Those who warned that Gorbachev was being put under too much pressure were wrong.

Imagine if the United States, in its war against Hitler, had said to Stalin: we don't want your support until you make your country democratic.

When did America forget that it's America?

If you have to fight an enemy at a critical point in time, and you have an ally who happens to be a dictator, you don't say: Let's stop fighting right now, because you're not a democrat. That would be ridiculous.

By focusing once and for all on helping the Palestinians build a free society, I have no doubt that an historic compromise between Israelis and Palestinians can be reached and that peace can prevail.

Free societies are societies in which the right of dissent is protected.

Believe me, the drug of freedom is universally potent.