--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In my judgment, the greatest risks are…" description: "\"In my judgment, the greatest risks are international terrorist groups like al Qaeda and Hezbollah. The war in Iraq has taken our attention off those pr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28e/bob-graham-20413_al_in-my-judgment-the-greatest-risks-are-in_2232091.png" --- # In my judgment, the greatest risks are international… ![“In my judgment, the greatest risks are international terrorist groups like al Qaeda and Hezbollah. The war in Iraq has taken our attention off those priorities.” quote by Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28e/bob-graham-20413_al_in-my-judgment-the-greatest-risks-are-in_2232091.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28e/bob-graham-20413_al_in-my-judgment-the-greatest-risks-are-in_2232091.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28e/bob-graham-20413_al_in-my-judgment-the-greatest-risks-are-in_2232091.png) > “In my judgment, the greatest risks are international terrorist groups like al Qaeda and Hezbollah. The war in Iraq has taken our attention off those priorities.” [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focusing on Iraq diverts attention from greater threats like al Qaeda and Hezbollah; resources should prioritize terrorism. **In simple terms:** War in Iraq distracts from more dangerous terrorist groups. Key Takeaway Refocus policy on primary terrorist threats. Themes security terrorism policy Mood urgent strategic Type political defense When to use this quote - government budgeting - military planning - intelligence analysis - public debate Key Concepts political science strategic studies Questions to Reflect On - What are the most urgent security priorities? - How can policymakers balance multiple threats? A Different Perspective Shifting focus may overlook other emerging risks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment/) [Priorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priorities/) [Risks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risks/) [Terrorist groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorist-groups/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [With terrorist groups like al Qaeda, you can't learn what you want to learn about their capabilities and their future plans by taking a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/with-terrorist-groups-like-al-qaeda-you-can-t-learn-what-you-want-to/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) > [I believe that one of life's greatest risks is never daring to risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-believe-that-one-of-life-s-greatest-risks-is-never-daring-to-risk/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [The poor people of the world tend to be the places that al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups can recruit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolfensohn/the-poor-people-of-the-world-tend-to-be-the-places-that-al-qaeda-and/) [James Wolfensohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolfensohn/) > [I have always been incredibly grateful for my time in the Bachelor world, and while overall I have no regrets, my time on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-viall/i-have-always-been-incredibly-grateful-for-my-time-in-the-bachelor/) [Nick Viall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-viall/) > [Art is, from any point of view, the greatest of risks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-helion/art-is-from-any-point-of-view-the-greatest-of-risks/) [Jean Helion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-helion/) > [To Love and to be kind, are some of the greatest risks to take in Life. Very necessary risks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/to-love-and-to-be-kind-are-some-of-the-greatest-risks-to-take-in-life/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [An intelligence analyst may attribute an attack to al Qaeda, whereas a policy maker could opt for the more general 'extremist.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hayden/an-intelligence-analyst-may-attribute-an-attack-to-al-qaeda-whereas-a/) [Michael Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hayden/) > [Success means eliminating Al Qaeda's ability to launch terrorist attacks against the United States and our allies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/success-means-eliminating-al-qaeda-s-ability-to-launch-terrorist/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [Mistreatment of al Qaeda members and their friends and hangers-on is something I number among my moral concerns. But it's number 1,000,000,001.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/mistreatment-of-al-qaeda-members-and-their-friends-and-hangers-on-is/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Bin Laden is dead, and most of his friends are dead. But did it need to cost a trillion dollars and two land wars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/bin-laden-is-dead-and-most-of-his-friends-are-dead-but-did-it-need-to/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [That is because the conflict with al Qaeda is not governed by the Geneva Conventions, which applies only to international conflicts between states that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/that-is-because-the-conflict-with-al-qaeda-is-not-governed-by-the/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [And beyond that, the next issue is how do we guarantee one of these weapons, not necessarily this missile, but nuclear weapons ends up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/and-beyond-that-the-next-issue-is-how-do-we-guarantee-one-of-these/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [There are many causes of violent deaths in America - murders and traffic accidents - that we do not approach with the same 'no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-c-blair/there-are-many-causes-of-violent-deaths-in-america-murders-and/) [Dennis C. Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-c-blair/) > [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/) > [If the practice is torture for the al Qaeda operative who masterminded the killing of three thousand Americans, why weren't there court-martials in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-a-rodriguez-jr/if-the-practice-is-torture-for-the-al-qaeda-operative-who/) [Jose A. Rodriguez, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-a-rodriguez-jr/) ## More by Bob Graham > [Today 80 percent of all the oil that comes out of the Gulf is from 1,000 feet or more and today almost a third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/today-80-percent-of-all-the-oil-that-comes-out-of-the-gulf-is-from-1/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) > [The White House was signaling that the threat posed by Saddam Hussein was of such urgency that it had priority over the crushing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/the-white-house-was-signaling-that-the-threat-posed-by-saddam-hussein/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) > [We need to make is to strengthen the position of the director of the CIA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/we-need-to-make-is-to-strengthen-the-position-of-the-director-of-the/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) > [It's fundamentally unfair to have so much of the tax relief go to so few. And it is a 10-year tax plan rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/it-s-fundamentally-unfair-to-have-so-much-of-the-tax-relief-go-to-so/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) > [This president has been reluctant to hold anybody accountable. No one was held accountable after September the 11th. Nobody's been held accountable after