Les Aspin Quotes

If the Iraqis fail to implement the reforms, if they fail to get a handle on the violence, there's nothing the United States can do, militarily or otherwise, that can solve those problems. They have to assume the primary responsibility to govern themselves.

The Kurdish people have the right of self-determination like every other nation in the world.

Turkey must find its place if, of course, it can heal its internal sores, and none is more malignant than the perennial Kurdish issue.

We want peace and development in all 10 states of South Sudan - we don't want military backing.

I think they do have to get it right in Sierra Leone. There has to be something in there now to establish confidence, to stabilize the situation, and then to move to some sort of political negotiations.

Every government must consider the security of the country. That is just part of the responsibilities of any government. But true security can only come out of unity within a country where there are so many ethnic nationalities.

Afghanistan is a country in need. Afghanistan needs to protect itself in the region; Afghanistan needs to secure itself within the country. Afghanistan needs to develop its forces, and Afghanistan needs to provide stability to the people.

There are lots of nations in the world or national peoples who don't yet have states. They're inside someone else's state and they want a state of their own.

Whenever a Kurd wants to measure the depth of some foreign leader's commitment to Kurdish autonomy, he listens for one particular word. That word is 'federal.' Anyone who will say he favors Kurdish federalism can be counted a friend of the Kurds.

We in Israel certainly have a great interest in seeing peace, stability, and security restored to Egypt. We want nothing more than peace for the Egyptian people. We're not going to get involved in how Egypt, how the Egyptians should run themselves. That's an internal Egyptian affair.

Secondly I would like to make continuous efforts of stabilising cross Strait relations, eventually reaching peace across the Taiwan strait and stability and security in the Asia Pacific region.

Are Iraqis ready to carry the responsibility for their country? Is Iraq ready to be its own master? We want to be the masters of ourselves and to carry our responsibilities in this region.

We must plan for freedom, and not only for security, if for no other reason than that only freedom can make security secure.

The Palestinian Arabs will have their autonomy, we will have our security. We shall live together.

We want peace and a political solution to the situation in Chechnya.

Democracy gives every man the right to be his own oppressor.

I've always been an independent person, but that independence was in the setting of security.

We need peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. It is important to have political and security stability to build up our economic growth.

Through democracy we shall have peace [in the Balkans].

the question of the State's accession should be settled by a reference to the people. Meanwhile, in response to your Highness's appeal for military aid, action has been taken today to send troops of the Indian Army to Kashmir to help your own forces to defend your territory and to protect the lives, property and honor of your people.

… the failure to evolve some plan by which India could be given a greater sense of independence and security in the future, has been a great disappointment to many people. One cannot help hoping that some new way will be worked out whereby the people of India may feel that the future belongs more surely to them in their own land.

Declaration of a state [Kurdistan] is the legitimate right of the Kurdish nation. This goal should be realized, but without resorting to violence.

The democratic option is the only alternative to solving the Kurdish question. Separation is neither possible nor necessary. We want peace, dialogue, and free political action within the framework of a democratic Turkish state.

America, thankfully, is not an easy nation to commandeer.

The country doesn't need saving.