"We have about 60% of the world's wealth but only 6.3% of it's population. In this situation we cannot fail to be the object of envy and resentment. Our real task in the coming period is to devise a pattern of relationships which will permit us to maintain this position of disparity. We need not deceive ourselves that we can afford today the luxury of altruism and world benefaction. We should cease to talk about such vague and unreal objectives as human rights, the raising of living standards and democratisation. The day is not far off when we are going to have to deal in straight power concepts. The less we are then hampered by idealistic slogans, the better."
[George Kennan, former Head of the US State Department Policy Planning Staff, Document PPS23, 24th February 1948]
World's wealth
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India, Pakistan - we made some quite serious mistakes...We were complacent with what happened in Kashmir, the boundaries weren't published until two days after independence. Bad story for us, the consequences are still there... [In Afghanistan] we played less than a glorious role over a century and a half... The odd lines for Iraq's borders were drawn by Brits... The Balfour declaration and the contradictory assurances which were being given to Palestinians in private at the same time as they were being given to the Israelis - again an interesting story for us but not an entirely honourable one.
