Michael Scheuer Biography & Quotes

“No one wants to abandon the Israelis. But I think the perception is, and I think it's probably an accurate perception, that the tail is leading the dog - that we are giving the Israelis carte blanche ability to exercise whatever they want to do in their area.”

Thinking Want Giving Ability Dog Exercise Perception Areas Abandon Accurate Tails Blanche

Author:Michael Scheuer

“It's not a choice between war and peace. It's a choice between war and endless war. It's not appeasement. I think it's better even to call it American self-interest.”

Thinking War Self Choices Interest Endless Self Interest Appeasement Endless War

Author:Michael Scheuer

“Most dramatically, and perhaps least noticed, is the violence inside Saudi Arabia itself.”

Violence Arabia Saudi Arabia Saudis

Author:Michael Scheuer

“One of the great intellectual failures of the American intelligence community, and especially the counterterrorism community, is to assume if someone hasn't attacked us, it's because he can't or because we've defeated him.”

Ifs Community Intellectual Assuming Defeated Intelligence Community Counter Terrorism

Author:Michael Scheuer

“Well, there are certain pockets of improvement. The one that I think is most important is that state and local law enforcement levels have started to do a lot more educative efforts within their organizations to understand the kind of threat we're facing. They've given up on the federal level.”

Thinking Wells Kind Important States Law Certain Given Levels Effort Organization Threat Improvement Locals Pockets Law Enforcement Enforcement Given Up

Author:Michael Scheuer

“The FBI continues to be a broken, anachronistic organization, but state and local law enforcement officials are much more attuned to the kind of threat we're facing. I think that's very hopeful, but it's a long-term process.”

Thinking Kind Long States Law Process Term Broken Organization Threat Locals Long Term Officials Hopeful Law Enforcement Enforcement Fbi

Author:Michael Scheuer

“I think the world is more perilous and America is basically undefended. For me the two touchstones after 9/11 for domestic security were our borders. Not for discriminatory reasons or to stop immigration, but simply to allow law enforcement to find out who is in our country without facing an undocumented pool of aliens that increases by the hour.”

Thinking World Two Country Reason America Law Hours Security Increase Immigration Our Country Aliens Borders Pool Law Enforcement Enforcement Touchstones

Author:Michael Scheuer

“We haven't done anything. That has devolved into a partisan bickering of the kind that says Nero was fiddling while Rome burned.”

Kind Done Havens Rome Burned Partisans Bickering Nero

Author:Michael Scheuer

“The second touchstone for America I think unquestionably was pushing to conclusion the program we had with the Russians to control the Soviet nuclear arsenal. I tend to think that more than anything else, that will come back to haunt us.”

Thinking America Program Nuclear Conclusion Pushing Soviet Arsenal Touchstones

Author:Michael Scheuer

“They [politicians] have defined the war simply in terms of the detonation of explosives. When you look at the broader picture, America is mired in two wars that we're losing at the moment. We have a political environment that is as poisonous as anything I've seen, at least since the end of Vietnam.”

Looks Two War Ends Moments America Political Term Environment Politician Losing Defined Vietnam Explosives Poisonous Political Environment

Author:Michael Scheuer

“Major danger lie for America? That we could very well be defeated oversees and at home. And the source of it is clearly that we have yet to find a politician in either partywho's willing to tell the American people the truth.”

People Wells Home America Lying Danger Willing Source Politician Majors Defeated

Author:Michael Scheuer

“We [Americans] continue to be harangued by politicians about how Americans must fight this war because we're being attacked because we have freedoms and liberties and women in the workplace and a whole list of ephemera that have nothing to do with this war at all.”

War Whole Fighting Liberty Politician Lists Workplace Freedom And Liberty Ephemera

Author:Michael Scheuer

“We're being attacked, Britain is being attacked, our allies are being attacked because we've installed and backed and implemented a set of policies in the Middle East for the last years or more.”

Years Lasts Middle Policy East Britain Allies Middle East Last Year

Author:Michael Scheuer

“And we're being attacked because of what we do, not because of who we are. And by refusing to talk about that, I'm afraid the American people, at least, don't have a good idea of just how dangerous the threat is that we face.”

People Ideas Faces Dangerous Threat Who We Are Good Ideas

Author:Michael Scheuer

“And when you say the policies are what caused this war - American policies - that's not to say that they're wrong. It's not to say that the policies were made by madmen or evil people. It's simply to say that you better understand the motivation of your enemy if you're going to defeat him. And the man who is motivated by a belief that his religion is being attacked by a superpower is much more dangerous than a man who's mad at you because you have women in the workplace.”

