Condoleezza Rice Quotations

Success is not assured, but America is resolute: this is the best chance for peace we are likely to see for some years to come - and we are acting to help Israelis and Palestinians seize this chance.

What you know today can affect what you do tomorrow. But what you know today cannot affect what you did yesterday.

The essence of America - that which really unites us - is not ethnicity, or nationality or religion - it is an idea - and what an idea it is: That you can come from humble circumstances and do great things.

The problem here is that there will always be some uncertainty about how quickly Saddam can acquire nuclear weapons. But we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud.

We needed to go back on the offense and offer clear leadership on Iraq.

But the truth of the matter is, we're an open society, we want to remain an open society, and there will continue to be vulnerability. That's why we have to meet the threats when they are not yet taking place on our territory and on our soil.

My mom was a teacher - I have the greatest respect for the profession - we need great teachers - not poor or mediocre ones.

We've been a country that's been fortunate to be protected by two oceans, to not have serious attacks on our territory for most of our history. And we were unfortunately reminded in a very devastating way of our vulnerability.

We will continue to work together in our common fight against terror.

So I think, if September 11 taught us anything, it taught us that we're vulnerable, and vulnerable in ways that we didn't fully understand.

There's no doubt that it's still a dangerous place, Afghanistan. The fortunate thing is that the United States was helping to provide security for Chairman Karzai. And it shows that the United States is committed to that regime.

I didn't run for student council president. I don't see myself in any way in elected office. I love policy. I'm not particularly fond of politics.

I don't think anybody can take the word of Saddam Hussein and his regime, and certainly an American president and allies who are obligated to worry about the safety and security of our countries, cannot take the word of this dictator, who lies, pathologically lies.

I'm saying there is no way that I will do this, because it's really not me. I know my strengths, and governor Romney needs to find someone who wants to run with him. There are many people who will do it very, very well, and I'll support the ticket.

Does anybody think these people were just sitting around drinking tea?

We need a common enemy to unite us.

We're in a new world. We're in a world in which the possibility of terrorism, married up with technology, could make us very, very sorry that we didn't act.

I talked about the need for American leadership, I talked about the importance of the United States to a more peaceful world, a world that has been quite turbulent in recent years, and needs a strong American anchor.

After all, when the world looks to America, they look to us because we are the most successful political and economic experiment in human history.

I will never forget the bright September day, standing at my desk in the White House, when my young assistant said that a plane had hit the World Trade Center - and then a second one - and a third, the Pentagon.

We are at war, and our security as a nation depends on winning that war.

But I want to just caution, it is not incumbent on the United States to prove that Saddam Hussein is trying to acquire weapons of mass destruction. He's already demonstrated that he's trying to acquire weapons of mass destruction.

The people of the Middle East share the desire for freedom. We have an opportunity - and an obligation - to help them turn this desire into reality.

Any time you have a situation in which you are calling for more time rather than calling for Iraq to immediately comply, it plays into the hands of Saddam Hussein.

We know that there are unaccounted-for Scud and other ballistic missiles in Iraq. And part of the problem is that, since 1998, there has been no way to even get minimal information about those programs except through intelligence means.

Well, there's been plenty of ultimatums, and one thing that we better be very clear is that we can't continue to have the kind of defiance of the United Nations, the defiance of the international community that we've had.

Our policies toward Iraq simply are to protect the region and to protect Iraq's people and neighbors.

Now, al Qaeda's on the run. Afghanistan is no longer a base of operations. The Afghan government is a friendly government that is trying to bring democracy to its people.

There was no silver bullet that could have prevented the 11 September attacks. There was nothing demonstrating or showing that something was coming in the United States. If there had been something, we would have acted on it.

It is high time that the international community tell Saddam Hussein and his regime that this is not an issue of negotiation with the U.N. about obligations that they undertook in 1991.

If we get a referral (of Iran) on September 19th, that will be good, but I think the issue of a referral is something that we'll be working for a while,

Nobody, especially the president, would have left people unattended on the basis of race.

No offer that can help alleviate the suffering of the people in the afflicted area will be refused,

Peter Jennings represented all that was best in journalism and public service. His reporting was a guide to all of us who aspire to better the world around us.

I have every reason to believe that the British are right about this. I trust the British on this issue. The British are operating in the south, they know the situation there.

Lebanon has to be free of foreign interference. This is an issue of national sovereignty for Lebanon, and Syria has to respect that,

We need China to be more active on this front ... and India as well.

Most people assume on the ground that it probably has passed,

made more heinous in that they deliberately targeted innocent civilians preparing for holiday celebrations.

set a revolution that made America face up to its birth defects.

I can tell you firmly and without any contradiction that this is a terrific list, a really good government, and we are very pleased with the names that have emerged.

Frankly, one of the problems that we face is that you have a bit of a relationship, or quite a relationship, between Cuba and Venezuela . . . which I think is a particular danger to the region.

I am certainly not worried about the rise of left-of-center governments,

for the United States to protect democracy and build democracy.

For this institution to become an engine of change in the 21st century it must now change itself,

For those critics to ignore their own past statements, exposes the hollowness of their current attacks.

I believe the title was 'Bin Laden Determined To Attack Inside the United States.'

I believe they are going to finish this, ... We are confident that they will complete this process and continue on the path toward elections for a permanent government at the end of the year.

What is clear is that it is highly unlikely that Iran is going to accede to the demands of the international community. In order to be credible the Security Council of course has to act.

If we abandon future generations in the Middle East to despair and terror, we also condemn future generations in the United States to insecurity and fear.

If those political conditions can come into place, then perhaps we can move forward.

