Lee Hamilton

I can't imagine any of these terrorists striking without paying some homage and allegiance to him. This man was extraordinarily charismatic.

The homeland security program ought not to be a revenue-sharing program.

More Pakistani soldiers have died fighting the Taliban than U.S. and NATO soldiers combined.

The only really effective independent oversight of the intelligence community can come from the Congress.

I think the Afghanistan experience should tell us not to ignore these countries as difficult as it may be.

The President is the only one who can make those lines clear, and the President is the only one who could make it happen.

the DNI would be the central powerful driver of the intelligence community. I do not think he has been.

You are undermining the effectiveness of homeland security.

If we have intelligence that in Yemen or in Somalia there are groups that are plotting against the United States or our allies in some way, then I think we have to get our brains together and figure out the best way to do it.

Hiring and firing is a national security issue.

The urgent task--a prior task to accountability--is to correct the flaws that have been discussed here.

Somebody has to knock heads together to get over this mind-set of 'I can have the information, you cannot.'

The approach that you are mentioning--in other words, trying to make us spend more and more by way of defense--is part of their strategy.

It is our view that the U.S. Government has made significant positive strides to correct the shortfalls that were obvious on September 11.

I'm certainly for accountability in government. And if a person clearly did not do their job, they ought to pay a penalty for that.

Today, a President can commit military forces, really, without congressional involvement.

I think it's very important for a President to be able to know, 'With whom do I consult on this question?'--and not just do it hit or miss because Senator Kerry or Senator Lugar are key players.

When you have this incompetent, when you have unauthorized work, when you have shoddy facilities, when you have money that is squandered, there are very, very few things that hurt our effort more in trying to succeed in Iraq than that kind…

What's happened? Iran has become the most powerful country in the region. It continues to support terrorist organizations. It's continuing to develop its nuclear potential. How can anyone say today that our policy towards Iran is working…

I don't think we are losing. I don't think we are winning. I just think we are engaged right in the middle of the war.

If you don't talk to them, we don't see much likelihood of progress being made.

We will be criticized, I am sure, for talking with our adversaries, but I do not see how you solve these problems without talking to them.

Everything in the Middle East is connected to everything else. And this diplomatic initiative that we have put forward recognizes that.

We're going to have to talk with Iran. There's no country in the world that has caused us more heartburn over a period of decades than Iran.

A precipitous withdrawal of U.S. forces would likely result in a bloodbath.