“Even when I was at CIA, I'd go to visit foreign leaders and I'd say, 'You know, I'm not a diplomat. I'm just an old CIA guy'... I said, 'If I wanted to be diplomatic, I'd have been a diplomat.'” IfsKnowsHas BeensSaidWantedGuyLeaderCiaDiplomaticDiplomats Author:Robert M. Gates
“You know, if I were an - if I were a Taliban, I'd say, 'What did al-Qaida ever do for me except get me kicked out of Afghanistan?'” IfsKnowsAlsAfghanistanTaliban Author:Robert M. Gates
“What I know concerns me. What I don't know concerns me even more. What people aren't telling me worries me the most.” PeopleKnowsLifeWorryConcern Author:Robert M. Gates
“One of the big changes in the Congress since I first came to Washington is that all of these folks go home every weekend. They used to play golf together; their families got to know each other, go to dinner at each other's homes at weekends - and these would be people who were political adversaries.” PeopleKnowsFirstsPlayHomeBigsWould BeTogetherPoliticalUsedGolfCongressFolksDinnerWeekendAdversariesBig Changes Author:Robert M. Gates
“There is no international problem that can be addressed or solved without the engagement and leadership of the United States and everybody in the world knows that, its just fact of life. So sometimes I think we could conduct ourselves with a little more humility.” ThinkingKnowsWorldLittlesSometimesStatesFactsProblemUnitedUnited StatesHumilityInternationalEngagementFacts Of Life Author:Robert M. Gates
