To call the American role in the world imperial was, for many who did so, a way of asserting that the United States was misusing its power beyond its borders and, in so doing, subverting its founding political principles within them.
Michael MandelbaumThe windfall of great riches can, if mismanaged, make things worse, not better, for the recipients.
Michael MandelbaumThe United States contributes to peace in both by serving as a buffer between and among regional powers that, while not preparing for armed conflict, do not fully trust one another.
Michael MandelbaumThe American political system is so porous, it's so open, it's so frustrating for those who are trying to make policy.
Michael MandelbaumThe attacks of September 11, 2001, were spectacular, riveting, grim, costly and searing. The shock that they caused reverberated throughout the world. What happened in New York and Washington and Pennsylvania ended the lives of thousands of people and changed the lives of many more. But they did not change the world.
Michael Mandelbaum