It is not a matter of what is true that counts, but a matter of what is perceived to be true.

For my generation the relationship with Europe was the central point of American foreign policy. Even during my time in government there was disagreement, sometimes very strong disagreement. But they were all like arguments within a family. I am not sure if the generation which doesn't have these experiences has the same view of things.

If peace is equated simply with the absence of war, it can become abject pacifism that turns the world over to the most ruthless.

It is always easy to divide the world into idealists and power-oriented people. The idealists are presumed to be the noble people, and the power-oriented people are the ones that cause all the world's trouble.

You should not go to war for the privilege of withdrawal. You need to define your objective and the outcome, and it cannot be the removal of one man.

If we do what is necessary, all the odds are in our favor.

Now when I bore people at a party they think it's their fault.