---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know who's upset now with ISIS? Al…"
description: "\"You know who's upset now with ISIS? Al Qaeda. It's because ISIS is getting more attention than Al Qaeda. So now, Saturday night will be Ayman al-Zawahi..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74e/david-letterman-378_al-qaeda_you-know-who-s-upset-now-with-isis-al-qa_1722261.jpg"
---

#  You know who's upset now with ISIS? Al Qaeda. It's because…

![“You know who's upset now with ISIS? Al Qaeda. It's because ISIS is getting more attention than Al Qaeda. So now, Saturday night will be Ayman al-Zawahiri bobblehead night.” quote by David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74e/david-letterman-378_al-qaeda_you-know-who-s-upset-now-with-isis-al-qa_1722261.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74e/david-letterman-378_al-qaeda_you-know-who-s-upset-now-with-isis-al-qa_1722261.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74e/david-letterman-378_al-qaeda_you-know-who-s-upset-now-with-isis-al-qa_1722261.jpg)

> “You know who's upset now with ISIS? Al Qaeda. It's because ISIS is getting more attention than Al Qaeda. So now, Saturday night will be Ayman al-Zawahiri bobblehead night.”

[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 that ISIS is receiving more media focus than Al Qaeda, implying jealousy and rivalry among terrorist groups.

**In simple terms:** ISIS gets more attention than Al Qaeda, causing resentment.

Key Takeaway

Recognize how media attention can shift power dynamics.

Themes

media terrorism attention power jealousy

Mood

critical analytical

Type

commentary political observational

When to use this quote

- journalism
- political analysis
- counterterrorism strategy
- public relations
- media monitoring

Key Concepts

propaganda public perception strategic messaging

Questions to Reflect On

- How does media coverage influence terrorist group behavior?
- What are the risks of framing conflict as a rivalry?

A Different Perspective

The claim may oversimplify complex geopolitical motives and ignore internal factors.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Al qaeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/al-qaeda/) [Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/als/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Isis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isis/) [Isis Al](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isis-al-1306485/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Qaeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/qaeda/) [Qaeda Isis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/qaeda-isis-1350612/) [Qaeda Saturday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/qaeda-saturday-1350613/) [Saturday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saturday/) [Saturday night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saturday-night/) [Upset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/upset/)

## Related quotes

> [Al Qaeda and ISIS may have global aspirations, but their ability to penetrate a society is strongly influenced by local conditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/al-qaeda-and-isis-may-have-global-aspirations-but-their-ability-to/)

[Tedros Adhanom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/)

> [First, I would say, is ideology. I have never spoken to any member of these groups, not just ISIS, but also Al Qaeda, Shabab,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rukmini-maria-callimachi/first-i-would-say-is-ideology-i-have-never-spoken-to-any-member-of/)

[Rukmini Maria Callimachi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rukmini-maria-callimachi/)

> [The way you confront an organization like that is twofold. No. 1, you kill their militants. There is no room for discussion or negotiation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/the-way-you-confront-an-organization-like-that-is-twofold-no-1-you/)

[Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/)

> [I mean you think about the guy, the Nigerian guy, who was going to blow up the plane. He was wearing a pair of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-mean-you-think-about-the-guy-the-nigerian-guy-who-was-going-to-blow/)

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

> [John Walker, while he was in Afghanistan, told people his goal was to have four wives. ... Do we need any further proof that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/john-walker-while-he-was-in-afghanistan-told-people-his-goal-was-to/)

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

> [If you look at all those terrorist groups - I'm talking, going back, Hezbollah, Hamas, al-Nusra, al-Qaeda, ISIS - they're all proxy armies in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/if-you-look-at-all-those-terrorist-groups-i-m-talking-going-back/)

[Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/)

> [There are reports that leaders from ISIS and al-Qaida met at a farm house in Syria last week, and agreed to work together against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/there-are-reports-that-leaders-from-isis-and-al-qaida-met-at-a-farm/)

[Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/)

> [Turkey is trying to fight with ISIS in al-Bab, in Syria, in Iraq, and our allies who have been with ISIS are not providing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/egemen-bag-s/turkey-is-trying-to-fight-with-isis-in-al-bab-in-syria-in-iraq-and/)

[Egemen Bag?s](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/egemen-bag-s/)

> [Iraq, for the first time, gives al Qaeda and its allies contiguous safe-haven territory to train and launch attacks into the Levant. First into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/iraq-for-the-first-time-gives-al-qaeda-and-its-allies-contiguous-safe/)

[Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/)

> [ This war \[in Syria\] is going to support Al-Qaeda and the same people that killed Americans in the 11th of September. The second thing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/this-war-in-syria-is-going-to-support-al-qaeda-and-the-same-people/)

[Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/)

> [The people who illegally cross into the country are from countries that have very close ties to al Qaeda, whether it's Yemen or Afghanistan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/the-people-who-illegally-cross-into-the-country-are-from-countries/)

[Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/)

> [I was on the front lines in the Cold War, and I was on the front lines in the fight against Al Qaeda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-haspel/i-was-on-the-front-lines-in-the-cold-war-and-i-was-on-the-front-lines/)

