John Mearsheimer: Israel-Palestine, Russia-Ukraine, China, NATO, and WW3 | Lex Fridman Podcast #401

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Transcript: lexfridman.com/john-mearsheimer-transcript
0:00 - Introduction & sponsor mentions:
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1:29 - Power
24:43 - Hitler
42:09 - Russia and Ukraine
1:38:22 - Israel and Palestine
2:39:13 - China
3:21:34 - Life and mortality

Finally Lex has someone on in regards to foreign policy who isn’t a neocon. It’s about time, there’s so many other world views for foreign affairs that have been missed.

Loved this guys intellectual honesty. Instead of disagreeing outright, he will go "well, in order to make that argument, you have to argue for X". This kind of devils advocism is really important to honest discourse imo.

This is the highest resolution in which I saw Mearsheimer. Plus, awesome audio quality. I thank your staff for both!

We are fortunate to benefit from John's ability to rationally deduce geopolitical happenings. Thank you gentlemen.

I like Lex Fridman, but he is way too nice to give any pushback, when needed.
Here is where Mearsheimer is wrong, in my opinion, about Russia, Putin and the world:
1) His theory sees the world way too simplistically, as from a point in the sky, looking down on the world. His books talks about countries as 'billiard' balls on a table, bumping into eachother.
2) His theory implies, and he says it, that large countries will and should act aggressively no matter who is in charge. Not true. The personality of the regime or person in charge absolutely matters. Look at Hitler vs any other German leader after him. It matters that Putin is in charge, not Gorbachev. It matters if Trump, Bush or Carter is in charge. It absolutely matters.
3) Mearsheimer says that Putin had no intention to take over part of, or the whole of, Ukraine, and he dissolves Russia of any responsibility. Well, everything points to the opposite: Russian literally surrounded Kyiv, tried to take it over, destroyed whole cities with 100000+ inhabitants, bombed Lviv, Vinnytsia, Sumy, Mariopol, aggressively marched towards Odessa. Putin stood on a stadium stage, triumphantly telling the world how he is taking back Russias historical territory and that annexed Kherson, Zaporitzia, Donetsk and Luhansk will now be Russia forever. It is clearly an imperialistic war. In those territories a 'Russofication' process was rolled out, with a new pro-russian school curriculum, 10s of thousand tortured or 'dissappeared', 100s of thousand of children moved to Russia.
4) Putin has said in essays that Ukraine is not a “real” country, not a real people, not a real language, but part of Russia, and has compared himself to imperialist Peter the Great. But Mearsheimer weirdly and stubbornly refuses to believe that his actions are motivated by imperialism.
5) Mearsheimer is willfully ignorant of how Russian propaganda works. If Russia's spokesperson says that Russia is willing to negotiate (but the West is stopping them), and at the same time Russia is aggressively pushing forward all over the war-front, well, maybe draw the conclusion that you shouldn't take everything that Russia says at face value. Propaganda is a weapon.
6) Mearsheimer lies on purpose on numbers, to back up his theories. For example, he has repeatedly said that Ukraine has lost 2 or 3 times as many soldiers as Russia. This is demonstrably wrong. Any independent war expert will tell you that Russia has lost many more men, due to being on constantly on the offensive, and using human wave attacks etc.
Sorry, Mearsheimer, not good enough.

You are a hero for using your platform to encourage love and truth. Most people in this world don't have the balls.

Thank you for also putting in all the data and news articles whenever he brought up a point.

И я люблю вас всех.Очень люблю
умных и образованных людей.Спасибо вам за глубокий об
--зор сегодняшней
обстановки в мире
.❤Спасибо за вашу лекцию.❤

Phenomenon reportage...been on replay during my entire work day. Please continue with this endeavour

The images during the video are super! Really amazing your interviews! keep them coming

This man should be part of every US administration period

I love how lex has a soft voice and remains totally calm, allows the hosts to talk without interruption and asks great questions 💗 just like Nima alkorshid and Danny boy hiaphong, I love youze guys ❤🎉

People don't want to hear different opinion, they just want to listen someone else confirming their own opinion. Freedom of speech is hard. Thank you Lex for your sacrifice to freedom of speech. You bring hope, love and opportunity to grow to all people who listen to you. At the same time, I am worried about you. After having this brave professor as your guest, I wouldn't be surprised if they cancel you. I love you, you beautiful human, you are not alone. In collective unconscious we are all one.

Thank you Lex for this amazing interview ! Thanks for a decent , intelligent, respectful conversation. Thanks for not interrupting your guest and respecting his knowledge, views and opinions.. Subscribed ..

What a legend - so many people would have read Mearsheimer in university and it's great to hear from him in a long format interview.

Lex, I'm continually impressed with your ability to have belief in humanity and the way you conduct yourself in these discussions. You are definitely one of a kind. Having people of exactly opposite views without you showing preference and bias is really applaudable.

This is probably the best long format Youtube video I seen in years.

Lex you are a Giant amongst Minnows I think you are 1 of the best persons in our world your smart compassionate and very strong you Rock bro
I,m Danny from Austrailia

Они обсуждают демократический мир, который существует лишь в их фантазиях. Гитлера тоже выбрали демократически, Знленского тоже и что в итоге то.