Michael Mandelbaum Quotes

I used to have a little saying I used when people said, 'What are your priorities?' I'd give them a bit of government alphabet soup. I'd say 'CTCPROW: Counterterrorism, counterproliferation, rest of the world.'

The Mutual Security Act was intended not to fight a war but to prevent a war.

The National Security Council's real role is to coordinate the various activities of the government of the United States in the furtherance of American foreign policy.

I'm very confident that the solutions that we are developing are going to be effective not only in application in Iraq, but also will be very helpful for potential homeland security situations as well.

Wars should be over in three days or less... and the American people must be all for it from the outset.

Our safety requires a long-term military presence in the Middle East because that's where the plans to attack us are emanating.

This is not going to be decided by public opinion polls. It is a national security issue.

Very near the heart of all foreign affairs is the relationship between policy and military power.

The foreign policy of America can best be described by one word: peace.

Most people are disturbed by the shift from deterrence to preemption but the fact is that in international relations, deterrence has a poor track record

There is only one way safely and legitimately to reduce the cost of national security, and that is to reduce the need for it.

The United States will never take part in an aggressive war.

Moscow believes that using force constitutes strategic defense.

Many threats to the homeland begin overseas, and that's where we need to be.

The media should probe and challenge candidates to help voters understand their views on foreign policy. Questions should include, 'What lessons have you learned from past foreign policy decisions? How will they shape your vision as commander in chief? What is America's role in the world?'

As chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I am confronted every day with the security concerns and threats to our own nation's safety, as well as threats to the rest of the world.

We must be practical. Talking about trade and other nice things are more soothing to the ear than security. But it won't be until we have sufficient security against internal, regional, and continental threats that we can be sure of real development.

In seeking to counter challenges such as terrorist threats, hostile state activity, or nuclear proliferation, we cannot work in isolation.

Domestic policy can only defeat us; foreign policy can kill us.

I said it was my feeling that the American people would struggle for peace, and that has since been underscored by the President of these United States.

The most fundamental purpose of government is defense, not empire.

When I look at the record of President Obama concerning the major issue security I think it's a highly satisfactory record from Israeli point of view.

I think most Americans believe that although it's better not to use military force if you can avoid it, that the world simply doesn't provide us the luxury of giving away military force as an important tool of foreign policy.

I remain committed to a balanced policy, which will protect our national interests both on our eastern border - I mean with Russia - and of course with the European Union.

So I think that our foreign policy, the president's strong and principled leadership when it comes to the war against terror and foreign policy is going to be an asset.