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

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.

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

The ideal situation for any state is to experience sharp economic growth while its rivals' economies grow slowly or hardly at all.

Bandwagoning is a strategy for the weak.

Decapitation is a fanciful strategy.

The most dangerous states in the international system are continental powers with large armies.