---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And now the really difficult part: We…"
description: "\"And now the really difficult part: We have to rebuild Iraq into a strong and independent nation that will one day hate the United States.\" — David Lett..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/david-letterman-378_difficult_and-now-the-really-difficult-part-we-hav_1912996.jpg"
---

#  And now the really difficult part: We have to rebuild Iraq…

![“And now the really difficult part: We have to rebuild Iraq into a strong and independent nation that will one day hate the United States.” quote by David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/david-letterman-378_difficult_and-now-the-really-difficult-part-we-hav_1912996.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/david-letterman-378_difficult_and-now-the-really-difficult-part-we-hav_1912996.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/david-letterman-378_difficult_and-now-the-really-difficult-part-we-hav_1912996.jpg)

> “And now the really difficult part: We have to rebuild Iraq into a strong and independent nation that will one day hate the United States.”

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

## About This Quote

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

The speaker suggests rebuilding Iraq into a nation that will eventually despise the US, highlighting irony and future hostility.

**In simple terms:** Rebuilding Iraq may lead to anti‑US sentiment.

Key Takeaway

Beware unintended consequences.

Themes

politics irony foreign policy

Mood

cynical reflective

Type

satirical political

When to use this quote

- policy planning
- diplomacy
- military strategy
- public opinion

Key Concepts

nation‑building nationalism enemy perception

Questions to Reflect On

- How might rebuilding efforts affect local attitudes?
- Can irony mask genuine concerns?

A Different Perspective

The quote may exaggerate for humor, not a serious policy forecast.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Difficult Rebuild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-rebuild-387844/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Independent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Iraq Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq-strong-2892642/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [One day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-day/) [Rebuild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rebuild/) [Rebuild Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rebuild-iraq-691693/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/)

## Related quotes

> [It is not difficult to rebuild a life. All we need is to be aware that we have the same strength we had before,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-is-not-difficult-to-rebuild-a-life-all-we-need-is-to-be-aware-that/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [A strong foundation exists for immediate military action against Saddam Hussein and for a multilateral effort to rebuild Iraq after he is gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-shultz/a-strong-foundation-exists-for-immediate-military-action-against/)

[George P. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-shultz/)

> [In Iraq, I listened to David Petraeus speak every day about how we had to rebuild Iraq's oil infrastructure and protect it. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/in-iraq-i-listened-to-david-petraeus-speak-every-day-about-how-we-had/)

[Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/)

> [If we can rebuild Iraq, we can rebuild Illinois and Indiana and if we can do Baghdad, we can do Baltimore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-moseley-braun/if-we-can-rebuild-iraq-we-can-rebuild-illinois-and-indiana-and-if-we/)

[Carol Moseley Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-moseley-braun/)

> [In his speech President Bush said we need to rebuild Iraq, provide the people with jobs, and give them hope. If it works there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/in-his-speech-president-bush-said-we-need-to-rebuild-iraq-provide-the/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [My message is, is that although some of you didn't agree with the actions we took, now let's work together to rebuild Iraq, rebuild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-message-is-is-that-although-some-of-you-didn-t-agree-with-the/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [I certainly have no regrets about overthrowing Saddam Hussein. I'd do it again. And, yes, there are a lot of things that I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-certainly-have-no-regrets-about-overthrowing-saddam-hussein-i-d-do/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [The American taxpayer should not be treated more shabbily than debtors from other nations and we should be encouraging other nations to help rebuild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/the-american-taxpayer-should-not-be-treated-more-shabbily-than/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I would love to go back and help rebuild that country and help - you know, kind of like what's going on with Iraq…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-palmeiro/i-would-love-to-go-back-and-help-rebuild-that-country-and-help-you/)

[Rafael Palmeiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-palmeiro/)

> [Iraq may get peace and stability through restoring it's sovereignty under participation of all Iraqi factions and sectarian groups, who must rebuild a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/iraq-may-get-peace-and-stability-through-restoring-it-s-sovereignty/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> ['Falling Skies' is not just about aliens attacking. It's also about humanity, survival, hope and the determination to rebuild our world, starting from pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-knight/falling-skies-is-not-just-about-aliens-attacking-it-s-also-about/)

[Maxim Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-knight/)

> [It cannot take decades to resurrect, we must act immediately with purpose and enthusiasm to rebuild.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-autry/it-cannot-take-decades-to-resurrect-we-must-act-immediately-with/)

[Alan Autry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-autry/)

> [Wildflower corners are easy to maintain, but once gone, they are hard to rebuild.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldo-leopold/wildflower-corners-are-easy-to-maintain-but-once-gone-they-are-hard/)

[Aldo Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldo-leopold/)

> [“Work hard to build or rebuild trust. With it, you can fulfill the greatest dreams. Without it, you’ll crush people’s spirits.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-chand/work-hard-to-build-or-rebuild-trust-with-it-you-can-fulfill-the/)

[Samuel Chand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-chand/)

> [“She would fold herself around him to protect him. She would drink out all the darkness from him and pour out all her light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-henry/she-would-fold-herself-around-him-to-protect-him-she-would-drink-out/)

[Emily Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-henry/)

