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Washington is like a self-sealing tank on a military aircraft. When a bullet passes through, it closes up.

Dean Acheson

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Dean Acheson
Age: 78 †
Born: 1893
Born: April 11
Died: 1971
Died: October 12
Diplomat
Former United States Secretary Of State
Lawyer
Politician
Middletown
Connecticut
Dean Gooderham Acheson
Self
Aircraft
Like
Tanks
Bullets
Passes
Washington
Sealing
Military
Closes
Politics
Tank
Political
Bullet

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I will undoubtedly have to seek what is happily known as gainful employment, which I am glad to say does not describe holding public office.
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Between 9 and 10 AM the American radio is concerned almost exclusively with love. It seems a little like ending breakfast with a stiff bourbon.
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Great Britain has lost an Empire and not yet found a role. The attempt to playa separate power rolethat is, a role apart from Europe, based on a special relationship with the United States, on being the head of the Commonwealthis about to be played out. Her Majesty's Government is now attempting, wisely in my opinion, to re-enter Europe.
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Great Britain has lost an Empire and has not yet found a role.
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Americans assume Canada to be bestowed as a right and accept this bounty, as they do air, without thought or appreciation.
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How could the USA champion individual freedom in the world generally while denying it to an important minority in its own country.
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The greatest mistake I made was not to die in office.
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If we learn the art of yielding what must be yielded to the changing present, we can save the best of the past.
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Controversial proposals, once accepted, soon become hallowed.
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The first requirement of a statesman is that he be dull.
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[President Truman] was free of the greatest vice in a leader, his ego never came between him and his job.
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The test for aid to poor nations is therefore whether it makes them capable of being productive. If it fails to do so, it is likely to make them even poorer in the - not so very - long run.
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To leave positions of great responsibility and authority is to die a little, but the time comes when that must be faced.
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The great corrupter of public men is the ego - corrupter because distracter. Wealth, sensuality, power cannot hold a candle to it. Looking in the mirror distracts one's attention from the problem.
Dean Acheson
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I doubt very much if a man whose main literary interests were in works by Mr. Zane Grey, admirable as they may be, is particularly equipped to be the chief executive of this country, particularly where Indian Affairs are concerned.
Dean Acheson
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The defensive perimeter [of the United States in East Asia] runs along the Aleutians to Japan and then goes to the Ryukyus.
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No people in history have ever survived who thought they could protect their freedom by making themselves inoffensive to their enemies.
Dean Acheson
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You can't argue with a river, it isgoing to flow.You can dam it up?put it to useful purposes?deflect it, but you can't argue with it.
Dean Acheson
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No man comes out of his own memorandum of conversation looking second best.
Dean Acheson
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Brains are no substitute for judgement.
Dean Acheson