But if Russia is to be part of this larger zone of peace it cannot bring into it its imperial baggage. It cannot bring into it a policy of genocide against the Chechens, and cannot kill journalists, and it cannot repress the mass media.

Meaning of the quote

Russia needs to change its ways if it wants to be part of a larger peaceful world. Russia cannot bring its history of being an empire and oppressing people into this new peaceful world. Russia cannot commit genocide against the Chechens, kill journalists, or try to control the media if it wants to be part of this peaceful zone.

About Zbigniew Brzezinski

Zbigniew Brzezinski was a Polish-American diplomat and political scientist who served as a counselor to Lyndon B. Johnson and Jimmy Carter’s National Security Advisor. He was known for his progressive, international, and anti-communist views, and played a significant role in major foreign policy events during his time in office.

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More quotes from Zbigniew Brzezinski

Indeed, for almost 10 years, Moscow had to carry on a war unsupportable by the government, a conflict that brought about the demoralization and finally the breakup of the Soviet empire.

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According to the official version of history, CIA aid to the Mujahadeen began during 1980, that is to say, after the Soviet army invaded Afghanistan, 24 Dec 1979.

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Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

We need to ask who is the enemy, and the enemies are terrorists.

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Bipartisanship helps to avoid extremes and imbalances. It causes compromises and accommodations. So let’s cooperate.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

We didn’t push the Russians to intervene, but we knowingly increased the probability that they would.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

We now have the opportunity of giving to the USSR its Vietnam war.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

Sovereignty is a word that is used often but it has really no specific meaning. Sovereignty today is nominal. Any number of countries that are sovereign are sovereign only nominally and relatively.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

It is said that the West had a global policy in regard to Islam. That is stupid. There isn’t a global Islam.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

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Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

Look at Islam in a rational manner and without demagoguery or emotion. It is the leading religion of the world with 1.5 billion followers.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

American power worldwide is at its historic zenith.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

The first and most important is to emphasize the enduring nature of the alliance relationship particularly with Europe which does share our values and interests even if it disagrees with us on specific policies.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

In Iraq we must succeed. Failure is not an option.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

Let’s cooperate and challenge the administration to cooperate with us because within the administration there are also moderates and people who are not fully comfortable with the tendencies that have prevailed in recent times.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

We cannot have that relationship if we only dictate or threaten and condemn those who disagree.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

But if Russia is to be part of this larger zone of peace it cannot bring into it its imperial baggage. It cannot bring into it a policy of genocide against the Chechens, and cannot kill journalists, and it cannot repress the mass media.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

Palestinian terrorism has to be rejected and condemned, yes. But it should not be translated defacto into a policy of support for a really increasingly brutal repression, colonial settlements and a new wall.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

I think it is important to ask ourselves as citizens, not as Democrats attacking the administration, but as citizens, whether a world power can really provide global leadership on the basis of fear and anxiety?

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

To increase the zone of peace is to build the inner core of a stable international zone.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

We should seek to cooperate with Europe, not to divide Europe to a fictitious new and a fictitious old.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

War on terrorism defines the central preoccupation of the United States in the world today, and it does reflect in my view a rather narrow and extremist vision of foreign policy of the world’s first superpower, of a great democracy, with genuinely idealistic traditions.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

We have actually experienced in recent months a dramatic demonstration of an unprecedented intelligence failure, perhaps the most significant intelligence failure in the history of the United States.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

I cite these events because I think they underline two very disturbing phenomena – the loss of U.S. international credibility, the growing U.S. international isolation.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)

We should be therefore supporting a larger Europe, and in so doing we should strive to expand the zone of peace and prosperity in the world which is the necessary foundation for a stable international system in which our leadership could be fruitfully exercised.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-American diplomat and political scientist (1928-2017)