Elizabeth A. Sherman Quotes

Bush doesn't present himself as a realpolitik politician.

No nation has friends only interests.

… realpolitik

America simply prefers to deal with dictators.

World politics is not a kindergarten.

Given lesser opportunities, Kissinger would have done very well as a talk show host. Fortunately for him, although not so fortunately for the United States, he found his patron in Nelson Rockefeller instead of William Paley.

From Mr. [Donald] Trump's perspective, right, he simply heard [Vladimir] Putin compliment him. He then responded by complimenting him. He never thought that he might be being played.

A great country worthy of the name does not have any friends.

I don't believe in ideology in international relations.

For four hundred years the foreign policy of England has to oppose the strongest, most aggressive, most dominating Power on the Continent …

A state worthy of the name has no friends—only interests. [This is a generalized expression of British Prime Minister John Henry Temple's statement a century earlier.

The management of a balance of power is a permanent undertaking, not an exertion that has a foreseeable end.

Foreign policy is not philanthropy.

America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests

Whoso desireth to govern well and securely, it behoveth him to have a vigilant eye to the proceedings of great princes, and to consider seriously of their designs.

It is the natural desire of each nation to use the other as an instrument of its own purposes and policies. By dint of our mutual dependence, your influence is amplified by our power. Our power is made more responsible and more effective by your influence.

In politics, reality is that which is unseen. Politics is the art of combining a nation’s diverse or opposing factors to the benefit of its domestic well-being, and of saving the country from the open enmity or covetous friendship of other nations.

There is no such thing as gratitude in international politics.

So much of our foreign policy is based on other people’s weakness.

… international politics has always been a ruthless and dangerous business, and it is likely to remain that way.

I believe that Trump is a danger. I believe that he wants to tighten and build up his relationship to Russia for whatever reasons.

Putin is very - not the smartest guy in the world.

France has no friends, only interests.

We have no eternal allies, and we have not perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and those interests it is our duty to follow.

If we see that Germany is winning we ought to help Russia and if Russia is winning we ought to help Germany, and that way let them kill as many as possible.