---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you ask Americans whether they've been…"
description: "\"If you ask Americans whether they've been successful at sealing the border with Mexico, they'll tell you that it's a very difficult proposition.\" — Bas..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c7/bashar-al-assad-1027_asks_if-you-ask-americans-whether-they-ve-bee_2777428.jpg"
---

#  If you ask Americans whether they've been successful at…

![“If you ask Americans whether they've been successful at sealing the border with Mexico, they'll tell you that it's a very difficult proposition.” quote by Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c7/bashar-al-assad-1027_asks_if-you-ask-americans-whether-they-ve-bee_2777428.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c7/bashar-al-assad-1027_asks_if-you-ask-americans-whether-they-ve-bee_2777428.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c7/bashar-al-assad-1027_asks_if-you-ask-americans-whether-they-ve-bee_2777428.jpg)

> “If you ask Americans whether they've been successful at sealing the border with Mexico, they'll tell you that it's a very difficult proposition.”

[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.

The quote highlights the difficulty of achieving complete border security between the US and Mexico, suggesting it is a complex, perhaps unattainable goal.

**In simple terms:** Border security is very hard to achieve.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the complexity of immigration issues.

Themes

politics border security policy international relations

Mood

skeptical reflective

Type

political analytical

When to use this quote

- government negotiations
- policy planning
- public debate
- media analysis

Key Concepts

sovereignty security challenges public opinion

Questions to Reflect On

- What factors make border security so challenging?
- How can policy balance security and humanitarian concerns?

A Different Perspective

It may oversimplify the political and economic factors involved.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ask Americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-americans-3285773/) [Asks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) [Borders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borders/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Difficult Proposition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-proposition-3285772/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Mexico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mexico/) [Propositions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/propositions/) [Sealing Border](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sealing-border-3285771/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Tell Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-difficult-1184848/)

## Related quotes

> [Feckless as it was for Bush to ask Americans to go shopping after 9/11, we all too enthusiastically followed his lead, whether we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-rich/feckless-as-it-was-for-bush-to-ask-americans-to-go-shopping-after-9/)

[Frank Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-rich/)

> [Everybody should have health care, on the one hand. But on the other hand, if you ask Americans, "Are you willing to pay for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-reinhardt/everybody-should-have-health-care-on-the-one-hand-but-on-the-other/)

[Uwe Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-reinhardt/)

> [We must always tell what we see. Above all, and this is more difficult, we must always see what we see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-peguy/we-must-always-tell-what-we-see-above-all-and-this-is-more-difficult/)

[Charles Peguy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-peguy/)

> [Boxing is a really difficult sport! So I don't want to tell you I wouldn't try it, but I guess everybody that does know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romeo-santos/boxing-is-a-really-difficult-sport-so-i-don-t-want-to-tell-you-i/)

[Romeo Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romeo-santos/)

> [Awareness is something that is very important. And you say that it looks impossible to become what we really are, to be authentic, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/awareness-is-something-that-is-very-important-and-you-say-that-it/)

[Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/)

> [People will always have an opinion, but you have to live life the way you want to. It's very easy to tell others what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preity-zinta/people-will-always-have-an-opinion-but-you-have-to-live-life-the-way/)

[Preity Zinta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preity-zinta/)

> [The world loves to tell you how difficult things are, and the world's not exaggerating. But difficult doesn't mean impossible, and out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/the-world-loves-to-tell-you-how-difficult-things-are-and-the-world-s/)

[Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/)

> [If we don't have accurate information, if we are not able to tell difficult truth one to another, we will never be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-reed/if-we-don-t-have-accurate-information-if-we-are-not-able-to-tell/)

[Jack Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-reed/)

> [Don't tell me this is a difficult problem. If it weren't difficult, it wouldn't be a problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/don-t-tell-me-this-is-a-difficult-problem-if-it-weren-t-difficult-it/)

[Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/)

> [But if men would give heed to the nature of substance they would doubt less concerning the Proposition that Existence appertains to the nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/but-if-men-would-give-heed-to-the-nature-of-substance-they-would/)

[Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/)

> [It has been pointed out already that no knowledge of probabilities, less in degree than certainty, helps us to know what conclusions are true,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/it-has-been-pointed-out-already-that-no-knowledge-of-probabilities/)

[John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/)

> [The proposition of Mr. Ricardo, which states that a rise in the price of labour lowers the price of a large class of commodities,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malthus/the-proposition-of-mr-ricardo-which-states-that-a-rise-in-the-price/)

[Thomas Malthus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malthus/)

> [If you don't know, your labor unions and community organizations, there's somebody you can ask to guide you. A lot of people, especially in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/if-you-don-t-know-your-labor-unions-and-community-organizations-there/)

[Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/)

> [Since it is impossible for the people spontaneously and universally, to move in concert towards their object; and it is therefore essential, that such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/since-it-is-impossible-for-the-people-spontaneously-and-universally/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [I find myself frequently placed where I dare give neither assent nor dissent to propositions that are submitted to me; for there is danger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/i-find-myself-frequently-placed-where-i-dare-give-neither-assent-nor/)

[Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/)

## 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 Asks quotes

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/)

[Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/)

> [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/)

[Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/)

> [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/)

[Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/)

> [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/)

[Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/)

> [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/)

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

> [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/)

> [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/)

[Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/)

> [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/)

[Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/)

> [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/)

[Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/)

> [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/)

[Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/)

[Browse all 7,138 Asks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If you ask Americans whether they've been successful at sealing the border with Mexico, they'll tell you that it's a very difficult proposition.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bashar al-Assad"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/if-you-ask-americans-whether-they-ve-been-successful-at-sealing-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Asks"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/if-you-ask-americans-whether-they-ve-been-successful-at-sealing-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c7/bashar-al-assad-1027_asks_if-you-ask-americans-whether-they-ve-bee_2777428.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c7/bashar-al-assad-1027_asks_if-you-ask-americans-whether-they-ve-bee_2777428.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c7/bashar-al-assad-1027_asks_if-you-ask-americans-whether-they-ve-bee_2777428.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If you ask Americans whether they've been successful at sealing the border with Mexico, they'll tell you…” — 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": "If you ask Americans whether they've...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/if-you-ask-americans-whether-they-ve-been-successful-at-sealing-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/if-you-ask-americans-whether-they-ve-been-successful-at-sealing-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
