Quote

Don't automatically obey Presidential directives if you disagree or if you suspect he hasn't considered key aspects of the issue.

Donald Rumsfeld

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Donald Rumsfeld
Age: 88 †
Born: 1932
Born: July 9
Died: 2021
Died: June 29
Author
Businessperson
Diplomat
Former U.S. Secretary Of Defense
Military Officer
Politician
Chicago
Illinois
Donald Henry Rumsfeld
Hasn
Disagree
Presidential
Directives
Considered
Automatically
Issue
Suspect
Keys
Obey
Aspect
Suspects
Issues
Aspects

More quotes by Donald Rumsfeld

Image
The natural state of man is to want to be free. To have opportunities. To have choices.
Donald Rumsfeld
Image
And there is, I am certain, among the Iraqi people a respect for the care and the precision that went into the bombing campaign.
Donald Rumsfeld
Image
Do you have any regrets? Of course I do.
Donald Rumsfeld
Image
If there are people who yearn for the days when Saddam Hussein was in power, then I am not among them.
Donald Rumsfeld
Image
There are things that we know, and there are things that we don't know. Then there are the things that we don't even know that we don't know. Those are the things that are the hardest.
Donald Rumsfeld
Image
With the press there is no off the record.
Donald Rumsfeld
Image
Pieces of intelligence, scraps of intelligence...you run down leads and you run down leads, and you hope that sometimes it works.
Donald Rumsfeld
Image
It is very difficult to spend federal (the taxpayers') dollars so that the intended result is achieved.
Donald Rumsfeld
Image
There are a lot of things that are said by people in the military, or civilian life, or in the Congress, or in the Executive Branch, that are their views. And that's the way we live. We're a free people. And that's the wonderful thing about our country.
Donald Rumsfeld
Image
Inspectors do not have the duty or the ability to uncover terrible weapons hidden in a vast country. The responsibility of inspectors is simply to confirm evidence of voluntary and total disarmament. Saddam Hussein has the responsibility to provide that evidence, as directed, and in full
Donald Rumsfeld
Image
Success tends to go not to the person who is error-free, because he also tends to be risk-averse. Rather it goes to the person who recognizes that life is pretty much a percentage business. It isn't making mistakes that's critical it's correcting them and getting on with the principal task.
Donald Rumsfeld
Image
If you develop rules, never have more than ten.
Donald Rumsfeld
Image
I don't believe anyone that I know in the administration ever said that Iraq had nuclear weapons.
Donald Rumsfeld
Image
I'm glad you asked. It has nothing to do with oil, literally nothing to do with oil.
Donald Rumsfeld
Image
Don't speak ill of your predecessors or successors. You didn't walk in their shoes.
Donald Rumsfeld
Image
Napoleon was asked, Who do you consider to be the greatest generals? He responded saying, The victors.
Donald Rumsfeld
Image
Have a deputy and develop a successor. Don't be consumed by the job or you'll risk losing your balance. Keep your mooring lines to the outside world - family, friends, neighbors, people out of government, and people who may not agree with you.
Donald Rumsfeld
Image
... something under $50 billion for the cost. How much of that would be the U.S. burden, and how much would be other countries, is an open question.
Donald Rumsfeld
Image
They may have had time to destroy them, and I don't know the answer.
Donald Rumsfeld
Image
Is it likely that an aircraft carrier or a cruise missile is going to find a person?
Donald Rumsfeld