--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think it is important for Europe to…" description: "\"I think it is important for Europe to understand that even though I am president and George Bush is not president, Al Qaeda is still a threat.\" — Barac..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/729/barack-obama-17_europe_i-think-it-is-important-for-europe-to-un_2094751.jpg" --- # I think it is important for Europe to understand that even… ![“I think it is important for Europe to understand that even though I am president and George Bush is not president, Al Qaeda is still a threat.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/729/barack-obama-17_europe_i-think-it-is-important-for-europe-to-un_2094751.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/729/barack-obama-17_europe_i-think-it-is-important-for-europe-to-un_2094751.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/729/barack-obama-17_europe_i-think-it-is-important-for-europe-to-un_2094751.jpg) > “I think it is important for Europe to understand that even though I am president and George Bush is not president, Al Qaeda is still a threat.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even if leadership changes, threats persist, urging continued vigilance against terrorism regardless of political shifts. **In simple terms:** Threats remain despite leadership changes. Key Takeaway Stay vigilant. Themes security politics terrorism Mood cautious serious Type political informative When to use this quote - government transitions - global threats - policy planning Key Concepts geopolitics policy leadership Questions to Reflect On - How can continuity be ensured across administrations? - What role does public perception play? A Different Perspective Complex geopolitics can be oversimplified. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Al qaeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/al-qaeda/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Europe Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe-understand-813537/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-europe-3276731/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Qaeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/qaeda/) [Qaeda Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/qaeda-threat-3095607/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) ## Related quotes > [Al Qaeda is still a threat. We cannot pretend somehow that because Barack Hussein Obama got elected as president, suddenly everything is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/al-qaeda-is-still-a-threat-we-cannot-pretend-somehow-that-because/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Bush administration officials, of course, deny that they didn't take the threat urgently enough, but there is no debating that in their public utterances,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/bush-administration-officials-of-course-deny-that-they-didn-t-take/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [It was not a religion that attacked us that September day. It was al-Qaeda. We will not sacrifice the liberties we cherish or hunker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-was-not-a-religion-that-attacked-us-that-september-day-it-was-al/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [One of the things that I've learned, and I think we've all learned, is that we are not going to get the kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/one-of-the-things-that-i-ve-learned-and-i-think-we-ve-all-learned-is/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Al Qaeda, the Taliban, a whole host of networks that are bent on attacking America, who have a distorted ideology, who have perverted the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/al-qaeda-the-taliban-a-whole-host-of-networks-that-are-bent-on/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [My core goal is to dismantle, defeat, destroy al Qaeda and its allies that killed Americans and are still plotting to go kill Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/my-core-goal-is-to-dismantle-defeat-destroy-al-qaeda-and-its-allies/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [There was no such thing as Al Qaeda in Iraq, until George Bush and John McCain decided to invade Iraq.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/there-was-no-such-thing-as-al-qaeda-in-iraq-until-george-bush-and/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We will kill bin Laden. We will crush al Qaeda. That has to be our biggest national security priority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-will-kill-bin-laden-we-will-crush-al-qaeda-that-has-to-be-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [If we have Osama bin Laden in our sights and the Pakistani government is unable or unwilling to take them out, then, I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/if-we-have-osama-bin-laden-in-our-sights-and-the-pakistani-government/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We have come from a time of the large-scale, planned, Al Qaeda-style attacks, to the encouragement of lone wolves: Fort Hood, Chattanooga. To the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-have-come-from-a-time-of-the-large-scale-planned-al-qaeda-style/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [If we don’t uphold our Constitution and our values, that over time, that will make us less safe and that will be a recruitment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/if-we-don-t-uphold-our-constitution-and-our-values-that-over-time/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Remember back then we thought about al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan and a few other places? well, we've seen al Qaeda metastasize. