Kennan recognized this tendency decades ago, when he warned that shortsighted policies at home and abroad had already put America in a vulnerable position. Instead of basking in its own superiority, he advised, the US should learn from the mistakes of its enemies, including Russia.
但美国仍然专注于伊斯兰恐怖主义的外来祸患，而并未对这些问题进行思考。凯南数十年前就已经意识到上述趋势，并警告国内外短视政策已经让美国容易受伤。他建议美国不应沉醉于自己的优势，而应从包括俄国在内的敌人的错误中吸取教训。