How You Define A Problem Shapes How

Al-qa'ida Does Not Follow A Traditional Command Structure, Wear Uniforms, Carry Its Arms Openly, Or Mass Its Troops At The Borders Of The Nations It Attacks. Nonetheless, It Possesses The Demonstrated Capability To Strike With Little Notice And Cause Significant Civilian Or Military Casualties.

The United States Is The First Nation To Regularly Conduct Strikes Using Remotely Piloted Aircraft In An Armed Conflict. Other Nations Also Possess This Technology. Many More Nations Are Seeking It, And More Will Succeed In Acquiring It.

I Want To Be Very Clear - Whenever It Is Possible To Capture A Suspected Terrorist, It Is The Unqualified Preference Of The Administration To Take Custody Of That Individual So We Can Obtain Information That Is Vital To The Safety And Security Of The American People.

I'm Not Ideological. I Think Sometimes When People Are Ideological, The World's A Lot Easier. Because It Falls Into Either Right Or Wrong, Or Black Or White, Or Whatever. To Me, I'm Still Trying To Figure Out A Lot Of Things.

Our Democratic Values Also Include - And Our National Security Demands - Open And Transparent Government. Some Information Obviously Needs To Be Protected. And Since His First Days In Office, President Obama Has Worked To Strike The Proper Balance Between The Security The American People Deserve And The Openness Our Democratic Society Expects.