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ridge/remember-back-then-we-thought-about-al-qaeda-in-afghanistan-and/) [Tom Ridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ridge/) > [Traveling in Europe made me understand that America has an island mentality: No one exists except us. There's a whole other world out there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-i-am/traveling-in-europe-made-me-understand-that-america-has-an-island/) [will.i.am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-i-am/) > [“A blanket could be used to tell people a thousand miles and a thousand years away hello. Greetings European people of 3013! I hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-blanket-could-be-used-to-tell-people-a-thousand-miles-and-a/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [In Europe they understand that the arts are incredibly important both culturally and economically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-weymouth/in-europe-they-understand-that-the-arts-are-incredibly-important-both/) [Tina Weymouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-weymouth/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Al qaeda quotes > [There's overwhelming evidence... circumstantial and otherwise, to suggest a connection between Iraq and al Qaeda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/there-s-overwhelming-evidence-circumstantial-and-otherwise-to-suggest/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Critics have stepped up their attacks on the President for authorizing the National Security Agency to listen to international communications of known al Qaeda…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcclellan/critics-have-stepped-up-their-attacks-on-the-president-for/) [Scott McClellan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcclellan/) > [“I do not go to church. I don’t go to Christian church or Jew church or any other church. I don’t go to church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/i-do-not-go-to-church-i-don-t-go-to-christian-church-or-jew-church-or/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [ This war \[in Syria\] is going to support Al-Qaeda and the same people that killed Americans in the 11th of September. The second thing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/this-war-in-syria-is-going-to-support-al-qaeda-and-the-same-people/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [The people who illegally cross into the country are from countries that have very close ties to al Qaeda, whether it's Yemen or Afghanistan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/the-people-who-illegally-cross-into-the-country-are-from-countries/) [Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/) > [The White House was signaling that the threat posed by Saddam Hussein was of such urgency that it had priority over the crushing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/the-white-house-was-signaling-that-the-threat-posed-by-saddam-hussein/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) > [I was on the front lines in the Cold War, and I was on the front lines in the fight against Al Qaeda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-haspel/i-was-on-the-front-lines-in-the-cold-war-and-i-was-on-the-front-lines/) [Gina Haspel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-haspel/) > [If you don't understand what al Qaeda was trying to do on 9/11, if you don't have a sense of who Osama bin Laden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/if-you-don-t-understand-what-al-qaeda-was-trying-to-do-on-9-11-if-you/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [Some have argued that the President is required to get permission from a federal court before taking action against a United States citizen who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/some-have-argued-that-the-president-is-required-to-get-permission/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [Iraq, for the first time, gives al Qaeda and its allies contiguous safe-haven territory to train and launch attacks into the Levant. First into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/iraq-for-the-first-time-gives-al-qaeda-and-its-allies-contiguous-safe/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [The idea the president of the United States was warned that Al-Qaeda was going to attack the United States and did nothing about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-idea-the-president-of-the-united-states-was-warned-that-al-qaeda/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [There's more evil in the charts than an Al-Qaeda suggestion box.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bailey/there-s-more-evil-in-the-charts-than-an-al-qaeda-suggestion-box/) [Bill Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bailey/) > [Muslim leaders around the globe have to continue working with us to decisively and unequivocally reject the hateful ideology that groups like ISIL and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/muslim-leaders-around-the-globe-have-to-continue-working-with-us-to/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Mistreatment of al Qaeda members and their friends and hangers-on is something I number among my moral concerns. But it's number 1,000,000,001.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/mistreatment-of-al-qaeda-members-and-their-friends-and-hangers-on-is/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [(The United States) is the same as al-Qaeda, under a different color flag, calling on the name a different God to sanction and approve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-wright/the-united-states-is-the-same-as-al-qaeda-under-a-different-color/) [Jeremiah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-wright/) [Browse all 360 Al qaeda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/al-qaeda/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think it is important for Europe to understand that even though I am president and George Bush is not president, Al Qaeda is still a threat.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-it-is-important-for-europe-to-understand-that-even-though-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Al qaeda" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-it-is-important-for-europe-to-understand-that-even-though-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/729/barack-obama-17_europe_i-think-it-is-important-for-europe-to-un_2094751.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/729/barack-obama-17_europe_i-think-it-is-important-for-europe-to-un_2094751.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/729/barack-obama-17_europe_i-think-it-is-important-for-europe-to-un_2094751.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think it is important for Europe to understand that even though I am president and George Bush is not…” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "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": "Barack Obama", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think it is important for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-it-is-important-for-europe-to-understand-that-even-though-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-it-is-important-for-europe-to-understand-that-even-though-i/#breadcrumb" }, { "@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 } } ] } ```