I think most Americans believe that although it's better not to use military force if you can avoid it, that the world simply doesn't provide us the luxury of giving away military force as an important tool of foreign policy.

The thing that I would say is that U.S. power is not eternal. I am not saying that it won't come to an end. Because it will.

In my view, America has never had the opportunity to enter paradise. Europe enjoys the paradise it enjoys, in part because the United States provides the overall security that allows Europe to live in a system where military power is not a major issue.

I left Russia in 1993 optimistic that democracy had taken hold despite the obstacles.

I believe it is still true that conflicts among major powers usually stem from geopolitical rivalries but rarely from economic competition.

Foreign policy is like hitting a baseball: if you fail 70 percent of the time, you go to the Hall of Fame.

Based on all criteria - military power, economic influence, cultural dominance - America remains number one, even though other, new players are increasingly challenging it in that role.