Share
×
Inspirational Quotes
Authors
Professions
Topics
Tags
Quote
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.
Donald Rumsfeld
Share
Change background
T
T
T
Change font
Original
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
Courage
Exit
Needed
Retreat
Views
Combat
Focus
Resolve
Term
Terrorism
Rather
Strategy
Success
Terms
Concession
Thinking
View
Concessions
More quotes by Donald Rumsfeld
The natural state of man is to want to be free. To have opportunities. To have choices.
Donald Rumsfeld
When you raise issues with the President, try to come away with both that decision and also a precedent. Pose issues so as to evoke broader policy guidance. This can help to answer a range of similar issues likely to arise later.
Donald Rumsfeld
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
Don't divide the world into 'them' and 'us.' Avoid infatuation with or resentment of the press, the Congress, rivals, or opponents. Accept them as facts. They have their jobs and you have yours.
Donald Rumsfeld
When cutting staff at the Pentagon, don't eliminate the thin layer that assures civilian control.
Donald Rumsfeld
When starting at the bottom, be willing to learn from those at the top.
Donald Rumsfeld
Our task, your task... is to try to connect the dots before something happens. People say, 'Well, where's the smoking gun?' Well, we don't want to see a smoking gun from a weapon of mass destruction.
Donald Rumsfeld
Be able to resign. It will improve your value to the President and do wonders for your performance.
Donald Rumsfeld
Don't 'over-control' like a novice pilot. Stay loose enough from the flow that you can observe it, modify, and improve it.
Donald Rumsfeld
The United States isn't going to do anything that it's not capable of doing. And if we do something, we'll be capable of doing it.
Donald Rumsfeld
You might be a cunning linguist, but I am a master debater.
Donald Rumsfeld
Be precise. A lack of precision is dangerous when the margin of error is small.
Donald Rumsfeld
I don't believe anyone that I know in the administration ever said that Iraq had nuclear weapons.
Donald Rumsfeld
When business accepts help from the government, it can be like going to bed with a hippopotamus. It's nice and warm for the moment, but then your bedmate rolls over and crushes you.
Donald Rumsfeld
[on Osama bin Laden] He is either alive and well or alive and not too well or not alive.
Donald Rumsfeld
I think we ought to have a new rule: You can ask two questions, and then we can pick the one we want to answer.
Donald Rumsfeld
Remember where you came from.
Donald Rumsfeld
If you can't solve a problem, make it bigger.
Donald Rumsfeld
Being Vice President is difficult. Don't make it tougher.
Donald Rumsfeld
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
