--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thee are such horrible weapons. And so no…" description: "\"Thee are such horrible weapons. And so no sane leader would ever want to cross that line to using nuclear weapons. And, if you are not going to cross t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/colin-powell-691_crosses_thee-are-such-horrible-weapons-and-so-no_270442.jpg" --- # Thee are such horrible weapons. And so no sane leader… ![“Thee are such horrible weapons. And so no sane leader would ever want to cross that line to using nuclear weapons. And, if you are not going to cross that line, then these things are basically useless.” quote by Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/colin-powell-691_crosses_thee-are-such-horrible-weapons-and-so-no_270442.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/colin-powell-691_crosses_thee-are-such-horrible-weapons-and-so-no_270442.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/colin-powell-691_crosses_thee-are-such-horrible-weapons-and-so-no_270442.jpg) > “Thee are such horrible weapons. And so no sane leader would ever want to cross that line to using nuclear weapons. And, if you are not going to cross that line, then these things are basically useless.” [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Nuclear weapons are so destructive that rational leaders will avoid using them, rendering them strategically pointless. **In simple terms:** Nuclear arms are ineffective because leaders won’t use them. Key Takeaway Recognize the limits of deterrence. Themes security ethics deterrence Mood analytical concerned Type political strategic When to use this quote - policy debates - military planning - international relations Key Concepts strategic stability mutually assured destruction Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards can prevent accidental use? - How do we address non‑state actors? A Different Perspective Assuming all leaders act rationally ignores possible miscalculations or rogue actors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Nuclear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear/) [Nuclear weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear-weapons/) [Weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons/) ## Related quotes > [The best way for any state to deter a rival from using its nuclear arsenal for political gain is to have its own nuclear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/the-best-way-for-any-state-to-deter-a-rival-from-using-its-nuclear/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [The professed function of the nuclear weapons on each side is to prevent the other side from using their nuclear weapons. If that's all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-professed-function-of-the-nuclear-weapons-on-each-side-is-to/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [If Iran and North Korea, by some horrible, devilish, nightmarish scenario, got together and went to war at the same time, one against Saudi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/if-iran-and-north-korea-by-some-horrible-devilish-nightmarish/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [I think we should stop using nuclear power plants because it's an old system that we can't control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/i-think-we-should-stop-using-nuclear-power-plants-because-it-s-an-old/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [We ought to be using nuclear power. It's a renewable source of energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-ought-to-be-using-nuclear-power-it-s-a-renewable-source-of-energy/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [There are consequences to our insatiable demands for energy and there are no easy answers for how to capture that energy safely. But even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-meeropol/there-are-consequences-to-our-insatiable-demands-for-energy-and-there/) Ivy Meeropol > [Today I can declare my hope and declare it from the bottom of my heart that we will eventually see the time when that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/today-i-can-declare-my-hope-and-declare-it-from-the-bottom-of-my/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Art is man determined to die sane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-devoto/art-is-man-determined-to-die-sane/) [Bernard DeVoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-devoto/) > [I don't really trust a sane person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-alzado/i-don-t-really-trust-a-sane-person/) [Lyle Alzado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-alzado/) > [My principles are only those that, before the French Revolution, every well-born person considered sane and normal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-evola/my-principles-are-only-those-that-before-the-french-revolution-every/) [Julius Evola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-evola/) > [I have what I call an iron prescription that helps me keep sane when I naturally drift toward preferring one ideology over another and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/i-have-what-i-call-an-iron-prescription-that-helps-me-keep-sane-when/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [As far as I remember, even younger than eight, I have always been guided by reason. Not cold reason, but that which leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-claude/as-far-as-i-remember-even-younger-than-eight-i-have-always-been/) [Albert Claude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-claude/) > [Nobody sane wants just to be famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dornan/nobody-sane-wants-just-to-be-famous/) [Jamie Dornan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dornan/) > [When I'm away from basketball, I'm the biggest kid. I do a good job of keeping myself sane. 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They learn from trial and error, and from experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/effective-leaders-are-made-not-born-they-learn-from-trial-and-error/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Decision-making is lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/decision-making-is-lonely/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [The purposes of the United States should not be doubted. The Security Council resolutions will be enforced - the just demands of peace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-purposes-of-the-united-states-should-not-be-doubted-the-security/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [I always like to take my time and examine the two candidates, see not only the two candidates but the policies they will bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-always-like-to-take-my-time-and-examine-the-two-candidates-see-not/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [We can seldom get our children to do what we tell them, but they almost never fail to imitate us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/we-can-seldom-get-our-children-to-do-what-we-tell-them-but-they/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [With respect to where we are now, we have a voluntary army. 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Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-less-you-associate-with-some-people-the-more-your-life-will/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Be careful what you choose: You may get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/be-careful-what-you-choose-you-may-get-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) [Explore all 408 Colin Powell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) ## More Crosses quotes > [My team mates are fundamental for my characteristics, if they send in crosses I can play inside the area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/filippo-inzaghi/my-team-mates-are-fundamental-for-my-characteristics-if-they-send-in/) [Filippo Inzaghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/filippo-inzaghi/) > [The old men of the village of Mahotière say that the Mistress of the Water is a mulatto woman. At midnight she comes out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/the-old-men-of-the-village-of-mahoti-re-say-that-the-mistress-of-the/) [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) > [When the Lord Jesus Christ became my surety . . . He went to Calvary's cross, and all my guilt was charged against Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/when-the-lord-jesus-christ-became-my-surety-he-went-to-calvary-s/) [Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/) > [Whoever does not seek the cross of Christ doesn't seek the glory of Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-the-cross/whoever-does-not-seek-the-cross-of-christ-doesn-t-seek-the-glory-of/) [John of the Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-the-cross/) > [Nothing teaches great writing like the very best books do. 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I see it as a dialogue, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-warner/i-am-not-a-great-believer-in-dialectical-struggle-i-am-much-more-of-a/) [Marina Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-warner/) > [“To my fellow Crosses, keep the faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malorie-blackman/to-my-fellow-crosses-keep-the-faith/) [Malorie Blackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malorie-blackman/) > [I told my mom I was going to do a movie about a son who hears a story about his mom and takes her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelman/i-told-my-mom-i-was-going-to-do-a-movie-about-a-son-who-hears-a-story/) [Dan Fogelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelman/) > [I think in black communities today we need to encourage a lot more cross racial organizing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-davis/i-think-in-black-communities-today-we-need-to-encourage-a-lot-more/) [Angela Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-davis/) > [ \[The Community's\] crosses and trials give me confidence. But I derive my hope above all, and most especially, from our utter incapacity, for it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-guerin/the-community-s-crosses-and-trials-give-me-confidence-but-i-derive-my/) [Theodore Guerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-guerin/) > [Never forget that the road to Heaven is the Way of the Cross. Jesus has called us to follow Him, bearing the Cross as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-philippine-duchesne/never-forget-that-the-road-to-heaven-is-the-way-of-the-cross-jesus/) [Rose Philippine Duchesne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-philippine-duchesne/) > [Lord, send Your life throughout the entire church. Visit Your church; restore sound doctrine and holy, earnest living. 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Bear your cross,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/pay-no-heed-to-the-passing-religious-vogue-go-back-to-the-grass-roots/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) Browse all 2,897 Crosses quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Thee are such horrible weapons. And so no sane leader would ever want to cross that line to using nuclear weapons. 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