--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Forget the Syria debate; we need a debate…" description: "\"“Forget the Syria debate; we need a debate on why we are always debating on whether to bomb someone. Because we're starting to look not so much like th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/bill-maher-211_debate_forget-the-syria-debate-we-need-a-debate_1891593.jpg" --- # Forget the Syria debate; we need a debate on why we are… ![“Forget the Syria debate; we need a debate on why we are always debating on whether to bomb someone. Because we're starting to look not so much like the world's police men but more like George Zimmerman. Itching to use force and then pretending it's because we had no choice.” quote by Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/bill-maher-211_debate_forget-the-syria-debate-we-need-a-debate_1891593.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/bill-maher-211_debate_forget-the-syria-debate-we-need-a-debate_1891593.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/bill-maher-211_debate_forget-the-syria-debate-we-need-a-debate_1891593.jpg) > ““Forget the Syria debate; we need a debate on why we are always debating on whether to bomb someone. Because we're starting to look not so much like the world's police men but more like George Zimmerman. Itching to use force and then pretending it's because we had no choice.”” [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that constant debates about bombing reveal a deeper habit of militaristic decision‑making, likening it to vigilantism. **In simple terms:** We keep debating bombs instead of questioning the habit itself. Key Takeaway Question the habit of debating military action. Themes war politics debate Mood critical provocative Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy discussions - media analysis - peace activism - ethical training Key Concepts military ethics public discourse Questions to Reflect On - Why do we default to debating tactics? - What alternatives to militaristic responses exist? A Different Perspective Debates can become echo chambers, preventing real scrutiny of underlying motives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Debate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate/) [Debate Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate-need-891895/) [Debating Bomb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debating-bomb-2736579/) [George zimmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/george-zimmerman/) [Syria Debate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/syria-debate-2736580/) ## Related quotes > [While having policy debate, we need to hold the race in a way to attract people toward the DPJ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seiji-maehara/while-having-policy-debate-we-need-to-hold-the-race-in-a-way-to/) [Seiji Maehara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seiji-maehara/) > [What really worries me is that those who are in positions of power are not really affected by what we are writing. In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/what-really-worries-me-is-that-those-who-are-in-positions-of-power/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [There's always this debate about how we need more good films but how many are willing to be part of such films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sobhita-dhulipala/there-s-always-this-debate-about-how-we-need-more-good-films-but-how/) [Sobhita Dhulipala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sobhita-dhulipala/) > [I felt it was vital to stress the importance of national security in this debate and the need for a clear path to our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-fox/i-felt-it-was-vital-to-stress-the-importance-of-national-security-in/) [Liam Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-fox/) > [There is no debate whether we need a cultural policy or not. We do need it, but there are different ways of doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-martel/there-is-no-debate-whether-we-need-a-cultural-policy-or-not-we-do/) [Frederic Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-martel/) > [“Our ability to engage in passionate, unfiltered debate about what we need to do to succeed will determine our future as much as any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/our-ability-to-engage-in-passionate-unfiltered-debate-about-what-we/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [“The irony of American history is the tendency of good white Americanas to presume racial innocence. Ignorance of how we are shaped racially is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/the-irony-of-american-history-is-the-tendency-of-good-white/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [I think the hoodie is as much responsible for Trayvon Martin's death as George Zimmerman was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldo-rivera/i-think-the-hoodie-is-as-much-responsible-for-trayvon-martin-s-death/) [Geraldo Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldo-rivera/) > [George Zimmerman is a foot soldier in a rapidly privatizing country. He is a new centurion of 21st-century America. Law enforcement is tied down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/george-zimmerman-is-a-foot-soldier-in-a-rapidly-privatizing-country/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [We have two boys. After George Zimmerman was found not guilty of killing Trayvon Martin, we had to explain to our older son, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/we-have-two-boys-after-george-zimmerman-was-found-not-guilty-of/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [I don't like what George Zimmerman did, and I hate that Trayvon Martin is dead. But I also can understand why Zimmerman was suspicious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/i-don-t-like-what-george-zimmerman-did-and-i-hate-that-trayvon-martin/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [The night that George Zimmerman was acquitted, I think, for black people all over the world, there was a collective feeling of incredible grief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/the-night-that-george-zimmerman-was-acquitted-i-think-for-black/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [ If \[George\] Zimmerman had been arrested for domestic violence, Trayvon Martin might still be alive. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/if-george-zimmerman-had-been-arrested-for-domestic-violence-trayvon/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [The media needs to stop trying to dehumanize Trayvon Martin when they need to focus on why George Zimmerman is free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enhance-dreams/the-media-needs-to-stop-trying-to-dehumanize-trayvon-martin-when-they/) [Enhance Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enhance-dreams/) > [Black Lives Matter started from a post that I put on Facebook after the acquittal of George Zimmerman. I woke up in the middle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/black-lives-matter-started-from-a-post-that-i-put-on-facebook-after/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) ## More by Bill Maher > [A lot of people say they are dyslexic; some have to realize that they are just stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/a-lot-of-people-say-they-are-dyslexic-some-have-to-realize-that-they/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I saw this anti-drug commercial that showed a kid smoking pot in his dad's room with his friend. This kid finds a gun, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-saw-this-anti-drug-commercial-that-showed-a-kid-smoking-pot-in-his/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [To all conservative women out there: If you are so sure the embryo needed for stem cell research are precious human life that can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/to-all-conservative-women-out-there-if-you-are-so-sure-the-embryo/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Curious people are intersting people, I wonder why that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/curious-people-are-intersting-people-i-wonder-why-that-is/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [You see, the difference is the