If the [Republican] party wants to have an ideological debate, it's never going to win anything in a major way.

A great power has to have the discipline not only to go when necessary but to know when not to go. Getting involved in ethnic, religious civil wars is a recipe for disaster.

Let me just suggest to everybody, and I hear - last February [2015], I said we needed to have people on the ground in a coalition with Europe and our allies. This is not going to get done just by working with the Sunnis. And it is not going to get done if we just embed a few people.

I am told that the Saudis have organized 34 countries who want to join in the battle against terrorism.

To put all of your eggs in one basket is silly.

These are serious matters, and we can never let up on these sanctions [against Russia].

Politics can not only be drudgery and Captain Queeg with the balls in his hands.