I think if NATO haven't expanded, we would have a no-man's zone between the E.U. and NATO and Russia, and that would be very dangerous.

The United States wants to be part of the solution to its problems and not, in part, the maker of their problems.

In Iraq we must succeed. Failure is not an option.

The Israeli-Palestinian problem becomes very acute with Gaza dominated by Hamas. With the possibility of the conflict escalating, not only in terms of Gaza but also the Hezbollah and Lebanon, with the continuing crisis in Iraq, which is very dynamic and unpredictable and which could get out of hand, and maybe even escalate and enlarge.

Indeed, for almost 10 years, Moscow had to carry on a war in Afghanistan, unsupportable by the government, a conflict that brought about the demoralization and finally the breakup of the Soviet empire.

To resolve conflicts, excessive ambitions and one's own fears and aspirationis must be sacrificed.

Without Ukraine, Russia's imperial aspirations are essentially nostalgia, but it's not a real policy.