“Absolutely without firing a shot and instead of 175,000 American troops deployed overseas we now have 15,000.” ShotsTroopsFiringAmerican Troops Author:Tim Kaine
“Iraq has been overrun by ISIS because Hillary Clinton failed to renegotiate, Hillary Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Hillary Clinton failed to renegotiate a status of forces agreement...And so we removed, we removed all of our troops from Iraq and ISIS was able to be conjured up in that vacuum and over run vast areas of Iraq.” Has BeensRunningAbleForceAreasClintonIraqAgreementTroopsIsisVacuumsOur Troops Author:Mike Pence
“[Barack Obama] is sending more troops [to Afghanistan], but they have also realized that we are not going to win that war through guns and tanks. We have to engage the neighbors, and it is good that there is a non-military strategy in addition to a military strategy. It is, at least, encouraging. Whether it will work or not, the jury is still put.” StillsWarWinningMilitaryGunStrategyNeighborBarackAfghanistanTroopsTanksJuryMilitary Strategy Author:Khaled Hosseini
“I would not use American ground forces in Syria. I think that would be a very serious mistake. I don't think American troops should be holding territory, which is what they would have to do as an occupying force. I don't think that is a smart strategy.” ThinkingShouldUseWould BeForceMistakeSeriousSmartStrategyTerritoryTroopsSyriaAmerican TroopsSerious Mistakes Author:Hillary Clinton
“We're not going to put the cart before the horse and just think by sending more troops, we're automatically going to make Americans safe.” ThinkingSafeHorseTroopsCarts Author:Barack Obama
“If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding war, why we need to cut the military budget by 50%, why we need to bring back our troops scattered overseas, the police force of the world, in over a hundred countries, something like eight hundred bases, but who's counting, why we need to basically bring those troops home and why we need to stop this policy of regime change, these wars on terror, which only create more terror. This needs to be debated.” IfsWorldNeedsWarCountryProblemHomeForceTalkingCuttingMilitaryPolicyHundredBasesPoliceTerrorEightCampaignsDebateEndlessBudgetsRegimesTroopsExpandingCountingWar On TerrorOur TroopsPolice ForceRegime ChangeMilitary Budget Author:Jill Stein
“I feel a sense of obligation to our troops and their families because of the decisions that I made. So I'm involved with veterans.” FeelsMadeDecisionInvolvedObligationTroopsVeteranOur Troops Author:George W. Bush
“If you have really good intelligence, that truly does put the - I mean putting troops on the ground in some way.” IfsWayMeanDoeTroops Author:Martha Raddatz
“We got a commitment that 3 million nurses are going to be trained to better identify these signs [of PTSD], because, you know, when these troops come home and they become veterans and they go back into the civilian community, they're not always going through the VA system for medical care. They're going to show up at community hospitals and clinics.” KnowsShowsHomeCareCommunityMillionsCommitmentMedicalComing HomeHospitalsNurseTroopsVeteranPtsdCiviliansClinicMedical Care Author:Michelle Obama
“US forces have been increased [in Afghanistan ] from some 21,000 to about 31,000 over the past two years and a number of coalition countries have also increased their forces, there still are not sufficient troops.” YearsHas BeensStillsTwoCountryPastForceNumbersSufficientTwo YearsAfghanistanTroopsOver The PastCoalitions Author:David Petraeus
“The question is always how you get the number of troops needed. They do not have to be coalition forces. We also have to expand the training program for the Afghan National Army and the national police, in particular. and Defense Secretary Robert Gates has already announced support for a significant increase in the Afghan army.” ForceNumbersSupportParticularNeededTrainingProgramIncreaseArmyPoliceDefenseSignificantGatesTroopsSecretaryCoalitionsAfghanTraining Programs Author:David Petraeus
“It took the United States Army to get one Negro into the University of Mississippi; it took troops to get a few Negroes in the white schools at Little Rock and another dozen places in the South.” LittlesStatesSchoolWhiteUnitedUnited StatesRocksArmySouthUniversityDozenTroopsMississippiUnited States ArmyLittle Rock Author:Malcolm X
