What Kennan was expressing was the concept of balancing, the idea that, in the world of international politics, a proper balance could be struck between potential adversaries, which would produce a stable situation that could be prolonged indefinitely.
Det, som Kennan her gav udtryk for, var magtbalance-konceptet – ideen om, at indenfor international politik, skulle der skabes en ordentlig balance mellem potentielle modstandere, og dette ville føre til en stabil situation som kunne forlænges uendeligt.