I'm the first secretary of defense that's had to deal with sequestration. I've prepared two budgets that deal with sequestration. And you bring the chiefs together, the leadership of this enterprise together, to work through, how do we then take these cuts? Where do we apply those cuts? Readiness is the first thing that suffers.

Peace comes through dealing with people. Peace doesn't come at the end of a bayonet or the end of a gun.

[Sheehan] deserves some consideration, and I think that should have been done right from the beginning.

The United States can't impose democracies. We can't impose our will. The Russians found that out in Afghanistan.

I have said many times that Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism.

I'm not saying my idea is the one and only idea. We should have other ideas, but the president has not laid down a specific plan as to how he's going to get us to solvency. I do that.

Palestinians caged up like animals.