You go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time.

Reduce the number of lawyers. They are like beavers - they get in the middle of the stream and dam it up.

The Secretary of Defense is not a super General or Admiral. His task is to exercise civilian control over the Department for the Commander-in-Chief and the country.

Don't necessarily avoid sharp edges. Occasionally they are necessary to leadership.

Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction.

We know where they are. They are in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad.

We know where they are [Iraq's weapons of mass destruction]. They're in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad and east, west, south and north somewhat.

We do know of certain knowledge that he [Osama Bin Laden] is either in Afghanistan, or in some other country, or dead.

Be precise. A lack of precision is dangerous when the margin of error is small.

If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much.

Look for what's missing. Many advisors can tell a President how to improve what's proposed or what's gone amiss. Few are able to see what isn't there.

Set wide the window. Let me drink the day.

Women are being welcomed into science fiction, but it's through the back door.

Being a good host offsets the deprivation and loneliness of my youth

The ground is holy, being even as it came from the Creator. Keep it, guard it, care for it, for it keeps men, guards men, cares for men. Destroy it and man is destroyed.

Children have almost an intuitive discernment between the maxims you bring forward for their use, and those by which you direct your own conduct.

We look at the mountain to see the painting, then we look at the painting to see the mountain.

The modern masters promise very little

To err is human. To repeat error is of the Devil.

I've gotten it down to one hour. If dinner takes me longer than an hour to prepare, then it is too complicated. So it has to be simple.

Let men be wise by instinct if they can, but when this fails be wise by good advice.