Re-examining our reasoning is not something that has come naturally to American statesmen.

When I wake up in the middle of the night when I hear one of my kids coughing or crying, I think about Syria.

President Reagan, of course, did more than any other person to entrench the Republican reputation for toughness on national security.

I tell young people: If you make a job choice on the basis of something other than your nose or your gut, it's unlikely to work out.... It's perilous to look ahead and be like, "I'd like to be ambassador." I would never have gone to Bosnia or spent years writing about genocide. Do it on the basis of what you can learn.... It's like falling in love. Your whole dating life, you're thinking, On the one hand, on the other hand. Then you meet the right guy, and you're not in list-making mode; you're just with the person you're supposed to be with. Jobs are like that too.

From Richard Holbrooke - and I miss him every day - I learned two things. One, prioritization: Never take your eye off the longer-term reforms. The other thing is, he was a hell of a schmoozer! So I should take advantage of my Irish love of beer and gift of the gab, and build relationships. That's a cherished part of the job, asking someone, "How did you get to be the Rwandan ambassador?" I try to take advantage of the fact that I hope to be here at least until the president's term ends getting to know my colleagues.

I think Obama is right when he talks about the rule of law as a cornerstone of what the United States should stand for.

We know that often holding those who have carried out mass atrocities accountable is at times our best tool to prevent future atrocities.