Another argument holds that opposing Saddam Hussein would cause even greater troubles in that part of the world, and interfere with the larger war against terror. I believe the opposite is true.

The issue is that [Saddam] has chemical weapons.

I have not suggested there's a connection between Iraq and 9/11, but there's clearly an established Iraqi track record with terror.

As a former secretary of defense, I think Donald Rumsfeld is the best secretary of defense the United States has ever had.

We need, from time to time, to use military force or all of the resources at our command in order to defend the nation and defend our friends. Sometimes, that requires us to take actions that generate controversy. I think there are probably some who actually believe, if we just go talk nice to these folks, everything is going to be OK. I don't think the world works that way.

You really do think about it institutionally; this is your job, and to some extent you benefit from having a job to do at a moment like this. You have things that you have to make happen. And you don't have time for the emotional reaction that might otherwise occur if somebody was just sitting there watching these events unfold and had no responsibilities.

The Iraqi forces are conducting the Mother of all Retreats.