Rumsfeld's Quotes: top 100 famous quotes about Rumsfeld's

Rumsfeld's Quotes & Sayings

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

If you develop rules, never have more than ten. — Donald Rumsfeld

Never hire anyone
you can't fire. — Donald Rumsfeld

There are a lot of people who lie and get away with it, and that's just a fact. — Donald Rumsfeld

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

When I served as US Ambassador to NATO in the 1970s, the center of gravity in Europe was France and Germany. — Donald Rumsfeld

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

At 78 years old, I am not surprised at much anymore. Germany has taken divergent positions before, so has France, so has England, so has the US. — Donald Rumsfeld

General Boykin has requested that an inspector general review this matter. And I have indicated that if that's his request, I think it's appropriate. — Donald Rumsfeld

The United States isn't going to do anything That it's not capable of doing. And if we do something, We'll be capable of doing it. — Donald Rumsfeld

First rule of politics: you can't win unless you're on the ballot. Second rule: If you run, you may lose. And, if you tie, you do not win. — Donald Rumsfeld

Don't think of yourself as indispensable or infallible. As Charles De Gaulle said, the cemeteries of the world are full of indispensable men. — Donald Rumsfeld

I'm a professor of national security studies, and I know a lot more about fighting than Rumsfeld does. — Barry McCaffrey

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

I believe what I said yesterday. I don't know what I said, but I know what I think and I assume it's what I said. — Donald Rumsfeld

The worst mistake is to have the best ladder and the wrong wall. — Donald Rumsfeld

Those who think that they know, but are mistaken, and act upon their mistakes, are the most dangerous people to have in charge. - Margaret Thatcher — Donald Rumsfeld

Listening to both sides does not necessarily bring about a correct judgment. — Donald Rumsfeld

If you are working from your inbox, you are working on other people's priorities. — Donald Rumsfeld

I don't know anybody that I can think of who has contended that the Iraqis had nuclear weapons. — Donald Rumsfeld

Politics is human beings; it's addition rather than subtraction. — Donald Rumsfeld

The most underestimated risk for a politician is overexposure. — Donald Rumsfeld

Don't blame the boss. He has enough problems. — Donald Rumsfeld

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

Don't 'over-control' like a novice pilot. Stay loose enough from the flow that you can observe it, modify, and improve it. — Donald Rumsfeld

Something under $50 billion for the cost. How much of that would be the U.S. burden, and how much would be other countries, is an open question. — Donald Rumsfeld

NATO member states vary dramatically in their capability and in their political steadfastness. — Donald Rumsfeld

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

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. — Donald Rumsfeld

While Secretary Rumsfeld and I have had our differences, he deserves Americans' respect and gratitude for his many years of public service. — John McCain

I am not going to give you a number for it because it's not my business to do intelligent work. — Donald Rumsfeld

If in doubt, don't. If still in doubt, do what's right. — Donald Rumsfeld

Now, settle down, settle down. Hell, I'm an old man, it's early in the morning and I'm gathering my thoughts here. — Donald Rumsfeld

I would not say that the future is necessarily less predictable than the past. I think the past was not predictable when it started. — Donald Rumsfeld

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

According to CNN, Donald Rumsfeld said the war in Iraq did not go according to plan. And President Bush said, 'What? We had a plan?' — Jay Leno

It isn't making mistakes that's critical; it's correcting them and getting on with the principal task. — Donald Rumsfeld

If the staff lacks policy guidance against which to test decisions, their decisions will be random. — Donald Rumsfeld

If in doubt, move decisions up to the President. — Donald Rumsfeld

Don Rumsfeld is the finest secretary of defense the nation has ever had. — Dick Cheney

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. — Donald Rumsfeld

I suppose the implication of that is the president and the vice president and myself and Colin Powell just fell off a turnip truck to take these jobs. — Donald Rumsfeld

The purpose of terrorism is to terrorize. It's to change the behavior of the people that are being terrorized. — Donald Rumsfeld

Don't speak ill of your predecessors or successors. You didn't walk in their shoes. — Donald Rumsfeld

Make decisions about the President's personal security. He can overrule you, but don't ask him to be the one to counsel caution. — Donald Rumsfeld

