Please enable Javascript
This site requires Javascript be enabled to provide you the best experience. Some features may not be available with Javascript disabled!

There's no point considering something which is very unrealistic.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Zbigniew Brzezinski Quotes

American - Politician March 28, 1928 - May 26, 2017

Loading...

Anniversaries are like birthdays: occasions to celebrate and to think ahead, usually among friends with whom one shares not only the past but also the future. Zbigniew Brzezinski

Friends, Future, Past

Americans don't learn about the world; they don't study world history, other than American history in a very one-sided fashion, and they don't study geography. Zbigniew Brzezinski

History, American, World

Americans must place greater emphasis on the more subtle dimensions of national power, such as innovation, education, the balance of force and diplomacy, and the quality of political leadership. Zbigniew Brzezinski

Leadership, Education, Power

A waning United States would likely be more nationalistic, more defensive about its national identity, more paranoid about its homeland security, and less willing to sacrifice resources for the sake of others' development. Zbigniew Brzezinski

Sacrifice, Identity

If we slide into a pattern of just thinking about today, we'll end up reacting to yesterday instead of shaping something more constructive in the world. Zbigniew Brzezinski

Today, Thinking, World

You go to Paris, or you go to Portugal, you go to Poland, and you ask, 'Who are you people?' They'll tell you, we're Portuguese, we're Spanish, we're Polish. Who are the people that are really European? The people in Brussels, in the E.U. bureaucracy. Europe has not been able to move to the level of patriotic identification with the concept. Zbigniew Brzezinski

People, You, Bureaucracy

There's no point considering something which is very unrealistic. Zbigniew Brzezinski

Something, Unrealistic

The difference between the Bush I war against Iraq and the Bush II war against Iraq is that in the first one, we appealed to the sentiments and interests of the different groupings in the region and had them with us. In the second one, we did it on our own, on the basis of false premises, with extremely brutality and lack of political skill. Zbigniew Brzezinski

War, Political, Skill

During the nineteenth century, men died believing in the cause of royalty or republicanism. In reality, much of their sacrifice was rendered on the altar of the new nationalism. Zbigniew Brzezinski

Sacrifice, Men, Reality

World War II and the ensuing Cold War compelled the United States to develop a sustained commitment to Western Europe and the Far East. Zbigniew Brzezinski

War, World, Commitment

Foreign policy should not be justified through making oneself feel good, but through results that have tangible consequences. Zbigniew Brzezinski

Good, Feel Good, Results

I have been struck by the pervasive frequency of pompously patriotic ads for the defense industry, usually accompanied by deferential salutations to our men and women who are heroically sacrificing their lives in our defense. Do we really need all of that for our security? Zbigniew Brzezinski

Women, Men, Security

What is most important to the history of the world? The Taliban or the collapse of the Soviet empire? Some stirred-up Moslems or the liberation of Central Europe and the end of the Cold War? Zbigniew Brzezinski

History, War, World

The Soviet Union's termination, which brought to an end the bipolar world, ushered in an era of U.S. hegemony. Hegemony, however, should not be confused with omnipotence. Hegemony is not omnipotence but is certainly preponderance. Zbigniew Brzezinski

World, End, Confused

If we can deter the Soviet Union, if we can deter North Korea, why on earth can't we deter Iran? Zbigniew Brzezinski

Earth, North Korea, Why

We now have the opportunity of giving to the USSR its Vietnam war. Zbigniew Brzezinski

War, Opportunity, Giving

One-sided national economic triumphs cannot be achieved in the increasingly interwoven global economy without precipitating calamitous consequences for everyone. Zbigniew Brzezinski

Consequences, Economy

I cite these events because I think they underline two very disturbing phenomena - the loss of U.S. international credibility, the growing U.S. international isolation. Zbigniew Brzezinski

Loss, Isolation, Growing

I don't feel I was 'born American,' but my homeland was denied to me after the end of World War II, and I craved something I could identify with. When I became a student at Harvard in the 1950s, America very quickly filled the vacuum. I felt I was American, but I think it's more revealing of America how quickly others here accepted me. Zbigniew Brzezinski

War, American, America

To his credit, Obama has undertaken a truly ambitious effort to redefine the United States' view of the world and to reconnect the United States with the emerging historical context of the twenty-first century. He has done this remarkably well. Zbigniew Brzezinski

Effort, World, View

We need to ask who is the enemy, and the enemies are terrorists. Zbigniew Brzezinski

Enemy, Ask, Need

We have actually experienced in recent months a dramatic demonstration of an unprecedented intelligence failure, perhaps the most significant intelligence failure in the history of the United States. Zbigniew Brzezinski

History, Failure, United

Indeed, for almost 10 years, Moscow had to carry on a war unsupportable by the government, a conflict that brought about the demoralization and finally the breakup of the Soviet empire. Zbigniew Brzezinski

War, Conflict, Government

Hard power makes sense under some circumstances. But there's not a universal solution to global problems. Zbigniew Brzezinski

Power, Problems, Solution

The Chinese are really good at diplomacy - and even at making their interlocutors feel very uncomfortable. Zbigniew Brzezinski

Good, Uncomfortable, Feel

We defended our allies in Europe for 40 years during the worst days of the Cold War - very threatening days of the Cold War - and nothing happened. So deterrence does work. Zbigniew Brzezinski

Work, War, Nothing

Cite this Page: Citation

Find on Amazon: Zbigniew Brzezinski

Related Authors

Benjamin Franklin

Alexander Hamilton

Hillary Clinton

Hubert H. Humphrey

Barry Goldwater

BrainyQuote

BrainyQuote Desktop

BrainyQuote Mobile

Site

Quote Of The Day

Social

BQ on Pinterest

BQ on Instagram

Apps

iPhone/iPad app

Quote Of The Day Feeds

Javascript and RSS feeds

WordPress plugin

Quote of the Day Email

About

Copyright © 2001 - 2017 BrainyQuote

Loading...

Load more quotes