--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no military solution to the war…" description: "\"There is no military solution to the war in Iraq. Our troops can help suppress the violence, but they cannot solve its root causes. And all the troops ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/barack-obama-17_able_there-is-no-military-solution-to-the-war_1783330.jpg" --- # There is no military solution to the war in Iraq. Our… ![“There is no military solution to the war in Iraq. Our troops can help suppress the violence, but they cannot solve its root causes. And all the troops in the world won't be able to force Shia, Sunni, and Kurd to sit down at a table, resolve their differences, and forge a lasting peace. In fact…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/barack-obama-17_able_there-is-no-military-solution-to-the-war_1783330.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/barack-obama-17_able_there-is-no-military-solution-to-the-war_1783330.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/barack-obama-17_able_there-is-no-military-solution-to-the-war_1783330.jpg) > “There is no military solution to the war in Iraq. Our troops can help suppress the violence, but they cannot solve its root causes. And all the troops in the world won't be able to force Shia, Sunni, and Kurd to sit down at a table, resolve their differences, and forge a lasting peace. In fact, adding more troops will only push this political settlement further and further into the future, as it tells the Iraqis that no matter how much of a mess they make, the American military will always be there to clean it up.” [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. Military force cannot resolve deep-rooted political conflicts; lasting peace requires political solutions and local ownership. **In simple terms:** War alone cannot fix underlying issues. Key Takeaway Prioritize diplomacy and local empowerment. Themes war politics peace local agency Mood thoughtful strategic Type policy analytical When to use this quote - nation‑building - peace talks - community reconciliation Key Concepts conflict resolution international relations Questions to Reflect On - How can external actors support local peace processes? - What non‑military tools can reduce conflict? A Different Perspective Military presence may prolong dependence and resentment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-military/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Kurds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kurds/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Our troops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-troops/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Resolve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resolve/) [Root cause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/root-cause/) [Roots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roots/) [Shia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shia/) [Troops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/troops/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [We have a solution for war. It is to expand the sphere of liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolph-rummel/we-have-a-solution-for-war-it-is-to-expand-the-sphere-of-liberty/) [Rudolph Rummel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolph-rummel/) > [War is no solution for peace, but peace is a solution to war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-jensen/war-is-no-solution-for-peace-but-peace-is-a-solution-to-war/) Alexander Jensen > [I agree with Pres. Barack Obama, Iraqis need a political solution. No war in Iraq!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-lee/i-agree-with-pres-barack-obama-iraqis-need-a-political-solution-no/) [Barbara Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-lee/) > [I grew up in an environment where it was permittable to use violence to solve a problem. But it was not permittable ever to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-hunnam/i-grew-up-in-an-environment-where-it-was-permittable-to-use-violence/) [Charlie Hunnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-hunnam/) > [The Oriental approach to violence is a much more aesthetic and poetic approach, whereas in the western world, violence is put in because you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-oriental-approach-to-violence-is-a-much-more-aesthetic-and-poetic/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [One must acknowledge with cryptography no amount of violence will ever solve a math problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-appelbaum/one-must-acknowledge-with-cryptography-no-amount-of-violence-will/) [Jacob Appelbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-appelbaum/) > [No other form of violence is legitimate. It is never acceptable to use violence to solve a problem. Whether personal or political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/no-other-form-of-violence-is-legitimate-it-is-never-acceptable-to-use/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Through violence, you may 'solve' one problem, but you sow the seeds for another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/through-violence-you-may-solve-one-problem-but-you-sow-the-seeds-for/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Fourth, we will continue providing humanitarian assistance to innocent civilians who have been displaced by this terrorist organization. This includes Sunni and Shia Muslims…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/fourth-we-will-continue-providing-humanitarian-assistance-to-innocent/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We are engaging in the diplomatic efforts that are required within Iraq among the Shia, the Sunni and the Kurd, among friends, like Egypt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-are-engaging-in-the-diplomatic-efforts-that-are-required-within/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I never saw no military solution That didn't always end up as something worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/i-never-saw-no-military-solution-that-didn-t-always-end-up-as/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [In every conflict, some rhetoric and posturing, so we should take that aside. When facts is that everybody is exhausted and that no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/staffan-de-mistura/in-every-conflict-some-rhetoric-and-posturing-so-we-should-take-that/) Staffan de Mistura > [The more we try to fix the security situation, the more we will drive these people, particularly the Pashtun, into implacable opposition. And whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-sprey/the-more-we-try-to-fix-the-security-situation-the-more-we-will-drive/) Pierre Sprey > [I certainly don't like a label that suggests I believe that the military is the solution to most of the world's problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/i-certainly-don-t-like-a-label-that-suggests-i-believe-that-the/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [Closing Guantanamo Bay is not a military solution. The closing of that prison, which I support, I supported it when I was in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-hagel/closing-guantanamo-bay-is-not-a-military-solution-the-closing-of-that/) [Chuck Hagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-hagel/) ## 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 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": "There is no military solution to the war in Iraq. Our troops can help suppress the violence, but they cannot solve its root causes. And all the troops in the world won't be able to force Shia, Sunni, and Kurd to sit down at a table, resolve their differences, and forge a lasting peace. In fact, adding more troops will only push this political settlement further and further into the future, as it tells the Iraqis that no matter how much of a mess they make, the American military will always be there to clean it up.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/there-is-no-military-solution-to-the-war-in-iraq-our-troops-can-help/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/there-is-no-military-solution-to-the-war-in-iraq-our-troops-can-help/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/barack-obama-17_able_there-is-no-military-solution-to-the-war_1783330.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/barack-obama-17_able_there-is-no-military-solution-to-the-war_1783330.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/barack-obama-17_able_there-is-no-military-solution-to-the-war_1783330.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is no military solution to the war in Iraq. Our troops can help suppress the violence, but they cannot…” — 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": "There is no military solution to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/there-is-no-military-solution-to-the-war-in-iraq-our-troops-can-help/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/there-is-no-military-solution-to-the-war-in-iraq-our-troops-can-help/#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 } } ] } ```