Peter MacKay, Canadian Minister of National Defence

“This is why the Halifax Forum exists: To provide a forum where we can constructively analyze, debate and learn as a community of thinkers. The fact is we often struggle with issues too much in isolation. Even as issues cross borders and solutions must be global, we continue to work in the old vertical and national stovepipes of ministries, headquarters, universities and newsrooms. This can and should change.”

“Halifax is all about going global; going horizontal; looking at the nexus of issues; and connecting dots to get seamless solutions. Halifax is about discussions that question our assumptions to help us better meet the challenges ahead of us. This Forum informs and enables us as a community of ideas for the real world—a community that remains active even after each of us returns to our homes and our routines.”

Peter Van Praagh, President of the Halifax International Security Forum

“We believe in government by and for the people that addresses security issues with the best interest of the worlds’ people first and foremost in our mind.”

“The rise of global powers, democratic and otherwise, pose challenges we must grapple with…What is our special burden to the world as a democratic community? What does it take to be the good guys?”

David Sanger, Chief Washington Correspondent, New York Times:

“If this is what the new normal is these days, then we’re probably going to have to redefine the concept of normal. There have been very few times I can recall when the U.S. was in such flux itself about the degree to which it views itself as responsible for shaping where the world is.”

Paula Dobriansky, Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University

“I think there’s a strong commitment…in putting our values forward….[T]he worst way of doing that is taking our model and transplanting it on the soil of another country. We’ve never done that, but now there is a heavy emphasis on the process of working internally in other countries, and working for long-term, sustainable results.“

Wolfgang Ischinger, Chairman, Munich Security Conference

“That matter that we become so excited about in Europe is the future in Europe and the Eurozone. Here again, I don’t see much change. I believe those in Wall Street and London that decide they should bet on the departure of Greece from the Eurozone or the collapse of the Eurozone, I bet they will be wrong.”

Raghida Dergham,Columnist and Senior Diplomatic Correspondent, Al Hayat

“I think eyes are always on Washington for leadership. Whether the US wants to lead or not, leading from behind really becomes a problem for the region and for the United States, because it can be dragged into situations.”

Afra Jalabi, Member, Syrian National Council

Cengiz Çandar, Journalist, Radikal

“The Syria we used to know is over. The question which we face in Turkey, and everyone faces all over the region and the world, is that the days of the regime have endedyet the paradox is, the regime is in place in Damascus.”

Safeen Muhsin Dizayee. Kurdistan Democratic Party Leadership Member, Kurdistan Democratic Party

John McCain (R-AZ), Senator, United States

“Tension in Gaza has clearly reached crisis proportions. We believe and hope the US will be actively involved in the efforts to diffuse this very serious situation.”

“My view is unless something changes in the dynamic in Syria, its very likely this conflict will be extended for a long period of time, given the Iranian involvement, Russian arms and continued recalcitrance of Bashar Assad.”

“The American people would not support ground troops in Syria. So that cannot be an option under any consideration anywhere, in my view. Americans are war weary.”

Mark Udall (D-CO), Senator, United States

“The no-fly zone proposal is worthy of some deep and thoughtful consideration. The longer this conflict continues, the more dangerous it is for the region.”

“Now that our elections are over, I urge the Administration to consider every option. The status quo [in Syria] is not acceptable.”

“We are all urging restraint [in Gaza], but at the same time we believe Israel has a right to defend itself.”

Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Senator, United States

“Climate change is a big deal and the American people are growing to that realization.”

“It will affect our food supply in generations ahead, which could lead to massive population unrest, instability, migrations of people and so on.”

John Barrasso (R-WY), Senator, United States

“Anything we do has to be aimed at making energy as clean as we can, as fast as we can, but that [still] doesnt raise the cost for families who need energy and for businesses who need energy.”

James Miller, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, United States Department of Defense

Mobashar Jawed Akbar, Editorial Director, India Today

“The great difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is accountabilityChina is a successful nation, but it is not a modern nation.”

Kazuyuki Yamazaki, Ambassador for Policy Planning and International Security Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan

“We would like to see Chinas development as a chance, not as a threat.”

John McCain, Senator, United States

“Russia should be called upon to step up and belly up; to stop supporting the Syrian regime and start supporting UN Security Council resolutions.”

“We cant right every wrong, or put out every fire. But where we can, we should. Because its in our interest to see countries develop, to have a chance at democracy and freedom and all the things weve stood for in our country for over 200 years. Its very clear that the reset button [with Russia] has failed. It seems even more important that we have certain principles guiding usWe shouldnt pull out our pistol at every provocation.”

Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, Canada

“There is a higher calling on democracies. We cant sit in splendid isolation in North America, or anywhere else. We must act as a community to stop the slaughter of innocent civilians.”

“The enthusiasm with which an entire generation of Afghan women have embraced education is awe-inspiring. But it has to be protected. Because people will get off the back of the helicopter, and theyll be slaughtered unless there are soldiers there to protect them. Democracy is founded on accountability and on peoples ability to change their government. That is the essential ingredient of democracy that we admire most.”

Josef Joffe, Publisher-Editor, Die Zeit

“We are being reminded once more to be careful what you wish for. We wanted democracy and we seem to be getting IslamizationSo what do we do until the good guys really become good guys? Until Islamists become good liberal democrats?”

“The one power that has carried the burden for the last 50 years wants to lead from behind and now exerts its power from above and from afar. If [the US] doesnt take on the responsibility, no one else will do it. The problem with these countries is theres a civil war there. In a civil war you dont necessarily divide bad guys from good guysIf you go in, you have to be ready to stay and protect those whom you help.”

Mohammed Shtayyeh, Minister, Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction

“Why is it taking place? In my opinion its a face-saving [measure] for Netanyahu, who banged the drums of war against Iran and it didnt work. This is a war by proxy against Iran. It is an egotistic issue for Netanyahu.”

“We are hopeful with the re-election of President Obama that maybe the administration will get more engaged, and the next four years will not be wasted in the way that we wasted the last four years.”

“Revolutions are always launched by adventurers. They are begun by brave people and finished by opportunists.”

“Hamas has breathing room because of the new developments in the region.”

Shlomo Brom, Senior Research Fellow and Director, Program on Israel-Palestinian Relations, Institute for National Security Studies

“From the point of Israel, the goals of this campaign have been accomplished. So it is time to stop. But Israel cant stop if the other side doesnt stop.”

“We have the building blocks for stopping it. The two most important actors, Israel and Hamas in my opinion are interested in a ceasefire.but there is no dialogue between these two parties. This fact actually causes any ceasefire to be very fragile.”

“The next stage may be a ground wara ground invasion of Gaza, if the present situation is prolonged.”

Mark Udall, Senator, United States

“If you think about what weve faced economically over these last few yearswe have still stayed engaged during whats been called the Great Recession. Given all the pressure on us domesticallythat weve stayed on the world stage and led in some new and creative ways that speaks volumes about our intentions to stay engaged.”

“The real strength of America is every culture, religion, and race is represented among our 300 million people. So by definition we are outward looking. For those reasons, I know America will stay fully engaged.”

“In a unipoloar or bipolar world, it was easier to toe the line and stand together as Americans. But now theres not one strategy we can agree on for those variety of threats.”

“If were a family of nations, we dont want to be the patriarch; we want to be the big brother.”

Pauline Neville-Jones,Patron to Cyber Security Challenge and Special Government Representative to Business on Cyber Security, House of Lords, United Kingdom

“My biggest wish for American leadership is that Americans get their debt down. Its not just the potential issue of the leverage it gives China, which I think it does. I think it has just as much to do with how the debt drags down American potential growth rates.”

“One thing thats striking to a Brit is the danger signals in the United States that we saw in Great Britain a half century ago. A bit too much complacency, a bit of overreach, and a lack of focus.”

“We spend millions and trillions on military intervention when a relatively small amount [non-militarily] would do a lot of good in these countries over the long term.”

Shlomo Avineri.Professor of Political Science, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

“There is a gap between [Obamas] wonderful and lofty rhetoric and the reality. He will have to come down from that rhetoric and deliver.”

“The United States is number 1. But to stay number 1, it needs allies and credibility among those allies.”

“You can bring a reluctant horse to the water, but you cant make it drink. You might be able to get it to sign a piece of paper.”

Carla Robbins,Adjunct Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations

“Dont underestimate the American public. As much as people want to retrench, theyre aware of the world and dont want to give up their leadership role. They know the rest of the world isnt going to forget about America, either.”

“The Obama Administration made a mistake when they talked about leading from behind. They should be talking about leveragingThe US can leverage itself by working with other countries, but ultimately we are the indispensable nation.”

Alison Redford, Premier, Alberta

“In everything were doing for economic development, we have to acknowledge it has some kind of environmental impact. We might as well admit that, and then figure out how to manage it.”

“North America is energy rich in an increasingly energy thirsty world.”