He talked... about the cases of these American citizens and permanent residents and the importance of transparency, the importance of humanitarian considerations,

He will outline his vision of a Europe whole, free and at peace, and discuss Europe's and the United States's hard work and joint success in realizing the vision.

unfortunately on a path right now where relations are not improving, but are worsening.

John Bolton is personally committed to the future success of the United Nations, and he will be a strong voice for reform at a time when the United Nations has begun to reform itself to help meet the challenging agenda before the international community.

That Americans would somehow in a color-affected way decide who to help and who not to help, I just don't believe it.

I will say this, the longer that this goes on, however, the more damage that will be done to the U.S.-China relationship, whether we want it to or not,

I think that we will not get hung up on this statement (by Pyongyang), ... We will stick to the text of the Beijing (agreement) and I believe we can make progress if everybody sticks to what we agreed to.

It again shows that people will take innocent life without any remorse...Jordan, of course, has been a tremendous fighter and ally in the war on terror.

It is important that Russia make clear to the world that it is intent on strengthening the rule of law, strengthening the role of an independent judiciary, permitting a free and independent press to flourish,

Our views concerning Iran are very well known by this time, and we have communicated to the Indian government our concerns about gas pipeline cooperation between Iran and India,

Our strategy is to hold, clear and build,

Our task now is to build on the momentum of that withdrawal.

I think I can honestly say that without Ms. Parks, I would probably not be standing here today as (U.S.) secretary of State, ... made America face up to its greatest defect.

I think the jury is out on whether the North Koreans are serious.

It has been, after all, 11 years, more than a decade now, of defiance of U.N. resolutions by Saddam Hussein. Every obligation that he signed onto after the Gulf War, so that he would not be a threat to peace and security, he has ignored and flaunted.

It goes without saying the United States believes that in order to be credible the UN Security Council has to act.

I think we can't keep moving the bar for the Iraqis.

I talked in the past to him and my message was it is his responsibility as president of Lebanon to be concerned by the sovereignty of Lebanon.

tremendous opportunity to achieve real security and lasting democracy and true reconciliation in the Balkans.

to lead the region in promoting democracy, as it has done in pursuit of peace.

The President will take from his commanders their assessment of what the conditions permit, what Iraqi security forces are capable of doing, and then determine troop levels,

The president and I have asked John to do this work because he knows how to get things done. He is a tough-minded diplomat,

The president has always said that when he thought he could give a little impetus to what is going to be a very long and difficult process, he would do so. The president believes that this is a new opportunity for peace at the end of the war in Iraq and particularly with changes in the Palestinian leadership.

We have a long road ahead, a long road ahead. I have to say as a football fan, sometimes the last yard is the hardest, and I think we experienced that today.

will provide grants to help civil society strengthen the rule of law, to protect basic civil liberties and ensure greater opportunity for health and education.

We have affirmed our just demands of the Syrian government and made it clear that failure with these demands will lead to serious consequences from the international community,

We do have to be vigilant and to demonstrate that we know the difficulties that that government is causing for its neighbors. Those relationships are deeply concerning to us and to me. And we are very concerned about a democratically elected leader who governs in an illiberal way.

We recognize any policy will sometimes result in errors, and when it happens, we will do everything we can to rectify it.

We hope the Iranians will return to the table ... but one thing that is very clear is the Security Council is an option,

We really want to be ready to hit the ground running with this new government when it's ready to go.

We share a concern about events on the Korean Peninsula,

We very much would like to have a deal. We are continuing to work on it.

The proof, so to speak, will be in the pudding,

We're listening to them, but as far as broad-scale U.S. involvement in talks, I don't at this point see that that would be productive.

The fact that we're going out to have these discussions with the Iraqi leadership is a sign of the urgency which we attach to a need for a government of national unity.

We owe congratulations to the Iraqi people on achieving yet another step on their road to democracy ..., ... This is a remarkable story.

We were within international waters, we were within international airspace, when this incident occurred, ... An apology is not forthcoming.

We understand that the Israelis have to defend themselves. It's just extremely important that the Israelis also keep in mind the long view here.

We understand this is a transition and we think everybody else understands this is a transitional process.

What I tell student athletes is first of all, you've made good choices this far in order to be able to be in college and to be an athlete. Keep making good choices.

As secretary of state it's been an enormous honor to represent this great country that I love so much - I have really seen that our great strengths are in the ability of people to reach their potential here.

As Americans we like to believe that we're loved in international politics or that people like what we're doing. But we also recognize that we have an extraordinary responsibility to do what we think is right, and that sometimes what we do is not very popular.

Well, of course, all of the statistics say there are fewer eligible black men in my circle. But I've never thought of it that way. I believe that if the right person came into my life that would have been terrific.

There are many other arrows in our diplomatic quiver.

I'm a strong believer that you have to have an equal opportunity to fail and to try things that are hard. I always tell my students, "Don't just take things that are easy for you. If you're really good at math, don't take just math. Take classes that make you write. If you're a really great writer, but bad at math, take math and make yourself work your way through it."

We [The United States] believe the Iranian people want a future of freedom and human rights: the right to vote, to run for office, to express their views without fear and to pursue political causes. We would welcome the progress, prosperity and freedom of the Iranian people.

The United States is willing to exert strong leadership to give diplomacy its very best chance to succeed.

Everybody in the world is capable of democratic development. Some people in the world are unlucky enough to get stuck with really bad political leadership and with really bad political institutions.

I remember classes in college where the professor was espousing certain theories about how blacks were inherently less intelligent. But I learned a long time ago to give people the benefit of the doubt, not to assume that somebody was reacting to you because of race.