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We seek no wider war.

Sanctions are a bad idea.

Sanctions are a sign of irritation; they are not the instrument of serious policies.

Let us not be defeated by the tyranny of the world financial markets that threaten peace and democracy everywhere.

I don't want to say that sanctions are ridiculous and that we couldn't care less; these are not pleasant things... We find little joy in that, but there are no painful sensations. We have lived through tougher times.

Obviously, having served in wars myself, I'm eager to do everything possible to avoid them, but our military capability vis-a-vis a country like Iran is a major source of leverage in any negotiation that we should never, ever give up.

We do not wish to open your ports to foreign trade all at once.

Sanctions and negotiations can be very ineffective, and indeed foolish, unless the people you are talking with and negotiating with and trying to reach agreements with are people who can be trusted to keep their word.

We shouldn't be so dependent on foreign oil.