I think it is very difficult today to have a reasoned public discourse on any controversial subject. Certainly, election years present a complicating factor.

Quote by John Poindexter

Topics: John Poindexter Quotes

TIA was being used by real users, working on real data - foreign data. Data...

TIA was being used by real users, working on real data - foreign data. Data...

We wanted to be as expansive as possible to make sure we didn't preclude some...

We wanted to be as expansive as possible to make sure we didn't preclude some...

Nobody - myself included - believes that we could ever achieve total information awareness. But...

Nobody - myself included - believes that we could ever achieve total information awareness. But...

You accept failure as a possible outcome of some of the experiments. If you don't...

You accept failure as a possible outcome of some of the experiments. If you don't...

One of the reasons I continue to speak out is that the solutions to the...

One of the reasons I continue to speak out is that the solutions to the...

The problem we were struggling with within the closed market was what the incentive would...

The problem we were struggling with within the closed market was what the incentive would...

I really believe that we don't have to make a trade-off between security and privacy....

I really believe that we don't have to make a trade-off between security and privacy....

It would be ideal if we could have an uncontrolled flow of information. But we...

It would be ideal if we could have an uncontrolled flow of information. But we...

I knew from the beginning that privacy was going to be a huge issue, especially...

I knew from the beginning that privacy was going to be a huge issue, especially...

Uncontrolled access to data, with no audit trail of activity and no oversight would be...

Uncontrolled access to data, with no audit trail of activity and no oversight would be...

I think if I had to do it over again, I'd do it the same...

I think if I had to do it over again, I'd do it the same...

We don't seem to be able to check crime, so why not legalize it and...

We don't seem to be able to check crime, so why not legalize it and...

Diplomats are useful only in fair weather. As soon as it rains they drown in...

Diplomats are useful only in fair weather. As soon as it rains they drown in...

If we just let our vision of the world go forth, and we embrace it...

If we just let our vision of the world go forth, and we embrace it...

Diplomacy is the art of letting someone have your way.

Diplomacy is the art of letting someone have your way.

A diplomat who says yes means maybe, a diplomat who says maybe means no, and...

A diplomat who says yes means maybe, a diplomat who says maybe means no, and...

Diplomacy is not an end in itself if it does not advance U.S. interests.

Diplomacy is not an end in itself if it does not advance U.S. interests.

If you can't go around it, over it, or through it, you had better negotiate...

If you can't go around it, over it, or through it, you had better negotiate...

Once the Xerox copier was invented, diplomacy died.

Once the Xerox copier was invented, diplomacy died.

Diplomats are just as essential to starting a war as soldiers are for finishing it......

Diplomats are just as essential to starting a war as soldiers are for finishing it......