--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When was the last time the United States…" description: "\"When was the last time the United States won a war? You know, it lost in Vietnam. It's lost in Afghanistan. It's lost in Iraq. And it will not be able ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac0/arundhati-roy-346_able_when-was-the-last-time-the-united-states_1017188.png" --- # When was the last time the United States won a war? You… ![“When was the last time the United States won a war? You know, it lost in Vietnam. It's lost in Afghanistan. It's lost in Iraq. And it will not be able to contain the situation. It is hemorrhaging. It is now - you know, of course you can continue with drone attacks, and you can continue these…” quote by Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac0/arundhati-roy-346_able_when-was-the-last-time-the-united-states_1017188.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac0/arundhati-roy-346_able_when-was-the-last-time-the-united-states_1017188.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac0/arundhati-roy-346_able_when-was-the-last-time-the-united-states_1017188.png) > “When was the last time the United States won a war? You know, it lost in Vietnam. It's lost in Afghanistan. It's lost in Iraq. And it will not be able to contain the situation. It is hemorrhaging. It is now - you know, of course you can continue with drone attacks, and you can continue these targeted killings, but on the ground, a situation is being created which no army - not America, not anybody - can control. And it's just, you know, a combination of such foolishness, such a lack of understanding of culture in the world.” [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques U.S. military interventions, arguing they often fail due to cultural misunderstanding and overreliance on force, leading to ongoing instability. **In simple terms:** U.S. wars are portrayed as ineffective and damaging. Key Takeaway Recognize cultural context before intervening. Themes war culture military policy intervention Mood critical somber analytical Type political commentary cautionary When to use this quote - foreign policy planning - military training - diplomatic negotiations - humanitarian aid - media analysis Key Concepts imperialism strategic failure ethical dilemmas Questions to Reflect On - How does cultural insight change military outcomes? - What alternatives exist to kinetic force? A Different Perspective The statement may overlook successes or complexities of certain interventions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afghanistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Drones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drones/) [Foolishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foolishness/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Lack of understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lack-of-understanding/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [Vietnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [During one of my treks through Afghanistan, we lost our corkscrew. We were compelled to live on food and water for several days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/during-one-of-my-treks-through-afghanistan-we-lost-our-corkscrew-we/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [A trillion dollars spent, 2,000 American lives lost - Afghanistan is the longest war in American history. But you don't hear a word about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-baumgartner/a-trillion-dollars-spent-2-000-american-lives-lost-afghanistan-is-the/) [Michael Baumgartner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-baumgartner/) > [The difference in this town - here in Washington - on the war is not between Democrats and Republicans; it's between people who believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lieberman/the-difference-in-this-town-here-in-washington-on-the-war-is-not/) [Joe Lieberman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lieberman/) > [“So who lost Iraq? The blame game mostly fingers incompetent Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki. Or is Barack Obama culpable for pulling out all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-who-lost-iraq-the-blame-game-mostly-fingers-incompetent-iraqi/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Television brought the brutality of war into the comfort of the living room. Vietnam was lost in the living rooms of America - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/television-brought-the-brutality-of-war-into-the-comfort-of-the/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [When my dad was in Vietnam, we lost a parent for a year. Thank God we didn't lose a parent for good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-wilson/when-my-dad-was-in-vietnam-we-lost-a-parent-for-a-year-thank-god-we/) [Fred Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-wilson/) > [The U.S. never lost a battle against North Vietnam, but it lost the war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/the-u-s-never-lost-a-battle-against-north-vietnam-but-it-lost-the-war/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Every president has to live with the result of what Lyndon Johnson did with Vietnam, when he lost the trust of the American people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/every-president-has-to-live-with-the-result-of-what-lyndon-johnson/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [We must never forget that if the war in Vietnam is lost ... the right of free speech will be extinguished throughout the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/we-must-never-forget-that-if-the-war-in-vietnam-is-lost-the-right-of/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [“The United States became engaged in hostilities with North Vietnam on November 1, 1955, when President Eisenhower deployed the Military Assistance Advisory Group as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/the-united-states-became-engaged-in-hostilities-with-north-vietnam-on/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) > [The