Institutions are imperfect. Governments surely are. People are.

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.

Politics or ideology must not get in the way of sound planning.

The recent wave of Taliban attacks has made clear that the international community must not waiver in its support for a stable, secure and prosperous Afghanistan.

No one person leads alone - can't do it, it's impossible. It doesn't make any sense. You need a team.

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

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