To sum up, the position we took was that since we didn't know the internal situation in Iraq nor Saddam Hussein, that our best bet was to take counsel from the people who did know him and who did deal with him.

But the central point is that any campaign against Iraq, whatever the strategy, cost and risks, is certain to divert us for some indefinite period from our war on terrorism.

An idea can be as flawless as can be, but its execution will always be full of mistakes.

I'm afraid that the United States is more isolated today than at any other time in my memory.

I think there's nothing more dangerous than mislearning lessons of history, and we do it perpetually.

We have never recognized that Iran lives in a dangerous neighborhood. And it's not surprising that they want some protection. We have not been forthcoming about explaining a security relationship for the region, in which Iran can feel secure and thus maybe willing to do something.

The Russians are not going to do what we want them to do because we want them to do it.