Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in an interview this week that it was critical for the U.S. to not adopt isolationist policies because doing so will only work against the country.

Rice made the remarks during an interview on PBS’ “Firing Line” with host Margaret Hoover while discussing a recent essay that she wrote.

“I wanted to say to the American public that I understand the sense we’re all tired. We’ve been through a lot,” she said as she highlighted what the U.S. has been through on the foreign policy front for the last several decades.

“But there isn’t really an option but for the United States to take on its role and responsibility as a dominant power that wishes to shape the international system,” she said.

“You see, there’s this notion that if we leave the playing field, it’ll be okay. But in fact, great powers don’t mind their own business,” she continued. “And the great powers that would supplant American power are not ones that share our values, will not uphold our interests: China, Russia.”

“And so I just wanted to say to the American people, we have to get up and go back to bat because too much is at stake for the United States to turn its back on the international system,” Rice added.

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