We are a nation of laws, and we will always act within the bounds of the law.

Throughout my career, I had the great fortune to experience firsthand as well as to witness what it means to be a CIA officer.

Unfortunately, in war, there are casualties, including among the civilian population.

We are a nation of laws, and we will always act within the bounds of the law.

Why should a great and powerful nation like the United States allow its relationship with more than a billion Muslims around the world to be defined by the narrow hatred and nihilistic actions of an exceptionally small minority of Muslims?

President Obama is determined that our foreign and national security policies not play into al-Qa'ida's strategy or its warped ideology. Al-Qa'ida seeks to terrorize us into retreating from the world stage. But President Obama has made it a priority to renew American leadership in the world, strengthening our alliances and deepening partnerships.

I'm not ideological. I think sometimes when people are ideological, the world's a lot easier. Because it falls into either right or wrong, or black or white, or whatever. To me, I'm still trying to figure out a lot of things.