---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Today, we have a powerful military that…"
description: "\"Today, we have a powerful military that serves as a deterrent, but the enemy we have today is not like World War II, where you sign a piece of paper an..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/daniel-inouye-26830_cab_today-we-have-a-powerful-military-that-s_534167.png"
---

#  Today, we have a powerful military that serves as a…

![“Today, we have a powerful military that serves as a deterrent, but the enemy we have today is not like World War II, where you sign a piece of paper and the war is over. Today they're not in uniform. In my time we knew what the enemy looked like, we knew his weapons systems and such. Today, your…” quote by Daniel Inouye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/daniel-inouye-26830_cab_today-we-have-a-powerful-military-that-s_534167.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/daniel-inouye-26830_cab_today-we-have-a-powerful-military-that-s_534167.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/daniel-inouye-26830_cab_today-we-have-a-powerful-military-that-s_534167.png)

> “Today, we have a powerful military that serves as a deterrent, but the enemy we have today is not like World War II, where you sign a piece of paper and the war is over. Today they're not in uniform. In my time we knew what the enemy looked like, we knew his weapons systems and such. Today, your cab driver may be the person, you have no idea. I don't know how we got into this fix, but we're there.”

[Daniel Inouye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-inouye/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Modern warfare blurs the line between combatants and civilians, making threats harder to identify and counter.

**In simple terms:** War now involves hidden enemies among civilians.

Key Takeaway

Stay vigilant and adapt security strategies.

Themes

security modern warfare civilian safety

Mood

cautious reflective

Type

political analytical

When to use this quote

- urban policing
- airport security
- intelligence analysis
- community awareness
- policy making

Key Concepts

asymmetric conflict identification challenges counterterrorism

Questions to Reflect On

- How can societies protect citizens without eroding trust?
- What policies balance security and civil liberties?

A Different Perspective

The quote may overstate uniformity of threats and ignore diplomatic solutions.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Cab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cab/) [Cab drivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cab-drivers/) [Deterrent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deterrent/) [Deterrent Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deterrent-enemy-4480420/) [Drivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drivers/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Enemy Looked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy-looked-1443643/) [Enemy Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy-today-4480419/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Know how](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-how/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [My time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-time/) [No idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-idea/) [Paper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paper/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pieces/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Today Cab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today-cab-4480421/) [Uniforms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uniforms/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War of the worlds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-of-the-worlds/) [War Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-today-3522461/) [Weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war/) [World war i](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war-i/) [World war ii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war-ii/)

## Related quotes

> [“Just the wrong perspective,” he said. “We’re squaring them up to be the enemy, but mostly because we need an enemy.” “So you’re saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/just-the-wrong-perspective-he-said-we-re-squaring-them-up-to-be-the/)

[Matthew Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/)

> [“Buttercup could picture Westley rounding the final corner. There were four guards outside waiting. At ten seconds per guard, she began figuring, but then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/buttercup-could-picture-westley-rounding-the-final-corner-there-were/)

[William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/)

> [These two enormous forces — truth and meaning — are at war in today's world…And something sooner or later has to give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/these-two-enormous-forces-truth-and-meaning-are-at-war-in-today-s/)

[Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/)

> [War today is such a more visible thing. We see it on television, on CNN. In 1914, war was a concept.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/war-today-is-such-a-more-visible-thing-we-see-it-on-television-on-cnn-2/)

[John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/)

> [Frank Capra made a series of films during World War II called 'Why We Fight' that explored America's reasons for entering the war. Today,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-jarecki/frank-capra-made-a-series-of-films-during-world-war-ii-called-why-we/)

[Eugene Jarecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-jarecki/)

> [World War Z is out today. The big zombie movie. The trailer looks scary. You see hordes of bodies climbing and rolling over each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/world-war-z-is-out-today-the-big-zombie-movie-the-trailer-looks-scary/)

[Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/)

> [America's veterans and troops serving abroad today fought hard to preserve our red, white and blue, from the Revolutionary War to today's Global War…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shuster/america-s-veterans-and-troops-serving-abroad-today-fought-hard-to/)

[Bill Shuster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-shuster/)

> [We know that to wage a nuclear war today, for example, would be a form of suicide; or that to pollute the air or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/we-know-that-to-wage-a-nuclear-war-today-for-example-would-be-a-form/)

[Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/)

> [War today is such a more visible thing. We see it on television, on CNN. In 1914, war was a concept. There was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/war-today-is-such-a-more-visible-thing-we-see-it-on-television-on-cnn/)

[John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/)

