University politics make me long for the simplicity of the Middle East.

I don't see why we need to stand by and watch a country go communist due to the irresponsibility of its own people.

The important thing is to do the right thing. Then credibility will follow.

I don't stand on protocol. Just call me your Excellency.

When I first saw China, there were no automobiles. There were no supermarkets. There were no high-rise buildings. There were no consumer goods. There were no restaurants that were at least accessible that foreigners could see. It was a Stalinist society, and a very poor Stalinist society. So the economic system has totally changed, and the private sector in the economic system is now the dominant sector. It didn't exist at all as late as 1979.

People are now starting to explain the Cold War. Even in the crises at that time the survival of millions of people was at stake. And we (the USA) had to threaten the other super power with retaliation to prevent it from doing something to us. Today we live in a world in which a lot of things are in flux. That creates a lot of fear. But it is also a time of great opportunity. And I would call on today's statesmen to not allow their thinking to be directed by fear.

I believe in freedom of expression, and I believe that societies thrive when they permit freedom of expression.