William J. Perry

“The only way to win a nuclear war is to not fight one.”

“Whenever I see a problem, I am not satisfied with just lamenting it. I want to try to solve it.”

“I believe that the United States should lead the world in a campaign to eliminate all nuclear weapons.”

“I have never been more fearful of a nuclear detonation than now... The likelihood of a nuclear catastrophe is greater today than during the Cold War.”

“The problem is not that we have too many nuclear weapons. The problem is that we have any nuclear weapons.”

“We are sleepwalking into a nuclear catastrophe.”

“Our nuclear weapons policy is a house of cards. It is built on a foundation of flawed logic and unrealistic assumptions.”

“We have to recognize that the threat of terrorism is a long-term threat, and we have to be prepared to deal with it over the long term.”

“Deterrence is not a miracle worker. It is not some magic spell. It is a series of calculations and judgments.”

“The challenge of our time is to create a world in which all people can live in peace and security.”

“The danger of a nuclear catastrophe is greater than it was during the Cold War and most people are blissfully unaware of this danger.”

“A key lesson of the Cold War is that we must maintain a strong military to deter aggression, but we must also pursue diplomacy to resolve conflicts peacefully.”

“Technology is a double-edged sword. It can be used for good or for evil.”

“The most important quality in a leader is integrity.”

“Education is the foundation of a strong democracy.”