## More by David Letterman

> [Two things you need to know about taxes. They've extended the deadline to April 18, and when you write your check, just make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/two-things-you-need-to-know-about-taxes-they-ve-extended-the-deadline/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [You know Kim Jong Un, the evil dictator of North Korea? Apparently, a guy in his inner circle used his ashtray while smoking and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/you-know-kim-jong-un-the-evil-dictator-of-north-korea-apparently-a/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [It's the first day of spring. That means this weekend I'll take down my Christmas lights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/it-s-the-first-day-of-spring-that-means-this-weekend-i-ll-take-down/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [There are a lot of New York City Thanksgiving traditions. For example, a lot of New Yorkers don't buy the frozen Thanksgiving turkey. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/there-are-a-lot-of-new-york-city-thanksgiving-traditions-for-example/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [I can hardly wait until Donald Trump announces his celebrity cabinet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-can-hardly-wait-until-donald-trump-announces-his-celebrity-cabinet/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [Experts say this global warming is serious, and they are predicting now that by the year 2050, we will be out of party ice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/experts-say-this-global-warming-is-serious-and-they-are-predicting/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [We make a lot of fun at President Clinton's expense. But this transition is going to be tough because it's been 25 years since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/we-make-a-lot-of-fun-at-president-clinton-s-expense-but-this/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [I'm worried about John Kerry, he's so confident now that he's already planning his White House sex scandal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-m-worried-about-john-kerry-he-s-so-confident-now-that-he-s-already/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [“There is no off position on the genius”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/there-is-no-off-position-on-the-genius/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [I vote Democrat because I'm way too irresponsible to own a gun, and I know that my local police are all I need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-vote-democrat-because-i-m-way-too-irresponsible-to-own-a-gun-and-i/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [Do I think there is a heaven? Uh, yeah I do. Like a really big gymnasium. How do I see myself there? With really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/do-i-think-there-is-a-heaven-uh-yeah-i-do-like-a-really-big-gymnasium/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [If it wasn't for coffee, I'd have no discernible personality at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/if-it-wasn-t-for-coffee-i-d-have-no-discernible-personality-at-all/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [Well, we're just a couple of weeks from new President Barack Obama being sworn in. And he's been very busy naming a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/well-we-re-just-a-couple-of-weeks-from-new-president-barack-obama/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [Sometimes when you look in his eyes you get the feeling that someone else is driving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/sometimes-when-you-look-in-his-eyes-you-get-the-feeling-that-someone/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [Prince William and Kate Middleton are in New York City. We have got to do something about immigration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/prince-william-and-kate-middleton-are-in-new-york-city-we-have-got-to/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

[Explore all 619 David Letterman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

## More Difficult quotes

> [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/)

[Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/)

> [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/)

[Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/)

> [Consumers can choose organic cotton grown without pesticides, but it uses more water and requires more land than conventional crops. Organic cotton can also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-schlossberg/consumers-can-choose-organic-cotton-grown-without-pesticides-but-it/)

[Tatiana Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-schlossberg/)

> [It is extremely difficult to do anything constructive, let alone deep, on daily commercial television, especially on a talk show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/it-is-extremely-difficult-to-do-anything-constructive-let-alone-deep/)

[Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/)

> [Having small children and being an investigative reporter would seem like a difficult mix, but it worked well for me. I was often working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/having-small-children-and-being-an-investigative-reporter-would-seem/)

[Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/)

> [It's only a little difficult to say no. You've got to believe that the work you're doing is ultimately more useful to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/it-s-only-a-little-difficult-to-say-no-you-ve-got-to-believe-that-the/)

[Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/)

> [How wonderful it would be, I thought, if only we could practice the teachings of the Buddha as he really taught them from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/how-wonderful-it-would-be-i-thought-if-only-we-could-practice-the/)

[Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/)

> [It's difficult for people to come to the understanding that only a small minority of the people ever really get the word about life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/it-s-difficult-for-people-to-come-to-the-understanding-that-only-a/)

[Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/)

> [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/)

[Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/)

> [My friends, this body - perhaps more than any other gathering in human history - now faces that difficult task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/my-friends-this-body-perhaps-more-than-any-other-gathering-in-human/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [I want to make myself and the crowd happy by way of something different, and that makes things difficult. I'm never playing something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/i-want-to-make-myself-and-the-crowd-happy-by-way-of-something/)

[Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/)

> [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/)

[Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/)

> [Politics only makes the difficult challenge of marriage even harder, with the demands of the job and the public spotlight it casts on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/politics-only-makes-the-difficult-challenge-of-marriage-even-harder/)

[Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/)

> [To explicate the uses of the Brain seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/to-explicate-the-uses-of-the-brain-seems-as-difficult-a-task-as-to/)

[Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/)

> [Someone else who liked what I did might turn around and say, "She's reworking and rethinking everything. She could just be making blankets now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-emin/someone-else-who-liked-what-i-did-might-turn-around-and-say-she-s/)

[Tracey Emin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-emin/)

[Browse all 13,132 Difficult quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "And now the really difficult part: We have to rebuild Iraq into a strong and independent nation that will one day hate the United States.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Letterman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/and-now-the-really-difficult-part-we-have-to-rebuild-iraq-into-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Difficult"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/and-now-the-really-difficult-part-we-have-to-rebuild-iraq-into-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/david-letterman-378_difficult_and-now-the-really-difficult-part-we-hav_1912996.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/david-letterman-378_difficult_and-now-the-really-difficult-part-we-hav_1912996.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/david-letterman-378_difficult_and-now-the-really-difficult-part-we-hav_1912996.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“And now the really difficult part: We have to rebuild Iraq into a strong and independent nation that will…” — David Letterman",
                "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 Letterman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "And now the really difficult part:...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/and-now-the-really-difficult-part-we-have-to-rebuild-iraq-into-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/and-now-the-really-difficult-part-we-have-to-rebuild-iraq-into-a/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
