Fateful moments tend to evoke grandeur of speech, especially in French.

The fact of being reported increases the apparent extent of a deplorable development by a factor of ten.

If power corrupts, weakness in the seat of power, with its constant necessity of deals and bribes and compromising arrangements,corrupts even more.

To be right and overruled is not forgiven to persons in responsible positions.

In April 1917 the illusion of isolation was destroyed, America came to the end of innocence, and of the exuberant freedom of bachelor independence. That the responsibilities of world power have not made us happier is no surprise. To help ourselves manage them, we have replaced the illusion of isolation with a new illusion of omnipotence.

When the gap between ideal and real becomes too wide, the system breaks down.

Arguments can always be found to turn desire into policy.