We [the USA] do have a big nation's problem. We have the problem of a nation that's got two oceans, oceans on either side. People come from all across the globe and want to live here and they want to work here and they want to invest here. And that's a good thing. And they make up this country. But as a people, we [americans] are not highly skilled in languages. We're not highly skilled in knowledge of other cultures. And that's a problem.

The price of being close to the President is delivering bad news. You fail him if you don't tell him the truth. Others won't do it.

A terrorist can attack any time, any place using any technique and you can't defend everywhere against every technique at every moment.

There are a lot of things that are said by people in the military, or civilian life, or in the Congress, or in the Executive Branch, that are their views. And that's the way we live. We're a free people. And that's the wonderful thing about our country.

Public servants are paid to serve the American people. Do it well.

Don't automatically obey Presidential directives if you disagree or if you suspect he hasn't considered key aspects of the issue.

The purpose of terrorism is to terrorize. It's to change the behavior of the people that are being terrorized.