the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/this-president-has-been-reluctant-to-hold-anybody-accountable-no-one/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) > [Gen. Tommy Franks told me the war was being compromised as specialized personnel and equipment were being shifted from Afghanistan to prepare for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/gen-tommy-franks-told-me-the-war-was-being-compromised-as-specialized/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) > [I keep lists of names of people that I have met, a list of things to do day by day as well as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/i-keep-lists-of-names-of-people-that-i-have-met-a-list-of-things-to/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) > [I consider my voice to be a centrist moderate voice among the nine Democratic candidates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/i-consider-my-voice-to-be-a-centrist-moderate-voice-among-the-nine/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) > [There is no doubt that . Saddam Hussein has reinvigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/there-is-no-doubt-that-saddam-hussein-has-reinvigorated-his-weapons/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) > [The president, clearly as a result of the war and the afterglow of the war, is in a time of great attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/the-president-clearly-as-a-result-of-the-war-and-the-afterglow-of-the/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) > [I have had national security background, 10 years on the Intelligence Committee, the last two years as chair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/i-have-had-national-security-background-10-years-on-the-intelligence/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) > [I had earlier concluded that a war with Iraq would be a distraction from the successful and expeditious completion of our aims in Afghanistan.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/i-had-earlier-concluded-that-a-war-with-iraq-would-be-a-distraction/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) > [I would give relief from the first $10,000 of the payroll tax. I would allow small businesses to accelerate depreciation so they would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/i-would-give-relief-from-the-first-10-000-of-the-payroll-tax-i-would/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) > [The president has undermined trust. No longer will the members of Congress be entitled to accept his veracity. Caveat emptor has become the word.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/the-president-has-undermined-trust-no-longer-will-the-members-of/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) > [We need to have a strong defense focused on areas that are in the greatest vulnerability. I have been very concerned about America's 361…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/we-need-to-have-a-strong-defense-focused-on-areas-that-are-in-the/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) [Explore all 31 Bob Graham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) ## More Al quotes > [I like 'The Usual Suspects'. Great film. I also like 'Scarface', films like that. Lots of gangster films. I really like watching all kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkhad-abdi/i-like-the-usual-suspects-great-film-i-also-like-scarface-films-like/) [Barkhad Abdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkhad-abdi/) > [Al Jazeera is a representation of, you know, diversity in the Arab world. In our newsroom, we have every single nationality, we have every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wadah-khanfar/al-jazeera-is-a-representation-of-you-know-diversity-in-the-arab/) [Wadah Khanfar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wadah-khanfar/) > [If the practice is torture for the al Qaeda operative who masterminded the killing of three thousand Americans, why weren't there court-martials in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-a-rodriguez-jr/if-the-practice-is-torture-for-the-al-qaeda-operative-who/) [Jose A. Rodriguez, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-a-rodriguez-jr/) > [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/) > [Nobody had race savvy like Al Unser in his prime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/nobody-had-race-savvy-like-al-unser-in-his-prime/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [There are many causes of violent deaths in America - murders and traffic accidents - that we do not approach with the same 'no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-c-blair/there-are-many-causes-of-violent-deaths-in-america-murders-and/) [Dennis C. Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-c-blair/) > [If you want to join the Republican party, they have to let you in. There's nothing they can do about it. I mean, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/if-you-want-to-join-the-republican-party-they-have-to-let-you-in/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Brian came back in on the road and Al stayed, but Al's the original member of the group.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-johnston/brian-came-back-in-on-the-road-and-al-stayed-but-al-s-the-original/) [Bruce Johnston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-johnston/) > [News is the backbone of our network; the main commodity and the main successes of Al Jazeera came out of our involvement in covering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wadah-khanfar/news-is-the-backbone-of-our-network-the-main-commodity-and-the-main/) [Wadah Khanfar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wadah-khanfar/) > [And beyond that, the next issue is how do we guarantee one of these weapons, not necessarily this missile, but nuclear weapons ends up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/and-beyond-that-the-next-issue-is-how-do-we-guarantee-one-of-these/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [I started, actually, as an analyst on African affairs, mainly on Al Jazeera. I remember the first few series were about Saudi students, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wadah-khanfar/i-started-actually-as-an-analyst-on-african-affairs-mainly-on-al/) [Wadah Khanfar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wadah-khanfar/) > [That is because the conflict with al Qaeda is not governed by the Geneva Conventions, which applies only to international conflicts between states that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/that-is-because-the-conflict-with-al-qaeda-is-not-governed-by-the/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [Bin Laden is dead, and most of his friends are dead. But did it need to cost a trillion dollars and two land wars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/bin-laden-is-dead-and-most-of-his-friends-are-dead-but-did-it-need-to/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [Mistreatment of al Qaeda members and their friends and hangers-on is something I number among my moral concerns. But it's number 1,000,000,001.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/mistreatment-of-al-qaeda-members-and-their-friends-and-hangers-on-is/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Success means eliminating Al Qaeda's ability to launch terrorist attacks against the United States and our allies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/success-means-eliminating-al-qaeda-s-ability-to-launch-terrorist/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) Browse all 218 Al quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In my judgment, the greatest risks are international terrorist groups like al Qaeda and Hezbollah. 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