--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you decide to get involved in a…" description: "\"When you decide to get involved in a military operation in a place like Syria, you've got to be prepared, as we learned from Iraq and Afghanistan, to b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/colin-powell-691_afghanistan_when-you-decide-to-get-involved-in-a-mil_825943.jpg" --- # When you decide to get involved in a military operation in… ![“When you decide to get involved in a military operation in a place like Syria, you've got to be prepared, as we learned from Iraq and Afghanistan, to become the government, and I'm not sure any country, either the United States or I don't hear of anyone else, who's willing to take on that…” quote by Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/colin-powell-691_afghanistan_when-you-decide-to-get-involved-in-a-mil_825943.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/colin-powell-691_afghanistan_when-you-decide-to-get-involved-in-a-mil_825943.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/colin-powell-691_afghanistan_when-you-decide-to-get-involved-in-a-mil_825943.jpg) > “When you decide to get involved in a military operation in a place like Syria, you've got to be prepared, as we learned from Iraq and Afghanistan, to become the government, and I'm not sure any country, either the United States or I don't hear of anyone else, who's willing to take on that responsibility.” [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. Engaging in foreign military action often leads to nation‑building responsibilities, which many nations are reluctant to assume. **In simple terms:** War creates governance duties that are hard to accept. Key Takeaway Consider the long‑term costs before intervening. Themes politics military responsibility Mood cautious serious Type political analytical When to use this quote - policy planning - international aid - post‑conflict reconstruction Key Concepts nation‑building geopolitics foreign policy Questions to Reflect On - What are the ethical implications of nation‑building? - How can nations share responsibility? A Different Perspective Assumes all interventions are comparable; context varies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afghanistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Syria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/syria/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) ## Related quotes > [The U.S. should never get involved where we have no clear national interest. We should not intervene militarily in a country like Syria, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/the-u-s-should-never-get-involved-where-we-have-no-clear-national/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [Countries in which immigration will be suspended would include places like Syria and Libya.And we are going to stop the tens of thousands of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/countries-in-which-immigration-will-be-suspended-would-include-places/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I think the foreign policy is really not Donald Trump administration concern. Like the Syria strike. I mean, it meant almost nothing. They hit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-think-the-foreign-policy-is-really-not-donald-trump-administration/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I'm pretty actively involved with the military because I think they're incredible human beings. If I can give back to them for what they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeril-lagasse/i-m-pretty-actively-involved-with-the-military-because-i-think-they/) [Emeril Lagasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeril-lagasse/) > [The United States is a violent military state. It's been involved in military action all over the place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-united-states-is-a-violent-military-state-it-s-been-involved-in/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“One might think that as a country almost always involved in a military operation of one kind or another, the United States would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-linker/one-might-think-that-as-a-country-almost-always-involved-in-a/) [Beth Linker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-linker/) > [Parents have to understand, that even if their child isn't showing athletic excellence in a certain sport, they still need to be involved. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allyson-felix/parents-have-to-understand-that-even-if-their-child-isn-t-showing/) [Allyson Felix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allyson-felix/) > [Like Syria, the government of Bahrain employs aggressive tactics to censor and monitor its people's online activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/like-syria-the-government-of-bahrain-employs-aggressive-tactics-to/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [Obama never listened to anyone, always thought he was smarter than every expert in the room, and treated every meeting as an opportunity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hilton/obama-never-listened-to-anyone-always-thought-he-was-smarter-than/) [Steve Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hilton/) > [We have bad things happen, but it's not like Syria, which we ignore and pretend doesn't happen. We've got it pretty good, no matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-staples/we-have-bad-things-happen-but-it-s-not-like-syria-which-we-ignore-and/) [Vince Staples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-staples/) > [ On issues like Ukraine, on issues like Syria, we've had very significant differences \[with Russia\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/on-issues-like-ukraine-on-issues-like-syria-we-ve-had-very/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [If a close ally of Iran like Syria went to Iran and said, 'This peace is in our interest,' what do you think would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walid-muallem/if-a-close-ally-of-iran-like-syria-went-to-iran-and-said-this-peace/) [Walid Muallem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walid-muallem/) > [I think there are hard-liners inside of Iran that think it is the right thing to do to oppose us, to seek to destroy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-there-are-hard-liners-inside-of-iran-that-think-it-is-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We have to remember examples of many artists of conscious rap who have been coopted by the Department of State of the United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bocafloja/we-have-to-remember-examples-of-many-artists-of-conscious-rap-who/) [Bocafloja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bocafloja/) > [ I don't expect that the president-elect \[Donald Trump\] will follow exactly our blueprint or our approach, but my hope is that he does not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-don-t-expect-that-the-president-elect-donald-trump-will-follow/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More by Colin Powell > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Effective leaders are made, not born. 