--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In general, states do not count on…" description: "\"In general, states do not count on pledges of 'no more war' from their neighbors. Israel's army never counted on it from Egypt, for example.\" — Barton ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24a/barton-gellman-3126_army_in-general-states-do-not-count-on-pledge_3072000.jpg" --- # In general, states do not count on pledges of 'no more… ![“In general, states do not count on pledges of 'no more war' from their neighbors. Israel's army never counted on it from Egypt, for example.” quote by Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24a/barton-gellman-3126_army_in-general-states-do-not-count-on-pledge_3072000.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24a/barton-gellman-3126_army_in-general-states-do-not-count-on-pledge_3072000.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24a/barton-gellman-3126_army_in-general-states-do-not-count-on-pledge_3072000.jpg) > “In general, states do not count on pledges of 'no more war' from their neighbors. Israel's army never counted on it from Egypt, for example.” [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Nations rarely rely on verbal promises of peace from neighbors, as seen when Israel did not expect Egypt's 'no more war' pledge. **In simple terms:** Countries distrust peace promises from rivals. Key Takeaway Plan for realistic security measures. Themes trust geopolitics security Mood cautious strategic Type analysis political When to use this quote - military planning - foreign policy - conflict prevention Key Concepts realpolitik diplomacy Questions to Reflect On - How can states verify peace commitments? - What safeguards reduce reliance on uncertain pledges? A Different Perspective Overreliance on trust can be dangerous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Egypt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egypt/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Neighbors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbors/) [Pledges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pledges/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“the voice and force of the United States may count for nothing if they are withheld too long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/the-voice-and-force-of-the-united-states-may-count-for-nothing-if/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [“Despite shared language, ethnicity, and culture, alliances nurtured deep, long-standing hostilities toward one another, the original source of which was often unknown. They had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-zuckoff/despite-shared-language-ethnicity-and-culture-alliances-nurtured-deep/) [Mitchell Zuckoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-zuckoff/) > [I will be the president of the nation who keeps pledges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-geun-hye/i-will-be-the-president-of-the-nation-who-keeps-pledges/) [Park Geun-hye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-geun-hye/) > [This is what we are made for: promises, pledges, and sworn oaths of obedience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/this-is-what-we-are-made-for-promises-pledges-and-sworn-oaths-of/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [If a man's public record be a clear one, if he has kept his pledges before the world, I do not inquire what his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/if-a-man-s-public-record-be-a-clear-one-if-he-has-kept-his-pledges/) [Susan B. 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Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [When I first ran for Congress, I decided that I would not take pledges to vote for or against any issue. I believe the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/when-i-first-ran-for-congress-i-decided-that-i-would-not-take-pledges/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [There are beautiful words in the Bible and in our pledges and the Declaration of Independence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/there-are-beautiful-words-in-the-bible-and-in-our-pledges-and-the/) [Louis Gossett, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-gossett-jr/) > [“The leader’s commandment is made up of pledges to solve local and global problems, and not to create more problems to add to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/the-leader-s-commandment-is-made-up-of-pledges-to-solve-local-and/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) ## More by Barton Gellman > [On March 12, 2004, acting attorney general James B. Comey and the Justice Department's top leadership reached the brink of resignation over electronic surveillance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/on-march-12-2004-acting-attorney-general-james-b-comey-and-the/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [For political and bureaucratic reasons, governments at all levels are telling far less to the public than to insiders about how to prepare for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/for-political-and-bureaucratic-reasons-governments-at-all-levels-are/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [Searches of al Qaeda sites in Afghanistan, undertaken since American-backed forces took control there, are not known to have turned up a significant cache…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/searches-of-al-qaeda-sites-in-afghanistan-undertaken-since-american/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [I don't think Cheney started off in 2000 with a burning desire to become vice-president. 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If you travel with your computer or keep it in a place where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/you-don-t-need-to-be-a-spook-to-care-about-encryption-if-you-travel/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [I learned the technology and tradecraft of electronic security in self defense, with a lot of expert help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/i-learned-the-technology-and-tradecraft-of-electronic-security-in/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [Nothing is absolute in security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/nothing-is-absolute-in-security/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [Early in 1986, the World Health Organization in Geneva still regarded AIDS as an ailment of the promiscuous few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/early-in-1986-the-world-health-organization-in-geneva-still-regarded/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) [Explore all 139 Barton Gellman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) ## More Army quotes > [There are no more worlds to conquer!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/there-are-no-more-worlds-to-conquer/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... 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