Look at me! I'm sweet and lovable! — Donald Rumsfeld

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

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. — Donald Rumsfeld

Donald Rumsfeld also lost his gig last week. When asked what his future plans are, Rumsfeld said, 'What's a plan?' — Bill Maher

Let your family, staff, and friends know that you're still the same person, despite all the publicity and notoriety that accompanies your position. — Donald Rumsfeld

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said this week there's a good chance we never get bin Laden. bin Laden! We couldn't even get O.J.! — Jay Leno

It's a difficult thing today to be informed about our government even without all the secrecy. — Donald Rumsfeld

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

Simply because you do not have evidence that something exists does not mean that you have evidence that it doesn't exist. — Donald Rumsfeld

You're thinking of Eurpoe as Germany and France. I don't. I think that's old Europe. — Donald Rumsfeld

Preserve the President's options. He may need them. — Donald Rumsfeld

I didn't advocate invasion ... I wasn't asked. — Donald Rumsfeld

If you try to please everybody, somebody's not going to like it. — Donald Rumsfeld

Be yourself. Follow your instincts. Success depends, at least in part, on the ability to 'carry it off.' — Donald Rumsfeld

When you're skiing, if you're not falling you're not trying. — Donald Rumsfeld

I doubt there's anything you could say to Donald Rumsfeld that would puncture the armor of his narcissism. — Phil Klay

Do I Have any Regrets? Of Course I Do. — Donald Rumsfeld

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

Remember where you came from. — Donald Rumsfeld

You might be a cunning linguist, but I am a master debater. — Donald Rumsfeld

Five days or five months, but it certainly isn't going to last longer. — Donald Rumsfeld

Pieces of intelligence, scraps of intelligence ... you run down leads and you run down leads, and you hope that sometimes it works. — Donald Rumsfeld

In the execution of Presidential decisions work to be true to his views, in fact and tone. — Donald Rumsfeld

I can't tell you if the use of force in Iraq today will last five days, five weeks or five months, but it won't last any longer than that. — Donald Rumsfeld

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

I'm glad you asked. It has nothing to do with oil, literally nothing to do with oil. — Donald Rumsfeld

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

Don't automatically obey Presidential directives if you disagree or if you suspect he hasn't considered key aspects of the issue. — Donald Rumsfeld

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

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

To gain support in U.S. Congress and from other nations requires clarity, an acceptable mission and an explicit outcome. — Donald Rumsfeld

The way to do well is to do well. — Donald Rumsfeld

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

We don't seek empires.We're not imperialistic. — Donald Rumsfeld

Treat each federal dollar as if it was hard earned; it was - by a taxpayer. — Donald Rumsfeld

In unanimity there may well be either cowardice or uncritical thinking. — Donald Rumsfeld

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

When there happens to be a weapon of mass destruction suspect site in an area that we occupy and if people have time, they'll look at it. — Donald Rumsfeld

If you foul up, tell the President and correct it fast. Delay only compounds mistakes. — Donald Rumsfeld

Freedom's untidy, and free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things. — Donald Rumsfeld

I think you can be an enemy of Saddam Hussein even if Donald Rumsfeld is also an enemy of Saddam Hussein. — Adam Michnik

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

Bush, Blair and Rumsfeld; they are the funny trio. — Mohammed Saeed Al-Sahaf

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

If it were a fact, it wouldn't be called intelligence. — Donald Rumsfeld

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

It is easier to get into something than to get out of it. — Donald Rumsfeld

As a former secretary of defense, I think Donald Rumsfeld is the best secretary of defense the United States has ever had. — Dick Cheney

Cheney, Rumsfeld - they were Shakespearean in their attitude of impunity. — Glen Duncan

America is not what's wrong with the world — Donald Rumsfeld

If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much. — Donald Rumsfeld

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

The midget, Bush, and that Rumsfeld deserve only to be beaten with shoes by freedom loving people everywhere. — Mohammed Saeed Al-Sahaf

The dead-enders are still with us, those remnants of the defeated regimes who'll go on fighting long after their cause is lost. — Donald Rumsfeld

There are people who in large measure have information that we need ... so that we can track down the weapons of mass destruction in that country. — Donald Rumsfeld