First, recognize the mistake. The main thing is taking responsibility and being authentic.

When it came to the Vietnam War, Mr. McNamara was an early advocate of escalation but came to realize the flaws in the American approach earlier than many of his colleagues. Yet in public, he continued to defend the war.

What is most needed in Darfur is an international peacekeeping and protection presence, and this is what the Sudanese government most wants to avoid.

Silence in the face of atrocity is not neutrality; silence in the face of atrocity is acquiescence.

Democracies are expense-averse and they think in terms of short-term, political interests rather than a long-term interest in stability.

Success is not about who never fails. It is about who can spring - or even stagger - back up.

Over the years, Western governments have been criticized for working with foreign police who have proved abusive or corrupt.