Republicans' hatred of Obama is based on a paranoid feeling about what he might do, what he's thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/you-see-the-difference-is-the-republicans-hatred-of-obama-is-based-on/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [The food is out of this world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/the-food-is-out-of-this-world/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [New Rule: There is no devil, so stop blaming your screw-ups on him. Last week, one of the biggest evangelical leaders in America, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-there-is-no-devil-so-stop-blaming-your-screw-ups-on-him-last/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [If we were a dog and God owned us, the cops would come and take us away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/if-we-were-a-dog-and-god-owned-us-the-cops-would-come-and-take-us-away/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“New Rule: The White House doesn't have to release the dead Bin Laden photos, but don't pretend we can't take it. We've seen pictures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-the-white-house-doesn-t-have-to-release-the-dead-bin-laden/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I think religion is bad and drugs are good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-think-religion-is-bad-and-drugs-are-good/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I don't hate America. I love America. I want it to be better. The only way we can get it to be better is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-don-t-hate-america-i-love-america-i-want-it-to-be-better-the-only/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“New Rule: Americans must realize what makes NFL football so great: socialism. That's right, the NFL takes money from the rich teams and gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-americans-must-realize-what-makes-nfl-football-so-great/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [So many kids are fat drug addicts these days, it's almost as if Rush Limbaugh had puppies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/so-many-kids-are-fat-drug-addicts-these-days-it-s-almost-as-if-rush/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [What we don't know is about Jeb Bush and cocaine. But we do know that he did once had his brother Florida on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/what-we-don-t-know-is-about-jeb-bush-and-cocaine-but-we-do-know-that/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“I find that the world is changing much, much faster than I can even bitch about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-find-that-the-world-is-changing-much-much-faster-than-i-can-even/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) [Explore all 897 Bill Maher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) ## More Debate quotes > [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/) > [One of the undervalued contributors to Trump's stunning 2016 victory was the masterful performance Pence had in his debate against Hillary Clinton running mate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mollie-hemingway/one-of-the-undervalued-contributors-to-trump-s-stunning-2016-victory/) [Mollie Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mollie-hemingway/) > [I am encouraged President Obama now says he will fulfill his constitutional obligation to seek authorization for any potential military action in Syria. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-am-encouraged-president-obama-now-says-he-will-fulfill-his/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [There can be a debate on the Citizenship Amendment Act, but why should we shelter someone who has come to India illegally from outside?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raj-thackeray/there-can-be-a-debate-on-the-citizenship-amendment-act-but-why-should/) [Raj Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raj-thackeray/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) [Joe Pitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-pitts/) > [Grace is ours. Let's live it! Deny it or debate it and we kill it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/grace-is-ours-let-s-live-it-deny-it-or-debate-it-and-we-kill-it/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [As far as I know, the question of whether and how it could be strategically or morally justified was never the subject of open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-far-as-i-know-the-question-of-whether-and-how-it-could-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The "family" has clearly emerged anew in the late 1970s as a central subject for discussion, debate, research and writing in bothscholarly and popular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/the-family-has-clearly-emerged-anew-in-the-late-1970s-as-a-central/) [Sheila Kamerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-kamerman/) > [The premise of any discussion I have is not to debate my humanity. I refuse to engage on that level. It makes for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torrey-peters/the-premise-of-any-discussion-i-have-is-not-to-debate-my-humanity-i/) [Torrey Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torrey-peters/) > [It is important to allow a broad debate on energy and climate. We must urgently explore realistic ways to address the different scientific, technical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennart-bengtsson/it-is-important-to-allow-a-broad-debate-on-energy-and-climate-we-must/) [Lennart Bengtsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennart-bengtsson/) > [“I know quite well why I became a historian… It was because dissension was frowned upon when I was a child: 'Don't argue, Claudia,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-lively/i-know-quite-well-why-i-became-a-historian-it-was-because-dissension/) [Penelope Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-lively/) > [A little tough talk in the midst of a campaign or as part of a presidential debate cannot obscure a record of 30 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/a-little-tough-talk-in-the-midst-of-a-campaign-or-as-part-of-a/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [ \[James\] Madison pointed out in the discussion of the constitutional debates - the constitutional convention - that democracy would be a danger. He used… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/james-madison-pointed-out-in-the-discussion-of-the-constitutional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Browse all 2,322 Debate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Forget the Syria debate; we need a debate on why we are always debating on whether to bomb someone. Because we're starting to look not so much like the world's police men but more like George Zimmerman. Itching to use force and then pretending it's because we had no choice.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Maher" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/forget-the-syria-debate-we-need-a-debate-on-why-we-are-always/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Debate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/forget-the-syria-debate-we-need-a-debate-on-why-we-are-always/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/bill-maher-211_debate_forget-the-syria-debate-we-need-a-debate_1891593.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/bill-maher-211_debate_forget-the-syria-debate-we-need-a-debate_1891593.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/bill-maher-211_debate_forget-the-syria-debate-we-need-a-debate_1891593.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Forget the Syria debate; we need a debate on why we are always debating on whether to bomb someone. Because…” — Bill Maher", "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": "Bill Maher", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Forget the Syria debate; we need...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/forget-the-syria-debate-we-need-a-debate-on-why-we-are-always/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/forget-the-syria-debate-we-need-a-debate-on-why-we-are-always/#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 } } ] } ```