--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The surest way to empower the new…" description: "\"The surest way to empower the new terrorist gangs would be to withdraw from U.S. diplomatic missions.\" — David Ignatius" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/david-ignatius-3910_empower_the-surest-way-to-empower-the-new-terror_2097466.png" --- # The surest way to empower the new terrorist gangs would be… ![“The surest way to empower the new terrorist gangs would be to withdraw from U.S. diplomatic missions.” quote by David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/david-ignatius-3910_empower_the-surest-way-to-empower-the-new-terror_2097466.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/david-ignatius-3910_empower_the-surest-way-to-empower-the-new-terror_2097466.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/david-ignatius-3910_empower_the-surest-way-to-empower-the-new-terror_2097466.png) > “The surest way to empower the new terrorist gangs would be to withdraw from U.S. diplomatic missions.” [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that pulling diplomatic staff from conflict zones can unintentionally strengthen hostile groups. **In simple terms:** Diplomacy withdrawal can empower terrorists. Key Takeaway Maintain diplomatic presence to deter extremism. Themes politics security terrorism Mood cautious analytical Type opinion analysis When to use this quote - conflict zones - embassy closures - counter‑terrorism strategy Key Concepts power vacuums foreign policy Questions to Reflect On - Is diplomatic presence always beneficial? - How to balance safety and influence? A Different Perspective Withdrawal may reduce immediate risk to staff. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Diplomatic Missions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diplomatic-missions-1259554/) [Empower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empower/) [Gangs Withdraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gangs-withdraw-4175426/) [New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new/) [New Terrorist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-terrorist-4175427/) [Terrorist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorist/) [Terrorist Gangs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorist-gangs-488487/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Withdraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/withdraw/) [Withdraw Diplomatic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/withdraw-diplomatic-4175425/) ## Related quotes > [At one end of the spectrum are the terrorist gangs within our borders, and the terrorist states which finance and arm them. At the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/at-one-end-of-the-spectrum-are-the-terrorist-gangs-within-our-borders/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [“Florence which included diplomatic missions to various European courts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/florence-which-included-diplomatic-missions-to-various-european-courts/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“at Florence which included diplomatic missions to various European courts. Imprisoned”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/at-florence-which-included-diplomatic-missions-to-various-european/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [But I would make it unambiguously clear that we are going to withdraw, and if Iraq falls into civil war and if all these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-odom/but-i-would-make-it-unambiguously-clear-that-we-are-going-to-withdraw/) [William Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-odom/) > [From a chollerick man withdraw a little; from him that saies nothing, for ever. \[From a choleric man withdraw a little; from him that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/from-a-chollerick-man-withdraw-a-little-from-him-that-saies-nothing/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [To read is to withdraw.To make oneself unavailable. One would feel easier about it if the pursuit inself were less...selfish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/to-read-is-to-withdraw-to-make-oneself-unavailable-one-would-feel/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [You dont withdraw whatever you dont deposit in bank of life, if you show love you will be loved, if you show care you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juniorjk/you-dont-withdraw-whatever-you-dont-deposit-in-bank-of-life-if-you/) [Juniorjk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juniorjk/) > [When we fall asleep, we withdraw our awareness from its hypnotic fascination with physical sensation, thereby enabling us to listen with our now awakening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-reed/when-we-fall-asleep-we-withdraw-our-awareness-from-its-hypnotic/) [Henry Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-reed/) > [It is a fact of history that those who seek to withdraw from its great experiments usually end up being overwhelmed by them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ward-baroness-jackson-of-lodsworth/it-is-a-fact-of-history-that-those-who-seek-to-withdraw-from-its/) [Barbara Ward, Baroness Jackson of Lodsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ward-baroness-jackson-of-lodsworth/) > [“It is quite important to withdraw from all unnecessary cares and business, as far as compatible with the duties of one’s state of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/it-is-quite-important-to-withdraw-from-all-unnecessary-cares-and/) [Teresa of Ávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [“The dark might be dark, but at least we don’t have to look at ourselves when we’re standing in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/the-dark-might-be-dark-but-at-least-we-don-t-have-to-look-at/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I had learned so much about the world that I had decided to withdraw from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vandermeer/i-had-learned-so-much-about-the-world-that-i-had-decided-to-withdraw/) [Jeff VanderMeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vandermeer/) > [“Withdraw into yourself, as far as you can. Associate with those who will make a better man of you. Welcome those whom you yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/withdraw-into-yourself-as-far-as-you-can-associate-with-those-who/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [“No, you are not worthy of the love which I have devoted to you. I knew all along that the prize I had set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/no-you-are-not-worthy-of-the-love-which-i-have-devoted-to-you-i-knew/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [“But both courses are to be avoided; you should not copy the bad simply because they are many, nor should you hate the many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/but-both-courses-are-to-be-avoided-you-should-not-copy-the-bad-simply/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) ## More by David Ignatius > [Panic is a natural human response to danger, but it's one that severely compounds the risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/panic-is-a-natural-human-response-to-danger-but-it-s-one-that/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [Global warming ... may be a plaintiff lawyer's dream. And it's interesting, in a perverse way, to imagine how a jury in 2050 might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/global-warming-may-be-a-plaintiff-lawyer-s-dream-and-it-s-interesting/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [Fear brings out the best in some people and the worst in others. It's a test of character, for individuals and nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/fear-brings-out-the-best-in-some-people-and-the-worst-in-others-it-s/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [It's very hard to understand just what our strategy is in Syria, frankly, and on Iraq that this is Iraq's war, that the role…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/it-s-very-hard-to-understand-just-what-our-strategy-is-in-syria/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [I believe, that there is at least de facto cooperation between United States and Iran, at least in Iraq.