Bono Quotes

A minister of state is excusable for the harm he does when the helm of government has forced his hand in a storm; but in the calm he is guilty of all the good he does not do.

It takes tremendous discipline to control the influence, the power you have over other people's lives.

While most nations seemed to agree that something had to be done, every nation seemed to have a reason why some other nation should do it. So we sat, waiting for a promise to be kept, reduced to the role of accountants keeping track of how many were being killed.

A great power imposes the obligation of exercising restraint

The ruling power is always faced with the question, ‘In such and such circumstances, what would you do?’, whereas the opposition is not obliged to take responsibility or make any real decisions.

I would never want to see myself viewed as beating the drums of war, ... but I would rather live with that image than look into the mirror and see a member of Congress who failed to do his duty.

In the long term, Germany didn't need a finance minister who was absent during important negotiations in the European Council. But the chancellor strongly encouraged me to stay. And everything did work out for the best in the end.

Admitting, however, for the sake of argument, that I am prime and sole minister in this country, am I, therefore, prime and sole minister of all Europe? Am I answerable for the conduct of other countries as well as for that of my own?

The political tradition of ancient thought, filtered in Italy by Machiavelli, says one thing clearly: every prince needs allies, and the bigger the responsibility, the more allies he needs.

You cannot be the leader of the free world and sit on the sidelines and tweet and think you're going to get the job done.

To govern is to choose. To appear to be unable to choose is to appear to be unable to govern.

I personally hold Blair more responsible for this war than I do George Bush. The reason is, Blair knows better, Blair is not an idiot. What is he doing hanging around this guy?

Between an uncontrolled escalation and passivity, there is a demanding road of responsibility that we must follow.

This is the American moment in world history and one for which we shall ever be judged.

When you're in the real world as President of the United States it doesn't go according to the script.

Certainly I shall not be one of those who, having gained power, do not wish to use it.

We were elected to lead and sometimes we just have to do the right thing.

All eyes, all hopes are fixed on you; and were you to decline, the chagrin would be universal. [Monroe went to France.]

Whether it's a blessing or a curse, it's a fact that we have power. Everyone—friend and enemy—looks to see how we use it, how we treat it, how we keep it.

I’ve learned that governing is more difficult than criticizing.

The job of the politician isn’t to tell you what you want to hear, but to tell you what needs to be done.

The Prime Minister of Great Britain has nothing to hide from the President of the United States.

In history lies all the secrets of statecraft.

We have a new President who knows nothing about foreign affairs and a Vice President who thinks he knows everything about foreign affairs.

A minister of state is excusable for the harm he does when the helm of government has forced his hand in a storm; but in the calm he is guilty of all the good he does not do.