In this day and age, the U.S. and Europe do not have the luxury of focusing solely on a single region.

I'm sort of in this rhythm where we want to make the most of the time we have, but when it's done it will be time for it to be done.

I'm apologetic when I feel like I've made a mistake. And when I have done a disservice to myself or someone else. But I don't feel a need to apologize for doing or saying something that I think needs to be said, just because it may not sit comfortably with somebody else.

Can I be blunt? Yes. Can I be diplomatic? Yes. Can I concoct a mixture of vinegar and honey when the circumstances warrant? Yes.

I have been to Libya and walked the streets of Benghazi myself.

If you're trying to get something done, there will always be people who don't want to see you get something done, or who have a stake in the status quo. And if they approach that through ad hominem criticism of you, you've got to have enough confidence and thickness of skin to be able to endure.

Nobody's tried to touch my hair in like, in decades.