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We all hoped in 2001 that we could put in place an Afghan government under President Karzai that would be able to control the country, make sure al-Qaeda didn't come back, and make sure the Taliban wasn't resurging. It didn't work out.

Colin Powell

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Colin Powell
Age: 87
Born: 1937
Born: April 5
Diplomat
Former United States Secretary Of State
Politician
Soldier
New York City
New York
Colin Luther Powell
Work
President
Make
Didn
Would
Place
Afghan
Government
Hoped
Back
Als
Able
Wasn
Come
Control
Country
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I don't want to spend the rest of my life giving speeches.
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Politics is not bean bags. It's serious, tough stuff.
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Leaders have followers. The primary role of a leader is to convey to those followers a sense of purpose, vision, and mission.
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I have always gone through public life and saying that with respect to political candidates, I always measure each candidate against what I think the country needs at that time, and I will vote for the person I think who is most qualified to serve the nation at that time.
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Economy's got to get moving, we've got to get the unemployment rate down. That may be the defining issue of the campaign.
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Almost invariably, whoever doesn't win the argument is going to be unhappy.
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How often have we seen politicians take a principle position only to give it up three days later? That is what makes democracy so fascinating.
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I can think of nothing that Saddam Hussein can do diplomatically (to avoid war). I think that time is now over. He's had his chance, he has had many chances over the last 12 years and he has blown every one of those chances.
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Give me the right people and I don’t much care what organization you give me. Good things will happen. Give me the wrong people and it doesn’t matter what you do with the organization. Bad things will happen.
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In other words, don't expect to always be great. Disappointments, failures and setbacks are a normal part of the lifecycle of a unit or a company and what the leader has to do is constantly be up and say 'we have a problem, let's go and get it'.
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Look for intelligence and judgment and, most critically, a capacity to anticipate, to see around corners. Also look for loyalty, integrity, a high energy drive, a balanced ego and the drive to get things done.
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Good leaders must know how to reward those who succeed and know when to retrain, move, or fire ineffective staff.
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My responsibility, our responsibility as lucky Americans, is to try to give back to this country as much as it has given us, as we continue our American journey together.
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The Court is perhaps one of the last citadels of jealously preserved individualism. For the most part, we function as nine, small independent law firms.
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When we have dealt with bin Laden and his network we will then broaden the campaign to go after other terrorists all around the world.
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Once the information is in the 40 to 70 range, go with your gut.
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Diplomacy never stops, and, with or without an election, it never stops.
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