LEE H. HAMILTON

Democracy makes us articulate our views, defend them, and refine them.

Foreign aid is neither a failure nor a panacea. It is, instead, an important tool of American policy that can serve the interests of the United States and the world if wisely administered.

You'll remember Dr. Rice said that several times: It was not a warning about the place and the method and the time - it was a general warning. And that points out the imperfection, if you would, of our intelligence.

Protecting Americans from nuclear terrorism rises above politics.

U.S. officials and outside experts agree that China is undertaking a comprehensive modernization of its military. The Chinese military has gotten smaller but smarter.

But despite this breathtaking pace, I believe in the capacity of our democracy to meet these challenges.

We should insist that governments receiving American aid live up to standards of accountability and transparency, and we should support countries that embrace market reforms, democracy, and the rule of law.

A likely source for terrorists seeking to buy or steal nuclear materials is the former Soviet Union.

China's ability to deliver nuclear warheads on American cities is expanding.

We cannot do everything in Africa, but doing nothing is not an option.

So much of our attention is trained on the Middle East these days, but we cannot ignore East Asia.

Now the difficulty with those warnings is that they were not specific.

Our democracy is not a product but a continual process. It is preserved not by monuments but deeds. Sometimes it needs refining; sometimes it needs amending; sometimes it needs defending. Always, it needs improving.

This nation is never finished. It has to be re-created in each generation.

Addressing global resentment cannot be put off. If we do not learn to use our predominant power with great restraint, we will antagonize the world.

When you're talking with a person at this level of the government, at the very highest level, I think you have to be very discreet because he, President Clinton, is very aware that anything he says publicly can have a profound impact on American politics and on world politics.

For decades the American people have had an addiction to oil and gas.

Democracy fascinates me.

But in the end our government usually - not unfailingly - is responsive to the people; and usually - not always - will try to do what is right.

I can assure you, public service is a stimulating, proud and lively enterprise. It is not just a way of life, it is a way to live fully.

The U.S. should support the historic Gaza withdrawal as a first step toward a final settlement: a permanent Palestinian state in Gaza and nearly all of the West Bank.

Putting together a counter- terrorism policy, it's very easy to look at law enforcement or defense, military action or stopping the money flows or whatever, but the really difficult part is integrating all aspects of the policy, and I think she put a lot of emphasis on that.

The temptations are great to simply retreat to the domain of private life and give up on our public problems.

President George W. Bush is the first American president to call openly for two-states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security.

Aid can work where there is good governance, and usually fails where governments are unable or unwilling to commit aid to improve the lives of their people.