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.

The truth is, we live in deeds, not days; in actions and thoughts and feelings, not heartbeats.

I worry a little bit about - quote - "regime change." We haven't had a great deal of success with that in years. That's just really difficult.

I think the central mission in Afghanistan right now is to protect the people, certainly, and that would be inclusive of everybody, and that in a, in an insurgency and a counterinsurgency, that's really the center of gravity.

Our people sacrifice a lot for their country, including their lives. None of them should have to sacrifice their integrity as well.

It has been a little surprising to me, anyway, is to find out through media that there actually have been several chemical attacks recently. Now, with some belief on my part, and I think a lot of people, that we thought we got rid of the chemical weapons with the regime that President Obama and President Putin put in place.

I'd have no problem serving under any president.