---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Think about it: Iran, Cuba, Venezuela…"
description: "\"Think about it: Iran, Cuba, Venezuela. These countries are tiny compared to the Soviet Union. They don't pose a serious threat to us the way the Soviet..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/barack-obama-17_country_think-about-it-iran-cuba-venezuela-these_1675851.jpg"
---

#  Think about it: Iran, Cuba, Venezuela. These countries are…

![“Think about it: Iran, Cuba, Venezuela. These countries are tiny compared to the Soviet Union. They don't pose a serious threat to us the way the Soviet Union posed a threat to us.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/barack-obama-17_country_think-about-it-iran-cuba-venezuela-these_1675851.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/barack-obama-17_country_think-about-it-iran-cuba-venezuela-these_1675851.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/barack-obama-17_country_think-about-it-iran-cuba-venezuela-these_1675851.jpg)

> “Think about it: Iran, Cuba, Venezuela. These countries are tiny compared to the Soviet Union. They don't pose a serious threat to us the way the Soviet Union posed a threat to us.”

[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.

Comparing small nations to a former superpower, the speaker argues they pose less strategic danger.

**In simple terms:** Small states are less threatening than a superpower.

Key Takeaway

Assess threats based on capability, not size.

Themes

geopolitics threat assessment foreign policy power dynamics

Mood

analytical cautious

Type

political strategic

When to use this quote

- policy debate
- military planning
- diplomatic negotiations

Key Concepts

realism strategic analysis international relations

Questions to Reflect On

- What factors beyond size affect a country's threat level?
- How should policy adapt to asymmetric threats?

A Different Perspective

Overlooking non‑military influences can misjudge a nation's impact.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Compared Soviet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compared-soviet-907468/) [Countries Tiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/countries-tiny-907467/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cuba/) [Iran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iran/) [Iran Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iran-cuba-907469/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) [Soviet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet/) [Soviet union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet-union/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) [Tiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tiny/) [Unions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unions/) [Venezuela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/venezuela/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/)

## Related quotes

> [Strong countries and strong presidents talk to their adversaries. That's what Kennedy did with Khrushchev. That's what Reagan did with Gorbachev. That's what Nixon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/strong-countries-and-strong-presidents-talk-to-their-adversaries-that/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Wherever you go, whether it be a college campus or the New York Times or ABC News or Venezuela or Cuba or the former…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-breitbart/wherever-you-go-whether-it-be-a-college-campus-or-the-new-york-times/)

[Andrew Breitbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-breitbart/)

> [Today's Russia is not to be compared with the Soviet Union of back then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/today-s-russia-is-not-to-be-compared-with-the-soviet-union-of-back/)

[Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/)

> [Here's the truth: the Soviet Union had thousands of nuclear weapons, and Iran doesn't have a single one. But when the world was on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/here-s-the-truth-the-soviet-union-had-thousands-of-nuclear-weapons/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [When I talk about democratic socialist, I'm not looking at Venezuela. I'm not looking at Cuba. I'm looking at countries like Denmark and Sweden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/when-i-talk-about-democratic-socialist-i-m-not-looking-at-venezuela-i/)

[Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/)

> [Patriots don't go to Russia. They don't seek asylum in Cuba. They don't seek asylum in Venezuela. They fight their cause here. Edward Snowden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/patriots-don-t-go-to-russia-they-don-t-seek-asylum-in-cuba-they-don-t/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [Let me give you really bad news, and I'm sure people will demonize me for saying this: the rich are always gonna be with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-scaramucci/let-me-give-you-really-bad-news-and-i-m-sure-people-will-demonize-me/)

[Anthony Scaramucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-scaramucci/)

> [Being born in Cuba, a country where freedom of speech is non-existent, it's startling to observe how Venezuela, where I was happily raised, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-conchita-alonso/being-born-in-cuba-a-country-where-freedom-of-speech-is-non-existent/)

[Maria Conchita Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-conchita-alonso/)

> [A missile is a missile. It makes no great difference whether you are killed by a missile fired from the Soviet Union or from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-abel/a-missile-is-a-missile-it-makes-no-great-difference-whether-you-are/)

[Elie Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-abel/)

> [A government that intended to protect the liberty of the people would not disarm them. A government planning the opposite most certainly and logically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/a-government-that-intended-to-protect-the-liberty-of-the-people-would/)

[Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/)

> [The freedoms which had been so hard won from colonial domination were being crushed by Soviet-inspired and funded military and political forces. Their clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusto-pinochet/the-freedoms-which-had-been-so-hard-won-from-colonial-domination-were/)

[Augusto Pinochet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusto-pinochet/)

> [It shall be the policy of this nation to regard any nuclear missile launched from Cuba as an attack by the Soviet Union on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/it-shall-be-the-policy-of-this-nation-to-regard-any-nuclear-missile/)

[John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/)

> [When Cuba lost their fossil fuel pipeline when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1990. Overnight they had no choice, they had to transition to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/when-cuba-lost-their-fossil-fuel-pipeline-when-the-soviet-union/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [ To give \[the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba\] even covert support is on a par with the hypocrisy and cynicism for which the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/to-give-the-bay-of-pigs-invasion-of-cuba-even-covert-support-is-on-a/)

[J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/)

> [Cuba is actually one where I am more optimistic because of the unique nature of Cuba - 90 miles off our shore with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/cuba-is-actually-one-where-i-am-more-optimistic-because-of-the-unique/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

## 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 Country quotes

> [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/)

[Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/)

> [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/)

[Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/)

> [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/)

[Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/)

> [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/)

[Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/)

> [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/)

[Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/)

> [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/)

[Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/)

> [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/)

[Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/)

> [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/)

[Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/)

> [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/)

[Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/)

> [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/)

[Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/)

> [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/)

[Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/)

[Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Think about it: Iran, Cuba, Venezuela. These countries are tiny compared to the Soviet Union. They don't pose a serious threat to us the way the Soviet Union posed a threat to us.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Barack Obama"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/think-about-it-iran-cuba-venezuela-these-countries-are-tiny-compared/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Country"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/think-about-it-iran-cuba-venezuela-these-countries-are-tiny-compared/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/barack-obama-17_country_think-about-it-iran-cuba-venezuela-these_1675851.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/barack-obama-17_country_think-about-it-iran-cuba-venezuela-these_1675851.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/barack-obama-17_country_think-about-it-iran-cuba-venezuela-these_1675851.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Think about it: Iran, Cuba, Venezuela. These countries are tiny compared to the Soviet Union. They don't…” — 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": "Think about it: Iran, Cuba, Venezuela....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/think-about-it-iran-cuba-venezuela-these-countries-are-tiny-compared/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/think-about-it-iran-cuba-venezuela-these-countries-are-tiny-compared/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
