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John McCain

John McCain Quotes

United States Senator

John McCain was an American politician, statesman, and retired naval officer who served as a United States Senator from Arizona from 1987 to 2017. He was the Republican nominee for President of the United States in the 2008 election. McCain was a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War, and his career was marked by his strong advocacy for civil liberties, campaign finance reform, and military service.

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Famous John McCain Quotes

“If you have never been deprived of liberty in solitude, you cannot know what ineffable joy you experience in the open company of other human beings, free to talk and joke without fear. The strength you acquire in fraternity with others who share your fate is immeasurable.”

Book:Faith of My Fathers: A Family Memoir

Source: Faith of My Fathers: A Family Memoir

“Only a fool or a fraud talks tough or romantically about war.”

War Fool Tough Fraud

Author:John McCain

“I observed a thousand acts of courage, compassion and love [as a POW] and I will always treasure that memory above all others.”

War Memories Compassion Thousand And Love Treasure Acts Of Courage Pow

Author:John McCain

“Both candidates in this election [2004] pledge to end this war and bring our troops home. The great difference - the great difference is that I intend to win it first.”

Firsts War Ends Home Winning Differences Election Candidates Troops Pledge Our Troops

Author:John McCain

“Iraq is now the central front in the war against al-Qaeda.”

War Fronts Iraq Als Al Qaeda

Author:John McCain

“Reducing military presence has never in history won a war.”

War Military Reducing Military Presence

Author:John McCain

“I think that Donald Rumsfeld will go down in history as one of the worst secretaries of defense in history. We are paying a very heavy price for the mismanagement - that's the kindest word I can give you - of Donald Rumsfeld, of this war.”

Thinking Giving I Can War Worst Heavy Defense Secretary Mismanagement

Author:John McCain

“As almost anyone with war experience knows, you're never supposed to show the enemy what you won't do to win.”

Knows War Shows Winning Enemy

Author:John McCain

“I put the Vietnam War behind me a long time ago, and what I wanted to (do) among other things was help veterans also be able to come all the way home as some of our veterans have not been able to do. But I harbor no anger nor rancor. I'm a better man for my experience, and I'm grateful for having the opportunity of serving.”

Men Way Long War Helping Home Able Wanted Opportunity Behinds Long Time Grateful Serving Vietnam Veteran Long Time Ago Harbors Vietnam War Our Veterans Better Man Way Home Rancor No Anger

Author:John McCain

“Giving peace a chance only gives Saddam Hussein more time to prepare for war on his terms, at a time of his choosing, in pursuit of ambitions that will only grow as his power to achieve them grows.”

Giving War Grows Term Chance Achieve Ambition Pursuit More Time Saddam Hussein

Author:John McCain

“We are Americans first, Americans last, Americans always... Let us argue our differences. But remember we are not enemies, but comrades in a war against a real enemy...”

Firsts War Real Lasts Remember Differences Enemy Arguing Comrade

Author:John McCain

“I would never want to see myself viewed as beating the drums of war, ... but I would rather live with that image than look into the mirror and see a member of Congress who failed to do his duty.”

Want Looks War Duty Members Mirrors Congress

Author:John McCain

“The abuse of prisoners hurts America's cause in the war on terror, endangers US service members who might be captured by the enemy, and is anathema to the values Americans have held dear for generations.”

War Might America Values Causes Hurt Enemy Generations Members Abuse Dear Terror Prisoner Captured War On Terror Anathema

Author:John McCain

“Subjecting prisoners to abuse leads to bad intelligence, because under torture a detainee will tell his interrogator anything to make the pain stop. Second, mistreatment of our prisoners endangers U.S. troops who might be captured by the enemy – if not in this war, then in the next. And third, prisoner abuses exact on us a terrible toll in the war of ideas, because inevitably these abuses become public.”

Ideas War Might Pain Enemy Terrible Thirds Abuse Torture Prisoner Troops Captured Tolls Mistreatment Detainees

Author:John McCain

“When you have airplanes with precision weapons, striking hospitals in Aleppo and slaughtering innocent men, women and children, you're committing a war crime. So we need more sanctions against Russia. We should not relax them.”

Men Needs Should Children War Crime Weapons Russia Innocent Relax Hospitals Airplane Men Women Sanctions Precision War Crimes Innocent Man

Author:John McCain

“Vladimir Putin is a war criminal.”

War Criminals Putin

Author:John McCain

“Europeans are greater than they have been since any time since the end of the Cold War.”

Has Beens War Ends Greater Cold Cold War

Author:John McCain

“I know what war's like. I know what scene's like.”

Knows War Scene

Author:John McCain

“I guarantee you, as president of the United States, I know how to heal the wounds of war, I know how to deal with our adversaries, and I know how to deal with our friends.”

War President Wounds Heal Adversaries

Author:John McCain

“War is wretched beyond description, and only a fool or a fraud could sentimentalize its cruel reality.”

War Reality Peace Fool Description Fraud Anti War Antiwar Wretched Peace War

Author:John McCain

“I'm as frustrated with the French, I think, as anyone, but look, there's going to be other challenges and there are going to be other issues. As long as there's a war on terrorism going on, we're all going to have to work together.”

Thinking Looks Long War Together Challenges Issues Terrorism Working Together Frustrated War On Terror War On Terrorism

Author:John McCain

“As long as there is a war on terrorism going on, we're all going to have to work together.”

Long War Together Terrorism Working Together War On Terror War On Terrorism

Author:John McCain

“There's going to be other wars. I'm sorry to tell you, there's going to be other wars. We will never surrender, but there will be other wars.”

War Sorry Surrender I'm Sorry Never Surrender

Author:John McCain

“War is awful. Nothing, not the valor with which it is fought nor the nobility of the cause it serves, can glorify war. War is wretched beyond description and only a fool or a fraud could sentimentalize its cruel reality. Whatever is won in war, it is loss the veteran remembers.”

War Reality Remember Causes Loss Fool Awful Description Fraud Veteran Nobility Wretched Glorify Valor

Author:John McCain

“But we have a war of ideals and ideas, and that is to sell democracy.”

Ideas War Democracy Ideals Sells Historical

Author:John McCain

“We need not risk our national honor to prevail in this or any war.”

Needs War Risk Honor

Author:John McCain

About the Author

Born: August 29, 1936
Known for: United States Senator
Quotes: 408

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Books & Sources

Character Is Destiny: Inspiring Stories Every Young Person Should Know and Every Adult Should RememberRelated source material

Faith of My Fathers: A Family MemoirRelated source material

Why Courage Matters: The Way to a Braver LifeRelated source material

Worth the Fighting ForRelated source material

Worth the Fighting For: A MemoirRelated source material

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