I wouldn't say it's a split. It's a difference of emphasis. It does exist between, I would say, the State Department and the Defense Department.
Henry A. KissingerThe key decision for a statesman is whether to commit his nation or not. There is no middle course. Once a great nation commits itself, it must prevail. It will acquire no kudos for translating its inner doubts into hesitation.
Henry A. KissingerWhile we should never give up our principles, we must also realize that we cannot maintain our principles unless we survive.
Henry A. KissingerA country that demands moral perfection in its foreign policy will achieve neither perfection nor security.
Henry A. KissingerChina is a country with a record of continuous self-government going back 4,000 years, the only society that has achieved this. One must start with the assumption that they must have learnt something about the requirements for survival, and it is not always to be assumed that we know it better than they do.
Henry A. Kissinger