We will use all lawful tools at our disposal, and that includes authorities under the renewed PATRIOT Act. We firmly believe that our intelligence gathering tools must enable us to collect the information we need to protect the American people.
John O. BrennanI go to bed at night worrying that I didn't do enough that day to make sure I protect the American people.
John O. BrennanThe preservation of our national security and the laws that define us as the United States of America demand that we understand the intersection of the two - indeed, how they reinforce one another.
John O. BrennanBy the time President Obama took office, Guantรกnamo was viewed internationally as a symbol of a counterterrorism approach that flouted our laws and strayed from our values, undercutting the perceived legitimacy - and therefore the effectiveness - of our efforts.
John O. BrennanYou always, I think, debate with yourself about whether or not you made the right decision. And you have to then give the person that youโre working for - in my instance, the president - your best judgment based on your understanding of the facts, but also the calculus you use to make a determination about whatโs the best way to go forward.
John O. BrennanA lot of things look good on an academic's blackboard in terms of the actions that need to be taken. It's almost like a football coach, when you draw the X's and O's: Every play that is chalked on that board goes for a touchdown. Well, there are a lot of yards to be made between the line of scrimmage and the touchdown.
John O. Brennan