John O. Brennan Quotes

Unfortunately, in war, there are casualties, including among the civilian population.

We need to make sure that leaks of classified information, of national security secrets, needs to be rigorously pursued and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

I go to bed at night worrying that I didn't do enough that day to make sure I protect the American people.

The preservation of our national security and the laws that define us as the United States of America demand that we understand the intersection of the two - indeed, how they reinforce one another.

As a former career intelligence professional, I have a profound appreciation for the value of intelligence. Intelligence disrupts terrorist plots and thwarts attacks. Intelligence saves lives.

Is real, it is serious, it is growing, and it constitutes one of the greatest threats to our national security and, indeed, to global security.

Jihad is holy struggle, a legitimate tenet of Islam meaning to purify oneself or one's community.

When we uphold the rule of law, our counterterrorism tools are more likely to withstand the scrutiny of our courts, our allies, and the American people.

How you define a problem shapes how you address it.

I will not, nor will I ever, publicly divulge sensitive intelligence sources and methods. For when that happens, our national security is endangered and lives can be lost.

We are in this business, whether it be intelligence or the government, to protect freedom, democracy and liberty, not to violate that.

Yes, war is hell. It is awful. It involves human beings killing other human beings, sometimes innocent civilians. That is why we despise war.

I have a reputation for speaking my mind. I like to think my candor and bluntness will give you the answers.

Al-Qa'ida is the antithesis of the peace, tolerance and humanity that is at the heart of Islam.

We know from the material that was recovered from the bin Laden compound that bin Laden was looking at the 10th anniversary of 9/11 as an opportunity to strike yet again at the U.S. homeland.

Poverty does not cause violence and terrorism. Lack of education does not cause terrorism.

Simply stated, the need for accurate intelligence and prescient analysis from CIA has never been greater than it is in 2013 - or than it will be in the coming years.

Where terrorists offer injustice, disorder and destruction, the United States and its allies stand for freedom, fairness, equality, hope, and opportunity.

I'm neither Republican nor Democrat. I've worked for the past five administrations.

The men and women of the CIA are a national treasure.

We are a nation of laws, and we will always act within the bounds of the law.

Terrorists are not 100 feet tall. Nor do they deserve the abject fear they seek to instill.

Terrorism needs to be fought against and certainly delegitimized or attacked, but some of the underlying grievances that might in fact lead individuals astray to terrorism cannot be ignored.

The whole technological revolution and evolution gives man tremendous capabilities for good, and it also gives individuals tremendous capability to carry out what result in lethal action.

President Obama has made it clear that the United States is determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The risk of just one terrorist with just one nuclear weapon is a risk we simply cannot afford to take.

Throughout my career, I had the great fortune to experience firsthand as well as to witness what it means to be a CIA officer.