States care about relative wealth, because economic might is the foundation of military might.

In the anarchic world of international politics, it is better to be Godzilla than Bambi.

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

Simply put, the most powerful state is the one that prevails in a dispute.

A state's potential power is based on the size of its population and the level of its wealth.

Offensive realism predicts that the United States will send its army across the Atlantic when there is a potential hegemon in Europe that the local great powers cannot contain by themselves.

Decapitation is a fanciful strategy.

China, in short has the potential to be considerably more powerful than even the United States.

States have two kinds of power: latent power and military power.

Bandwagoning is a strategy for the weak.

Great powers must be forever vigilant and never subordinate survival to any other goal, including prosperity.

Talent is a gift, but character is a choice.

Conflicts have small beginnings.

Any casual observer can tell at a glance I'm not the person I think I am.

Your ultimate reason for staying in this crooked world is not to imitate its devastating physique, but trying do something about its ugly appearance.

I think I am about 5 for 500 when it comes to successful ideas vs flops.

Everyone has their own special set of problems - in their own minds.

We can't, we MUST not lose this sense of possibility because in the end, it's all we have.

Lean forward into your life... catch the best bits and the finest wind. Just tip your feathers in flight a wee bit and see how dramatically that small lean can change your life.

You will be a poet because you will always be humiliated.