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Donald Rumsfeld

Donald Rumsfeld Quotes

Former U.S. Secretary of Defense

Donald Rumsfeld is a prominent American politician who served as the United States Secretary of Defense twice. Born on July 9, 1932, Rumsfeld has extensive experience in political and military affairs, leading key national security and defense policies.

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Famous Donald Rumsfeld Quotes

“As you know, you go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time. Since the Iraq conflict began, the Army has been pressing ahead to produce the armor necessary at a rate that they believe - it's a greatly expanded rate from what existed previously, but a rate that they believe is the rate that is all that can be accomplished at this moment.”

Knows Want Believe Has Beens War Moments Might Wish Produce Conflict Army Rate Iraq Accomplished Armor

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“Any country on the face of the Earth with an active intelligence program knows that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction.”

Knows War Country Earth Faces Weapons Mass Program Destruction Iraq Active Weapons Of Mass Destruction Mass Destruction

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“An institution that...would permit Iraq, a terrorist state that refuses to disarm, to become soon the chair of the United Nations Commission on Disarmament, and which recently elected Libya - a terrorist state - to chair the United Nations Commission on Human Rights of all things, seems not to be even struggling to regain credibility. That these acts of irresponsibility could happen now, at this moment in history, is breathtaking.”

“If I look at the really important questions in [Middle East] region, I see Iran, where there is a strong desire for a freer society and where people are repressed by a small group of ayatollahs. I see Syria, where we can see a similar desire of the people to be free. These two countries fund Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations and are hurting our efforts in Afghanistan and have been extremely harmful in Iraq. Then I also see large, important countries such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia.”

“What is the value of having millions of people in Iraq not having a repressive regime? What is the value of having the Iraqi regime not shooting at UK and US aircraft almost every day? What is the value of the Iraqis having a free press? What is the value of the foreign minister of Iraq going to Paris, calling for an end of the Gadhafi regime and citing Iraq as a model, as an example, that in fact a freer political system can exist in that part of the world?”

People World Ends Facts Political Values Millions Example Calling Models Presses Iraq Shooting Ministers Paris Regimes Political Systems Aircraft Free Press Citing

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“The United States, as all you know, did not come to Iraq for oil, not to occupy. We came here only to help.”

Knows States Helping United United States Iraq Oil

Author: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.”

Ifs I Can Use Today Lasts Force Five Week Months Iraq Use Of Force

Author: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.”

Knows War Weapons Mass Areas Destruction West South Iraq East Weapons Of Mass Destruction Mass Destruction Iraq War Baghdad Wmd Wmds In Iraq Biological Weapons

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“Five days or five months, but it certainly isn't going to last longer.”

War Lasts Five Months Iraq Iraq War

Author: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.”

Want War Might Wish Army Iraq Iraq War

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

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

Long War Lasts Doubt Week Months Conflict Six Iraq Six Months

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

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

Knows Believe Said Weapons Don't Believe Iraq Nuclear Administration Nuclear Weapons Invasion

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

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

Doubt Weapons Mass Destruction Iraq No Doubt Saddam Hussein Weapons Of Mass Destruction Mass Destruction Wmd Wmds In Iraq Biological Weapons

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

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

Giving Week Months Iraq Als Saddam Al Qaeda Wmd

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

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

Giving Numbers Stupid Intelligent Iraq

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“Freedom's untidy, and free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things.”

People Mistake Crime Stupid Iraq Commit Making Mistakes Bad Things Iraq War Stuff Happens

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“I don't know anybody that I can think of who has contended that the Iraqis had nuclear weapons.”

Thinking Knows I Can Stupid Weapons Iraq Nuclear Nuclear Weapons

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“We are in the process of trying to liberate that country. And at the moment where the war ends and the coalition forces occupy the areas where those capabilities - chemical and biological weapons - are likely to be, to the extent they haven't been moved out of the country, it obviously is important to find them.”

Trying Important War Ends Country Moments Force Process Havens Weapons Areas Moved Iraq Chemicals Capability Coalitions Biological Weapons

Author: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.”

People Ifs Looks Happens Weapons Mass Areas Destruction Iraq Suspects Site Weapons Of Mass Destruction Mass Destruction

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“I don't think we'll discover anything, myself. I think what will happen is we'll discover people who will tell us where to go find it. It is not like a treasure hunt where you just runaround looking everywhere hoping you find something. I just don't think that's going to happen. The inspectors didn't find anything, and I doubt that we will. What we will do is find the people who will tell us.”

People Thinking Happens Doubt Iraq Treasure Hunts Inspectors Treasure Hunt

Author: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.”

People Needs Country Information Weapons Mass Destruction Iraq Track Weapons Of Mass Destruction Mass Destruction Wmd Wmds In Iraq

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“We never believed that we'd just tumble over weapons of mass destruction in that country.”

Country Weapons Mass Destruction Iraq Weapons Of Mass Destruction Mass Destruction Wmd Wmds In Iraq

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“They may have had time to destroy them, and I don't know the answer.”

Knows May Answers Iraq Weapons Of Mass Destruction Mass Destruction Wmd Wmds In Iraq

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“The coalition did not act in Iraq because we had discovered dramatic new evidence of Iraq's pursuit. We acted because we saw the evidence in a dramatic new light - through the prism of our experience on 9/11.”

Light Saws Evidence Iraq Pursuit Dramatic Coalitions Prisms

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

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

Long Stills Fighting Lost Causes Goes On Iraq Regimes Defeated Remnants Ender

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“No terror state poses a greater or more immediate threat to the security of our people and the stability of the world than the regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq.”

People World States Greater Security Threat Iraq Terror Stability Regimes Saddam Hussein Wmds In Iraq

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

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

People Use President Heard Threat Critics Iraq Phrases

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

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

Knows Areas Iraq Weapons Of Mass Destruction Mass Destruction Iraq War Baghdad Wmd Wmds In Iraq Biological Weapons

Book:Known and Unknown: A Memoir

Source: Known and Unknown: A Memoir

About the Author

Born: July 9, 1932
Known for: Former U.S. Secretary of Defense
Quotes: 224

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Books & Sources

Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001Related source material

Known and Unknown: A MemoirRelated source material

The World According to RummyRelated source material

Known and UnknownRelated source material

Rumsfeld's Rules: Leadership Lessons in Business, Politics, War, and LifeRelated source material

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