So I have known Islam on three continents before coming to the region where it was first revealed

My goal is to maintain the international norm on banning chemical weapons. I want that enforcement to be real. I want it to be serious. I want people to understand that gassing innocent people, delivering chemical weapons against children is not something we do. It's prohibited in active wars between countries. We certainly don't do it against kids. And we've got to stand up for that principle.

Change is never easy, but always possible.

I believe it`s important to be open and honest, especially with your friends.

One of the things you discover about being president is that there are all these rules and norms and laws and you got to pay attention to them.

Keep in mind that, when I came in, we had had a crisis that was the worst we've seen since the 1930s, and working with people like Chancellor Merkel, working with the G-20 and other institutions internationally, we were able to stabilize the financial system, stabilize the US economy and return to growth.

Today we continue a never ending journey to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time.