It’s like saying “Sure my husband’s a serial killer, but he’s great with the kids.” If someone said that to you, the only conclusion you could possibly come to is that…
That’s what American realism has been. Literal monsters like Zbig and Kissinger are labelled realist as if unfortunate realities forced their hands to commit mass murders.
But Kissinger is too intellectual for these types. Let’s not forget, do we think our friend here thinks that the US made a mistake with Ukraine as a realist like Kissinger or Mearsheimer would and have argued? Does our friend here who supports real-politik oppose Biden’s arming of Ukraine and infringing on Russia as any sensible, rational realist would?
Of course not. Even that label is not actually applicable to this person. They are an indoctrinated, cowardly person toeing the line and justifying everything. What they claim to hide behind does not represent their rationale or mode of thinking, it’s just something they’ve ducked behind on this occasion and would be the first in line to throw apples at Mearsheimer and other realists and call them Russian agents or useful idiots.
Realists magically become able to see reason once they leave positions of power and authority and start stealing a living at a think thank. The same realists are unrepentant mass murders when they are in positions to directly influence foreign policy.
That’s what American realism has been. Literal monsters like Zbig and Kissinger are labelled realist as if unfortunate realities forced their hands to commit mass murders.
But Kissinger is too intellectual for these types. Let’s not forget, do we think our friend here thinks that the US made a mistake with Ukraine as a realist like Kissinger or Mearsheimer would and have argued? Does our friend here who supports real-politik oppose Biden’s arming of Ukraine and infringing on Russia as any sensible, rational realist would?
Of course not. Even that label is not actually applicable to this person. They are an indoctrinated, cowardly person toeing the line and justifying everything. What they claim to hide behind does not represent their rationale or mode of thinking, it’s just something they’ve ducked behind on this occasion and would be the first in line to throw apples at Mearsheimer and other realists and call them Russian agents or useful idiots.
Realists magically become able to see reason once they leave positions of power and authority and start stealing a living at a think thank. The same realists are unrepentant mass murders when they are in positions to directly influence foreign policy.