People Ifs Men Made War Motivation Evil Belief Enemy Dangerous Policy He Man Mad Defeat Motivated Workplace Madmen Superpower Evil People

Author:Michael Scheuer

“Iraq broke our back in terms of counterterrorism. There's no doubt about it. The first thing, though, that hurt us was the fact that the U.S. military was absolutely unprepared to do anything on 9/11 - or 9/12 or 9/13. And by the time we actually attacked Afghanistan, al Qaeda and the Taliban had dispersed.”

Firsts Facts Term Hurt Doubt Military Iraq Broke No Doubt Als Afghanistan Al Qaeda Taliban Unprepared

Author:Michael Scheuer

“I've said before: If Osama bin Laden was a Christian, Iraq was the Christmas present he always wanted but never expected his parents to give. It validated for the Muslim world virtually all of bin Laden's rhetoric. He had always said the Americans will destroy any strong Muslim regime, and we did.”

Ifs World Giving Said Wanted Christian Strong Parent Iraq Expected Regimes Rhetoric Bin Laden Osama Bin Laden Muslim World Christmas Present

Author:Michael Scheuer

“Any strong Muslim regime that threatens Israel, and we did. He said the Americans only want oil, and, of course, Iraq has the second-largest reserves. And he said that we will always replace God's law with manmade law. And finally that we intended to occupy and destroy Islamic sanctities. And I suspect that in our government, very few people knew that Iraq was the second-holiest place in Islam, after the Arabian Peninsula.”

People Want Said Government Law Courses Strong Islam Iraq Israel Oil Islamic Suspects Regimes Reserves Sanctity Arabian Peninsulas

Author:Michael Scheuer

“The whole importance of Iraq is that we have now created two things. One, Iraq is in the Arab heartland in terms of an attraction for people who want to fight the Americans and their allies. It's far greater than anything Afghanistan was aftertheSoviets invaded. It's easy to get to, there's no trouble with languages.”

People Want Two Whole Fighting Language Easy Term Greater Trouble Importance Iraq Attraction Two Things Allies Afghanistan Easy To Get

Author:Michael Scheuer

“Every mujahadeen who comes in from outside the country finds an environment where Arabic is spoken. So in that sense, it's a tremendous come-on for the young in Islam. But I think much more important is, it just validates so much of what the Muslim world is predisposed to believe.”

Thinking World Believe Important Country Young Environment Islam Muslim World

Author:Michael Scheuer

“We now have some years of very reliable polling by Western firms in the Islamic world, in multiple Islamic countries. And invariably, the question that asks, "Do you view U.S. foreign policy as an attack on Islam and Muslims?" is maxed out. Whether it's Jordan or Indonesia or Egypt, you get 80,85 percent of people saying "Yes."”

People World Years Country Asks Views Policy Percent Islam Western Firm Islamic Foreign Policy Multiple Egypt Indonesia Jordan Saying Yes Polling

Author:Michael Scheuer

“I think you can take the recent war in Lebanon as a very good example of how this plays. The Americans and their allies clearly stood back - clearly in the eyes of Muslims - and basically said to the Israelis, "Do what you need to do, and we'll hold the ring for you and not call a cease-fire." That perception in the Muslim world very much played to the anti-American sentiment.”

Thinking World Needs Said War Play Eye Fire Example Perception Very Good Rings Cease Sentiments Allies Good Examples Lebanon Muslim World Anti-american

Author:Michael Scheuer

“But more important, I think, is the criticism bin Laden has made publicly over the past 10 years that Muslim governments cannot even protect their own people. And more than that, they'll often collude with the infidels. And if you recall, the initial reaction of the Arab league was to criticize Hezbollah and damn Hezbollah for the war. And they eventually had to turn 180degrees and support Hezbollah.”

People Ifs Thinking Years Made Important War Government Past Turns Support Protect Criticism Reactions Damn League Criticize Recalls Initials Bin Laden Over The Past Infidel Hezbollah

Author:Michael Scheuer

“So in a sense, that little war in the Levant had a horrendous effect in terms of the stability of countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, over the long term. Because once again, it proved to Muslims that their governments couldn't protect them and would side with the enemy.”

Littles Long War Country Government Sides Term Enemy Effects Protect Long Term Stability Egypt Arabia Saudi Arabia Saudis Kuwait

Author:Michael Scheuer

“I don't know what our capabilities are. If I were there, I think it would be nutty to do that. The only country on Earth more containable than Iran is Iraq. And we've certainly made a mistake there. We could have continued Saddam.”

