John Mearsheimer

What we decide to do is go out and remake the world in our own image.

What we decide to do is go out and remake the world in our own image.

I want to be very clear. I am... Forever thankful that I was born in a liberal democracy, and I love liberalism. But the question here is, do you think that we can run around the world imposing liberal democracy on other countries, and in some cases, shoving it down their throat, doing it at the end of a rifle barrel? And my argument is, that's almost impossible to do. It almost always backfires.

I want to be very clear. I am... Forever thankful that I was born in a liberal democracy, and I love liberalism. But the question here is, do you think that we can run around the world imposing liberal democracy on other countries, and in some cases, shoving it down their throat, doing it at the end of a rifle barrel? And my argument is, that's almost impossible to do. It almost always backfires.

Think Iraq, Afghanistan, so forth and so on. And secondly, you begin to erode liberalism in the United States because you build a deep state, right? And you wanna understand that a lot of the complaints here about cracking down on freedom of speech and so forth and so on are related to the fact that we have this ambitious foreign policy. Those two things go together in very important ways.

Think Iraq, Afghanistan, so forth and so on. And secondly, you begin to erode liberalism in the United States because you build a deep state, right? And you wanna understand that a lot of the complaints here about cracking down on freedom of speech and so forth and so on are related to the fact that we have this ambitious foreign policy. Those two things go together in very important ways.

No, I don't think so. I think that what the United States should do is worry about its own national interest. In some cases, that's going to involve aligning ourselves with a dictator. If we're fighting World War II all over again, it's December 8th, 1941, you surely would be in favor of aligning with Adolf, not with Adolf Hitler, with Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union against the

No, I don't think so. I think that what the United States should do is worry about its own national interest. In some cases, that's going to involve aligning ourselves with a dictator. If we're fighting World War II all over again, it's December 8th, 1941, you surely would be in favor of aligning with Adolf, not with Adolf Hitler, with Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union against the

Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. Sometimes you have to make those kind of compromises. As I said before, I love liberal democracy. I have no problem aligning with liberal democracy. But when you begin to think in the terms that you're thinking, you end up with an impulse to do social engineering around the world. And that gets you in all sorts of problems.

Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. Sometimes you have to make those kind of compromises. As I said before, I love liberal democracy. I have no problem aligning with liberal democracy. But when you begin to think in the terms that you're thinking, you end up with an impulse to do social engineering around the world. And that gets you in all sorts of problems.

It depends.

It depends.

I mean, when Russia invades Ukraine, basically what you're saying is you wanna go to war on behalf of Ukraine against Russia? Are you in favor of that?

I mean, when Russia invades Ukraine, basically what you're saying is you wanna go to war on behalf of Ukraine against Russia? Are you in favor of that?

Well, in terms of China, I'm fully in favor of containing China.

Well, in terms of China, I'm fully in favor of containing China.

It's containment. I'm not interested in regime change. I'm not interested in trying to turn China into a democracy. Not going to happen, yeah. Not going to happen. We tried it, actually, and I thought it was foolish to even pursue a policy of engagement toward China. With regard to Russia, I don't think Russia is a serious threat to the United States.

It's containment. I'm not interested in regime change. I'm not interested in trying to turn China into a democracy. Not going to happen, yeah. Not going to happen. We tried it, actually, and I thought it was foolish to even pursue a policy of engagement toward China. With regard to Russia, I don't think Russia is a serious threat to the United States.

And indeed, I think the United States should have good relations with Putin. It's a remarkably foolish policy to push him into the arms of the Chinese. There are three great powers in the system, the United States, China, and Russia. China is a peer competitor to the United States. It's the most serious threat to the United States.

And indeed, I think the United States should have good relations with Putin. It's a remarkably foolish policy to push him into the arms of the Chinese. There are three great powers in the system, the United States, China, and Russia. China is a peer competitor to the United States. It's the most serious threat to the United States.