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

If you represent everyone, in some ways you represent no one. You're un-owned.

You've got to deploy serious political assets around a plan [in Darfur]. And the George W.] Bush administration has never had a plan. Ever. The Europeans don't want to do anything, saying, "The Americans are in charge of that." And in fact the Americans are in charge of naming it and bringing these resolutions every few weeks to the Security Council.

American decision-makers must understand how damaging a foreign policy that privileges order and profit over justice really is in the long term.

The U.S. government engages with many countries around the world in official dialogues on human rights.

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

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.