Author: Donald Rumsfeld

Well, um, you know, something’s neither good nor bad but thinking makes it so, I suppose, as Shakespeare said.

(1932 – ) American businessman & U.S. Secretary of Defense
Beliefs Misspokements

I believe what I said yesterday… I don’t know what I said, but I know what I think… and I assume it’s what I said.

(1932 – ) American businessman & U.S. Secretary of Defense
Misspokements

I don’t do quagmires.

(1932 – ) American businessman & U.S. Secretary of Defense
Miscellaneous

I would not say that the future is necessarily less predictable than the past; I think the past was not predictable when it started.

(1932 – ) American businessman & U.S. Secretary of Defense
Future Time

Learn to say ‘I don’t know.’ If used when appropriate, it will be often.

(1932 – ) American businessman & U.S. Secretary of Defense
Communication

I am not going to give you a number for it because it’s not my business to do intelligent work.

(1932 – ) American businessman & U.S. Secretary of Defense
Misspokements

As you know, you go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time.

(1932 – ) American businessman & U.S. Secretary of Defense
Conflict Military War

If I know the answer I’ll tell you the answer, and if I don’t, I’ll just respond, cleverly.

(1932 – ) American businessman & U.S. Secretary of Defense
Communication

We know where they are; they’re in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad and east, west, south and north somewhat.

(1932 – ) American businessman & U.S. Secretary of Defense
Misspokements

Oh, Lord. I didn’t mean to say anything quotable.

(1932 – ) American businessman & U.S. Secretary of Defense
Communication

I’m not into this detail stuff; I’m more concepty.

(1932 – ) American businessman & U.S. Secretary of Defense
Ideas Intelligence

Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war.

(1932 – ) American businessman & U.S. Secretary of Defense
Conflict Death War

[Osama Bin Laden is] either alive and well or alive and not too well or not alive.

(1932 – ) American businessman & U.S. Secretary of Defense
Misspokements

We do know of certain knowledge that he [Osama Bin Laden] is either in Afghanistan, or in some other country, or dead.

(1932 – ) American businessman & U.S. Secretary of Defense
Misspokements