No country can act wisely simultaneously in every part of the globe at every moment of time.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Nations cannot optimally manage all global affairs simultaneously.
- In plain terms
- Countries must choose where to focus their attention.
- What can you take from it?
- Prioritize strategic interests over global omnipresence.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How should nations balance global duties with local needs?
Another view
It justifies neglecting important global responsibilities.
More from Henry Kissinger
Ninety percent of the politicians give the other ten percent a bad reputation.
Permalink to quote #38 No foreign policy - no matter how ingenious - has any chance of success if it is born in the minds of a few and carried in the hearts of none.
Permalink to quote #40 Most high officials leave office with the perceptions and insights with which they entered; they learn how to make decisions but not what decisions to make.
Permalink to quote #37
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