[Gina Haspel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-haspel/)

> [If you don't understand what al Qaeda was trying to do on 9/11, if you don't have a sense of who Osama bin Laden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/if-you-don-t-understand-what-al-qaeda-was-trying-to-do-on-9-11-if-you/)

[Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/)

> [The idea the president of the United States was warned that Al-Qaeda was going to attack the United States and did nothing about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-idea-the-president-of-the-united-states-was-warned-that-al-qaeda/)

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

> [There's overwhelming evidence... circumstantial and otherwise, to suggest a connection between Iraq and al Qaeda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/there-s-overwhelming-evidence-circumstantial-and-otherwise-to-suggest/)

[Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/)

## 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 Al qaeda quotes

> [There's overwhelming evidence... circumstantial and otherwise, to suggest a connection between Iraq and al Qaeda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/there-s-overwhelming-evidence-circumstantial-and-otherwise-to-suggest/)

[Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/)

> [Critics have stepped up their attacks on the President for authorizing the National Security Agency to listen to international communications of known al Qaeda…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcclellan/critics-have-stepped-up-their-attacks-on-the-president-for/)

[Scott McClellan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcclellan/)

> [“I do not go to church. I don’t go to Christian church or Jew church or any other church. I don’t go to church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/i-do-not-go-to-church-i-don-t-go-to-christian-church-or-jew-church-or/)

[Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/)

> [ This war \[in Syria\] is going to support Al-Qaeda and the same people that killed Americans in the 11th of September. The second thing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/this-war-in-syria-is-going-to-support-al-qaeda-and-the-same-people/)

[Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/)

> [The people who illegally cross into the country are from countries that have very close ties to al Qaeda, whether it's Yemen or Afghanistan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/the-people-who-illegally-cross-into-the-country-are-from-countries/)

[Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/)

> [The White House was signaling that the threat posed by Saddam Hussein was of such urgency that it had priority over the crushing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/the-white-house-was-signaling-that-the-threat-posed-by-saddam-hussein/)

[Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/)

> [I was on the front lines in the Cold War, and I was on the front lines in the fight against Al Qaeda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-haspel/i-was-on-the-front-lines-in-the-cold-war-and-i-was-on-the-front-lines/)

[Gina Haspel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-haspel/)

> [If you don't understand what al Qaeda was trying to do on 9/11, if you don't have a sense of who Osama bin Laden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/if-you-don-t-understand-what-al-qaeda-was-trying-to-do-on-9-11-if-you/)

[Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/)

> [Some have argued that the President is required to get permission from a federal court before taking action against a United States citizen who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/some-have-argued-that-the-president-is-required-to-get-permission/)

[Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/)

> [Iraq, for the first time, gives al Qaeda and its allies contiguous safe-haven territory to train and launch attacks into the Levant. First into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/iraq-for-the-first-time-gives-al-qaeda-and-its-allies-contiguous-safe/)

[Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/)

> [The idea the president of the United States was warned that Al-Qaeda was going to attack the United States and did nothing about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-idea-the-president-of-the-united-states-was-warned-that-al-qaeda/)

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

> [There's more evil in the charts than an Al-Qaeda suggestion box.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bailey/there-s-more-evil-in-the-charts-than-an-al-qaeda-suggestion-box/)

[Bill Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bailey/)

> [Muslim leaders around the globe have to continue working with us to decisively and unequivocally reject the hateful ideology that groups like ISIL and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/muslim-leaders-around-the-globe-have-to-continue-working-with-us-to/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Mistreatment of al Qaeda members and their friends and hangers-on is something I number among my moral concerns. But it's number 1,000,000,001.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/mistreatment-of-al-qaeda-members-and-their-friends-and-hangers-on-is/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [(The United States) is the same as al-Qaeda, under a different color flag, calling on the name a different God to sanction and approve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-wright/the-united-states-is-the-same-as-al-qaeda-under-a-different-color/)

[Jeremiah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-wright/)

[Browse all 360 Al qaeda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/al-qaeda/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "You know who's upset now with ISIS? Al Qaeda. It's because ISIS is getting more attention than Al Qaeda. So now, Saturday night will be Ayman al-Zawahiri bobblehead night.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Letterman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/you-know-who-s-upset-now-with-isis-al-qaeda-it-s-because-isis-is/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Al qaeda"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/you-know-who-s-upset-now-with-isis-al-qaeda-it-s-because-isis-is/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74e/david-letterman-378_al-qaeda_you-know-who-s-upset-now-with-isis-al-qa_1722261.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74e/david-letterman-378_al-qaeda_you-know-who-s-upset-now-with-isis-al-qa_1722261.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74e/david-letterman-378_al-qaeda_you-know-who-s-upset-now-with-isis-al-qa_1722261.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You know who's upset now with ISIS? Al Qaeda. It's because ISIS is getting more attention than Al Qaeda. So…” — 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": "You know who's upset now with...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/you-know-who-s-upset-now-with-isis-al-qaeda-it-s-because-isis-is/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/you-know-who-s-upset-now-with-isis-al-qaeda-it-s-because-isis-is/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
