As I've thought about gay marriage, I don't see any reason not to say that [couples] should be able to get married.

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.

Look at the world. There is no pure competitor to the United States of America.

Good and solid analysis and a formal way of looking at a problem [are the core ingredients of good decisions].

That's why the army sends all its future generals to what we call "charm school." As soon as you are a general, people think that you know everything. You think yourself that you have become omniscient and omnipotent. Be careful, because people want to do everything they can to please the general, and you need to guard against this.

Don't let your ego get too close to your position, so that if your position gets shot down, your ego doesn't go with it.

Have a vision. Be demanding.