John O. Brennan Quotes

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John O. Brennan

Profession : Public Servant

Birth : September 22, 1955

I have a reputation for speaking my mind. I like to think my candor and bluntness will give you the answers.

John O. Brennan

Our counterterrorism tools do not exist in a vacuum. They are stronger and more sustainable when the American people understand and support them. They are weaker and less sustainable when the American people do not.

John O. Brennan

While the intelligence profession oftentimes demands secrecy, it is critically important that there be a full and open discourse on intelligence matters with the appropriate elected representatives of the American people.

John O. Brennan

It's not that the system is broken, but clearly there are ways to improve the system, strengthen it, to make sure that we can put together the various bits and pieces of information in a way that allows us to stop every single terrorist out there.

John O. Brennan

We are in this business, whether it be intelligence or the government, to protect freedom, democracy and liberty, not to violate that.

John O. Brennan

Why should a great and powerful nation like the United States allow its relationship with more than a billion Muslims around the world to be defined by the narrow hatred and nihilistic actions of an exceptionally small minority of Muslims?

John O. Brennan

How you define a problem shapes how you address it.

John O. Brennan

Poverty does not cause violence and terrorism. Lack of education does not cause terrorism.

John O. Brennan

The risk of just one terrorist with just one nuclear weapon is a risk we simply cannot afford to take.

John O. Brennan

As a former career intelligence professional, I have a profound appreciation for the value of intelligence. Intelligence disrupts terrorist plots and thwarts attacks. Intelligence saves lives.

John O. Brennan

The preservation of our national security and the laws that define us as the United States of America demand that we understand the intersection of the two - indeed, how they reinforce one another.

John O. Brennan

When we uphold the rule of law, our counterterrorism tools are more likely to withstand the scrutiny of our courts, our allies, and the American people.

John O. Brennan

Where terrorists offer injustice, disorder and destruction, the United States and its allies stand for freedom, fairness, equality, hope, and opportunity.

John O. Brennan

The president's priority is to protect the safety and security of the American people. That's the physical security of the American people as well as the prosperity of the American people.

John O. Brennan

We need to make sure that leaks of classified information, of national security secrets, needs to be rigorously pursued and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

John O. Brennan

Terrorists are not 100 feet tall. Nor do they deserve the abject fear they seek to instill.

John O. Brennan

I think the rule should be that if we're going to take actions overseas that result in the deaths of people, the United States should take responsibility for that.

John O. Brennan

Throughout my career, I had the great fortune to experience firsthand as well as to witness what it means to be a CIA officer.

John O. Brennan

Simply stated, the need for accurate intelligence and prescient analysis from CIA has never been greater than it is in 2013 - or than it will be in the coming years.

John O. Brennan

U.S. computer networks and databases are under daily cyber attack by nation states, international crime organizations, subnational groups, and individual hackers.

John O. Brennan