“National security starts with a strong economy, the use of diplomacy, international law and heading off conflicts before they occur. Diplomacy and deterrence still have an important role, and the best war to win is the war you never have to fight. If you go to war, you must go with decisive force, and you must have a clear idea of what the military objective is.”
Gen. Wesley Clark (Ret.), former Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, “The Future of Conflict: Military Roles and Missions,” the John G. Tower Center for Political Studies in Dedman College, November 14, 2008
“Everyone has their own moral compass about what they’re being asked to do. My career was based on asking foreigners to put their lives and maybe their families’ lives in jeopardy for the sake of United States security. For me, I thought the greater good was served, and I always tried my absolute best to ensure their safety.”
Former CIA operative Valerie Plame Wilson, Louise B. Raggio Endowed Lecture in Women’s Studies, November 18, 2008
“The first picture I took of a pile of garbage, I did it because I was interested in color. It reminded me of an Impressionist painting. Then some friends and I started talking about consumerism. That got me going on the idea of photographing garbage as a way to comment on our consumer culture.”
Chris Jordan, photographer and environmental activist, Turner Construction/Wachovia Student Forum, Tate Lecture Series, January 27, 2009
“China is roaring to life … because they have brought women into the economy. The greatest unexploited world resource is women. Educating girls is the single most effective way to fight poverty.”
Nicholas Kristof, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The New York Times, The Jones Day Lecture, Tate Lecture Series, March 3, 2009