--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Armies are not only for offensives." description: "\"Armies are not only for offensives.\" — Bashar al-Assad" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40e/bashar-al-assad-1027_armies_armies-are-not-only-for-offensives-31864_3186411.jpg" --- # Armies are not only for offensives. ![“Armies are not only for offensives.” quote by Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40e/bashar-al-assad-1027_armies_armies-are-not-only-for-offensives-31864_3186411.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40e/bashar-al-assad-1027_armies_armies-are-not-only-for-offensives-31864_3186411.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40e/bashar-al-assad-1027_armies_armies-are-not-only-for-offensives-31864_3186411.jpg) > “Armies are not only for offensives.” [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Military forces serve multiple purposes beyond attack, including deterrence and stability. **In simple terms:** Armies have defensive and political roles. Key Takeaway Recognize broader functions of military power. Themes defense politics security deterrence Mood cautious reflective Type political strategic When to use this quote - national security planning - conflict prevention - peacekeeping - state stability Key Concepts strategic balance statecraft power projection Questions to Reflect On - How can a nation balance military strength with diplomacy? - What non‑military tools can achieve security goals? A Different Perspective Overreliance on force can ignore diplomatic solutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Armies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armies/) [Armies Offensives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armies-offensives-5860028/) [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Offensive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offensive/) [Offensives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offensives-5860029/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) ## Related quotes > [If one is intelligent and applies himself well, what can he not accomplish? Even small bands of people, I have heard, have defeated whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sakya-pandita/if-one-is-intelligent-and-applies-himself-well-what-can-he-not/) [Sakya Pandita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sakya-pandita/) > [We are not intimidated by the size of the armies, or the type of hardware the US has brought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saddam-hussein/we-are-not-intimidated-by-the-size-of-the-armies-or-the-type-of/) [Saddam Hussein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saddam-hussein/) > [All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-the-armies-of-europe-asia-and-africa-combined-with-all-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Countries, not just their armies, win wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/countries-not-just-their-armies-win-wars/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Offensive realism predicts that the United States will send its army across the Atlantic when there is a potential hegemon in Europe that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/offensive-realism-predicts-that-the-united-states-will-send-its-army/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [On the European Front the most important development of the past year has been the crushing offensive of the Great Armies of Russia...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/on-the-european-front-the-most-important-development-of-the-past-year/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [What the army is doing is cleaning those areas, and the indication that the army is strong is that it's making advancement in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/what-the-army-is-doing-is-cleaning-those-areas-and-the-indication/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [Armies are a purely human invention. Most soldiers who go to war nowadays don't even do it because they're inherently aggressive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/armies-are-a-purely-human-invention-most-soldiers-who-go-to-war/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) > [As we've seen, deploying large armies abroad won't always be our best offense. Countries typically don't want foreign soldiers in their cities and towns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/as-we-ve-seen-deploying-large-armies-abroad-won-t-always-be-our-best/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [My favorite parts about 'The Battle of Five Armies' were the moments where you could clearly see that we were looking at New Zealand.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/my-favorite-parts-about-the-battle-of-five-armies-were-the-moments/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [If you're in the middle of a field, surrounded by armies, left right and centre, you can't just say: 'I've had enough now, sorry.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-pardew/if-you-re-in-the-middle-of-a-field-surrounded-by-armies-left-right/) [Alan Pardew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-pardew/) > [Rule 1, on page I of the book of war, is: "Do not march on Moscow". Various people have tried it, Napoleon and Hitler,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/rule-1-on-page-i-of-the-book-of-war-is-do-not-march-on-moscow-various/) [Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/) > [I sincerely believe... that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-sincerely-believe-that-banking-establishments-are-more-dangerous-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [It's with them that we have constituted a liberation front and brought our logistic support to armies to help their countries come out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/it-s-with-them-that-we-have-constituted-a-liberation-front-and/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [“How long does it take for two armies to destroy each other when one has an abundance of bodies and the other an abundance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mazza/how-long-does-it-take-for-two-armies-to-destroy-each-other-when-one/) [Sarah Mazza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mazza/) ## More by Bashar al-Assad > [Lebanon was under Israeli occupation, up to its capital, but we did not consider that a disaster. Why? Because it was very clear that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/lebanon-was-under-israeli-occupation-up-to-its-capital-but-we-did-not/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [I never rejected any responsibility, but that depends on the decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/i-never-rejected-any-responsibility-but-that-depends-on-the-decision/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [If you are going to be a mediator or arbitrator you have to be in the middle between the two sides; you cannot take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/if-you-are-going-to-be-a-mediator-or-arbitrator-you-have-to-be-in-the/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [ The other thing we did as government is to open gates for the civilians to leave that \[ eastern part\] area \[in Aleppo\], and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/the-other-thing-we-did-as-government-is-to-open-gates-for-the/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [ 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/) > [Freedom and democracy are nothing but instruments, just like stability. The goal is called progress and growth. Anyone who puts freedom ahead of stability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/freedom-and-democracy-are-nothing-but-instruments-just-like-stability/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [ I will tell \[Barack Obama\] very simply : present what you have as evidence to the public, be transparent. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/i-will-tell-barack-obama-very-simply-present-what-you-have-as/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [ \[Enemies of Syria\] are the enemies of the people and the enemies of God. And the enemies of God will go to hell. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/enemies-of-syria-are-the-enemies-of-the-people-and-the-enemies-of-god/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [The problem is not the occupation, but how people deal with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/the-problem-is-not-the-occupation-but-how-people-deal-with-it/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [The first question that I ask : do I have public support or not. That is the first question that I asked as President.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/the-first-question-that-i-ask-do-i-have-public-support-or-not-that-is/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [The criteria or the paradigm for us is not the West, not the Western paradigm, because the West has its own culture, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/the-criteria-or-the-paradigm-for-us-is-not-the-west-not-the-western/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [ \[It is important\] to have stability and to have security, which means humanitarian equals fighting terrorists. You cannot talk about humanitarian aid and supporting… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/it-is-important-to-have-stability-and-to-have-security-which-means/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [Iran doesn't have any soldier in Syria, so how could Iran help me ?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/iran-doesn-t-have-any-soldier-in-syria-so-how-could-iran-help-me/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [Conversely, it is correct to say that bringing about peace would be the best way to fight terror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/conversely-it-is-correct-to-say-that-bringing-about-peace-would-be/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [The hope for an American is different from the hope of a Syrian. For me, I should be the hope of the Syrian, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/the-hope-for-an-american-is-different-from-the-hope-of-a-syrian-for/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) [Explore all 306 Bashar al-Assad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) ## More Armies quotes > [It's with them that we have constituted a liberation front and brought our logistic support to armies to help their countries come out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/it-s-with-them-that-we-have-constituted-a-liberation-front-and/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [Countries, not just their armies, win wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/countries-not-just-their-armies-win-wars/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [We are not intimidated by the size of the armies, or the type of hardware the US has brought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saddam-hussein/we-are-not-intimidated-by-the-size-of-the-armies-or-the-type-of/) [Saddam Hussein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saddam-hussein/) > [All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-the-armies-of-europe-asia-and-africa-combined-with-all-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If one is intelligent and applies himself well, what can he not accomplish? Even small bands of people, I have heard, have defeated whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sakya-pandita/if-one-is-intelligent-and-applies-himself-well-what-can-he-not/) [Sakya Pandita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sakya-pandita/) > [I sincerely believe... that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-sincerely-believe-that-banking-establishments-are-more-dangerous-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Rule 1, on page I of the book of war, is: "Do not march on Moscow". Various people have tried it, Napoleon and Hitler,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/rule-1-on-page-i-of-the-book-of-war-is-do-not-march-on-moscow-various/) [Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/) > [If you're in the middle of a field, surrounded by armies, left right and centre, you can't just say: 'I've had enough now, sorry.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-pardew/if-you-re-in-the-middle-of-a-field-surrounded-by-armies-left-right/) [Alan Pardew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-pardew/) > [My favorite parts about 'The Battle of Five Armies' were the moments where you could clearly see that we were looking at New Zealand.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/my-favorite-parts-about-the-battle-of-five-armies-were-the-moments/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [As we've seen, deploying large armies abroad won't always be our best offense. Countries typically don't want foreign soldiers in their cities and towns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/as-we-ve-seen-deploying-large-armies-abroad-won-t-always-be-our-best/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [Armies are a purely human invention. Most soldiers who go to war nowadays don't even do it because they're inherently aggressive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/armies-are-a-purely-human-invention-most-soldiers-who-go-to-war/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) > [“How long does it take for two armies to destroy each other when one has an abundance of bodies and the other an abundance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mazza/how-long-does-it-take-for-two-armies-to-destroy-each-other-when-one/) [Sarah Mazza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mazza/) > [Ants are so much like human beings as to be an embarrassment. They farm fungi, raise aphids as livestock, launch armies into war, use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/ants-are-so-much-like-human-beings-as-to-be-an-embarrassment-they/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [History shows that there are no invincible armies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/history-shows-that-there-are-no-invincible-armies/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [Great armies are nothing but a collection of weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-queen-of-sweden/great-armies-are-nothing-but-a-collection-of-weakness/) [Christina, Queen of Sweden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-queen-of-sweden/) [Browse all 123 Armies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Armies are not only for offensives.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bashar al-Assad" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/armies-are-not-only-for-offensives/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Armies" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/armies-are-not-only-for-offensives/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40e/bashar-al-assad-1027_armies_armies-are-not-only-for-offensives-31864_3186411.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40e/bashar-al-assad-1027_armies_armies-are-not-only-for-offensives-31864_3186411.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40e/bashar-al-assad-1027_armies_armies-are-not-only-for-offensives-31864_3186411.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Armies are not only for offensives.” — Bashar al-Assad", "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": "Bashar al-Assad", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Armies are not only for offensives.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/armies-are-not-only-for-offensives/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/armies-are-not-only-for-offensives/#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 } } ] } ```