“Obviously what I think Senator [John] Kerry was pointing to, which is absolutely correct, which is the essential part of the strategy or a key component or a leg on the stool, is an Afghan partner that is ready to take control of both the security situation in Afghanistan, and the civilian side of that.” ThinkingSidesSituationSecurityReadyKeysEssentialsStrategyLegsPartnersAfghanistanSenatorsComponentsPointingCiviliansJohn KerryTake ControlStoolsAfghan Author:Rahm Emanuel
“I've not been to Afghanistan or - but what people are clearly pointing to is that it becomes more difficult to have it. You could do it. I think weather is a factor. The most important factor though is credibility and legitimacy. What I wanted earlier to say is what I think Senator [John] Kerry is pointing to, which is important, is the strategic review on whether to send more troops is only one piece of the puzzle, important piece.” PeopleThinkingImportantWantedDifficultPiecesWeatherFactorsReviewsAfghanistanTroopsSenatorsPuzzlesPointingCredibilityStrategicOne PieceLegitimacyJohn Kerry Author:Rahm Emanuel
“The problem is, you have to look at Afghanistan also in a global context where we've canceled basically our missile defense system undercutting the Czech Republic in Poland. We've I think not dealt with Iran with the kind of resolve that would show that we understand the nature of that threat.” ThinkingLooksKindShowsProblemThreatDefenseIranResolveRepublicAfghanistanMissilesPolandCzechCzech RepublicMissile Defense Author:Rahm Emanuel
“I should say the leadership's proposal in the Senate and the House are very unpopular. And when people realize it will raise taxes, raise their insurance premiums cost and explode the deficit, they think twice about it.” PeopleThinkingShouldHouseRealizingCostTaxesRaisesSenateDeficitProposalThink Twice Author:Rahm Emanuel
“I think the most important thing for us to make judgments about is what can we really do? What can we achieve?” ThinkingImportantAchieveJudgmentImportant Things Author:Rahm Emanuel
“There has to be a reform within the government that is tangible, that we can actually measure and that we have confidence is going to provide some of the differences that I think are essential to our troops to be able to carry out their mission and to the longer- term interests of our country.” ThinkingCountryGovernmentAbleTermInterestDifferencesEssentialsMissionsOur CountryReformTroopsTangibleHave ConfidenceOur Troops Author:Rahm Emanuel
“I think that every country presents its own particular challenges, different cultures, different histories, different religions, different people. And different ethnic make-ups in those countries present different challenges.” PeopleThinkingDifferentCountryCultureChallengesParticularDifferent PeoplesDifferent CulturesDifferent Religions Author:Rahm Emanuel
“I think indeed our response on counterinsurgency needs to be finely tuned to the needs of Afghanistan. This is not Iraq. We don't have a Sons of Iraq here. We don't have the same divisions here that we had between Sunni and Shia.” ThinkingNeedsSonResponseIraqDivisionAfghanistanShiaCounterinsurgency Author:Rahm Emanuel
“Personally, I don't pick books for how people think about me. I read books so I can learn.” PeopleThinkingBook Author:Rahm Emanuel
“You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that: it’s an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.” ThinkingMeanOpportunitySeriousWasteCrisis Author:Rahm Emanuel
“As individuals, we will be judged in our lives by the totality of our actions. Not one thing will stand out. And I think that's how we get judged by our colleagues and that's how we get judged by the good lord.” ThinkingActionIndividualLordOur LivesOne ThingLive ByJudgedColleaguesStanding OutOur ActionsTotality Author:Rahm Emanuel
“Things happened there that I don't think are the finest hours for anybody, whether it was a journalist, the legal system or, in that case of the political system, who would say that was an example of when Washington worked best.” ThinkingPoliticalHoursCasesHappenedExampleJournalistFinestPolitical SystemsLegal SystemFinest Hour Author:Rahm Emanuel
“I still believe the Lewinsky investigation was way off from the focus of what Whitewater was, which turned out to be nothing at the end of the process. And I think that there were people who were determined as political opponents to not allow his presidency to succeed.” PeopleThinkingWayBelieveStillsEndsPoliticalProcessFocusSucceedDeterminedOpponentsInvestigationPresidencyI Still BelievePolitical Opponents Author:Rahm Emanuel
