732 Quotes by Donald Rumsfeld

Beware when any idea is promoted primarily because it is "bold, exciting, innovative, and new." There are many ideas that are "bold, exciting, innovative and new," but also foolish.

is something you prefer not to have to use in a perfect world.

Today, history is being written by the valiant men and women of America's armed forces and by determined citizens who will do all they can to win this test of wills ? for that is what it is ? to keep our children from experiencing the heartbreak and terror of Sept. 11,

Test ideas in the marketplace. You learn from hearing a range of perspectives. Consultation helps engender the support decisions need to be successfully implemented.

It was pretty clear to me it ought to have been canceled, so I did so, ... Even if it had been a brilliant idea, which I doubt, it would not have been able to function in the environment that it was created.

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

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

I slept on it, and I'm not going to recommend that it be vetoed.

to embark on a diplomatic initiative to work with North Korea to see if they wouldn't reverse their position of violating these three or four agreements.