It is unknowable how long that conflict [the war in Iraq] will last. It could last six days, six weeks. I doubt six months.

You can have a broad popular democracy movement and have it end being taken over by the most vicious people and the result is you don't end up with free political systems or free economic systems, you end up with a handful of radicals controlling the country.

Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction.

When it comes to reconstruction, before we turn to the American taxpayer, we will turn first to the resources of the Iraqi government and the international community.

I would not say that the future is necessarily less predictable than the past. I think the past was not predictable when it started.

We never believed that we'd just tumble over weapons of mass destruction in that country.

Every president when he is elected has to live with the pluses and minuses his predecessor leaves, which includes benefits as well as burdens.