> [“We don’t have to win the war today, sir,” Heather said. She hoped she looked braver than she felt. “We only have to win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-d-smith/we-don-t-have-to-win-the-war-today-sir-heather-said-she-hoped-she/)

[S.D. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-d-smith/)

> [They say great times make great men. I don't buy it. I saw a lot of weakness, a lot of filth. People who should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/they-say-great-times-make-great-men-i-don-t-buy-it-i-saw-a-lot-of/)

[Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/)

> [Tokyo cab drivers are all ex-kamikaze pilots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hope/tokyo-cab-drivers-are-all-ex-kamikaze-pilots/)

[Bob Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hope/)

> [I spend a fair amount of time chatting to black cab drivers in London.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hopkins/i-spend-a-fair-amount-of-time-chatting-to-black-cab-drivers-in-london/)

[Katie Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hopkins/)

> [You know, before I would think, my cab driver hates me. Now I think my limo driver hates me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/you-know-before-i-would-think-my-cab-driver-hates-me-now-i-think-my/)

[Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/)

> [well, death says, as he walks by, I'm going to get you anyhow no matter what you've been: writer, cab-driver, pimp, butcher, sky-diver, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/well-death-says-as-he-walks-by-i-m-going-to-get-you-anyhow-no-matter/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

## More by Daniel Inouye

> [Most people may not think about it, but the aftermath of war is very costly. Costly not just in lives, but the treatment. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-inouye/most-people-may-not-think-about-it-but-the-aftermath-of-war-is-very/)

[Daniel Inouye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-inouye/)

> [I represented the people of Hawaii and this nation honestly and to the best of my ability. I think I did okay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-inouye/i-represented-the-people-of-hawaii-and-this-nation-honestly-and-to/)

[Daniel Inouye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-inouye/)

> [I do not personally agree with some of the positions that Mr. Gonzales has advocated, but that should come as no surprise, because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-inouye/i-do-not-personally-agree-with-some-of-the-positions-that-mr-gonzales/)

[Daniel Inouye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-inouye/)

> [The President's speech suggested to me that were we to follow his leadership, we will be in Iraq not for months, but for years.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-inouye/the-president-s-speech-suggested-to-me-that-were-we-to-follow-his/)

[Daniel Inouye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-inouye/)

> [No times were more dangerous than when our country was born, when revolution was our midwife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-inouye/no-times-were-more-dangerous-than-when-our-country-was-born-when/)

[Daniel Inouye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-inouye/)

> [Americanism is not a matter of skin or color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-inouye/americanism-is-not-a-matter-of-skin-or-color/)

[Daniel Inouye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-inouye/)

> [One doesn't become a soldier in a week - it takes training, study and discipline. There is no question that the finest Army in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-inouye/one-doesn-t-become-a-soldier-in-a-week-it-takes-training-study-and/)

[Daniel Inouye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-inouye/)

> [There is no such man as a one-person hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-inouye/there-is-no-such-man-as-a-one-person-hero/)

[Daniel Inouye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-inouye/)

> [Yes, prudently invested contributions to the Social Security fund may bring greater dividends, but those contributions would also face a greater risk. It would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-inouye/yes-prudently-invested-contributions-to-the-social-security-fund-may/)

[Daniel Inouye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-inouye/)

> [Mr. Gonzales' failure to respond to questions legitimately posed to him by the Senate raises grave doubts in my mind as to his fitness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-inouye/mr-gonzales-failure-to-respond-to-questions-legitimately-posed-to-him/)

[Daniel Inouye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-inouye/)

> [There exists a shadowy Government with its own Air Force, its own Navy, its own fundraising mechanism, and the ability to pursue its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-inouye/there-exists-a-shadowy-government-with-its-own-air-force-its-own-navy/)

[Daniel Inouye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-inouye/)

> [A great nation betrayed the principles which have made it great, and thereby became hostage to hostage-takers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-inouye/a-great-nation-betrayed-the-principles-which-have-made-it-great-and/)

[Daniel Inouye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-inouye/)

> [I hope that the mistakes made and suffering imposed upon Japanese Americans nearly 60 years ago will not be repeated against Arab Americans whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-inouye/i-hope-that-the-mistakes-made-and-suffering-imposed-upon-japanese/)

[Daniel Inouye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-inouye/)

> [That's one of the horrors of war, that you can train a person, train them to hate, train them to kill. It's a terrible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-inouye/that-s-one-of-the-horrors-of-war-that-you-can-train-a-person-train/)

[Daniel Inouye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-inouye/)

> [I'm supposed to be a normal, sane type person, but after you go through war and such, you become superstitious. I am convinced that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-inouye/i-m-supposed-to-be-a-normal-sane-type-person-but-after-you-go-through/)