“Let's talk... we have indications, let me just finish this point, because how can use WMD while your troops are only 100 meters away from it ? Is it logical ? It doesn't happen. It cannot be used like this.” UseHappensUsedLet MeLogicalTroopsIndicationMeterOur TroopsWmd Author:Bashar al-Assad
“Certainly we must combine forces . South African troops are within the country.We raised this matter with Mrs [Margaret] Thatcher and Lord [Peter] Carrington when we met them and we wanted to get from them a definite commitment that they were going to get the South African troops out.” CountryMatterWantedForceLordMetsCommitmentSouthRaisedPeterTroopsSouth AfricaDefinite Author:Robert Mugabe
“There is the possibility that these troops will be used against us if we are victorious. There is also the possibility that in fact the South Africans are there at the invitation of Britain, because Britain is hesitating to remove them. Hence there is a need for us to combine forces and demand through all political platforms, through all media, the withdrawal of South African troops and action, definite action, by Britain to get those South African troops out.” IfsNeedsFactsActionPoliticalUsedForceMediaPossibilityDemandSouthBritainRemovePlatformsTroopsSouth AfricaDefiniteInvitationsWithdrawal Author:Robert Mugabe
“As always, many of our troops are far from home this [Christmas] time of year, and their families are serving and sacrificing right along with them. Their courage and dedication allow the rest of us to enjoy this season. That's why we've tried to serve them as well as they've served this country.” YearsWellsCountryHomeEnjoySacrificeSeasonsServingDedicationTroopsOur TroopsChristmas Time Author:Michelle Obama
“The reality is that Qatar is an ally of the United States. There are a significant number of American troops that are stationed in Qatar. What we did for them and do for them is security for their facilities.” StatesRealityUnitedNumbersUnited StatesSecuritySignificantAlliesTroopsFacilityAmerican TroopsSignificant NumbersQatar Author:Rudy Giuliani
“When the US withdrew their troops from Somalia, I recall making a comment that [in] the way the peacekeepers had been withdrawn from Somalia, the impression had been given that the easiest way to unravel a peacekeeping operation is to kill a few soldiers.” WayGivenSoldierImpressionOperationsCommentTroopsRecallsPeacekeepingSomaliaPeacekeepers Author:Kofi Annan
“I mean a real police state just to get a token recognition of a law. It take, it took, I think, 15,000 troops and 6 million dollars to put one negro in the University of Mississippi. That's a police action, police state action.” ThinkingMeanRealStatesActionLawMillionsPoliceDollarsUniversityRecognitionTroopsMillion DollarsMississippiTokensPolice State Author:Malcolm X
“We know definitively that Al-Qaida isn't all over Afghanistan anymore. According to CIA estimates, there are less than a hundred Al-Qaida members in the entire country. Most of them are in Pakistan. So, it's hard for me to understand why we're still fighting there and sending in more and more troops. I would get out of Afghanistan as quickly as possible.” KnowsStillsCountryHardFightingMembersHundredAlsAfghanistanTroopsPakistanCia Author:Jimmy Carter
“Our troops are in Burundi. We were requested by African countries who said, look, the United Nations is not moving on this matter, can you people deploy people, so we can move Burundi forward.” PeopleLooksSaidCountryMatterMovingNationsUnitedTroopsUnited NationsOur TroopsBurundi Author:Thabo Mbeki
“We would take the same position as the majority of the world about this, including this issue where Prime Minister [Ariel] Sharon made a commitment to pull Israeli troops out of Gaza.” WorldMadeIssuesPositionCommitmentMajorityIncludingMinistersPrimeTroopsPrime MinisterIsraeliGazaArielSharon Author:Thabo Mbeki
“Troops must be fed with ammunition and so on but also with information, with images, with visual intelligence. Without these elements troops cannot perform their duties properly. This is what is meant by the logistics of perception.” InformationDutyElementsPerceptionVisualsFedsTroopsAmmunitionLogistics Author:Paul Virilio
