Richard N. Haass

Trade accords had been a staple of the post-World War II world, providing a mechanism for economic growth, development, and association with friends and allies, and a means of reining in would-be adversaries who otherwise would have little incentive to act with restraint.

American presidents get to make lots of choices, with one critical exception: what awaits them in the in-box on top of the desk in the Oval Office.

Diplomacy can and will matter; little is inevitable in international relations.

I believe in diplomacy; I don't believe in talking to... that talking to Iran somehow constitutes a concession or a favour.

Donald Trump's United States is not isolationist. He has authorized the use of limited military force against the Syrian government in a manner his predecessor rejected.

I did not support the U.S. decision to intervene with military force in Libya. The evidence was not persuasive that a large-scale massacre or genocide was either likely or imminent. Policies other than military intervention were never given a full chance.

Security is the absolute precondition for sustainable recovery from conflict; without it, people cannot rebuild their country or return to school or work.

Not every threat to America's national interests can be addressed with military power.

Paradigm shifts, particularly in diplomacy and security issues, are, by definition, major undertakings.

Terrorism is a decentralized phenomenon - in its funding, planning, and execution.

Trump is the first post-World War II American president to view the burdens of world leadership as outweighing the benefits.

Success in foreign policy, as in carpentry, requires the right tools for the job.