--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We citizens don't need to know every…" description: "\"We citizens don't need to know every detail of every military operation in this new kind of war. Nor should the media tell us and hence our enemy.\" — D..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaa/david-hackworth-25449_citizens_we-citizens-don-t-need-to-know-every-det_705092.jpg" --- # We citizens don't need to know every detail of every… ![“We citizens don't need to know every detail of every military operation in this new kind of war. Nor should the media tell us and hence our enemy.” quote by David Hackworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaa/david-hackworth-25449_citizens_we-citizens-don-t-need-to-know-every-det_705092.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaa/david-hackworth-25449_citizens_we-citizens-don-t-need-to-know-every-det_705092.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaa/david-hackworth-25449_citizens_we-citizens-don-t-need-to-know-every-det_705092.jpg) > “We citizens don't need to know every detail of every military operation in this new kind of war. Nor should the media tell us and hence our enemy.” [David Hackworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackworth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Citizens should not be overloaded with military details, nor should media reveal them to the enemy. **In simple terms:** Limit public knowledge of war tactics. Key Takeaway Protect security, limit media exposure. Themes security media war public awareness Mood cautious analytical Type political informative When to use this quote - policy debates - journalism ethics - national security planning Key Concepts information control strategic secrecy civil-military relations Questions to Reflect On - How much transparency is essential for democracy? - What risks arise from media self‑censorship? A Different Perspective Over‑restriction can hinder democratic oversight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [The military operation in Lebanon was the most successful military operation in recent Israeli history. 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Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [You know as well as I do that counterinsurgency is a very nuanced type of military operation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-abizaid/you-know-as-well-as-i-do-that-counterinsurgency-is-a-very-nuanced/) [John Abizaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-abizaid/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/when-you-decide-to-get-involved-in-a-military-operation-in-a-place/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [For governments at war, the media is an instrument of war or an element in war that is to be controlled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-jackson/for-governments-at-war-the-media-is-an-instrument-of-war-or-an/) [Bruce Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-jackson/) > [I have a running war with the media. And they sort of made it sound like I had a feud with the intelligence community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-have-a-running-war-with-the-media-and-they-sort-of-made-it-sound/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [We had much more imagery from Vietnam war. The media was not controlled. The storyline, the master narrative was not controlled. I thin it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-waldman/we-had-much-more-imagery-from-vietnam-war-the-media-was-not/) [Anne Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-waldman/) > [I'm glad that people know my military service. But, like this nation, we are more than our military. And the rest of our story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-duckworth/i-m-glad-that-people-know-my-military-service-but-like-this-nation-we/) [Tammy Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-duckworth/) > [I understand the military. 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I'm - you know, the military basically supports what the president wants, the decisions that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mullen/i-m-not-a-policy-and-a-strategy-guy-i-m-you-know-the-military/) [Michael Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mullen/) > [Many Americans don't know anyone in the military, so they aren't aware that, on average, a military child attends six to nine schools by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-biden/many-americans-don-t-know-anyone-in-the-military-so-they-aren-t-aware/) [Jill Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-biden/) > [“I think I know what military fame is; to be killed on the field of battle and have your name misspelled in the newspapers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-t-sherman/i-think-i-know-what-military-fame-is-to-be-killed-on-the-field-of/) [William T. Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-t-sherman/) ## More by David Hackworth > [War is the ultimate reality-based horror show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hackworth/war-is-the-ultimate-reality-based-horror-show/) [David Hackworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackworth/) > [Fighting terrorism is not unlike fighting a deadly cancer. It can't be treated just where it's visible - every diseased cell in the body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hackworth/fighting-terrorism-is-not-unlike-fighting-a-deadly-cancer-it-can-t-be/) [David Hackworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackworth/) > [If a policy is wrongheaded, feckless and corrupt, I take it personally and consider it a moral obligation to sound off and not shut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hackworth/if-a-policy-is-wrongheaded-feckless-and-corrupt-i-take-it-personally/) [David Hackworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackworth/) > [Their plan is to return the entire world - not just the Middle East - to the days of the caliphate and either convert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hackworth/their-plan-is-to-return-the-entire-world-not-just-the-middle-east-to/) [David Hackworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackworth/) > [So it's not a matter of the military lying to the press, but it's the job of the military to deny the press any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hackworth/so-it-s-not-a-matter-of-the-military-lying-to-the-press-but-it-s-the/) [David Hackworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackworth/) > [It's human nature to start taking things for granted again when danger isn't banging loudly on the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hackworth/it-s-human-nature-to-start-taking-things-for-granted-again-when/) [David Hackworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackworth/) > [Of course, it's imperative that we stabilize Iraq and quickly reduce our armed role there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hackworth/of-course-it-s-imperative-that-we-stabilize-iraq-and-quickly-reduce/) [David Hackworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackworth/) > [That's because international Islamic religious fanatics have the same goal as the Axis fascists - the destruction of our way of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hackworth/that-s-because-international-islamic-religious-fanatics-have-the-same/) [David Hackworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackworth/) > [The old saying that war is a racket has taken on an even more shameful meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hackworth/the-old-saying-that-war-is-a-racket-has-taken-on-an-even-more/) [David Hackworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackworth/) > [That's what supporting the troops is really all about - making sure American grunts get the right stuff!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hackworth/that-s-what-supporting-the-troops-is-really-all-about-making-sure/) [David Hackworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackworth/) > [Only a foolish woman would allow her man to earn his living as a moving target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hackworth/only-a-foolish-woman-would-allow-her-man-to-earn-his-living-as-a/) [David Hackworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackworth/) > [Terrorism, too, must be excised wherever it exists, which will take years, and which can't happen without the total commitment and the everyday involvement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hackworth/terrorism-too-must-be-excised-wherever-it-exists-which-will-take/) [David Hackworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackworth/) > [What we need to do is follow the axiom of World War II which was 'Loose Lips Sink Ships' and the media has really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hackworth/what-we-need-to-do-is-follow-the-axiom-of-world-war-ii-which-was/) [David Hackworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackworth/) > [Our generals talk a good game about taking care of their grunts, and the majority of our Beltway politicians bay with moralistic fervor about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hackworth/our-generals-talk-a-good-game-about-taking-care-of-their-grunts-and/) [David Hackworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackworth/) > [In order to drill into young men the need to stay alert and stay alive, I used to punish offenders with my fists, boots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hackworth/in-order-to-drill-into-young-men-the-need-to-stay-alert-and-stay/) [David Hackworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackworth/) [Explore all 23 David Hackworth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackworth/) ## More Citizens quotes > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [I will be a model prisoner, as I have been a model citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-edwards/i-will-be-a-model-prisoner-as-i-have-been-a-model-citizen/) [Edwin Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-edwards/) > [The language we share is at the core of our identity as citizens, and our ticket to full participation in American political life. 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