Donald Rumsfeld Quotes - Page 4

You're thinking of Europe as Germany and France. I don't. I think that's old Europe.

The price of being close to the President is delivering bad news. You fail him if you don't tell him the truth. Others won't do it.

Prune - prune businesses, products, activities, people. Do it annually.

Public servants are paid to serve the American people. Do it well.

Don't blame the boss. He has enough problems.

What is needed [to combat terrorism], in my view, is resolve, not retreat; courage, not concession. Rather than thinking in terms of an exit strategy, focus on a strategy for success.

No terror state poses a greater or more immediate threat to the security of our people and the stability of the world than the regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq.

Many people around the President have sizeable egos before entering government, some with good reason. Their new positions will do little to moderate their egos.

Napoleon was asked, "Who do you consider to be the greatest generals?" He responded saying, "The victors.

The natural state of man is to want to be free. To have opportunities. To have choices.

Freedom's untidy, and free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things.

Test ideas in the marketplace. You learn from hearing a range of perspectives. Consultation helps engender the support decisions need to be successfully implemented.

Leave the President's family business to him. You will have plenty to do without trying to manage the First Family. They are likely to do fine without your help.

We don't seek empires.We're not imperialistic.

Be able to resign. It will improve your value to the President and do wonders for your performance.

Know that the amount of criticism you receive may correlate somewhat to the amount of publicity you receive.

We know where they are [Iraq's weapons of mass destruction]. They're in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad and east, west, south and north somewhat.

Control your time. If you're working off your in-box, you're working off the priorities of others. Be sure the staff is working on what you move to them from the President, or the President will be reacting, not leading.

I am going to leave the future of Europe to the Europeans.

Our goal is to defend the American people, and to eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, and to liberate the Iraqi people.

NATO member states vary dramatically in their capability and in their political steadfastness.

Beware when any idea is promoted primarily because it is "bold, exciting, innovative, and new." There are many ideas that are "bold, exciting, innovative and new," but also foolish.

And there is, I am certain, among the Iraqi people a respect for the care and the precision that went into the bombing campaign.

Arguments of convenience lack integrity and inevitably trip you up.

America is not what's wrong with the world.