In 2003, at the time I made my "Old Europe" comment, the center of gravity in NATO and Europe had long since shifted to the East. With the former Warsaw Pact countries joining NATO, the alliance has a different mix today. Some people were sensitive about my comment because they thought it was a pejorative way of highlighting demographic realities. Apparently they felt it pointed a white light at a weakness in Europe - an aging population. Europe has come some distance since World War II in becoming Europe.

Five days or five months, but it certainly isn't going to last longer.

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

There are people who in large measure have information that we need . . . so that we can track down the weapons of mass destruction in that country.

Think ahead. Don't let day-to-day operations drive out planning.

Have a deputy and develop a successor. Don't be consumed by the job or you'll risk losing your balance. Keep your mooring lines to the outside world - family, friends, neighbors, people out of government, and people who may not agree with you.

No. That's someone else's business. Quagmire is - I don't do quagmires.