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Robert Kagan

Robert Kagan Quotes

Historian

Robert Kagan is an American historian renowned for his profound insights into international relations and foreign policy. His research spans from the Cold War to the 21st-century global politics, with a particular focus on American foreign policy and European security issues.

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Famous Robert Kagan Quotes

“Foreign policy is like hitting a baseball: if you fail 70 percent of the time, you go to the Hall of Fame.”

Ifs Failing Policy Fame Percent Baseball Halls Foreign Policy Hitting Hall Of Fame

Author:Robert Kagan

“If a caterpillar doesn't know its future has wings, it hardly experiences itself as land-bound.”

Ifs Knows Land Wings Bounds Caterpillars

Author:Robert Kagan

“When you have a hammer, all problems start to look like nails. But nations without great military power face the opposite danger: When you don't have a hammer, you don't want anything to look like nails.”

Want Looks Problem Faces Nations Military Danger Opposites Nails Hammers Military Power Great Military

Author:Robert Kagan

“When you have a hammer, all problems start to look like nails.”

Looks Problem Nails Hammers

Book:Of Paradise and Power: America and Europe in the New World Order

Source: Of Paradise and Power: America and Europe in the New World Order

“International order is not an evolution; it is an imposition. It is the domination of one vision over others- in this case, the domination of liberal free market principles of economics, democratic principles of politics, and a peaceful international system over other visions that other nations and peoples may have. It will last only as long as those who favor it retain the capacity to defend it.”

Long Lasts Order Vision Principles Cases Evolution Capacity Economics Relation International Domination International Relations Imposition

Author:Robert Kagan

“Obviously the administration intends to publicize all the weapons of mass destruction U.S. forces find - and there will be plenty.”

Force Weapons Mass Destruction Iraq Administration Plenty Invasion Weapons Of Mass Destruction Mass Destruction Wmd Wmds In Iraq

Author:Robert Kagan

“Based on all criteria - military power, economic influence, cultural dominance - America remains number one, even though other, new players are increasingly challenging it in that role.”

America Challenges Numbers Roles Player Influence Economic Military Remains Criteria Dominance Military Power

Author:Robert Kagan

“I believe it is still true that conflicts among major powers usually stem from geopolitical rivalries but rarely from economic competition.”

Believe Stills I Believe Economic Conflict Majors Competition Stem Rivalry Geopolitical Economic Competition

Author:Robert Kagan

“In my view, America has never had the opportunity to enter paradise. Europe enjoys the paradise it enjoys, in part because the United States provides the overall security that allows Europe to live in a system where military power is not a major issue.”

States America Opportunity Enjoy United Views United States Issues Security Military Majors Europe Paradise Military Power

Author:Robert Kagan

“Americans are from Mars, Europeans are from Venus: they agree on little and understand each other less and less.”

Littles Agree Mars Venus

Author:Robert Kagan

“I left Russia in 1993 optimistic that democracy had taken hold despite the obstacles.”

Left Democracy Taken Obstacles Russia Despite Optimistic

Author:Robert Kagan

“I think most Americans believe that although it's better not to use military force if you can avoid it, that the world simply doesn't provide us the luxury of giving away military force as an important tool of foreign policy.”

Ifs Thinking World Giving Believe Important Use Force Military Policy Tools Luxury Foreign Policy Military Force

Author:Robert Kagan

“It is true that I have known Straussians almost all my life. And the one thing I was taught about them from the earliest age is that they are wrong.”

Age Known One Thing Taught

Author:Robert Kagan

“The thing that I would say is that U.S. power is not eternal. I am not saying that it won't come to an end. Because it will.”

Author:Robert Kagan

“When it comes to setting national priorities, determining threats, defining challenges, and fashioning and implementing foreign and defense policies, the United States and Europe have parted ways.”

Way States Challenges United United States Policy Europe Threat Defense Priorities Setting Settings Defining Implementing

Book:Of Paradise and Power: America and Europe in the New World Order

Source: Of Paradise and Power: America and Europe in the New World Order

About the Author

Born: September 26, 1958
Known for: Historian
Quotes: 15

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