In their own words: A collection of quotes by neoconservatives.

(Taken from The Christian Science Monitor, here.)

"A neoconservative is a liberal who's been mugged by reality. A neoliberal is a liberal who's been mugged by reality but has refused to press charges."

- Irving Kristol

"Change - above all violent change - is the essence of human history."

- Michael Ledeen

"Ultimately, this WTC/Pentagon attack is anchored to a terror network embedded in Saudi royal politics. I don't think we will win this war if we do not begin to honestly examine the full nature of Saudi politics and behavior. This is truly the key issue."

- David Wurmser

"American power should be used not just in the defense of American interests but for the promotion of American principles."

- William Kristol

"The President of the United States, on issue after issue, has reflected the thinking of neoconservatives."

- Richard Perle

"It is time to stop pretending that Europeans and Americans share a common view of the world, or even that they occupy the same world."

- Robert Kagan

"Iraq is just one battle in a larger war, bringing down the regime in Iran is the central act, because Iran is the world's most dangerous terrorist country."

- Michael Ledeen

"On the outcome of the confrontation with Tehran, more than any other, rests the future of the Bush Doctrine - and, quite possibly, the Bush presidency - and prospects for a safer world."

- William Kristol

"Republicans are good at wielding power, but they're not so wonderful when it comes to the more idealistic motives of liberal internationalism. The Democrats are better at liberal internationalism, but they're not so good at wielding power. I would say that if there were a Joe Lieberman/John McCain party, I'm in the Joe Lieberman/John McCain party."

- Robert Kagan

"We are going to have to take the war against [the terrorists] often to other people's territory, and all of the norms of international order make it difficult to do that. So the president has to reshape fundamental attitudes toward those norms, or we are going to have our hands tied by an antiquated institution [the traditional international system] that is not capable of defending us."

- Richard Perle