Home / Quotes / Quote by Boris Johnson

Quote by Boris Johnson

“My chances of being PM are about as good as the chances of finding Elvis on Mars, or my being reincarnated as an olive.”

Quote by Boris Johnson

Author

Boris Johnson is a British politician who served as the Mayor of London from 2008 to 2016. Born on June 19, 1964, in New York City, Johnson is recognized for his charismatic personality and controversial statements. He has held various political positions, including Member of Parliament for Henley and Mayor of London. more

You May Also Like

“Now as to the behavior of the soldiers: occupations always corrupt the occupiers.”

Behavior Soldier Occupation

Author:Yaroslav Trofimov

“The other problem is that the priority of many soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan is operational security: not getting killed. Now that is a very valid priority, but it has to be balanced against many other priorities, especially not killing too many locals in the process.”

Problem Process Security Killing Soldier Iraq Priorities Locals Afghanistan Balanced

Author:Yaroslav Trofimov

“The rules of engagement are so lax that soldiers are shooting and killing Iraqis under mere suspicion, and tragedies are everyday. There are road killings, killings on the road when someone is trying to pass a convoy and they get shot. Or if a roadside bomb goes off, the soldiers just start shooting in all directions.”

Ifs Trying Shots Tragedy Mere Killing Everyday Soldier Shooting Bombs Engagement Suspicion Roadside Lax Rules Of Engagement

Author:Yaroslav Trofimov

“In a country like Iraq with its culture of blood feuds - is that the more locals are killed, the more motivation there is for the insurgency, for the insurgents the more feelings of revenge there are, and in the end the more the operational security of the soldiers suffers, because any soldier who kills an infant today is grooming the killer of his mate tomorrow.”

Ends Country Feelings Today Motivation Suffering Culture Blood Security Tomorrow Soldier Iraq Revenge Locals Mates Killers Infant Insurgent Grooming Insurgency Feuds

Author:Yaroslav Trofimov

“I think the behavior of the troops has been a huge factor in the rise of the insurgency and in the rise of the anti-American feelings there[in Iraq].”

Thinking Has Beens Feelings Huge Behavior Iraq Factors Troops Insurgency Anti-american

Author:Yaroslav Trofimov

“Well, it's a problem in general with the American military. If you are the biggest and the strongest military power in the world, you have this natural reluctance to learn the quirky ways of the natives in faraway lands.”

Ifs World Way Wells Problem Natural Land Military Strongest Quirky Reluctance Military Power American Military

Author:Yaroslav Trofimov

“In the occupation in Afghanistan, there are tragedies as well. It's not as bad as in Iraq because there are fewer American troops. But, as I describe in the book, going out on patrol and coming into a village, the soldiers found a stash of documents and decided this was Taliban propaganda.”

Wells Book Found Decided Tragedy Soldier Iraq Propaganda Village Occupation Afghanistan Fewer Troops Going Out Documents Taliban American Troops

Author:Yaroslav Trofimov

“The American official was trying to talk about aid and development projects and finally a local tribal chief got up and said, "Even if you turn our country into heaven, we don't want it from you. Just leave us."”

Ifs Want Trying Said Country Turns Heaven Development Projects Aids Locals Our Country Chiefs Officials

Author:Yaroslav Trofimov

“But in Afghanistan, the general rule was that since you were fighting the Taliban, which was not a lawful government force, the Geneva Conventions did not apply. And that led to a lot of excesses in Afghanistan, excesses like Abu Ghraib that were already well-publicized.”

Wells Government Fighting Force Afghanistan Excess Conventions Taliban Geneva Abu Ghraib Geneva Convention

Author:Yaroslav Trofimov

“Because no matter how much money we spend there [in Iraq], as long as the people there see this money as... as assistance that is unwelcome, as long as they continue to be humiliated in their own country by us... I mean, the future looked bleak, and the future after that was in fact very bleak.”

People Mean Long Country Matter Facts Iraq Assistance Bleak Humiliated Unwelcome

Author:Yaroslav Trofimov