Syria is a civil war. Syria began as a popular uprising, just like the other experiences in the Arab Spring, with a repressive government that responded by basically killing the protesters. It's not a genocide, it's a war, and there's a difference. Genocide is a preplanned attack on people because of who they are. This is a interstate conflict.

We're well aware, and we have been for a long time, that there is a real threat from adversaries, state actors, non-state actors, to hack us, influence us, destroy stuff through cyber means. Because cyber threat has been understood for a while, it's longstanding, it's a concern.

I have a range, and I'd much rather do things the nice way than the hard way, but sometimes you have to use all the tools at your disposal.

Change doesn't happen with people sitting on their behinds, getting lazy.

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.

The kids are Job One. So, to be quite candid, if they need me, I do my utmost to make sure I'm there.

The youth thing never really, from my vantage point, slowed me down. I think the harder audience for me to gain acceptance from was the career diplomatic corps that worked with and for me in the Africa Bureau.