We do have a saying in America: if you're in a hole, stop digging ..... erm, I'm not sure I should have said that.

Be yourself. Follow your instincts. Success depends, at least in part, on the ability to 'carry it off.'

Your performance depends on your people. Select the best, train them and back them. When errors occur, give sharper guidance. If errors persist or if the fit feels wrong, help them move on. The country cannot afford amateur hour in the White House.

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

If you look ahead 10 years, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the people of Russia had become fans of missile defence.

The dead-enders are still with us, those remnants of the defeated regimes who'll go on fighting long after their cause is lost.

Oh my goodness gracious, what you can buy off the Internet in terms of overhead photography. A trained ape can know an awful lot of what is going on in this world, just by punching on his mouse, for a relatively modest cost.