--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At the time, we were mad at Moammar…" description: "\"At the time, we were mad at Moammar Gadhafi, which resulted in us bombing all over Libya and killing a bunch of people, but not him. Then Ronald Reagan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/dave-barry-222_bombing_at-the-time-we-were-mad-at-moammar-gadha_2670056.png" --- # At the time, we were mad at Moammar Gadhafi, which… ![“At the time, we were mad at Moammar Gadhafi, which resulted in us bombing all over Libya and killing a bunch of people, but not him. Then Ronald Reagan gets up and says we're not trying to kill him, we're just dropping bombs. You can kill all the Libyans you want, but legally you can't try to kill…” quote by Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/dave-barry-222_bombing_at-the-time-we-were-mad-at-moammar-gadha_2670056.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/dave-barry-222_bombing_at-the-time-we-were-mad-at-moammar-gadha_2670056.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/dave-barry-222_bombing_at-the-time-we-were-mad-at-moammar-gadha_2670056.png) > “At the time, we were mad at Moammar Gadhafi, which resulted in us bombing all over Libya and killing a bunch of people, but not him. Then Ronald Reagan gets up and says we're not trying to kill him, we're just dropping bombs. You can kill all the Libyans you want, but legally you can't try to kill the leader.” [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights the absurdity of selective targeting in warfare, where legal constraints prevent killing a leader while allowing mass civilian deaths. **In simple terms:** War can be legally selective, yet morally contradictory. Key Takeaway Question legal rules versus moral outcomes. Themes war law morality politics military leadership Mood critical skeptical Type political commentary When to use this quote - military strategy - political rhetoric - human rights advocacy - media criticism Key Concepts International law ethical paradox Questions to Reflect On - How do legal definitions of combatants affect civilian safety? - Can moral responsibility be separated from legal compliance? A Different Perspective Legal frameworks often fail to address the human cost of conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bombing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bombing/) [Bombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bombs/) [Dropping bombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dropping-bombs/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Libya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libya/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [ This \[U.S.\] bombing in Libya. So what are we doing in Libya? We just dropped some bombs on someone who we found is a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-t-flynn/this-u-s-bombing-in-libya-so-what-are-we-doing-in-libya-we-just/) [Michael T. Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-t-flynn/) > [The dropping of bombs on people - isn't that terrorism?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-dropping-of-bombs-on-people-isn-t-that-terrorism/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“If you’re talking about dropping some bombs and turning that ship into smithereens, yeah, you military are the experts. But if you’re talking about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/if-you-re-talking-about-dropping-some-bombs-and-turning-that-ship/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [I'm just baffled in the 21st century we as human beings are still dropping bombs on each other as a means to resolve issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-gun/i-m-just-baffled-in-the-21st-century-we-as-human-beings-are-still/) [Katharine Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-gun/) > [Dropping your bombs now, on all we've built, how does it feel now to watch it burn, burn, burn?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deadmau5/dropping-your-bombs-now-on-all-we-ve-built-how-does-it-feel-now-to/) Deadmau5 > [Based on a detailed investigation of all the facts and supported by the testimony of the surviving Japanese leaders involved, it is the Survey's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-nitze/based-on-a-detailed-investigation-of-all-the-facts-and-supported-by/) [Paul Nitze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-nitze/) > [Conservatives are fond of pointing out there are problems in this world can't be solved by throwing money at them. 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We have used it against those who attacked us without warning at Pearl Harbor, against those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/having-found-the-bomb-we-have-used-it-we-have-used-it-against-those/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [I had been conscious of depression and so I voiced to (Sec. Of War Stimson) my grave misgivings, first on the basis of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/i-had-been-conscious-of-depression-and-so-i-voiced-to-sec-of-war/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [We've been talking about this for a good while, the immorality of drones, dropping bombs on innocent people. It's been over 200 children so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/we-ve-been-talking-about-this-for-a-good-while-the-immorality-of/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) ## More by Dave Barry > [This is true; virtually all edible substances, and many automotive products, are now marketed as being low-fat or fat-free. Americans are obsessed with fat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-is-true-virtually-all-edible-substances-and-many-automotive/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [This ball was so crowded that it took me - a trained professional journalist with vast experience in this area - forty five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-ball-was-so-crowded-that-it-took-me-a-trained-professional/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [The hardest thing about being a guy is that women don't accept that you really are just a simple, pathetic, labrador retriever-like creature. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-hardest-thing-about-being-a-guy-is-that-women-don-t-accept-that/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [The ultimate camping trip was the Lewis and Clark expedition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-ultimate-camping-trip-was-the-lewis-and-clark-expedition/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Although golf was originally restricted to wealthy, overweight Protestants, today it's open to anybody who owns hideous clothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/although-golf-was-originally-restricted-to-wealthy-overweight/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Entire new continent can emerge from the ocean in the time it takes for a Web page to show up on your screen. 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Scott Fitzgerald, you'll notice two things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-you-look-at-any-list-of-great-modern-writers-such-as-ernest/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Don't you wish you had a job like mine? All you have to do is think up a certain number of words! Plus, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/don-t-you-wish-you-had-a-job-like-mine-all-you-have-to-do-is-think-up/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [“Despite the gulf, physical and cultural, between the United States and Japan, both societies are, in the end, made up of people, and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/despite-the-gulf-physical-and-cultural-between-the-united-states-and/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Before going on a diet you should consult your doctor, or at least send him some money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/before-going-on-a-diet-you-should-consult-your-doctor-or-at-least/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Never trust anything you read in a travel article.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/never-trust-anything-you-read-in-a-travel-article/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it "Christmas" and went to church; the Jews called it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/in-the-old-days-it-was-not-called-the-holiday-season-the-christians/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Always remember that if editors were so damned smart, they would know how to dress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/always-remember-that-if-editors-were-so-damned-smart-they-would-know/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) [Explore all 867 Dave Barry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) ## More Bombing quotes > [While the 1963 Birmingham church bombing is the most historic, there also was a series of church burnings in the 1990s. Recognition of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthea-butler/while-the-1963-birmingham-church-bombing-is-the-most-historic-there/) [Anthea Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthea-butler/) > [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/) > [I stated that Hiroshima and Nagasaki are 'among the most unspeakable crimes in history.' I took no position on just where they stand on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-stated-that-hiroshima-and-nagasaki-are-among-the-most-unspeakable/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Bombing Syria will achieve nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-boyle/bombing-syria-will-achieve-nothing/) [Frankie Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-boyle/) > [I am back in LA now. And I keep thinking back to my time in New York after the bombings… I was crying so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/i-am-back-in-la-now-and-i-keep-thinking-back-to-my-time-in-new-york/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [I had been a guerrilla leader in World War II. And I used to say that the way to fight the guerrilla was with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-hilsman/i-had-been-a-guerrilla-leader-in-world-war-ii-and-i-used-to-say-that/) [Roger Hilsman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-hilsman/) > [The question is the morning after. What sort of Iraq do we wake up to after the bombing? What happens in the region? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/the-question-is-the-morning-after-what-sort-of-iraq-do-we-wake-up-to/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [Clinton's bombing campaign has caused all of these problems to explode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delay/clinton-s-bombing-campaign-has-caused-all-of-these-problems-to-explode/) [Tom DeLay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delay/) > [“Be back presently, Florence!” he called to his wife, and stumped out the front door into the noise and panic of a London bombing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-brazytis/be-back-presently-florence-he-called-to-his-wife-and-stumped-out-the/) [Sarah Brazytis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-brazytis/) > [If liberals had been in charge of the Arizona memorial, it would probably have featured an exhaustive exhibit about the internment of Japanese Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-charen/if-liberals-had-been-in-charge-of-the-arizona-memorial-it-would/) [Mona Charen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-charen/) > [WASHINGTON - Ever since President Obama ordered American warplanes to begin bombing terrorist targets in Iraq and Syria last year, members of Congress have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baker/washington-ever-since-president-obama-ordered-american-warplanes-to/) [Peter Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baker/) > [If you're against globalisation, it doesn't achieve much by sort of bombing the head offices of Shell or Nestle. 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