Ifs Thinking Knows Made Country Would Be Earth Mistake Iraq Iran Capability Saddam Made A Mistake Nutty

Author:Michael Scheuer

“But the Iranians are surrounded by a sea of Sunnis who hate them. And if you look on the map, you can see that they're also surrounded by a bunch of American bases that certainly could hit them at any moment. The idea that the Iranians are a threat to the United States is absurd really. How are they going to hurt the United States of America? Unless we attack them first and then they use terrorism inside America.”

Ifs Firsts Looks Ideas States Moments Use America Hate Hurt United United States Sea Bases Threat Terrorism Bunch Absurd Maps United States Of America

Author:Michael Scheuer

“If the Americans attack Iran for the first time in 1,400 years, we may unite Sunnis and Shias against us. So I guess there is room for accomplishment everywhere.”

Ifs Years Firsts May Rooms First Time Accomplishment Iran Shia

Author:Michael Scheuer

“I think clearly Europe has a lot to worry about. When I was working at the CIA - and I always worked with a lot of European services - they always were very condescending toward the United States, saying that we are so racist vis-à-vis blacks and other people.”

People Thinking States United Worry United States Europe Racist Cia Condescending

Author:Michael Scheuer

“It is clear to me that the racism was on the other foot, that really, society in Europe was much more racist - vis-à-vis Arabs at least and black Africans - than American society.”

Black Clear Feet Racism Europe Racist American Society

Author:Michael Scheuer

“Although my own view is that bin Laden does not want to stage an attack that looks like 9/11 in Europe simply because he does not want to be the agent of Trans-Atlantic reconciliation. I think they will continue to do attacks like Madrid, the British attack, the subway systems, because those attacks have proven that the European response so far has been to blame the domestic government, not to side with the Americans.”

Thinking Want Looks Doe Has Beens Government Sides My Own Views Stage Europe Blame Response British Agents Proven Reconciliation Bin Laden Trans Subway Madrid

Author:Michael Scheuer

“I think we'll see it mostly in the United States. We're getting to the point where al Qaeda is ready to again attack us inside America. I think we're basically defenseless.”

Thinking States America United United States Ready Als Al Qaeda Defenseless

Author:Michael Scheuer

“Well, the next attack in the United States will be larger than 9/11. And there's no doubt that if they have a weapon of mass destruction, they'll use it.”

Ifs Wells States Use Next United United States Doubt Weapons Mass Destruction No Doubt Weapons Of Mass Destruction Mass Destruction

Author:Michael Scheuer

“There is a direct correlation between what al Qaeda says and what it does. And the one thing that has been the gold standard of correlation has been bin Laden's 1995 - or was it 1996? - pledge that every attack is going to be more powerful than the last. If you go back to the first attack in Yemen in 1992 and chart it out, every attack has been more powerful, more destructive than the last one.”

Ifs Firsts Doe Has Beens Lasts Powerful One Thing Standards Direct Gold Destructive Als Pledge Bin Laden Al Qaeda Correlation Gold Standard Yemen

Author:Michael Scheuer

“One of the problems of not allowing the American people to read what bin Laden has said is that in October 2001 just after the war began in Afghanistan, he gave a speech that had two parts to it.”

People Said Two War Problem Speech Allowing Afghanistan Bin Laden October

Author:Michael Scheuer

“I think one of the most destructive things in terms of American security has been for all of our leaders, without exception in both parties, to identify Osama bin Laden as a gangster or as a madman, as an apocalyptic character who's out to destroy our civilization.”

Thinking Has Beens Character Term Party Leader Security Civilization Destructive Exception Bin Laden Madmen Gangsters Apocalyptic Osama Bin Laden

Author:Michael Scheuer

“It's very clear from what he [Osama ben Laden] said, what his lieutenants have said, that America is not even their main enemy. We're simply in the way of what they want to do in their own world, which is to destroy police states and Israel.”

World Way Want Said States America Enemy Clear Police Israel Police State Lieutenants

Author:Michael Scheuer

“What I tried to do is to present the evidence that's available and that no one has been able to refute. Not even the Arab governments who own their media have been able to denigrate bin Laden as a man.”

Men Has Beens Government Able Media Evidence Available Bin Laden

Author:Michael Scheuer

“He [Osama bin Laden] is clearly an odd combination of a 12th-century theologian and a 21st-century CEO. He runs an absolutely unique organization in the Islamic world. It's multiethnic, multilinguistic, multinational. He is a combat veteran, three times wounded. He has a huge reputation in the Islamic world for generosity and leadership. He's a man who speaks eloquent, almost poetic Arabic, according to Bernard Lewis.”

