Ted Cruz Quotes

Whenever we get involved in a war, the White House seems to have 3 priorities: We cannot appear to be losing; we must appear to be winning; we must look like we know what we are doing.

As president, I wouldn't be making the day-to-day combat decisions. The job of the commander-in-chief is to lay the objective out and then you rely upon the generals and admirals and commanders to give you their expert advice on the tools needed to carry out that objective.

I'm a professor of national security studies, and I know a lot more about fighting than Rumsfeld does.

The most important thing you need to know about the Pentagon is that it is not in charge of today's wars but rather tomorrow's wars.

My job is to give the president and secretary of defense military advice before they know they need it.

The doctrine of preemption has a long and distinguished history in the history of American foreign policy.

In any case, decisions on troop levels in the American system of government are not made by any general or set of generals but by the civilian leadership of the war effort.

As Secretary of Defense I have to be cautious and prudent.

An army abroad is of little use unless there are prudent counsels at home. Parvi enim sunt foris arma, nisi est consilium domi.

Ministers [government officials] in the conduct of war … assume that war having been declared, the sole duty and anxiety of Ministers should consist in supporting generals and armies in the field.

The force that we went to war with after 9-11 was a force designed for the Cold War. We have much different needs today.

There has never been a military commander in history who didn’t want more men for a longer time …

The position of General Banks leaves his position exposed. You are hereby directed by the President to immediately attack …

The President has full responsibility, which cannot be shared, for military decisions in a world in which the difference between safety and cataclysm can be a matter of hours or even minutes.

Military campaigns are inseparable from politics.

I think the United States military is operating under rules of engagement that are too strict and that do not allow us to pursue victory. When I'm president, that will change.

Our national-security strategy must drive our military budget, rather than the budget setting our strategy.

The president is commander-in-chief of the army and navy and of the state militia when called into the service of the United States. He holds this power in time of peace as well as in time of war.

In the years leading up to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, thinking about defense was driven by ideas that regarded successful military operations as ends in themselves rather than just one instrument of power that must be coordinated with others to achieve - and sustain - political goals.

We will not negotiate with anyone about our weapons and defenses, and we will make and store as many weapons, facilities, and missiles as we need.

The national security issues are a really good window into the character of the person that somebody wants to have as commander in chief.

I'm a war president. I make decisions here in the Oval Office in foreign policy matters with war on my mind.

Now that you're Secretary of War, what kind of an army do you think we ought to have?

Whenever they asked me the question about what are you going to do about ISIS, I say, you know, I have a real chance of winning. I don't really want to tell you. I have very strong ideas and I'll be dealing with the people in this room and other folks that are, you know, very good at this, but the last thing you want to do is give notice to the enemy.

I feel that the whole Western World will benefit by the resurrection of the neutron bomb project.