“For all the sophistication of GPS, there still remain numerous problems with their use. The most obvious problem in this context is the problem of landmines. For example, when the French troops went into Kosovo they were told that they were going to enter in half-tracks, over the open fields. But their leaders had forgotten about the landmines. And this was a major problem because, these days, landmines are no longer localized.” StillsUseProblemHalfLeaderExampleFieldsMajorsForgottenTrackObviousThese DaysTroopsSophisticationMajor ProblemsKosovoGpsLandminesOpen Fields Author:Paul Virilio
“I first became interested in Ho Chi Minh in 1964-1965 while I was stationed at the U.S. Embassy in South Vietnam as a foreign service officer with the Department of State. The government in Saigon was at the point of collapse and the [Lyndon] Johnson administration was preparing to send U.S. combat troops to prevent a communist victory there. I became convinced that the U.S. effort would not succeed because of the lack of conviction in the Saigon government compared to the discipline and sense of self-sacrifice among the Viet Cong.” FirstsSelfStatesGovernmentEffortSacrificeVictoryDisciplineSucceedSouthConvictionConvincedAdministrationDepartmentCommunistCombatOfficersVietnamCollapseTroopsPreparingJohnsonSense Of SelfSelf SacrificeEmbassySaigonViet CongForeign Service Author:William J. Duiker
“Judges have no actual power of enforcement. They don't have troops to carry out orders. They have no power of the purse. Yet our system of laws depends on lowly citizens and presidents abiding by court rulings.” LawOrderPresidentJudgingDependsCitizensCourtTroopsEnforcementRulingAbidingPurses Author:Nina Totenberg
“One very difficult decision was deciding to vote against the appropriations bill for the war. I had consistently said that I wanted to make sure our troops got the adequate and training in the war effort, despite the fact that I opposed the war at the point that the president decided to double down and send more troops. I had to vote against funding as a way of bringing it back to the table. That was a difficult decision for me.” WaySaidWarFactsWantedDifficultPresidentDecisionEffortTrainingDecidedVoteDown AndTablesBillsDespiteTroopsConsistentlyAdequateFundingOur TroopsAppropriationDifficult Decisions Author:Barack Obama
“As Commander in Chief, I will maintain the strongest military in the world, keep faith with our troops and go after those who would do us harm. But after a decade of war, I think we all recognize we've got to do some nation building here at home, rebuilding our roads, our bridges and especially caring for our Veterans who sacrificed so much for our freedom.” ThinkingWorldWarHomeNationsMilitaryBuildingCaringHarmDecadesChiefsBridgesStrongestTroopsVeteranCommandersRebuildingKeep The FaithNation BuildingOur TroopsCommander In ChiefOur Veterans Author:Barack Obama
“THe Chinese like the satellite state [North Korea] between China and our forces, they fear that in a reunified Korea, American troops would be at the Yalu River and they've seen that movie before. They didn't like it the first time they saw it and they don't like it any better today. So they are quite happy with the divided Korean peninsula and that's a fundamental difference between the way they see things and the way we see things.” WayFirstsStatesWould BeTodayForceDifferencesSawsFirst TimeRiversFundamentalsChinaChineseDividedTroopsKoreaNorth KoreaKoreanSatellitesAmerican TroopsPeninsulas Author:John Bolton
“The Israelis have taken a lot of security measures which reduce significantly the ability of Iran to inflict truly severe pain in Israel. But America is vulnerable with 100,000 troops in Iraq and more than half of that in Afghanistan, and we depend heavily on access to Middle Eastern oil. We're sitting targets for debilitating Iranian retaliation.” PainAmericaAbilityHalfTakenMiddleSecurityDependsSittingIraqIsraelOilAccessVulnerableIranTargetAfghanistanTroopsSevereEasternIranianRetaliationSecurity MeasuresTroops In IraqSevere Pain Author:Zbigniew Brzezinski
“It's perfectly natural to desire more troops when engaged in a military operation facing serious obstacles, and the more troops you have, probably, the [lower the] risk of causalities.” DesireNaturalRiskMilitarySeriousObstaclesOperationsEngagedTroopsCausalityMilitary OperationsPerfectly Natural Author:Zbigniew Brzezinski
