Always focus on the front windshield and not the review mirror.

There is no suggestion of regime change; quite the contrary, this is an initiative to help people and to help governments who are inclined toward change.

Have a vision. Be demanding.

With vision only, you get no follow-through. With enforcers only, the vision is realized but leaves a lot of wreckage.

I think the American people want to see what we want to see, and that is for the Iraqi people to have a free, open, fair election, for their forces to be built up, for our reconstruction money to be used well, and for Iraqi security forces to take over so we can start bringing our troops home.

I have always held the view that decisive force should be used in addressing a military conflict. The reason is simple: Why wouldn't you, if you could?

The ties that bind us are stronger than the occasional stresses that separate us.