Brent Scowcroft Quotes

We know the power of the U.S.. We do not fool ourselves about this power. We say that the U.S. government wants us to pay a very high price for this unstable peace we enjoy today. And the price we are in a position to pay is only - comes only to the frontiers of dignity, not beyond.

We must do our utmost to preserve our British ally's strategic independence from Europe.

President Obama, like every other leader on Earth, is still going to be looking out for national and economic interests. States don't cease to be states overnight just because they get a great visionary as their new president.

The government should not present the anomaly which it now presents—a government the freest, perhaps the most democratic in the world with reference to local and domestic matters in which you rule yourselves as fully as any people in the world, while in your foreign affairs, your relations with other countries, whether peaceful or warlike, commercial, financial, or otherwise, you may have no more voice than the people of Japan.

While we shall negotiate freely, we shall not negotiate freedom.

I assure you we'll go on making our decisions without worrying whether it pleases or displeases the Soviet Union, China, America, France, or anyone else.

The United States supports a strong, united Ukraine with productive and peaceful relationships with both the East and the West, with both Russia and Europe.

The statesmen still say that we should not interfere in the internal affairs of other nations and yet it is not possible any longer not to interfere, even when we do not mean to do so.

Historically, we were always complaining about others interfering in our domestic and national issues.

We should force European governments to choose between Paris and Washington.

Diplomacy is not an end in itself if it does not advance U.S. interests.

In international relations, in foreign policy, a great deal has to do with historical circumstances, a great deal has to do with the sense and perception of people.

Foreign policy is an explicitly amoral enterprise.

I saw no reason why other nations should tell Central Americans how to solve their problems.

Foreign powers do not seem to appreciate the true character of our government.

President Obama's consistent agenda has been to weaken the United States and our allies in pursuit of a more 'balanced' global power structure.

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

I, as prime minister, never went to Washington. Certainly never went to a presidential ranch. I hate to say this, but I wasn't going to be the pilot fish to the shark, whereas Australia quite happily bobbed along like a happy little pilot fish with a shark who was a messy eater, and I just couldn't feel like that.

It's essential for the U.S. and Europe to prevent Putin from going farther and reversing the hard-won independence of former Soviet republics.

The internal affairs of other countries has a big impact on American interests.

You try not ever to be in the position to compromise by coercion on your sovereignty.

No country can dictate its laws to the world.

Just as the United States doesn't like others to take charge, other countries also don't like the United States to play a dominant role in the United Nations.

World politics is not a kindergarten.

I don't believe foreign policy is about altruism.