In the 21st century, we can't create security by building walls. James G. Stavridis More Quotes by James G. Stavridis More Quotes From James G. Stavridis I would not be surprised to see Syria break apart entirely. James G. Stavridis surprised see syria break I tend to gravitate toward reporters who cover all aspects of the story: from personal aspects to the big picture that answer the 'so what' of a story. James G. Stavridis answer picture personal story I don't think anyone would look at Colombia today and say that it is failing. This positive outcome is an example of the effective application of smart power - it is succeeding. James G. Stavridis look power positive today It's probably worth noting that although I'm ethnically Greek, my grandfather was actually born in Turkey and came through Greece on his way to the United States. James G. Stavridis worth born grandfather way All of my relatives on both sides of my family are from Allentown. James G. Stavridis relatives both-sides family sides I knew early I wanted to follow my father into the military. He did a full 30-year career and retired as a full colonel in the Marines after graduating from Allentown H.S. and later from Cornell University. James G. Stavridis follow career university father The most important thing I learned was the value of personal friendships and working cooperatively with your peers - the Academy has a saying, 'cooperate to graduate,' and that remains a very important central core in my thinking today. James G. Stavridis value important today thinking In the 20th century, we built a lot of walls - we endlessly tried to build walls between us and people we perceived, correctly or incorrect, as our enemies. In the 21st century, because of the advent of networks, the free movement of goods and people across the globe, we need to build security by building bridges instead of building walls. James G. Stavridis enemies free building people During the early 1990s, Mexico's domestic political sensitivities meant that it rarely extradited people who had committed crimes in the U.S. After NAFTA, extradition numbers began to increase until they surpassed 100 a year in the late 2000s. James G. Stavridis late political numbers people