“I do think that I have a better sense of how military action can result in unintended consequences.” ThinkingActionResultsMilitaryConsequenceUnintended ConsequencesMilitary Action Author:Barack Obama
“I can think about what [Mahatma] Gandhi said or [Martin Luther] King said about violence begetting violence, and still be true to my job by asking myself the question whenever we're confronted with a situation where some may be arguing for military action: Will this actually result in America being safer, or the most lives being saved?” ThinkingMaySaidStillsI CanActionJobsAmericaResultsSituationViolenceMilitaryKingsAskingArguingSavedBeing TrueLutherMilitary Action Author:Barack Obama
“The chairs [in Congress] are part of the "Gang of Eight." They get briefed on every covert-action program and everything like that. They know where all the bodies are buried. At the same time, they get far more campaign donations than anybody else from defense contractors, from intelligence corporations, from private military companies.” KnowsBodyActionCompanyMilitaryProgramCongressEightDefenseCampaignsCorporationsChairsBuriedGangDonationContractorCovert Author:Edward Snowden
“In Armenia, the power de facto belongs to those who opted to take violent action in Karabakh. We are dealing with a military dictatorship that utilizes some kind of democratic procedures.” KindActionMilitaryDemocraticViolentDictatorshipProceduresArmenia Author:Garry Kasparov
“When it comes to the military, I don't want to discuss things. I want to let - I want to let the action take place before the talk takes place” WantActionMilitary Author:Donald Trump
“I do not support individual countries taking military action against another country because of its human rights record, or subsequently justifying taking such action on human rights grounds.” HumansCountryActionIndividualSupportRecordsRightsMilitaryHuman RightsMilitary Action Author:Mary Robinson
“Right now, where do we stand? Well right at the Russian border, both sides have been taking provocative actions, both sides are building up military forces. NATO forces are carrying out maneuvers hundreds of yards from the Russian border, the Russian jets are buzzing American jets. Anything could blow up in a minute.” WellsHas BeensActionForceSidesMinutesMilitaryBuildingRight NowBlowBordersYardsBoth SidesJetProvocativeNatoBuilding UpMilitary Force Author:Noam Chomsky
“The British Labour Party has always had a very strong "Atlanticist component," with an obsequiousness to American policies, and Blair represents this wing. He's clearly obsessed with Iraq. He has to be because the overwhelming majority of the people of Britain oppose a military action. I've never known a situation like it.” PeopleActionStrongPartySituationKnownMilitaryPolicyMajorityWingsIraqBritishObsessedBritainLabourOverwhelmingVery StrongComponentsBlairLabour PartyMilitary ActionObsequiousness Author:John Pilger
“We live in a state-centric world faced with global-scale problems that cannot be met by the actions of single states, no matter how powerful, if assessed from the perspective of military capabilities.” IfsWorldMatterStatesProblemActionPowerfulMilitaryPerspectiveMetsScalesCapability Author:Richard A. Falk
“China and Russia play very different roles. They both are getting involved across the world in all different pockets. Their tentacles are everywhere. Russia is doing it through elections and through military actions and through trying to get involved in conversations. China is doing it economically. If you look at their infrastructure, they are everywhere in the world now and they want to continue to do that so that they have a stronghold.” IfsWorldWantTryingLooksDifferentPlayActionRolesMilitaryInvolvedConversationElectionChinaRussiaPocketsInfrastructureGet InvolvedTentaclesStrongholdsMilitary Action Author:Nikki Haley
“Declarations of war have never been a constitutional requirement for military action abroad. The United States has used force abroad more than 130 times, but has only declared war five times - the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Spanish-American War, and World Wars I and II.” WorldWarActionMilitaryWar Of The WorldsWorld War IDeclaration Author:John Yoo
“When any kind of military action is popular it's because either there's been a very clear, direct threat to us - 9/11 - or an administration uses various hooks to suggest that American interests were directly threatened - like in Panama or Grenada. And sometimes, those hooks are more persuasive than others, but typically, they're not put before Congress.” KindSometimesActionInterestMilitaryDirectThreatVariousHookPersuasive Author:Barack Obama
