---
title: "3 Baghdad Quotes By Richard Engel"
description: "3 Baghdad quotes by Richard Engel. Plus more from Richard Engel and more Baghdad sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/richard-engel-3133_after_when-i-first-arrived-in-baghdad-in-janua_395859.jpg"
---

> [When I first arrived in Baghdad in January 2003, I thought I would soon rent a house and envisioned myself swimming in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/when-i-first-arrived-in-baghdad-in-january-2003-i-thought-i-would/)

[Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/richard-engel-3133_after_when-i-first-arrived-in-baghdad-in-janua_395859.jpg)

> [You gotta love the names. They're so eager, earnest, and hopeful: Camp Prosperity, Camp Liberty, and Camp Victory are the names of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/you-gotta-love-the-names-they-re-so-eager-earnest-and-hopeful-camp/)

[Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/richard-engel-3133_baghdad_you-gotta-love-the-names-they-re-so-eage_1020136.jpg)

> [The Iraqi government will try and retake some of the cities have that been captured by ISIS. That means the Shiite government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/the-iraqi-government-will-try-and-retake-some-of-the-cities-have-that/)

[Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/richard-engel-3133_areas_the-iraqi-government-will-try-and-retake_2884122.jpg)

## Other authors on Baghdad

- [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b018/author-mohammed-saeed-alsahaf-68860.jpg) Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf 40 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baghdad/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/)

## More by Richard Engel

> [The Syrians are better suited to sort out their internal divisions than anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/the-syrians-are-better-suited-to-sort-out-their-internal-divisions/)

[Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/)

> [Osama Bin Laden is dead. Killed not by a massive troop deployment but by a commando raid carried out by a few dozen highly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/osama-bin-laden-is-dead-killed-not-by-a-massive-troop-deployment-but/)

[Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/)

> [Anyone who follows the Middle East and Islamic world in general can't deny it is often a very violent place, that a band of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/anyone-who-follows-the-middle-east-and-islamic-world-in-general-can-t/)

[Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/)

> [An Egyptian newspaper once publicly identified me as the C.I.A. station chief in Cairo. It seemed so stupid at the time. I was only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/an-egyptian-newspaper-once-publicly-identified-me-as-the-c-i-a/)

[Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/)

> [It's probably time to end the global war on terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/it-s-probably-time-to-end-the-global-war-on-terrorism/)

[Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/)

> [Israel is becoming a fortress. Fences along the borders with Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/israel-is-becoming-a-fortress-fences-along-the-borders-with-egypt/)

[Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/)

> [Every country where the the United States maintains troops has a status of forces agreement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/every-country-where-the-the-united-states-maintains-troops-has-a/)

[Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/)

> [There are many Israelis who are not keen on Barack Obama - they did not want to see him elected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/there-are-many-israelis-who-are-not-keen-on-barack-obama-they-did-not/)

[Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/)

> [If you're in part of rebel-controlled Syria, and suddenly your house blows up or a building next to you blows up, it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/if-you-re-in-part-of-rebel-controlled-syria-and-suddenly-your-house/)

[Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/)

> [Every child is taught if you try to please everyone, you end up upsetting everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/every-child-is-taught-if-you-try-to-please-everyone-you-end-up/)

[Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/)

> [There weren't many weapons in Egypt in the 1990s. Police controls on guns were very strict back then. That is no longer the case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/there-weren-t-many-weapons-in-egypt-in-the-1990s-police-controls-on/)

[Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/)

> [Bin Laden is dead, and most of his friends are dead. But did it need to cost a trillion dollars and two land wars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/bin-laden-is-dead-and-most-of-his-friends-are-dead-but-did-it-need-to/)

[Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/)

> [Many senior government officials, CIA, FBI, counter terrorism officials - when they look back at the decade, they effectively conclude that the United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/many-senior-government-officials-cia-fbi-counter-terrorism-officials/)

[Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/)

> [Many governments are quick to condemn Assad, but a dwindling number of them would celebrate a rebel victory in Damascus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/many-governments-are-quick-to-condemn-assad-but-a-dwindling-number-of/)

[Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/)

> [Israel sees the world just beyond its borders collapsing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/israel-sees-the-world-just-beyond-its-borders-collapsing/)

[Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "ItemList",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baghdad/richard-engel/#itemlist",
            "name": "3 Baghdad Quotes By Richard Engel",
            "numberOfItems": 3,
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "When I first arrived in Baghdad in January 2003, I thought I would soon rent a house and envisioned myself swimming in the Tigris to cool off after reporting in the city the caliphs called Madinit al-Salam, the City of Peace. A year later, I realized I wouldn't be taking any midnight dips - Madinat al-Salam no more.",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "Richard Engel"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/when-i-first-arrived-in-baghdad-in-january-2003-i-thought-i-would/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/richard-engel-3133_after_when-i-first-arrived-in-baghdad-in-janua_395859.jpg",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/richard-engel-3133_after_when-i-first-arrived-in-baghdad-in-janua_395859.jpg",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/richard-engel-3133_after_when-i-first-arrived-in-baghdad-in-janua_395859.jpg",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“When I first arrived in Baghdad in January 2003, I thought I would soon rent a house and envisioned myself…” — Richard Engel",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "You gotta love the names. They're so eager, earnest, and hopeful: Camp Prosperity, Camp Liberty, and Camp Victory are the names of just a few of the U.S. military bases in Baghdad.",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "Richard Engel"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/you-gotta-love-the-names-they-re-so-eager-earnest-and-hopeful-camp/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/richard-engel-3133_baghdad_you-gotta-love-the-names-they-re-so-eage_1020136.jpg",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/richard-engel-3133_baghdad_you-gotta-love-the-names-they-re-so-eage_1020136.jpg",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/richard-engel-3133_baghdad_you-gotta-love-the-names-they-re-so-eage_1020136.jpg",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“You gotta love the names. They're so eager, earnest, and hopeful: Camp Prosperity, Camp Liberty, and Camp…” — Richard Engel",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "The Iraqi government will try and retake some of the cities have that been captured by ISIS. That means the Shiite government dropping bombs on civilian areas, on Sunni cities. There will likely be a response with car bombings here in Baghdad, and this could be a long fight.",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "Richard Engel"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/the-iraqi-government-will-try-and-retake-some-of-the-cities-have-that/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/richard-engel-3133_areas_the-iraqi-government-will-try-and-retake_2884122.jpg",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/richard-engel-3133_areas_the-iraqi-government-will-try-and-retake_2884122.jpg",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/richard-engel-3133_areas_the-iraqi-government-will-try-and-retake_2884122.jpg",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“The Iraqi government will try and retake some of the cities have that been captured by ISIS. That means the…” — Richard Engel",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "@type": "CollectionPage",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baghdad/richard-engel/#webpage",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baghdad/richard-engel/",
            "name": "Baghdad Quotes by Richard Engel",
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "mainEntity": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baghdad/richard-engel/#itemlist"
            },
            "primaryImageOfPage": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/richard-engel-3133_after_when-i-first-arrived-in-baghdad-in-janua_395859.jpg"
            },
            "description": "3 Baghdad quotes by Richard Engel. Plus more from Richard Engel and more Baghdad sayings from other authors.",
            "breadcrumb": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baghdad/richard-engel/#breadcrumb"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baghdad/richard-engel/#breadcrumb",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Topics",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/categories/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Baghdad",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baghdad/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 5,
                    "name": "Richard Engel",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baghdad/richard-engel/"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
