Lee H. Hamilton Quotes

Everything in the Middle East are linked to each other.

The Iranians are not part of the “axis of Evil”. They are part of the axis of Medieval.

The only things that matter in the world are Japan and China, Russia and Europe. Latin America doesn’t matter…. And … there’s nothing you can do about the Middle East.

Is Turkey one of the Ayrab countries with which you don't get on very well?

America has wearied of Middle East War.

The Middle East does not follow Las Vegas rules. Whatever happens in the Middle East affects the rest of the world.

I don't believe in regime change, certainly not in the Middle East.

My academic specialization is Arab-Israel relations.

There is no common ground between us and Iran.

There are no short cuts, no detours in the Middle East.

Iraq is not about oil.

I've covered Israel just as I cover other politics.

In international relations, in foreign policy, a great deal has to do with historical circumstances, a great deal has to do with the sense and perception of people.

I believe - though I may be wrong, because I'm no expert - that this war is about what most wars are about: hegemony, money, power and oil.

Grasping the realities of the Middle East is never easy. This is not primarily because they change quickly, but because so much time, effort, and money is spent to prevent reality from breaking through.

When the Egyptians decide something, probably it is not appropriate for the U.S. When the Americans decide something, this, of course, is not appropriate for Egypt.

And Israel, being a tiny, small country, of course has interest to strengthen - we have interest to strengthen our relations with other countries, mostly countries that were hostile for many, many years.

I have a background and an understanding of what's happened in the Middle East that a lot of people don't have, because there's been no interest.

Israel ranks her priorities in the following way: security, land, and water.

Everyone should unconditionally accept that Israel is an indispensable element of the Middle Eastern mosaic.

If there's one country that can be trusted to understand the complexity of history, it's Israel.

I don't much believe in bumper sticker characterizations of foreign policy.

America's relations with complex Middle Eastern states such as Egypt are often difficult.

The Middle East is undoubtedly in for a rocky time. In Palestine we have a situation which is badly fouled up by the past mistakes of many people, including ourselves. These probably cannot be settled without great unpleasantness, including violence.

America faced its first hostage crisis in the Middle East… Thomas Jefferson was President and over 100 Americans were being held hostage by Arabs from the Barbary Coast and the Arabs believed that if they were killed, they would go immediately to heaven. 220 years later America is still facing the same problem.