Print This Page

Quotable Quotes: 2011 Forum

 

Cooperation and Responsibility

“I don’t think we’re ever going to be in a position where we can say this is the template, this is the checklist, that must be met [for intervention].”

–Canadian Minister of National Defence Peter MacKay

“The reality is that the United States military alone cannot be all things to all nations. We will sharpen the application of our resources, better deploy our forces in the world and share our burdens more and more effectively with our partners. And frankly, all our allies need to do the same.”

–U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta

“Our approach [to global security] has changed by the way we’ve elevated development. The biggest lesson is to recognize global responsibility.”

–Professor Anne-Marie Slaughter, Princeton University

“The [economic crisis] means that we have to address the challenges and the risks, and we need to take into account the level of resources. Doing better with less means doing it more together.”

–General Stéphane Abrial, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, NATO

“Cuts to defense budgets are already underway…there is now a lot of emphasis starting with the President that we have to build up our capabilities for development aid, resolutions, and getting allies to cooperate more on what needs to be done in the name of security.”  

–Mr. James Hoge, Jr., Chairman, Human Rights Watch

“In the end, we have to complement each other—Yemen needs the [help of] supportive states.” 

–Sheik Mohammed Abu Luhoum, Head, Justice and Building Party, Yemen

“We set very specific directions helping civilians, enforcing a no-fly zone. This was an issue of restoring an environment where diplomacy and dialogue could take place to create an environment where Libyans could decide their own future.”

–Lieutenant-General Charles Bouchard, Combined Joint Task Force Commander, Operation Unified Protector, NATO

“Development and aid need to be put together, and sent together, to make life better for other people. Even in small country like ours we send development to one country while sending military to another.”

–Slovenia Minister of Defense Ljubrica Jelusic

Iran

“The fact that we did not give the demonstrators in Iran our moral support when a young woman named Neda bled to death in the streets of Iran will go down as one of the great mistakes of the 21st Century.”

–U.S. Senator John McCain

Syria

“There are huge challenges moving forward despite positive dynamics. Countries like Egypt and Tunisia have little chance of collapsing while transitioning, but it’s different in Syria.”  

–Mr. Paul Salem, Director, Carnegie Middle East Center, Lebanon

Libya

“The responsibility is to help and advise what would work…It was the [Libyan] people that did most of the work.”

–The Hon. Suat Kiniklioglu, Director, Center for Strategic Communication, Turkey