The Sources of Soviet Conduct

The article is an exerpt taken from the book Foreign Affairs by George "X" Kennan. Kennan states that the U.S. policy toward the Soviet Union must be long-term and patient. He says that the Russian leaders tend to exploit many evidences of weakness, and their expansive tendencies must be contained. Kennan goes on to say that the U.S. cannot expect to enjoy political "intimacy" with the Soviets any time in the future. America's policies are vastly different than the Soviet Union's, and therefore, they must continue to view the Union as a rival in the political field.