Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeldis an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the second oldestperson to have served as Secretary of Defense. Additionally, Rumsfeld was a three-term U.S. Congressman from Illinois, Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity, Counsellor to the President, the United States Permanent...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth9 July 1932
CityEvanston, IL
CountryUnited States of America
So if a mistake was made, a mistake was made, but it was made with our people on the ground, with eyes on the target,
Visit with your predecessors from previous Administrations. They know the ropes and can help you see around some corners. Try to make original mistakes, rather than needlessly repeating theirs.
It isn't making mistakes that's critical; it's correcting them and getting on with the principal task.
If you foul up, tell the President and correct it fast. Delay only compounds mistakes.
The worst mistake is to have the best ladder and the wrong wall.
Freedom's untidy, and free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things.
Success tends to go not to the person who is error-free, because he also tends to be risk-averse. Rather it goes to the person who recognizes that life is pretty much a percentage business. It isn't making mistakes that's critical; it's correcting them and getting on with the principal task.
We have to expect that global terrorist networks that we know are trying to get these weapons will in fact be successful at some time in the future,
We will stay as long as necessary to help you do that, and not a day longer.... Let me be clear: Iraq belongs to you,
What's happened is amazing for the speed with which it was executed, but also for all the things that did not happen, all the bad things that could have happened, because of that speed,
I've thought about it. And, over the weekend, I thought to myself, you know, that gives them a greater legitimacy than they seem to merit,
It would be a very good thing if he were out of business,
These proposals have nothing to do with that, ... These proposals have to do with organizational arrangements within the Department of Defense that put a focus on the important issues relating to space which have been spread throughout the department in a way that has made it difficult to get the right kind of focus and the right kind of emphasis.
These events occurred on my watch, ... As secretary of defense, I am accountable for them and I take full responsibility.