I don't get into the book-telling business of conversations I have with the president. That's not my style, and I don't think that's a responsible thing to do. Chuck Hagel More Quotes by Chuck Hagel More Quotes From Chuck Hagel Politics or ideology must not get in the way of sound planning. Chuck Hagel planning sound way The United Nations has a critical role to play in promoting stability, security, democracy, human rights, and economic development. The UN is as relevant today as at any time in its history, but it needs reform. Chuck Hagel democracy rights play There are always consequences to actions that you take. There are consequences to inaction. And thinking through, asking the questions, "Well, then what happens? What comes next?" is critically important. Chuck Hagel important asking thinking I think this is the biggest lesson a president or any of us who has responsibility to govern have to learn: There are always consequences to actions that you take. There are consequences to inaction. Chuck Hagel president responsibility thinking No one person leads alone - can't do it, it's impossible. It doesn't make any sense. You need a team. Chuck Hagel team impossible needs I took an oath of office to the Constitution, I didn't take an oath of office to my party or my president. Chuck Hagel oath-of-office party president Engagement is not appeasement. Engagement is not surrender. Chuck Hagel appeasement engagement surrender We live in a world of absolute immediacy. It is an interconnected, combustible world, where technology and many other actions have given nonstate actors a reach, into countries and societies, for both good and evil, that we have never seen before. So it isn't a matter of just state versus state challenges or conflict. The bigger problem is nonstate actors. Chuck Hagel technology evil country Things aren't getting better; they're getting worse. The White House is completely disconnected from reality. It's like they're just making it up as they go along. The reality is that we're losing in Iraq. Chuck Hagel iraq white reality Alliances and international organizations should be understood as opportunities for leadership and a means to expand our influence, not as constraints on our power. Chuck Hagel leadership opportunity mean Nations, great nations have limitations. All nations have limitations. Even great powers have limitations. Chuck Hagel great-nations great-power nations Closing Guantanamo Bay is not a military solution. The closing of that prison, which I support, I supported it when I was in the Senate, requires more than just a military dimension. Chuck Hagel dimensions support military And this - this board was - was impanelled in 1951. And it's gone through ups and downs in how the secretaries have used it. But I have put a premium on that advisory board. Chuck Hagel boards military gone Peace comes through dealing with people. Peace doesn't come at the end of a bayonet or the end of a gun. Chuck Hagel bayonets gun people Foreign policy will require a strategic agility that, whenever possible, gets ahead of problems, strengthens U.S. security and alliances, and promotes American interests and credibility. Chuck Hagel agility alliances problem No one individual vote, no one individual quote or no one individual statement defines me, my beliefs, or my record. Chuck Hagel records vote belief The Bush administration must understand that each American has a right to question our policies in Iraq and elsewhere, and should not be demonized or condemned for disagreeing with them. Suggesting that to challenge and criticize policy is undermining and hurting our troops is not democratic, nor what this country has stood for over 200 years. Chuck Hagel hurt country years Imposing democracy through force is a roll of the dice. Chuck Hagel dice force democracy It's critically important that we have governments to work with, that we have entities to work with. President Hadi has been a good partner in that, and we would hope that the next set of leaders that govern Yemen will also take the same approach to cooperation with the United States. Chuck Hagel government important leader The recent wave of Taliban attacks has made clear that the international community must not waiver in its support for a stable, secure and prosperous Afghanistan. Chuck Hagel wave support community
