We all hoped in 2001 that we could put in place an Afghan government under President Karzai that would be able to control the country, make sure al-Qaeda didn't come back, and make sure the Taliban wasn't resurging. It didn't work out.

Nobody is ready to leave Iraq to be interviewed.

We are not dictating. We are not telling them [Saudi Arabia] how they should do it or who they should look like. We are their friends. We have mutual interests and we will help them in any way that is possible.

Being in charge sometimes means making people mad. Some days you have to overrule even the best advice, because you think it is not right.

Another rule I have is: Don't let your ego get tied up in a policy dispute. Otherwise, if things don't go your way, you can end up breaking a relationship with somebody with whom you can't afford to break.

You can't make someone else's choices. You shouldn't let someone else make yours.

Pissing people off doesn't mean you're doing the right things, but doing the right things will almost inevitably piss people off.