war in Vietnam was not lost in the field, nor was it lost on the front pages of the New York Times or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-r-mcmaster/the-war-in-vietnam-was-not-lost-in-the-field-nor-was-it-lost-on-the/) [H. R. McMaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-r-mcmaster/) > [“And as far as the United States in Vietnam, the United States did not lose prestige because it left Vietnam. It lost prestige when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/and-as-far-as-the-united-states-in-vietnam-the-united-states-did-not/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“How was your day?” he asked. I faltered, unaccustomed to the question. The look on my face must have been strange because he laughed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaylynne-spauls/how-was-your-day-he-asked-i-faltered-unaccustomed-to-the-question-the/) [Kaylynne Spauls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaylynne-spauls/) > [“He realized how easy it was to present an appearance of orthodoxy while having no grasp whatever of what orthodoxy meant. In a way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/he-realized-how-easy-it-was-to-present-an-appearance-of-orthodoxy/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“I sighed, he sighed, the wind and flowers sighed too. I think those marble statues sighed along as well, in their lack of understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/i-sighed-he-sighed-the-wind-and-flowers-sighed-too-i-think-those/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) ## More by Arundhati Roy > [...As the disparity between the rich and the poor grows, the fight to corner resources is intensifying. To push through their "sweetheart deals," to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/as-the-disparity-between-the-rich-and-the-poor-grows-the-fight-to/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Poverty is a crime and the poor are terrorists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/poverty-is-a-crime-and-the-poor-are-terrorists/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Flat muscled and honey coloured. Sea secrets in his eyes. A silver raindrop in his ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/flat-muscled-and-honey-coloured-sea-secrets-in-his-eyes-a-silver/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Fiction and non-fiction are only different techniques of story telling. For reasons I do not fully understand, fiction dances out of me. Non-fiction is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/fiction-and-non-fiction-are-only-different-techniques-of-story/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [NGOs have a complicated space in neoliberal politics. They are supposed to mop up the anger. Even when they are doing good work, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/ngos-have-a-complicated-space-in-neoliberal-politics-they-are/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I've never been that person who thought that because I've written one novel, I should write another and another. It's only when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-ve-never-been-that-person-who-thought-that-because-i-ve-written-one/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [It is such a supreme folly to believe that nuclear weapons are deadly only if they're used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/it-is-such-a-supreme-folly-to-believe-that-nuclear-weapons-are-deadly/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I think one of the saddest things that's happening to literature is that it's getting over-simplified by this diet of simple political ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-think-one-of-the-saddest-things-that-s-happening-to-literature-is/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The only dream worth having, I told her, is to dream that you will live while you're alive and die only when you're dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/the-only-dream-worth-having-i-told-her-is-to-dream-that-you-will-live/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [But what was there to say? Only that there were tears. Only that Quietness and Emptiness fitted together like stacked spoons. Only that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/but-what-was-there-to-say-only-that-there-were-tears-only-that/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Truly, there's no alternative to stupidity. Cretinism is the mother of fascism. I have no defence against it, really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/truly-there-s-no-alternative-to-stupidity-cretinism-is-the-mother-of/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“...the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/the-secret-of-the-great-stories-is-that-they-have-no-secrets-the/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“stilts, the ground floors given over to parking. It’s a good idea in this car-maddened city,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/stilts-the-ground-floors-given-over-to-parking-it-s-a-good-idea-in/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“Perhaps it’s true that things can change in a day. That a few dozen hours can affect the outcome of whole lifetimes. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/perhaps-it-s-true-that-things-can-change-in-a-day-that-a-few-dozen/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) [Explore all 628 Arundhati Roy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When was the last time the United States won a war? You know, it lost in Vietnam. It's lost in Afghanistan. It's lost in Iraq. And it will not be able to contain the situation. It is hemorrhaging. It is now - you know, of course you can continue with drone attacks, and you can continue these targeted killings, but on the ground, a situation is being created which no army - not America, not anybody - can control. 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