Brent Scowcroft

“The purpose of foreign policy is to create a more secure and prosperous world for Americans.”

“We don't want to be the world's policeman, but we may have to be the world's sheriff.”

“The U.S. has to lead. The U.S. is the indispensable nation.”

“Alliances are not a burden, they are our greatest strength.”

“My job is to give the president my best judgment, whether he wants to hear it or not.”

“We have to deal with the world as it is, not as we wish it to be.”

“The world is a very dangerous place, and we are the primary guarantors of global peace and stability.”

“You learn in this business that you can't get everything you want.”

“I have always believed in the importance of bipartisanship in foreign policy.”

“There are no simple answers to complex problems.”

“The end of the Cold War has not meant the end of history.”

“One of the great lessons of the Cold War is that we can win without firing a shot.”