Jimmy Carter Quotes

Making the case for sustained U. S. [world] leadership is not always easy. Unilateralism or isolationism often make for better sound bites.

America must always lead on the world stage.

I think that America's recovery of a global strategic view is an absolutely essential element of our foreign policy.

My priority is to give the United States the kind of influence it should have.

I think that the president of Iran has the authority wherever which - where - wherever the national interests of the country are involved and, when it is necessary and expedient and required to speak and talk with others in order to promote the rights of its nation, that the president can take that initiative.

It is like our foreign policy has attention deficit disorder.

The United States plays, for the most part, a constructive global role, and to the extent that that role shrinks, other countries, even those most critical of what America does abroad, will suffer.

The U.S. cannot go it alone simply when it is convenient.

We have a tendency in America to deal with foreign affairs on a day by day basis. We are so saturated with facts that we do no look at a longer, broader picture.

The best American internationalists reject the idea that their nation holds a global copyright that gives it a mandate to churn out replicas dotting the world.

The powers conferred by the Constitution upon the Executive enable him to shape the foreign policy of this nation almost independent of the Legislature. A scheming and unscrupulous President can involve the country in serious complications, commit it to an unwise policy, or at least render its foreign diplomacy ridiculous before Congress may have an opportunity to check him.

I don’t think that we should ever apply our military power unilaterally…. If we cannot persuade like-minded, friendly nations of the wisdom of our policy, then maybe we should rethink the policy.

America remains the indispensable nation. There are times when America, and only America, can make a difference between war and peace, between freedom and repression.

Political and security realities have reduced the scope of American unilateralism.

No matter who occupies the Presidency, Washington tends to unilateralism.

The United Nations is a means. It is not an end for American foreign policy.

Never for a moment, have the responsible and instructed statesmen in charge of the foreign affairs of the United States failed to consider themselves bound to insist upon this policy .... Almost every President and Secretary of State has re-stated the doctrine with vigor and emphasis in the discussion of the diplomatic affairs of his day.

People think that it only takes an American decision to solve this or that problem [in foreign affairs].

If the United States disengages from many issues confronting the international community it will be replaced.

Americans must step back and realize that an effective foreign policy is very difficult to devise, and we must present a united front to make it work.

America is a world leader, but we should not be its policeman or ATM.

What you want in foreign policy is clear, well-defined goals.

America needs an adult in the White House who knows how to deal with China.

It's worth remembering George W. Bush, Barack Obama also came in thinking they had the magic key to better, warmer relations with Russia; those efforts ended in tears.

Donald Trump's America can be friend and ally, or at least an indifferent power that concentrates on itself and minds its own business.