Open political and economic systems have been gaining ground and there's a good reason for it. They work better.

Before you get mugged by reality, take out an insurance policy. It's the Reagan way.

Between 1980 and 1990, the number of countries that were classified as 'free' or 'mostly free' increased by about 50%.

If they are too big to fail, make them smaller.

We have struggled with terrorism for a long time. In the Reagan administration, I was a hawk on the subject. I said terrorism is a big problem, a different problem, and we have to take forceful action against it. Fortunately, Ronald Reagan agreed with me, but not many others did.

Increasingly, the state system has been eroding. Terrorists have exploited this weakness by burrowing into the state system in order to attack it.

I think the idea that you would do everything you can to prevent what is coming at you by way of something very disruptive - a 9/11 - it's a no-brainer.