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. And if we ever go back to conscription I hope that at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/with-respect-to-where-we-are-now-we-have-a-voluntary-army-and-if-we/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Politics is not bean bags. It's serious, tough stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/politics-is-not-bean-bags-it-s-serious-tough-stuff/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [There are no secrets to success: don't waste time looking for them, success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/there-are-no-secrets-to-success-don-t-waste-time-looking-for-them/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [So like any football or basketball coach, you always always believe you're going to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/so-like-any-football-or-basketball-coach-you-always-always-believe/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [We hope that more assistance will be available to the nations of the region, to include Egypt, on the three pillars that I discussed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/we-hope-that-more-assistance-will-be-available-to-the-nations-of-the/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [One of the most worrisome things that emerges from the thick intelligence file we have on Iraq's biological weapons is the existence of mobile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/one-of-the-most-worrisome-things-that-emerges-from-the-thick/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Pissing people off doesn't mean you're doing the right things, but doing the right things will almost inevitably piss people off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/pissing-people-off-doesn-t-mean-you-re-doing-the-right-things-but/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. 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 Afghanistan quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [From the bitter cold winter at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/from-the-bitter-cold-winter-at-valley-forge-to-the-mountains-of/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [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/) > [They're criminals, they brutalized Afghanistan, they killed our people, they destroyed our land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-karzai/they-re-criminals-they-brutalized-afghanistan-they-killed-our-people/) [Hamid Karzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-karzai/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The terrorist attacks of September 11th and the courageous actions of our armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq remind us that friends of tyranny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-levin/the-terrorist-attacks-of-september-11th-and-the-courageous-actions-of/) [Carl Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-levin/) > [According to a recent Harvard study, $6 trillion, when you include the ongoing healthcare expenses for our wounded soldiers, which is the least they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/according-to-a-recent-harvard-study-6-trillion-when-you-include-the/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [You don't bargain with terrorists. You don't appease terrorists. And anybody who believes that this is about something we've done has to ask themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chertoff/you-don-t-bargain-with-terrorists-you-don-t-appease-terrorists-and/) [Michael Chertoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chertoff/) > [“I stood with my mom in the cemetery. She felt terrible pain. My grandmother is with God. My mom has to continue living. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-elliot/i-stood-with-my-mom-in-the-cemetery-she-felt-terrible-pain-my/) [Tucker Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-elliot/) > [The most successful cultural diplomacy strategy integrates people-to-people or arts/culture/media-to-people interactions into the basic business of diplomacy. The programs in Afghanistan, Egypt, and Iran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-p-schneider/the-most-successful-cultural-diplomacy-strategy-integrates-people-to/) [Cynthia P. Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-p-schneider/) > [Because Iran understands Afghanistan far better than Americans do, making Iran a partner in a long-term effort to transform Afghan agriculture makes sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/because-iran-understands-afghanistan-far-better-than-americans-do/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I have been to Afghanistan many times, even before the Taliban collapsed. I was fascinated by the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-khan/i-have-been-to-afghanistan-many-times-even-before-the-taliban/) [Kabir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-khan/) > [There has been sort of, if you will, a moral interventionism on the part of the United States trying to reshape countries in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/there-has-been-sort-of-if-you-will-a-moral-interventionism-on-the/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The legal system in Afghanistan is very immature and porous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/the-legal-system-in-afghanistan-is-very-immature-and-porous/) [Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/) [Browse all 1,159 Afghanistan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you decide to get involved in a military operation in a place like Syria, you've got to be prepared, as we learned from Iraq and Afghanistan, to become the government, and I'm not sure any country, either the United States or I don't hear of anyone else, who's willing to take on that responsibility.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Colin Powell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/when-you-decide-to-get-involved-in-a-military-operation-in-a-place/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afghanistan" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/when-you-decide-to-get-involved-in-a-military-operation-in-a-place/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/colin-powell-691_afghanistan_when-you-decide-to-get-involved-in-a-mil_825943.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/colin-powell-691_afghanistan_when-you-decide-to-get-involved-in-a-mil_825943.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/colin-powell-691_afghanistan_when-you-decide-to-get-involved-in-a-mil_825943.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you decide to get involved in a military operation in a place like Syria, you've got to be prepared, as…” — Colin Powell", "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": "Colin Powell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you decide to get involved...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/when-you-decide-to-get-involved-in-a-military-operation-in-a-place/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/when-you-decide-to-get-involved-in-a-military-operation-in-a-place/#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 } } ] } ```