We are not going to abandon Iraq.

I don’t believe that military intervention is always the right approach. What we need is a comprehensive strategy, one that advances democratization, economic reforms and equal rights for women.

The Sunnis continue to see themselves, possibly for nostalgic reasons, as the most influential group and want a stronger central government – quite unlike minorities in other countries. The circumstances here are far more complex than many people in Washington imagine.

We can’t say whether Tehran is supporting Al Qaeda, but we do know that al-Qaida people come here from Pakistan through Iran.

Today we’re seeing fundamental conflicts within political Islam, with the fundamentalists on the one side and the moderates on the other. Who gains the upper hand means a great deal to the world.

Besides, many Islamic movements will change as soon as they gain political responsibility. I’m not at all pessimistic in this regard. Just think of Turkey, where the Islamists are now behaving like a sort of Christian Democratic party in Europe.

I constantly signal to the Iraqi leaders that our patience, or the patience of the American people, is running out.

Everyone believes that the prospect for a civil war has diminished significantly over the past several days. All the mainstream leaders of Iraq believe that civil war must be avoided. It’s very positive that they are all saying it.

I consider the modernization of the Middle East the central challenge of our time. This region behaves as if it were disturbed, if you’ll excuse the clinical expression.

In my job I do my best to look forward.