In 2012, General Dempsey, General Petraeus directed the CIA, Secretary Panetta and Secretary Clinton recommended to the president to robustly arm and train the Syrian moderates. He says no. In 2013, conduct a military strike, same national security team, against the Assad regime because he violated the chemical red line. He says no.
The Taliban has not, in my judgment, in any significant way changed their fundamental goal and objective, which is to take over Afghanistan and return to running that country. It doesn't mean that we shouldn't have negotiation talks with them. I think we should. But we've got to be clear-eyed about it.
My involvement with Guantanamo began as vice chief of staff.
The thing I have in common with Donald Trump is, about a dozen years ago, we got a 'Man of the Year' award in New York City, the Hotel Plaza, from the USO.
I read people; that's one of my strengths. It's not that I can't be fooled, but I'm not fooled often.
Russia and China completely disagree with the international order that was established after World War II, and they're trying to take it apart right before our eyes.
ISIS is on the offense, with the ability to attack at will, anyplace, anytime.
The Arab Spring, nobody's in the streets demonstrating for radical Islam; they're in the streets with a window of democracy. They want our political reform, our social justice, and our economic opportunity.
In 2005 in Iraq, the constitution was written. A new government was elected. That government was trying to take office in 2006.
Historically, aggression unanswered has led to more aggression.
Aircraft are always going to be something that terrorists are interested in because you bring down an airliner, you have drawn the world's attention.
In my own mind, it is profoundly disappointing to see what has occurred in Iraq given the sacrifice of our troops, given our commitment to removing Saddam Hussein and putting in place a fledgling government that would have a chance for a stable, secure Iraq.
I have a close association with Gen. Petraeus... What you get in Dave Petraeus is a very unique officer, a combination of intelligence, extraordinary depth of knowledge and understanding.
I'm a New York kid, so when I saw that plane that hit the first building, I suspected it was terrorism - blue sky day.
Yes, we need a force to continue to train, assist, advise the Iraqi army.
Sometimes, our expectations of being all-knowing is somewhat unrealistic. At the end of the day, there are people out there who mean harm to us, are thinking about doing harm to us and motivated to do it, and we don't know what that is.
The only people that have ever fought ISIS in Syria is not the regime; it is the Free Syrian Army.
On a professional side, you've got a tough problem to fix, Geoff Miller's going to do it, and he's always going to do it to very high standards, and he's always going to be on the side of right. He's always talking about 'what right looks like' - just a phrase he would always use.
United States and our allied partners need to wake up. ISIS is at war with us and civilization.
If you took ISIS' oil, that would not stop them. It's not their only source of revenue. It would be a setback, but it would not stop them.