[Daniel Inouye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-inouye/)

[Explore all 21 Daniel Inouye quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-inouye/)

## More Cab quotes

> [well, death says, as he walks by, I'm going to get you anyhow no matter what you've been: writer, cab-driver, pimp, butcher, sky-diver, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/well-death-says-as-he-walks-by-i-m-going-to-get-you-anyhow-no-matter/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [You'd never think of taking a cab if you had to walk a mile down Chicago's Michigan Avenue. But in a bad city you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-jahn/you-d-never-think-of-taking-a-cab-if-you-had-to-walk-a-mile-down/)

[Helmut Jahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-jahn/)

> [You know, before I would think, my cab driver hates me. Now I think my limo driver hates me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/you-know-before-i-would-think-my-cab-driver-hates-me-now-i-think-my/)

[Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/)

> [Richard Price, who has made a fortune writing fake ghetto books, says he takes a cab into the ghetto, transcribes Black speech for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/richard-price-who-has-made-a-fortune-writing-fake-ghetto-books-says/)

[Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/)

> [We are about to part," said Neville. "Here are the boxes; here are the cabs. There is Percival in his billycock hat. He will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/we-are-about-to-part-said-neville-here-are-the-boxes-here-are-the/)

[Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/)

> [Yeah, I'll pay your cab fare home, you can even use my best cologne, just don't be here in the morning when I wake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stewart/yeah-i-ll-pay-your-cab-fare-home-you-can-even-use-my-best-cologne/)

[Rod Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stewart/)

> [I was born in the back seat of a Yellow Cab in a hospital loading zone and with the meter still running. I emerged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-was-born-in-the-back-seat-of-a-yellow-cab-in-a-hospital-loading/)

[Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/)

> [ Somalis have made my city of Wilmington, Delaware, \[their home\] on a smaller scale. There is a large, very identifiable Somali community, i might… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/somalis-have-made-my-city-of-wilmington-delaware-their-home-on-a/)

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

> [I'm like Cab Calloway: I love the entertainment, and I've loved entertaining people ever since I was little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wyclef-jean/i-m-like-cab-calloway-i-love-the-entertainment-and-i-ve-loved/)

[Wyclef Jean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wyclef-jean/)

> [Manhattan cabs are born old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-shepherd/manhattan-cabs-are-born-old/)

[Jean Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-shepherd/)

> [Anytime four New Yorkers get into a cab together without arguing, a bank robbery has just taken place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-carson/anytime-four-new-yorkers-get-into-a-cab-together-without-arguing-a/)

[Johnny Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-carson/)

> [It's about how whenever I fall in love, I have these expectations of the experience being a perfect dream, which, of course, ruins it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/it-s-about-how-whenever-i-fall-in-love-i-have-these-expectations-of/)

[Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/)

> [I was just taking her hand to help her out of a car and I knew. It was like... magic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-was-just-taking-her-hand-to-help-her-out-of-a-car-and-i-knew-it-was/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [Tokyo cab drivers are all ex-kamikaze pilots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hope/tokyo-cab-drivers-are-all-ex-kamikaze-pilots/)

[Bob Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hope/)

> [In New York City, a lot of people think "the great outdoors" is the area between your front door and a taxi cab.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/in-new-york-city-a-lot-of-people-think-the-great-outdoors-is-the-area/)

[Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/)

[Browse all 192 Cab quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cab/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Today, we have a powerful military that serves as a deterrent, but the enemy we have today is not like World War II, where you sign a piece of paper and the war is over. Today they're not in uniform. In my time we knew what the enemy looked like, we knew his weapons systems and such. Today, your cab driver may be the person, you have no idea. I don't know how we got into this fix, but we're there.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Daniel Inouye"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-inouye/today-we-have-a-powerful-military-that-serves-as-a-deterrent-but-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Cab"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-inouye/today-we-have-a-powerful-military-that-serves-as-a-deterrent-but-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/daniel-inouye-26830_cab_today-we-have-a-powerful-military-that-s_534167.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/daniel-inouye-26830_cab_today-we-have-a-powerful-military-that-s_534167.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/daniel-inouye-26830_cab_today-we-have-a-powerful-military-that-s_534167.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Today, we have a powerful military that serves as a deterrent, but the enemy we have today is not like World…” — Daniel Inouye",
                "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": "Daniel Inouye",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-inouye/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Today, we have a powerful military...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-inouye/today-we-have-a-powerful-military-that-serves-as-a-deterrent-but-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-inouye/today-we-have-a-powerful-military-that-serves-as-a-deterrent-but-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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
