Sandy Berger Quotations

In international affairs, you never threaten things you're not prepared to do.

There's been a deliberate and systematic effort to convey to countries around the world, friends and foes, that if they cross the United States there's a price to pay.

My actions . . . were wrong. They were foolish. I deeply regret them, and I have every day since. I let considerations of personal convenience override clear rules of handling classified material.

I don't expect them to change their views, and they shouldn't expect us to change our views. The issue is how we work together in spite of that.

Given the increasingly competitive global marketplace, successful companies require a sophisticated and up-to-date understanding of trends and events, their likely impact and the choices they face. We provide that essential perspective and the ability to help shape and execute results-oriented strategies.

I am sure the room will be nicely chilled.

I don't think you will need air conditioning, notwithstanding the fact that its going to be a June summit,

I think that is both because of the physical damage to the camps and because of the obvious vulnerability of those camps,

It is one I deeply regret. I dealt with this issue in October 2003, fully and completely. Everything that I have done all along in this process has been for the purpose of aiding and supporting the work of the 9/11 commission and any suggestion to the contrary is simply, absolutely wrong.

I think it's appropriate the trip continue ... and I wouldn't speculate on any other scenario,

We can proceed to develop the options on missile defense on a much more measured timetable which allows China and our allies like Australia to have a greater degree of input.

We're certainly not going to impose ourselves in a situation where one of the parties does not believe that's the right course of action,

We are receiving extraordinary cooperation from the government of Yemen,

There is no question in my mind that the Sudanese factory was producing chemicals that can be used in VX gas,

We believe that Pope's conviction was unjustifiable and wrong,

There have been incidents today, and we just need to encourage (and) press the parties to do everything to try to bring this under control,

The president hopes that his presence here, his private conversations and his public dialogue with the people here, will remind them what's at stake.

We had specific information which led us to the conclusion that traveling to the village was inadvisable.

Saddam Hussein can't dictate who the inspectors are. It's like the bank robber saying he gets to choose the police.

(Saddam) will rebuild his arsenal of weapons of mass destruction and some day, some way, I am certain he will use that arsenal again, as he has 10 times since 1983

America has a unique role. When our national interests are involved, if we don't lead, very often things don't happen.

The president's trip has intensified the pace of discussions among the parties and between the governments, and I think that's good,

We have to be very careful. The United States can't do everything. We can't be everywhere and we shouldn't. We have to make sure that our own national interests are involved.

This is an unfinished business. This is a part of the old chapter in our relationship that we cannot close.

I let considerations of personal convenience override clear rules of handling classified material. I believe this lapse, serious as it is, does not reflect the character of myself.

Sure, after Bush took office, the Administration could have acted upon the intelligence provided by Able Danger, but if the information was buried, then they probably weren't even aware of it.

We were poised to take military action, and we remain poised to take military action,

The release of Wang Dan suggests that our continuing drumbeat on the subject of human rights does have an impact, ... Both the president and others who have been engaged in this are enormously pleased by Wang Dan's release.

Rarely do schools acknowledge the power of peer culture in defining standards, and rarely do they take advantage of this power as an engine for quality. When students themselves are in charge of projects that they care about, peer pressure can become a powerful force for high standards.

He will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten times since 1983.

Imagine the consequences if Saddam fails to comply and we fail to act. Saddam will be emboldened, believing the international community has lost its will. He will rebuild his arsenal of weapons of mass destruction. And some day, some way, I am certain, he will use that arsenal again, as he has ten times since 1983.

In the 21st Century, the community of nations may see more and more of this very kind of threat that Iraq poses now - a rogue state with biological and chemical weapons. If we fail to respond, Saddam and all those who follow will believe that they can threaten the security of a vital region with impunity. But if we act now as one, we will send a clear message to would-be tyrants and terrorists that we will do what it takes to protect our security and our freedom in this new era.

Dealing with the threat that Secretaries Albright and Cohen have described, the threat from Saddam Hussein, demands constant resolve by the United States and by the international community; and at times, action. As long as he remains in power, we must be prepared to respond firmly to reckless actions that threaten the region and our interests. We've done that successfully over this decade.

For the last eight years, American policy toward Iraq has been based on the direct threat Saddam poses to international security. That threat is clear. Saddam's history of aggression leaves little doubt that he would resume his drive for regional domination and his quest for weapons of mass destruction if he had the chance.

[Saddam] Hussein maintains an active and aggressive nuclear weapons program.

I believe that a nuclear Iraq can change its fundamental dynamic, affecting how others behave - toward us and toward allies such as Israel - and emboldening Saddam Hussein to believe, rightly or wrongly, that he can attack his neighbors and, because of his nuclear capability, we will hesitate.

I believe Saddam Hussein's strategic objective was, and remains, to assert dominance over the Gulf region.

The possibility that Saddam Hussein will use his biological and chemical weapons to attack us, directly or in concert with terrorists, cannot be dismissed.

We know Saddam Hussein possesses chemical weapons - he has for nearly 20 years as we know only so well from his use of them against his own people and the Iranians. He has deadly stockpiles of biological weapons.

It's not by accident that this has not been resolved in 50 years, but I believe this is the best chance we will have for a long time for there to be a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.