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/i-believe-that-there-is-at-least-de-facto-cooperation-between-united/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [If you want to hear arguments against deploying a big U.S. ground force in Syria, just ask a general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/if-you-want-to-hear-arguments-against-deploying-a-big-u-s-ground/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [“If you are one in a million in China, you’re one of 1,300 people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/if-you-are-one-in-a-million-in-china-you-re-one-of-1-300-people/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [2011 is one of those years that historians are likely to look back on as a 'hinge.' And the truth, at once frightening and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/2011-is-one-of-those-years-that-historians-are-likely-to-look-back-on/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [Big mistakes were made in Benghazi, and people should be held accountable. But the brave officers who staff American posts in crisis zones know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/big-mistakes-were-made-in-benghazi-and-people-should-be-held/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [Intelligence services exist to do things that are illegal abroad. They exist to tell lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/intelligence-services-exist-to-do-things-that-are-illegal-abroad-they/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [Foreign policy is about the execution of ideas as much as their formulation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/foreign-policy-is-about-the-execution-of-ideas-as-much-as-their/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [The best restraint is old-fashioned market discipline, in which financial traders know that they, personally, will lose a ton of money if they take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/the-best-restraint-is-old-fashioned-market-discipline-in-which/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [CIA officers aren't idiots. They knew they were heading into deep water - legally and morally - when they signed up for the interrogation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/cia-officers-aren-t-idiots-they-knew-they-were-heading-into-deep/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [Making economic policy isn't a popularity contest, especially when financial markets are in a panic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/making-economic-policy-isn-t-a-popularity-contest-especially-when/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > ['Cyber-security' is one of those hot topics that has launched a thousand seminars and strategy papers without producing much in the way of policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/cyber-security-is-one-of-those-hot-topics-that-has-launched-a/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) [Explore all 118 David Ignatius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) ## More Empower quotes > [The best way to fight poverty is to empower people through access to quality education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/the-best-way-to-fight-poverty-is-to-empower-people-through-access-to/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Nonviolence will empower and equip us to bring generations to the table and fuse our knowledge, gifts, and zeal together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernice-king/nonviolence-will-empower-and-equip-us-to-bring-generations-to-the/) [Bernice King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernice-king/) > [Man is so intelligent animal on earth that if he was empowered as much as God, he would start battling with him to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/man-is-so-intelligent-animal-on-earth-that-if-he-was-empowered-as/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [There's a lot of activism that doesn't deal with empowerment, and you have to empower yourself in order to be relevant to any type…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-kweli/there-s-a-lot-of-activism-that-doesn-t-deal-with-empowerment-and-you/) [Talib Kweli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-kweli/) > [Oprah's stock in trade has always been her powerful unmediated connection. She could feel your pain and empower you to talk about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/oprah-s-stock-in-trade-has-always-been-her-powerful-unmediated/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > [“Take time to empower yourself. Delegate tasks so you have time to pamper yourself and invest your energy in what you love. Be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-digeronimo/take-time-to-empower-yourself-delegate-tasks-so-you-have-time-to/) [J.J. DiGeronimo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-digeronimo/) > [I think that the best that government can do for you and I as individuals is to empower you and I to make decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-johnson/i-think-that-the-best-that-government-can-do-for-you-and-i-as/) [Gary Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-johnson/) > [My thing is "You don't need anyone else to empower you; you can empower yourself." Whether it's a pep talk or putting on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayesha-curry/my-thing-is-you-don-t-need-anyone-else-to-empower-you-you-can-empower/) [Ayesha Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayesha-curry/) > [I have a greater goal - to empower young people through music education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-studdard/i-have-a-greater-goal-to-empower-young-people-through-music-education/) [Ruben Studdard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-studdard/) > [Federalism doesn't empower D.C. to dictate to the states or the local level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/federalism-doesn-t-empower-d-c-to-dictate-to-the-states-or-the-local/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [“From this point forward, you don’t even know how to quit in life.” ~ Aaron Lauritsen, ‘100 Days Drive”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-lauritsen/from-this-point-forward-you-don-t-even-know-how-to-quit-in-life-aaron/) [Aaron Lauritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-lauritsen/) > [“Empower them to run their own reports.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/empower-them-to-run-their-own-reports/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [Why hire these geniuses if they're forced to stick with the script? You want to empower your actors as collaborators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-levy/why-hire-these-geniuses-if-they-re-forced-to-stick-with-the-script/) [Shawn Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-levy/) > [“When you empower your people, your business will be grow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/when-you-empower-your-people-your-business-will-be-grow/) [Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/) > [Millions of children are disempowered and we need to empower them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/millions-of-children-are-disempowered-and-we-need-to-empower-them/) [Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) [Browse all 280 Empower quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empower/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The surest way to empower the new terrorist gangs would be to withdraw from U.S. diplomatic missions.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Ignatius" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/the-surest-way-to-empower-the-new-terrorist-gangs-would-be-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Empower" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/the-surest-way-to-empower-the-new-terrorist-gangs-would-be-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/david-ignatius-3910_empower_the-surest-way-to-empower-the-new-terror_2097466.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/david-ignatius-3910_empower_the-surest-way-to-empower-the-new-terror_2097466.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/david-ignatius-3910_empower_the-surest-way-to-empower-the-new-terror_2097466.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The surest way to empower the new terrorist gangs would be to withdraw from U.S. diplomatic missions.” — David Ignatius", "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": "David Ignatius", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The surest way to empower the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/the-surest-way-to-empower-the-new-terrorist-gangs-would-be-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/the-surest-way-to-empower-the-new-terrorist-gangs-would-be-to/#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 } } ] } ```