"I will not wait on events, while dangers gather. I will not stand by, as peril draws closer and closer. The United States of America will not permit the world's most dangerous regimes to threaten us with the world's most destructive weapons.

-"President George W. Bush, Jan. 29 State of the Union address.

"Axis of Evil"

"North Korea is a regime arming with missiles and weapons of mass destruction, while starving its citizens. Iran aggressively pursues these weapons and exports terror, while an unelected few repress the Iranian people's hope for freedom. Iraq continues to flaunt its hostility toward America and to support terror. ... States like these, and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world.

-"Bush, in State of the Union address.

What Kind of Byrd?

"I'm one of the hawks ... when it comes to defense, but I'm becoming a little nervous as I hear that we're going to spend more and more and more on the military. It's going to have to come out of somewhere, out of somebody else's hide.-

"Sen. Robert Byrd (D­W.Va.), in Jan. 24 remarks to reporters.

Maritime Strategy

"This [President Bush's major defense budget increase] provides a unique opportunity for the Navy to put forward a bold initiative to correct the steadily declining number of ships in the Naval fleet. ... When you appear before the Congress, I will ask the tough questions regarding the need to build more ships. You will have the opportunity to make your case for a bigger piece of the national defense budget.

-"Sen. John Warner (R­Va.), senior Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, in Jan. 25 letter to Secretary of the Navy Gordon England and Adm. Vernon Clark, Chief of Naval Operations.

Veiled Threat ...

"Not mandatory, but strongly encouraged."

-Army Gen. Tommy Franks, commander in chief of Central Command, in Jan. 19 memo referring to the need for US ser-vicewomen in Saudi Arabia to wear a head-to-toe covering, called an abaya.

Threat Unveiled?

"What it [Franks's message] says to us is that it's [a requirement for servicewomen in Saudi Arabia to wear an abaya] not been rescinded. It's like saying, 'You're equal to us, but you can't eat in the same restaurant, because you're strongly encouraged to eat at one more fitting with your lower class.'

-"John Whitehead, lawyer for Air Force Lt. Col. Martha McSally, who sued the Pentagon to have the abaya requirement lifted.

"Vastly More Deadly"

"Who would have imagined, only a few months ago, that terrorists would take commercial airliners, turn them into missiles, and use them to strike the Pentagon and World Trade Towers, killing thousands? But it happened. And let there be no doubt: In the years ahead, it is likely that we will be surprised again, by new adversaries who may also strike in unexpected ways. And as they gain access to weapons of increasing power, these attacks could grow vastly more deadly than those we suffered September 11th.

-"Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, in Jan. 31 speech at National Defense University, Washington, D.C.

Leave That Part to Us

"We in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have been your friends when very few people wanted to be your friends. During the Cold War, we stood by you. Our relationship over the years has been based on equity and based on common interests and a shared world view. As your friends and as your allies, we are very proud of our relationship with you. In the current environment, we find it very difficult to defend America, and so we keep our silence. Because, to be very frank with you, how can we defend America?

-"Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud, de facto leader of Saudi Arabia, in Jan. 28 interview with US reporters in Riyadh.

Woolsey's Requirements

"We need Turkey [for any US action against Iraq], but we really don't need the Europeans. Anyways, they will be the first in line patting us on the back, following our success, and saying they were with us all along.

-"R. James Woolsey, former CIA director, quoted in Dec. 27 Washington Post.

The Horror

"If a US serviceman were captured by Taliban forces weand the USwould be fighting to ensure that he be entitled to protection as a prisoner of war. ... The Geneva Conventions are very explicit about avoiding public curiosity. Imagine the families seeing these pictures or the Muslim community worldwide.

-"Darcy Christen, a Red Cross spokesman, in Jan. 22 Wall Street Journal, speaking after DOD released photos of some al Qaeda detainees with their legs in shackles.

Rumsfeld's Reason

"When they are being moved from place to place, will they be restrained in a way so that they are less likely to be able to kill an American soldier? You bet. Is it inhumane to do that? No. Would it be stupid to do anything else? Yes.

-"Rumsfeld, DOD briefing, Jan. 22.

ISR Deficiencies

"Our ISR posture as a nation is woefully short of the needs, from space to [human intelligence]every bit of intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance capabilities. ... We have to have a more connective and more persistent intelligence network.