Donald Rumsfeld Quotes

It is very difficult to spend "federal (the taxpayers') dollars" so that the intended result is achieved.

Oh, Lord. I didn't mean to say anything quotable.

Napoleon was asked, "Who do you consider to be the greatest generals?" He responded saying, "The victors.

Prune - prune businesses, products, activities, people. Do it annually.

Public servants are paid to serve the American people. Do it well.

If in doubt, move decisions up to the President.

Work continuously to trim the White House staff from your first day to your last. All the pressures are to the contrary.

Watch the growth of middle level management. Don't automatically fill vacant jobs. Leave some positions unfilled for 6-8 months to see what happens. You will find you won't need to fill some of them.

I don't do quagmires.

If you develop rules, never have more than ten.

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.

I don't believe anyone that I know in the administration ever said that Iraq had nuclear weapons.

Preserve the President's options. He may need them.

Within a week, or a month, Saddam could give his WMD to al-Qaeda.

A few. . . critics are the only people I ever heard use the phrase 'imminent threat.' I didn't, the president didn't.

What will follow will not be a repeat of any other conflict. It will be of a force and scope and scale that has been beyond what has been seen before.

A large number of people to begin crawling through those tunnels and caves looking for the bad folks.

It is unknowable how long that conflict [the war in Iraq] will last. It could last six days, six weeks. I doubt six months.

Control your own time. Don't let it be done for you. If you are working off the in-box that is fed you, you are probably working on the priority of others.

Be able to resign. It will improve your value to the President and do wonders for your performance.

If I know the answer I'll tell you the answer, and if I don't I'll just respond cleverly.

America is not what's wrong with the world.

The implication that there was something wrong with the war plan is amusing.

There is no question but that when one is engaged militarily that there are going to be unintended loss of life.

Is it likely that an aircraft carrier or a cruise missile is going to find a person?

We do have a saying in America: if you're in a hole, stop digging ..... erm, I'm not sure I should have said that.

The worst thing you can do is allow a coalition to determine what your mission is.

I stand for 8-10 hours a day. Why is standing limited to four hours?

Don't do or say things you would not like to see on the front page of The Washington Post.

One thing appears reasonably certain, and that's that those who make allegations of a culture of deception, of intimidation or cover-up need to be extremely careful about such accusations.

I tend over the years to have developed a certain hesitancy about believing that headlines tell the whole story.

If you are working from your inbox, you are working on other people’s priorities.

Well, so be it. Nothing's perfect in life, so you have an election that's not quite perfect. Is it better than not having an election? You bet.

If a person is determined to fight to the death, then they may very well have that opportunity.

When asked for your views, by the press or others, remember that what they really want to know is the President's views.

Certainty without power can be interesting, even amusing. Certainty with power can be dangerous.

When someone with a rural accent says, "I don't know much about politics," zip up your pockets.

If you look ahead 10 years, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the people of Russia had become fans of missile defence.

It is the photographs that gives one the vivid realization of what actually took place. (On photographs from Abu Ghraib prison.)

When it comes to reconstruction, before we turn to the American taxpayer, we will turn first to the resources of the Iraqi government and the international community.

Know that the immediate staff and others in the Administration will assume that your manner, tone and tempo reflect the President's.

Being Vice President is difficult. Don't make it tougher.

Don't accept the post or stay unless you have an understanding with the President that you're free to tell him what you think "with the bark off" and you have the courage to do it.

Find ways to decentralize. Move decision making authority down and out. Encourage a more entrepreneurial approach.

I didn't advocate invasion...I wasn't asked.

Most of the 50 or so invitations you receive each week come from people inviting the President's Chief of Staff, not you. If you doubt that, ask your predecessor how many he received last week.

Visit with your predecessors from previous Administrations. They know the ropes and can help you see around some corners. Try to make original mistakes, rather than needlessly repeating theirs.

Beware when any idea is promoted primarily because it is "bold, exciting, innovative, and new." There are many ideas that are "bold, exciting, innovative and new," but also foolish.

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.

No. That's someone else's business. Quagmire is - I don't do quagmires.