Leon Panetta

Well, your responsibility is to abide by your oath of office to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and if the President of the United States is trying to get you through Executive Order to do something…

I think it is the right move because what it does is it makes clear to the Russians that whatever they're doing to continue to build up forces along the border area is going to be met by actions between the United States and our NATO…

I think that what all of this is proving is the value of the January 6 Committee in the Congress doing its investigation, because from the evidence that has been coming forth, it is pretty clear that this President made a deliberate effort…

the Taliban is now in control of Afghanistan. And in many ways, whether the Taliban cooperate or not could determine the fate of those U.S. citizens who are remaining, as well as those Afghans who fought alongside of us.

We made a promise to United States citizens who are in Afghanistan, and to the Afghans who fought alongside of us that we would do everything we could to evacuate them. I think we've got to still keep that promise.

I think he brings some authority to the table, because the one thing that Taliban does remember very well is the role of the C.I.A. in going after the Taliban.

We have not won. We have not completed this mission. But I do believe we are in the process of making significant progress here.

we need to deliver resources to those most in need as quickly as we can.

I privately and publicly advocated for a residual force that could provide training and security for Iraq's military.

the President's going to continue to keep the country in turmoil.

He still is contagious. He's taking heavy medications. He's taking steroids. I mean, he really ought to be in an isolated situation.

I'd like to believe it was an instance where his own conscience said, I've got to tell the American people the truth.

I think the chaos that we've seen in the last four years has been repeated over these last few days, because I saw a White House that was not in-charge.

It is the kind of intelligence that I think it is the duty of those in the White House and in the intelligence community to bring that information to the President.

I think we do need to send Russia a very clear signal that that is not to be tolerated.

the policymaking process in the White House and the policies they actually derive there are simply indefensible, cannot be defended.

I worry, you know, that we have sent a signal. I mean, when I have gone abroad, our NATO allies are very concerned about the commitment of the United States toward the NATO alliance.

Americans are entitled to know that we did everything necessary to protect our troops, our national security, and our democracy.

We should at least make it clear that they should not be allowed in the G8 and that American financial institutions should not be lending money to the Russian State or its State-owned enterprises.

We ought to be looking at what additional military aid could we provide that would assist the Ukrainian forces.

I think what should be said to the administration, take the same approach that you are using against one adversary, Iran, and apply exactly the same kind of pressures with regards to Russia.

Honoring our fallen heroes and their loved ones would mean taking action--taking action--creating consequences, to hold Putin and the Kremlin accountable, correct.

Alliances are going to be the key to our ability to preserve peace and prosperity in the future.

When we are together, when we are working together, there is no country stronger than the United States of America.

We will not tolerate the Russians doing anything to target our men and women in uniform.