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" Imagine, a September 11 with weapons of mass destruction. It's not 3,000. It's tens of thousands of innocent men, women and children. "

Donald Rumsfeld

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" If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" Don't necessarily avoid sharp edges. Occasionally they are necessary to leadership. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" Think ahead. Don't let day-to-day operations drive out planning. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" Visit with your predecessors from previous Administrations. They know the ropes and can help you see around some corners. Try to make original mistakes, rather than needlessly repeating theirs. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" Preserve the President's options. He may need them. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" Don't speak ill of your predecessors or successors. You didn't walk in their shoes. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" The way to do well is to do well. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" It isn't making mistakes that's critical; it's correcting them and getting on with the principal task. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" I can't tell you if the use of force in Iraq today will last five days, five weeks or five months, but it won't last any longer than that. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" Arguments of convenience lack integrity and inevitably trip you up. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" Simply because you do not have evidence that something exists does not mean that you have evidence that it doesn't exist. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" Don't do or say things you would not like to see on the front page of The Washington Post. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" When asked for your views, by the press or others, remember that what they really want to know is the President's views. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" Amidst all the clutter, beyond all the obstacles, aside from all the static, are the goals set. Put your head down, do the best job possible, let the flak pass, and work towards those goals. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" If it were a fact, it wouldn't be called intelligence. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" Presidential leadership needn't always cost money. Look for low- and no-cost options. They can be surprisingly effective. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" Work continuously to trim the White House staff from your first day to your last. All the pressures are to the contrary. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" Members of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate are not there by accident. Each managed to get there for some reason. Learn what it was and you will know something important about them, about our country and about the American people. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" Prune - prune businesses, products, activities, people. Do it annually. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" When cutting staff at the Pentagon, don't eliminate the thin layer that assures civilian control. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" If a prospective Presidential approach can't be explained clearly enough to be understood well, it probably hasn't been thought through well enough. If not well understood by the American people, it probably won't 'sail' anyway. Send it back for further thought. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" I don't do quagmires. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" Be yourself. Follow your instincts. Success depends, at least in part, on the ability to 'carry it off.' "

Donald Rumsfeld

" If you develop rules, never have more than ten. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" You will launch many projects, but have time to finish only a few. So think, plan, develop, launch and tap good people to be responsible. Give them authority and hold them accountable. Trying to do too much yourself creates a bottleneck. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" Leave the President's family business to him. You will have plenty to do without trying to manage the First Family. They are likely to do fine without your help. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" It is easier to get into something than to get out of it. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" Reduce the layers of management. They put distance between the top of an organization and the customers. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" In the execution of Presidential decisions work to be true to his views, in fact and tone. "

Donald Rumsfeld

" When you raise issues with the President, try to come away with both that decision and also a precedent. Pose issues so as to evoke broader policy guidance. This can help to answer a range of similar issues likely to arise later. "

Donald Rumsfeld