“John McCain's complaint is we're either not at war somewhere, or if we're at war, we leave too soon. So we're not there soon enough, and he wants us to stay forever wherever we send troops.” IfsWantWarEnoughForeverTroopsComplaintsWant UMccainSoon Enough Author:Rand Paul
“I think what we are confronting now is a new war of ideas. It's not communism versus capitalism, but it is authoritarianism versus democracy and representative government. And that is a threat that here in Europe, they feel acutely. They've seen their countries interfered with, bombarded by cyber-attacks, by Russian propaganda, indeed, by Russian troops.” ThinkingFeelsIdeasWarCountryGovernmentDemocracyCapitalismEuropeThreatCommunismPropagandaTroopsRepresentativesVersusAuthoritarianismConfrontingCyberBombardedRepresentative GovernmentBombarded ByCyber Attacks Author:Adam Schiff
“My guess is that Trump will begin withdrawing troops from Europe at a slow pace. He will demand a renovation of the Iran Accord and get nowhere with this. There might be more US sanctions on Iran. However, the Iranians will not compromise with Trump, and barring a naval confrontation in the Persian Gulf, it will be US businesses that will suffer and Trump's frustration level that will go up.” MightSufferingLevelsTrumpDemandEuropeCompromiseFrustrationIranPaceTroopsAccordConfrontationSanctionsPersianNavalWithdrawingRenovationPersian Gulf Author:Lawrence Davidson
“You have to shout in the kitchen to deliver the orders, to drive the troops, to get the food out. When you have a table of eight courses and everyone's having something different, you have a 15-second window to get it all together so no one at the table waits.” DifferentTogetherOrderCoursesWaitingWindowTablesEightKitchenTroops Author:Marco Pierre White
“George W. Bush's position on illegal immigration is a perfect example of a political compromise. A true conservative would have built a border fence, dug a moat and stationed troops on the border long ago.” LongPoliticalPerfectExamplePositionBuiltConservativeImmigrationCompromiseBordersIllegalTroopsLong AgoFenceIllegal ImmigrationMoats Author:Jeff Gannon
“My evaluation of President George W. Bush is nothing personal. He's a lovely person. Sadly, I believe he will be remembered for taking us into war unnecessarily at the cost of thousands of American lives, injuries to tens of thousands of our troops, and trillions of dollars to our economy - enormous costs to our reputation, and undermining the capability of our military to protect us. That, I think, will be the overwhelming issue for which his presidency will be remembered: extensive damage to our country.” ThinkingBelievePersonsWarCountryI BelievePresidentEconomyIssuesMilitaryCostProtectDollarsLovelyEnormousReputationOur CountryRememberedDamageInjuryOverwhelmingCapabilityTroopsPresidencyAmerican LifeEvaluationOur TroopsUnderminingPresident George W BushLovely Person Author:Nancy Pelosi
“Russia committed an act of aggression in Ukraine, and that's the first time since 1945 a European country has seized the territory of another European country. That's serious business. They started a war with their neighbor. Their troops as well as the separatists funded and controlled by Russia are killing people just about every day.” PeopleFirstsWellsWarCountrySeriousFirst TimeKillingCommittedNeighborRussiaControlledTerritoryAggressionTroopsUkraineEuropean CountriesSerious Business Author:Daniel Fried
“There's been a systematic propagandizing of American citizens for 30 years to make us forget what America is supposed to be and what our rights are and what our system is and what our core principles are. And one of them since 1807 has been this right that the founding generation put in place, to make sure that military troops would never, ever, ever be deployed in the United States of America for civilian policing.” YearsHas BeensStatesAmericaForgetUnitedPrinciplesUnited StatesRightsGenerationsMilitaryCitizensCoreSupposed To BeTroopsUnited States Of AmericaFoundingCiviliansSystematicAmerican Citizens Author:Naomi Wolf
“Pushing legislation that would undercut our troops just as we're beginning to make progress in Baghdad.” ProgressPushingTroopsLegislationBaghdadOur TroopsUndercut Author:George W. Bush