“The major problem for America is we're losing two wars. We're losing in Afghanistan, we're losing in Iraq. And there seems very little likelihood that we're going to increase the number of troops we have in either place to the point that we can prevail.”

Littles Two War Problem Seems America Numbers Majors Losing Increase Iraq Afghanistan Troops Likelihood Major Problems

Author:Michael Scheuer

“In an odd way, we have really destroyed two of our strongest allies against the Islamists. Saddam Hussein, and we've probably fatally undermined Bashir al Assad in Syria.”

Way Two Destroyed Odd Strongest Als Allies Syria Saddam Hussein Assad Islamists

Author:Michael Scheuer

“I think what history will show is that one of the most tragic results of the war in Iraq will be that although Sharon, the Likudites, the Neoconservatives in our country, President Bush and the Democratic party thought the war in Iraq and destroying Saddam would benefit Israeli security, we're seeing absolutely that the war in Iraq has probably put Israeli security in a more tenuous condition than it's been in since the founding of the Israeli state.”

“In terms of Iraq, al Qaeda valued Iraq because we destroyed a government it wanted destroyed and because we put soldiers on the ground and forces that they could attack. Al Qaeda is basically an insurgent organization that was formed on the model of the Afghan groups. And being bred in that war, they value a contiguous safe haven as much as anything else.”

War Government Wanted Values Force Term Groups Havens Safe Models Organization Soldier Iraq Destroyed Als Al Qaeda Insurgent Safe Haven Afghan

Author:Michael Scheuer

“One of the reasons they didn't go to Bosnia, bin Laden has explained extensively, was because they couldn't establish a base anywhere. Not in Catholic Croatia. Not in Orthodox Serbia. So they sent some trainers and a lot of money.”

Reason Catholic Orthodox Lots Of Money Bin Laden Trainers Bosnia Serbia Croatia

Author:Michael Scheuer

“Iraq, for the first time, gives al Qaeda and its allies contiguous safe-haven territory to train and launch attacks into the Levant. First into Jordan and Syria, and then into Lebanon, and virtually and ultimately into Israel and probably Egypt too. It also gives them haven to eventually work their way toward Turkey and into the Arabian Peninsula.”

Way Giving Firsts Havens Safe First Time Train Iraq Israel Als Territory Allies Syria Egypt Turkeys Jordan Al Qaeda Lebanon Safe Haven Arabian Peninsulas

Author:Michael Scheuer

“When you cut down to the micro-level in the West, I think we have a great deal to be worried about. And it's odd because the American leadership, again in both parties, tends to take comfort in the idea that bin Laden is just an inspirational symbol now.”

Thinking Ideas Levels Deals Party Cutting Comfort West Symbols Worried Odd Bin Laden American Leadership

Author:Michael Scheuer

“We have not destroyed al Qaeda, so we still have that to worry about. We have its traditional allies, the Kashmiri groups, the groups that are operating now in Iraq, and now we have a third tier of threat amongst the Muslims that live in the West and who are inspired to do something against the West by the example of the other two tiers.”

Stills Two Worry Groups Example Thirds Threat West Inspired Iraq Traditional Destroyed Als Allies Al Qaeda

Author:Michael Scheuer

“Initial incompetence is not a reason to be dismissive of capabilities. Al Qaeda itself was incompetent when it started as a terrorist organization. And clearly it's gone from blowing themselves up to knocking down the World Trade Center.”

World Reason Gone Organization Trade Terrorist Als Capability Initials Knocking Al Qaeda Incompetence Incompetent World Trade World Trade Center

Author:Michael Scheuer

“If you look at groups in the Palestine region, Hamas and the Palestine Islamic jihad, more often than not in their first operations they would accidentally blow themselves up on the way to the target or the bomb wouldn't go off.”

Ifs Way Firsts Looks Groups Blow Operations Islamic Bombs Regions Target Palestine Jihad Hamas

Author:Michael Scheuer

“I think it's very instructive to look at a man like Ramsey Ahmad Yousef, who almost brought down the World Trade Center in 1993. He's short some fingers, his body is scarred, he's missing an eye - because he was practicing and not getting it right. But eventually they get it right.”

Thinking Men World Looks Body Eye Missing Trade Fingers World Trade World Trade Center

Author:Michael Scheuer

“And so to dismiss these homegrown terrorists as boobs, which is one of the terms that was used in one of the New York newspapers after the Miami raid, is true now, but to bet on that is I think a sure way to lose your bank account.”

Thinking Way Used Term Loses New York Accounts Terrorist Newspapers Miami Bank Accounts Homegrown

Author:Michael Scheuer

Michael Scheuer Biography

Related Quotes