Regarding the war in Iraq, then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice wrote: on March 31, 2006, “during a question and answer session after my remarks at the BBC-Chatham House Lectures in Blackburn [U.K.]… I was asked to give examples of lessons learned from some of the mistakes that had been made over the prior three years. After giving a lengthy discussion about how difficult it is to determine in the midst of an historical event whether a decision, tactical or otherwise, is ultimately good or bad, I concluded by quipping, ‘I know we’ve made tactical errors–thousands of them, I’m sure. But when you look back in history, what will be judged is, did you make the right strategic positions? And if you spend all your time trying to judge this tactical issue or that tactical issue, I think you miss the larger sweep.’ ”
– Condoleezza Rice, No Higher Honor, Pages 455-456