“In my head, thought, I would love to do an interview where it's just sort of de-constructed - the talking points of Iraq - sort of the idea of, is this really the conversation we're having about this war? That if we don't defeat Al Qaeda in Iraq, they'll follow us home? That to support the troops means not to question that the surge could work. That, what we're really seeing in Iraq is not a terrible war, but in fact, just the media's portrayal of it.” IfsMeanIdeasWarFactsHomeTalkingSupportSeeingMediaTerribleConversationDefeatIraqInterviewsAlsTroopsAl QaedaPortrayalSupport The Troops Author:Jon Stewart
“The majority of [the troops in Iraq] is that feel they're doing the right thing and their parents who have also made sacrifices, generally speaking, and their proud of the services of their sons and daughters.” FeelsMadeParentSacrificeSonProudDaughterMajorityIraqRight ThingTroopsDoing The Right ThingSon And DaughterTroops In Iraq Author:John McCain
“I think that's why they're so really - here's the disconnect. It's sort of this odd and I've always had this problem with the rationality of it. That the President [George W.Bush] says, "We are in the fight for a way of life. This is the greatest battle of our generation, and of the generations to come. "And, so what I'm going to do is you know, Iraq has to be won, or our way of life ends, and our children and our children's children all suffer. So, what I'm gonna do is send 10,000 more troops to Baghdad."” ThinkingKnowsWayChildrenEndsProblemSufferingFightingPresidentGenerationsBattleOur ChildrenIraqOddTroopsRationalityOur GenerationBaghdadPresident George W Bush Author:Jon Stewart
“There's a disconnect there between - you're telling me this [war in Iraq] is fight of our generation, and you're going to increase troops by 10 percent. And that's gonna do it. I'm sure what [George W.Bush] would like to do is send 400,000 more troops there, but he can't, because he doesn't have them.” WarFightingGenerationsPercentIncreaseIraqTroopsOur Generation Author:Jon Stewart
“The U.S. directed the war against South Vietnam. There was a political settlement in 1954. But in the late '50's the United States organized an internal repression in South Vietnam, not using its troops, but using the local apparatus it was constructing. This was a very significant and very effective campaign of violence and terrorism against the Vietminh - which was the communist-led nationalist force that fought the French. And the Vietminh at that time was adhering to the Geneva Accords, hoping that the political settlement would work out in South Vietnam.” WarStatesPoliticalForceUnitedUnited StatesViolenceLateSouthWork OutTerrorismCampaignsSignificantLocalsOrganizedInternalsCommunistVietnamTroopsAccordRepressionSettlementGeneva Author:Noam Chomsky
“It is interesting that liberals don't mind a strong faith at all. When it's their guy with a strong faith - whether it's Jimmy Carter or Woodrow Wilson or Harry Truman - that's just great. FDR inscribing Bibles and sending them to the troops. God bless him! But when a Republican president cites Jesus Christ as his favorite philosopher, as George W. Bush did on a famous occasion, then, well, the liberals cry out that [Tomás de] Torquemada is on the loose and warn gravely of the coming Inquisition.” MindWellsGuyJesusStrongPresidentChristInterestingCryRepublicanJesus ChristPhilosopherOccasionsBlessTomsTroopsJimmyCarterGod BlessWilsonInquisitionCitingTrumanStrong FaithHarry Truman Author:Paul Kengor
“One important element of leadership is taking care of the troops.” ImportantCareElementsTroops Author:Colin Powell
“The troops may whine and moan, but when they meet the standard, there's a sense of pride.” MayPrideStandardsTroops Author:Colin Powell
“I think in many ways, the Spanish Civil War was the first battle of World War II. After all, where else in the world at this point did you have Americans in uniform who were being bombed by Nazi planes four years before the U.S. entered World War II? Hitler and Mussolini jumped in on the side of Francisco Franco and his Spanish nationalists, sent them vast amounts of military aid, airplanes, tanks - and Mussolini sent 80,000 ground troops as well - because they wanted a sympathetic ally in power. So I think it really was the opening act of World War II.” ThinkingWorldWayYearsFirstsWellsWarWantedSidesFourMilitaryAmountBattleAidsOpeningPlanesWar Of The WorldsCivil WarAlliesWorld War IiFour YearsAirplaneWorld War ITroopsUniformsNaziTanksSympatheticFrancoSpanish Civil WarFrancisco Franco Author:Adam Hochschild