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

Quote by Donald Rumsfeld

Topics: Donald Rumsfeld Quotes

Congress, the press, and the bureaucracy too often focus on how much money or effort...

Congress, the press, and the bureaucracy too often focus on how much money or effort...

You're thinking of Eurpoe as Germany and France. I don't. I think that's old Europe.

You're thinking of Eurpoe as Germany and France. I don't. I think that's old Europe.

Leave the President's family business to him. You will have plenty to do without trying...

Leave the President's family business to him. You will have plenty to do without trying...

See that the President, the Cabinet and staff are informed. If cut out of the...

See that the President, the Cabinet and staff are informed. If cut out of the...

Treat each federal dollar as if it was hard earned; it was - by a...

Treat each federal dollar as if it was hard earned; it was - by a...

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

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

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

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

Have a deputy and develop a successor. Don't be consumed by the job or you'll...

Have a deputy and develop a successor. Don't be consumed by the job or you'll...

Amidst all the clutter, beyond all the obstacles, aside from all the static, are the...

Amidst all the clutter, beyond all the obstacles, aside from all the static, are the...

Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war.

Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war.

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

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

If the staff lacks policy guidance against which to test decisions, their decisions will be...

If the staff lacks policy guidance against which to test decisions, their decisions will be...

If a prospective Presidential approach can't be explained clearly enough to be understood well, it...

If a prospective Presidential approach can't be explained clearly enough to be understood well, it...

Don't think of yourself as indispensable or infallible. As Charles De Gaulle said, the cemeteries...

Don't think of yourself as indispensable or infallible. As Charles De Gaulle said, the cemeteries...

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

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

Oh my goodness gracious, what you can buy off the Internet in terms of overhead...

Oh my goodness gracious, what you can buy off the Internet in terms of overhead...

There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known...

There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known...

Congress, the press, and the bureaucracy too often focus on how much money or effort...

Congress, the press, and the bureaucracy too often focus on how much money or effort...

Most managers were trained to be the thing they most despise -- bureaucrats.

Most managers were trained to be the thing they most despise -- bureaucrats.

And thus Bureaucracy, the giant power wielded by pygmies, came into the world

And thus Bureaucracy, the giant power wielded by pygmies, came into the world

Congress will pass a law restricting public comment on the Internet to individuals who have...

Congress will pass a law restricting public comment on the Internet to individuals who have...

Make an effort to smile as much as possible because you just might make someone's...

Make an effort to smile as much as possible because you just might make someone's...

Of all the icy blasts that blow on love, a request for money is the...

Of all the icy blasts that blow on love, a request for money is the...

Freedom of the press is not an end in itself but a means to the...

Freedom of the press is not an end in itself but a means to the...