“When you invade Grenada, or when you invade Panama to capture a disreputable person, or when you bomb the Bosnia area, you can always find justification for those military actions, but it's really surprising how many times in those 25 years - that's a long time - the United States has interceded, I wouldn't say most of the time militarily, but a lot of those have been military actions.” LongActionMilitaryJustification Author:Jimmy Carter
“I think it was fully justified after 9/11 to initiate a military action against Afghanistan, because we hoped to create a democracy, and have a flourishing economy, and to do away with al-Qaida, and to capture Osama bin Laden.” ThinkingActionEconomyDemocracyMilitaryAfghanistanJustifiedBin LadenOsama Bin Laden Author:Jimmy Carter
“Are there any military actions that the president of the United States may not order on his own authority? If so, what are they? Bit by bit, decade by decade, Congress has abdicated its assigned role in authorizing war. Today, it merely rubberstamps what presidents decide to do (or simply stays mum). Who does this deference to an imperial presidency benefit? Have U.S. policies thereby become more prudent, enlightened, and successful?” WarTodayActionPresidentSuccessfulMilitaryPolicyAuthorityEnlightenedMum Author:Andrew Bacevich
“I am constantly challenged by pessimists who insist that military solutions are the only way to go. This was true in the 1980s, and it is true today. You should know that I do not consider myself a pacifist; there are times, in my view, when military action may be necessary.” TodayActionMilitarySolutionsPessimistPacifist Author:Oscar Arias
“Action had to be taken in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, but I am very concerned about the current administration's rhetoric and apparent zeal to expand military action to other places. I'm afraid that terrorism is being used as an excuse, not only for possible military action in such places as Iraq, Iran, and the Philippines, but also for exorbitant increases in defense spending that have nothing to do with terrorism.” ActionTakenMilitaryConcernedResponseExcuseTerrorismTerroristSeptemberRhetoricZealSeptember 11 Author:Oscar Arias
“From the standpoint of a Middle Eastern citizen, Americans look like a bully forcing our way of life on the Islamic way of life. The notion of purity is very important in Islam, and a lot of the negative warlike actions taken against us have to do with our physical presence in the Middle East. Osama bin Laden was trying to get the American, or protesting the American military presence in Saudi Arabia. It's not surprising that our strong presence in Iraq has produced a wave of resistance anger, extreme anger in some cases, and a permissive atmosphere that allows these people to go undetected.” PeopleTryingImportantActionStrongTakenMilitaryNegativeIslamWaveAtmospherePurityIslamicBullyEasternBin LadenOsama Bin Laden Author:John Updike
“The United States only knows one form of intervention and that is the military one. Everything depends on drawn weapons. We should, however, develop a wider scope of action. And we should learn to be patient.” ActionMilitaryPatientBe Patient Author:Ahmed Rashid
“All leaders must be good communicators. But let's be clear, communications is not the same as oratory. Let me give you an example. General George C. Marshall was an exemplary public servant and military officer. He helped mobilize our nation for the Second World War and helped lay the foundation for peace as Secretary of State. He communicated through words, but more loudly through his actions.” WorldGivingWarActionLeaderMilitaryCommunicationLet MeBe GoodServantWar Of The WorldsSecretarySecond World War Author:John Baldoni
“The president Donald Trump, unlike previous administrations, has made a real commitment. That is the denuclearization of the peninsula is the mandate. That is what we are going to achieve. The president has made very clear that we're going to do everything we can to do that in a way that doesn't involve military action but has equally made clear that we're not going to stand for allowing Kim Jong-un to hold Los Angeles, or Denver, or New York at risk.” RealActionPresidentRiskAchieveMilitaryCommitmentLos Angeles Author:Mike Pompeo
“So while I will never minimize the costs involved in military action, I am convinced that a failure to act in Libya would have carried a far greater price for America.” ActionAmericaGreaterMilitaryInvolvedCostConvincedLibyaMilitary ActionFailure To Act Author:Barack Obama
“No one wants the United Nations to suffer the fate of the League of Nations, which collapsed because it lacked real leverage. This is possible if influential countries bypass the United Nations and take military action without Security Council authorization.” IfsWantRealCountryActionSufferingNationsUnitedFateSecurityMilitaryLeagueUnited NationsCouncilInfluentialBypassSecurity CouncilMilitary ActionLeague Of Nations Author:Vladimir Putin