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If you foul up, tell the President and correct it fast. Delay only compounds mistakes.

Donald Rumsfeld

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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
Correct
Mistakes
Fast
Mistake
President
Tell
Compounds
Foul
Delay

More quotes by Donald Rumsfeld

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Don't 'over-control' like a novice pilot. Stay loose enough from the flow that you can observe it, modify, and improve it.
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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.
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There will be good moments, and there will be less good moments.
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Most of the 50 or so invitations you receive each week come from people inviting the President's Chief of Staff, not you. If you doubt that, ask your predecessor how many he received last week.
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Secretary Powell and I agree on every single issue that has ever been before this administration except for those instances where Colin's still learning.
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Never assume the other fellow will not do something you wouldn't do.
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A few. . . critics are the only people I ever heard use the phrase 'imminent threat.' I didn't, the president didn't.
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I believe what I said yesterday. I don't know what I said, but I know what I think and I assume it's what I said.
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Don't be a bottleneck. If a matter is not a decision for the President or you, delegate it. Force responsibility down and out. Find problem areas, add structure and delegate. The pressure is to do the reverse. Resist it.
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I think it's very useful for you folks (reporters) to try your damndest to be precise. And don't repeat things that are inaccurate if you can possibly avoid it. And when you see things that are inaccurate, knock them down -- because there's a bucket of it floating around.
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No. That's someone else's business. Quagmire is - I don't do quagmires.
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Keep your sense of humor. As General Joe Stillwell said, 'The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of his behind'.
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If you develop rules, never have more than ten.
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Is it likely that an aircraft carrier or a cruise missile is going to find a person?
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Don't necessarily avoid sharp edges. Occasionally they are necessary to leadership.
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Don't speak ill of your predecessors or successors. You didn't walk in their shoes.
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Every country should be tired of going to war. War is a terrible thing. If I had been in Congress, as much as I would be inclined naturally to be supportive of a president, any president, I would have voted no, had the issue come to a vote.
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The purpose of terrorism is to terrorize. It's to change the behavior of the people that are being terrorized.
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Let your family, staff, and friends know that you're still the same person, despite all the publicity and notoriety that accompanies your position.
Donald Rumsfeld
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Arguments of convenience lack integrity and inevitably trip you up.
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