--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have real enemies in the world. These…" description: "\"We have real enemies in the world. These enemies must be found. They must be pursued and they must be defeated.\" — Barack Obama" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/barack-obama-17_defeated_we-have-real-enemies-in-the-world-these_2709105.jpg" --- # We have real enemies in the world. These enemies must be… ![“We have real enemies in the world. These enemies must be found. They must be pursued and they must be defeated.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/barack-obama-17_defeated_we-have-real-enemies-in-the-world-these_2709105.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/barack-obama-17_defeated_we-have-real-enemies-in-the-world-these_2709105.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/barack-obama-17_defeated_we-have-real-enemies-in-the-world-these_2709105.jpg) > “We have real enemies in the world. These enemies must be found. They must be pursued and they must be defeated.” [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. The speaker asserts that real enemies exist and must be identified, pursued, and defeated, emphasizing proactive defense and decisive action. **In simple terms:** Identify and defeat real enemies. Key Takeaway Take decisive, proactive steps against threats. Themes security conflict strategy leadership Mood determined serious Type policy strategic When to use this quote - national defense - law enforcement - cybersecurity - personal safety Key Concepts political science military strategy ethics Questions to Reflect On - Who qualifies as an enemy? - How to balance aggression with diplomacy? A Different Perspective Defining “enemy” can be subjective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Defeated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeated/) [Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies/) [Enemies Pursued](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies-pursued-2794282/) [Enemies World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies-world-2794283/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Pursued](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursued/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-enemies-392957/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-enemies-1334938/) ## Related quotes > [The sky breaks. It sags and breathes upon my face. in the presence of mine enemies, mine enemies The world is full of enemies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/the-sky-breaks-it-sags-and-breathes-upon-my-face-in-the-presence-of/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) > [“This was the pretech experience, that even if you had no enemies the world itself could kill you. And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernor-vinge/this-was-the-pretech-experience-that-even-if-you-had-no-enemies-the/) [Vernor Vinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernor-vinge/) > [The dreams of the world have two enemies: The world, and the dreamers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-kasper/the-dreams-of-the-world-have-two-enemies-the-world-and-the-dreamers/) [Hans Kasper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-kasper/) > [Often we have no time for our friends but all the time in the world for our enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/often-we-have-no-time-for-our-friends-but-all-the-time-in-the-world/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [“The world is one of the enemies which must be fought and conquered on the way to heaven.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-bounds/the-world-is-one-of-the-enemies-which-must-be-fought-and-conquered-on/) [E.M. Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-bounds/) > [Money doesn't make as many true friends as real enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/money-doesn-t-make-as-many-true-friends-as-real-enemies/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“One of the real enemies of an addict is denial.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-vance/one-of-the-real-enemies-of-an-addict-is-denial/) [Barbara Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-vance/) > [Anger and hatred are the real enemies that we must confront and defeat, not the 'enemies' who appear from time to time in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/anger-and-hatred-are-the-real-enemies-that-we-must-confront-and/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“Your real enemies are the people who keep on reminding you, your caste, region and religion. STAY AWAY FROM THEM.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naren/your-real-enemies-are-the-people-who-keep-on-reminding-you-your-caste/) [Naren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naren/) > [“The real enemies, he suggested, were “the college campus, the pulpit, the media, the intellectual and literary journals, the arts and sciences,” and “politicians.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/the-real-enemies-he-suggested-were-the-college-campus-the-pulpit-the/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [Fake friends are worst than real enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fake-friends-are-worst-than-real-enemies/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In farm country, the plover has only two real enemies: the gully and the drainage ditch. Perhaps we shall one day find that these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldo-leopold/in-farm-country-the-plover-has-only-two-real-enemies-the-gully-and/) [Aldo Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldo-leopold/) > [The real enemies of our life are the 'oughts' and the 'ifs.' They pull us backward into the unalterable past and forward into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-real-enemies-of-our-life-are-the-oughts-and-the-ifs-they-pull-us/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Your real enemies are your real friends and your real friends are your real enemies...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-mutolo/your-real-enemies-are-your-real-friends-and-your-real-friends-are/) [Bella Mutolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-mutolo/) > [“Wisdom teaches us that our real enemies are never other living beings. They are ignorance and its minions, including greed, hatred, anger, pride, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-newland/wisdom-teaches-us-that-our-real-enemies-are-never-other-living-beings/) [Guy Newland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-newland/) ## 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 Defeated quotes > [Prefer to be defeated in the presence of the wise than to excel among fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prefer-to-be-defeated-in-the-presence-of-the-wise-than-to-excel-among/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The devil has been defeated, stop trying to defeat him. What we have left is the fight of faith, and it's a good fight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/the-devil-has-been-defeated-stop-trying-to-defeat-him-what-we-have/) [Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/) > [I am sorry to upset my colleagues by saying we wasted four years in opposition, but if you do get so badly defeated as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/i-am-sorry-to-upset-my-colleagues-by-saying-we-wasted-four-years-in/) [Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) > [You should never feel lonely, neglected, fearful, or defeated when you remember that there are the shining ones. They are watching with keen interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flower-a-newhouse/you-should-never-feel-lonely-neglected-fearful-or-defeated-when-you/) [Flower A. Newhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flower-a-newhouse/) > [Azerbaijan unleashed the war, and was defeated in that war; Azerbaijan asked for truce (including from the Commander of Karabakh's forces) and later started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serzh-sargsyan/azerbaijan-unleashed-the-war-and-was-defeated-in-that-war-azerbaijan/) [Serzh Sargsyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serzh-sargsyan/) > [You were never created to live depressed, defeated, guilty, condemned, ashamed or unworthy. You were created to be victorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/you-were-never-created-to-live-depressed-defeated-guilty-condemned/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [One's dream is defeated not by unsolvable problems, but by all the more-or-less satisfactory solutions that kill it forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/one-s-dream-is-defeated-not-by-unsolvable-problems-but-by-all-the/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [For there is hardly a state or nation in existence which has not once had the misfortune, even if it was in the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/for-there-is-hardly-a-state-or-nation-in-existence-which-has-not-once/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [Faith is always at a disadvantage; it is a perpetually defeated thing which survives all conquerors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/faith-is-always-at-a-disadvantage-it-is-a-perpetually-defeated-thing/) [Gilbert K. 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These included every layer of Scottish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/scotland-s-political-identity-was-destroyed-and-a-huge-scottish/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) > [Intent is what can make a man succeed when his thoughts tell him that he is defeated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/intent-is-what-can-make-a-man-succeed-when-his-thoughts-tell-him-that/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [“He is not a challenge, he is not a conquest. 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