Fabrice Pothier, Director of Policy Planning, NATO

“We are seeing a great energy pivot. The US will become energy self-sufficient, but that doesnt necessarily mean the US will disengageThe US is about keeping key regions like the Gulf open for business.”

“Is that a responsibility the US wants to carry? To set the global oil price? I think its pretty clear the US will be energy self-sufficient. But its not given that the US can be an energy power in the traditional sense of the term.”

John Barrasso, Senator, United States

“Thats what people call me about: They dont want to know about how many barrels are made where. They want to know about the price.”

“There is a tradeoff between climate change policies, and competitiveness.”

“It will say a lot about the presidentnow that the election is over, hes wonwe now need to move forward in dealing with our energy issues.”

General Abdul Rahim Wardak, Senior Defense Adviser and Former Minister of Defense, Afghanistan

“There is no doubt that Pakistan has a very important role to play.  They can play it by addressing the sanctuaries; they can help to use their influence for peace and re-integration; and they can also can fulfill it by having a sincere and earnest cooperation with the Afghans, so we can help each other interfere with terrorist communications, command and control, their planning and operations, their flow of funding, weapons procurements and also capturing their senior leadership.”

“I think we have reached a defining and critical junction in our endeavor. The process of transition which the Afghans have to defend is their historic responsibility to restore and secure their country…The only sustainable way to secure Afghanistan is to enable the Afghans themselves.”

“If the level of violence comes down, if the peace and integration become successful, and the Afghan forces are supported and given what is required, there is no doubt this campaign will conclude successfully.”


Amrullah Saleh, Former Intelligence Chief, Afghanistan

“Please do not say [the violence] is because of Afghan tribalism, and the fever of violence in Afghan blood. No, we want life. A very civil, normal life. But we are in a very bad neighborhood. A country to our south promotes Sunni extremism, and a country to the west supports Shiite extremism. And in the middle, we are like an asphalt flower trying to survive.”

“If we can have a degree of transparency in the next election, that will ensure legitimacy for the state and the government, and it will not decrease the motivation of the National Security Forces to fight.”

“We have to be very honest in assessing Pakistan. Is it an ally, or is it a hostile state? What do they want? Answering that question will have a profound effect on the future of Pakistan.”

“We have to change our narrative of reconciliation. An easy peace is a dream, like frying snowballs.”

Ahmed Rashid, Journalist and Author, Pakistan

“I think the present US and NATO strategy is deeply flawed. They’re focusing on the military transition, and I have no doubt that will work out all right. But the real issue at stake is the political transition. The elections coming up in 2014—how much leverage or pressure can the West bring to bear to ensure those elections are free and fair? If there’s another rigged election, Afghanistan very well could fall apart.  We could face a civil war or a crisis that we’ve never faced before.”

“In light of this very bleak picture, how do we turn the situation around? I think what is needed is a much more transparent policy, first from the Western community…that there is a time limit to what you’ll put up with.”

“Young people want a political party in Pakistan that reflects their aspirations. And unfortunately we don’t have one.”

“If there is a terrorist attack that is traced back to the tribal areas of Pakistan, it’s going to spell real misery for Pakistan as far as the international community is concerned.”

Saad Mohseni, Chairman and CEO, Moby Group

“If neglected, Afghanistan and Pakistan will be the world’s problem in the years ahead…collectively we’ll have half a billion people in this very small area between South Asia and the Middle East. With the nuclear weapons, the drugs, and the terrorism, this area cannot be neglected.”

“The paste is out of the tube. There’s no going back. Afghanistan has changed dramatically. We have a population with a median age of 17. They have aspirations. They want the country to change for the better.”

Jean-Paul Paloméros, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, NATO

“Men and women are really our force multipliers now, but they rely on information.”

“Drones require a lot of good skilled individuals just to use them. Somewhere in the loop there is a man, a skill, a commander, and many more people than is the case to operate a single system.”

“As we come into the information sphere we must take into account not only the systems, but the users and providers. Users are skilled people who are able to understand information, put it in context and transform information into intelligence. Only if we master information can we properly inform the decision-making process.”

“We shouldn’t overreact, and we must remind ourselves that cyber security is first and foremost the responsibility of each nation. We have an alliance responsible for global defense, but each nation is responsible for its own security.”

Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety, Public Safety Canada

“The evolution of the concerns happens so quickly—and the bombing of the Twin Towers is an example. We never even thought of that possibility. And I think the same is true in the cyber world.”

