylum-to-snowden-risks-retaliation-from-the/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Mayors of New York are almost automatically national figures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/mayors-of-new-york-are-almost-automatically-national-figures/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Human Rights Watch wants Rwandans to be able to speak freely about their ethnic hatreds, and to allow political parties connected with the defeated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/human-rights-watch-wants-rwandans-to-be-able-to-speak-freely-about/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [“Acheson immediately understood the urgency of this message. He summoned Ambassador Franks and told him that the United States resolutely opposed “the use of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/acheson-immediately-understood-the-urgency-of-this-message-he/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [During the 1980s, international interest in the Nicaraguan war was intense. No conflict since the Spanish civil war had provoked such passion around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/during-the-1980s-international-interest-in-the-nicaraguan-war-was/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [As long as Iran believes that its security will be increased by having a nuclear program, it's going to pursue its program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/as-long-as-iran-believes-that-its-security-will-be-increased-by/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Countries that control water are likely to be the big winners of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/countries-that-control-water-are-likely-to-be-the-big-winners-of-the/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [“It is a great tool of dictators and tyrants, who want to get masses of people to do what they want, to make sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/it-is-a-great-tool-of-dictators-and-tyrants-who-want-to-get-masses-of/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [No offense to Iceland, but Latin America is where the fugitive leaker Edward Snowden should settle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/no-offense-to-iceland-but-latin-america-is-where-the-fugitive-leaker/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Castro has lived almost his entire life as a clandestine revolutionary. To such figures, truth is always malleable, always subservient to political goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/castro-has-lived-almost-his-entire-life-as-a-clandestine/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Latin America moved decisively away from military rule and toward civilian democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/during-the-late-1970s-and-early-1980s-latin-america-moved-decisively/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) [Explore all 163 Stephen Kinzer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) [Browse all 7,717 American quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "American strategic doctrine suggests that Mexico is of second-level importance to the United States. It ranks below Japan and Indonesia, Brazil and India, Egypt and Israel, and European powers including Britain, France, and Germany. This is a grave geopolitical miscalculation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Kinzer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/american-strategic-doctrine-suggests-that-mexico-is-of-second-level/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/american-strategic-doctrine-suggests-that-mexico-is-of-second-level/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcf/stephen-kinzer-2514_american_american-strategic-doctrine-suggests-tha_2214781.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcf/stephen-kinzer-2514_american_american-strategic-doctrine-suggests-tha_2214781.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcf/stephen-kinzer-2514_american_american-strategic-doctrine-suggests-tha_2214781.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“American strategic doctrine suggests that Mexico is of second-level importance to the United States. It…” — Stephen Kinzer", "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": "Stephen Kinzer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "American strategic doctrine suggests that Mexico...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/american-strategic-doctrine-suggests-that-mexico-is-of-second-level/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/american-strategic-doctrine-suggests-that-mexico-is-of-second-level/#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 } } ] } ```