悟空：拉姆斯菲尔德“名言”录

美国前国防部长拉姆斯菲尔德是个有争议的人物，他的鹰派立场和他在伊拉克战争中的作用常遭人诟病。他的功过姑且不论，作为个人，拉姆斯菲尔德有很高的IQ和语言天赋，即使是自视甚高、评价同僚眼光极为苛刻的基辛格，对他的天赋也赞誉有加。 (见基辛格“Years of Renewal"一书)。与他那位拙于言辞的顶头上司小布什不同，拉姆斯菲尔德常说出一些带有哲理的“名言”， 比如：

There are known knowns. There are known unknowns. There are also unknown unknowns. (source: PBS Frontline, "Bush's War")

These are things we know we know. There are things we know we don't know. There are also things we know we don't know we don't know. (source: Bob Woodward, "Plan on Attacks")

Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. (source:  Movie "W.", referring to Iraq's WMD search)

Don't speak ill of your predecessors or successors. You didn't walk in their shoes. (source: The Washington Post)

If you start with a false premise, then, by perfectly logical reasoning, you will arrive at a perfectly illogical conclusion. (source: PBS Frontline, "Bush's War")

If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much. (source: CNN)

(Just the other day, Obama has rephrased this in Ohio: "If I don't do anything, I'll get very high pool numbers. People will think: What a genius!" )

以下几条是我的favorite:

Amidst all the clutter, beyond all the obstacles, aside from all the static, are the goals set. Put your head down, do the best job possible, let the flak pass, and work towards those goals. (my most favorite)

Be precise. A lack of precision is dangerous when the margin of error is small. (source: The Washington Post)

If in doubt, don't do it; If still in doubt, do what's right. (source: The Washington Post)

For people who's only tool in their tool box is a hammer, all the problems in the world look like nails. (source: Bob Woodward, "Plan on Attacks")

It is one thing to make mistakes when you are pushing the envelopes.  It is quite another thing to make mistakes when you are walking to work. (source: Bob Woodward, "State of Denial")

 

这最后一条，我常用来提醒自己。