“We also have to look at where the threat is emanating from. The situation in Lebanon, where Lebanon may not actually control areas, how fair would it be to retaliate against a city or community in Lebanon when it may be only a criminal act. But in situations where the central government has fuller control, there is responsibility for one country to approach another country and say there is a threat emanating from within your borders, and you have responsibility for determining that.”

“This conversation about drones, I don’t see the legal or moral implications as different than a manned aircraft. There is still damage done with a manned aircraft. I simply see the drone as a technological development, but it doesn’t relieve us of any moral or legal responsibilities.”

Rafal Rohozinski, Principal and Chief Executive Officer, The SecDev Group

“Do we currently have situational awareness in cyberspace the way we do in air, land, sea and space? The answer is no.”

“I think we have to recognize that secrecy as part of military operations is a necessity. Political decision-making about the goals of those operations—that requires transparency.”

“The ability to generate data from vast distributed services, to aggregate and correlate and share it effectively was a huge advancement. It was responsible for interrupting IED networks in Iraq before they could form.”

Elisa Massimino, President and Chief Executive Officer, Human Rights First

“Because the technology is advancing so quickly, this is technology the bad guys will have very, very soon. So we need to be very clear on what we consider a threshold for retaliation.”

“One of the questions people ask in the context of a cyber attack is, can this be an act of war that triggers the laws of war or self-defense? I think it’s a pretty clear answer: It does.”

“Drones in a way are like a lawn mower. You have to keep using it or your grass keeps growing. It’s a tactic, not a strategy.”

“Keep the human judgment in the loop. All of our rules depend on having accountability. You’re not going to blame Dave the Computer.”

Mohammed Abu Lahoum, Head, Justice and Building Party, Yemen

“What worries us most is that collateral damage caused can be a serious problem. Use the drone but don’t overuse it…But I would still prefer to see drones than boots on the ground.”

“Intelligence has to be very precise and very accurate. You don’t just go in and strike in an area where you’d create more mess than you’re eliminating.”

Peter Van Praagh Quotes

“Halifax is not about the talk: It’s about the relationships that are fostered and strengthened; the ideas that are articulated, and challenged; the insights and information that inform real decisions made by leaders on the front lines, around the world.”

“It is our hope that the few days spent together here will inspire and inform leaders of democratic nations to work together, in new and better ways, to achieve our mutual goal of a safer world.”

Minister Peter MacKay Quotes

“Our work, and your commitment to this cause, is critically important. This Forum affects the lives of our citizens and our leaders. And it holds the potential to make those lives better. That, in essence, is really why we are gathered here.”

“Our ability to speak openly about these issues, and to challenge one another, is part of a process that can lead us towards practical solutions to the challenges we face.”

“Ours is a Forum that is about going global but remembering that there are real consequences to our theories and practices. We are a community charged with examining the linkages between problems in order to find solutions.”

“Throughout the entire weekend, we’ve questioned our assumptions, challenged conventional thinking, pushed the debate on key security and defence issues, and as we leave here today, I thank you for challenging yourselves—and putting yourselves out there—in order to better our community.”

Minister Peter MacKay Quotes

“There is an incredible synergy when people come to Halifax…Something magical happens. It’s really the outcomes and the takeaways from Halifax that we’re concerned with. We want this dialogue to continue. We want these conversations to matter.”

“[Halifax is about] bringing people together, making this community feel safer—and at the end of the day we all hope some of the solutions that come from this dialogue and the ones that follow will help de-escalate the violence that is raging in Syria and in Gaza. That is what is at state and that is what we’re addressing here at Halifax.”

“The international community is committed beyond 2014, not with troops per se, but with resources. Canada is certainly there among those countries.”

“There are things we can and things we can’t control. Much of the fate of Afghanistan we know is tied to Pakistan, and there were a number of quite poignant but provocative points made [at the Forum] about Pakistan’s commitment to a safe and secure Afghanistan. Let me be clear: We need Pakistan’s unequivocal support for that effort, for their neighbor. And thus far that has not been the case.”

“[The 2014 election] is an opportunity for Afghans to express themselves, and we need to devote our attention to ensuring that it is a free and fair election, and then reassuring the people of Afghanistan that we will continue to work with them.”

“Countries like Russia could be far more proactive and exert significant influence and use its weight with the Assad regime to end the violence. We can’t have Russia on the sidelines of a country coming apart at the seams.”

“While drones don’t have pilots, they play a very important role for the Canadian Air Force, and I think they’re going to play an even bigger role.”