Susan Rice quotes

Susan Rice is an American diplomat and public official best known for serving as National Security Advisor and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Her career spans significant roles in both domestic and international policy-making. She has been recognized for her expertise in foreign affairs and national security. Here are 32 of her quotes:

Well, Nigeria has played a constructive role in peacekeeping in various parts of West Africa. But unless and until Nigeria itself is democratic and respects human rights, it too may well be a source of much greater instability as political repression limits the ability of the people of Nigeria to achieve their full potential.

Susan Rice

I am a team player - and that is what you need to be an effective point guard. You gotta see the court, you gotta set up the play, and you gotta let others execute for the most part. I don't throw elbows for the sake of throwing elbows, but if somebody throws one at me and it's necessary to respond in kind, I suppose I can if I have to.

Susan Rice

If we are to garner sustained U.S. domestic support for future trade agreements, we have to make sure those Americans who have suffered as a consequence of past agreements have an effective social safety net, adjustment assistance, opportunities for retraining and new job creation that enables all Americans to thrive.

Susan Rice

If you want change, you have to make it. If we want progress we have to drive it.

Susan Rice

Once you've learned to study in a bathing suit on the grass with muscled men throwing frisbees over your head, you can accomplish almost anything.

Susan Rice

Progress is the product of human agency. Things get better because we make them better. Things go wrong when we get too comfortable, when we fail to take risks or seize opportunities.

Susan Rice

Well I was concerned, back even at that early age of not quite 28, that as an African American woman entering the field of national security and foreign policy for the first time, that if I accepted a job in African policy at that stage without having demonstrated my ability to work on a wider range of issues, I feared, I think legitimately, ... that I might well get pigeonholed in Africa. That people in this predominantly white national security establishment would see me as black working on Africa - and therefore not capable of, or suited to do, anything else. And I made that choice. Looking back on it, it was quite a bracing thing to do to turn down at that age a substantive policy job.

Susan Rice

I would rather be alone and a loud voice for action than be silent.

Susan Rice

I am very aware of being black and female because that's what I am.

Susan Rice

I was conscious of the fact that it could be to my disadvantage to marry a white guy - that some folks would hold that against me.

Susan Rice

We've seen violent responses to 'Satanic Verses.' We've seen violent responses to the cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed in an evil way.

Susan Rice

Americans understand that our security is enhanced when the United States is trusted and respected in the world.

Susan Rice

We must be honest in acknowledging that neither Germany nor the U.S. has the luxury of assuming that we can skate by on half-measures in Afghanistan and Pakistan and not risk suffering the consequences.

Susan Rice

The United States share of the African market it's very small, it's only about 8 percent.

Susan Rice

Well, I think by any expectation South Africa has come a tremendously long way. We've seen a society that many people thought couldn't withstand a peaceful transition to democracy without a great deal of violence, in fact, make that transition and do it in relative peace and security.

Susan Rice

I have been to Libya and walked the streets of Benghazi myself.

Susan Rice

The U.S. cannot go it alone simply when it is convenient.

Susan Rice

I think most Americans understand that we went through a period in which American leadership was judged quite critically internationally.

Susan Rice

The kids are Job One. So, to be quite candid, if they need me, I do my utmost to make sure I'm there.

Susan Rice

I spend every day up at the United Nations where I have to interact with 192 other countries. I know how well the United States is viewed.

Susan Rice

Americans are hungry for change both at home and in our relations with the rest of the world.

Susan Rice

The larger picture here is that a North Korea with nuclear weapons adds to the larger proliferation risk.

Susan Rice