I am convinced that America's great sea of goodwill can be, in fact, a rising tide, a tide that could lift every veteran and every family of our wounded and fallen.

Don't try to run your life through a single straw. Someone, some event, will cut it off.

Every Sailor has the potential to lead," said Mullen, "I don't care if it's a seaman recruit or someone higher ranking than myself. Where there's a will, there's a way.

I'd have no problem serving under any president.

We think we're near energy independence - nothing could be further from the truth. We're in much better shape now, but the price of a barrel of oil is going to be controlled by the Middle East for the next 10, 20, 30 years for sure.

We can't kill our way to victory, and no armed force anywhere - no matter how good - can deliver these keys alone. It requires teamwork and cooperation.

In every war at some point in time, you do sit down and negotiate.