---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: President Obama has said that our…"
description: "\"President Obama has said that our aspirations should be realistic. We are not going to turn one of the poorest countries in the world, that was plunged..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/767/david-petraeus-11182_achieve_president-obama-has-said-that-our-aspira_1385654.jpg"
---

#  President Obama has said that our aspirations should be…

![“President Obama has said that our aspirations should be realistic. We are not going to turn one of the poorest countries in the world, that was plunged into 30 years of war, into an advanced, industrialized, Western-style democracy. What we want to achieve is Afghanistan's capacity to secure and…” quote by David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/767/david-petraeus-11182_achieve_president-obama-has-said-that-our-aspira_1385654.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/767/david-petraeus-11182_achieve_president-obama-has-said-that-our-aspira_1385654.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/767/david-petraeus-11182_achieve_president-obama-has-said-that-our-aspira_1385654.jpg)

> “President Obama has said that our aspirations should be realistic. We are not going to turn one of the poorest countries in the world, that was plunged into 30 years of war, into an advanced, industrialized, Western-style democracy. What we want to achieve is Afghanistan's capacity to secure and govern itself.”

[David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/)

## About This Quote

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

Realistic goals focus on building local capacity rather than imposing external models.

**In simple terms:** Aim for achievable, locally driven progress.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize sustainable self‑governance.

Themes

realism policy development

Mood

cautious pragmatic

Type

political analytical

When to use this quote

- nation building
- policy planning
- international aid
- governance reform

Key Concepts

statebuilding capacity building foreign aid

Questions to Reflect On

- How can external partners support local leadership?
- What metrics define successful capacity building?

A Different Perspective

Challenges include corruption and cultural resistance.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Afghanistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) [Aspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspiration/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/style/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Western](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [Immediately after the September 11th attacks, I volunteered to go to Afghanistan in any capacity that the CIA wanted me. Four months passed before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kiriakou/immediately-after-the-september-11th-attacks-i-volunteered-to-go-to/)

[John Kiriakou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kiriakou/)

> [We have to be realistic about what we can achieve in Afghanistan. The notion that the United States can build a Western-style democracy there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-boxer/we-have-to-be-realistic-about-what-we-can-achieve-in-afghanistan-the/)

[Barbara Boxer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-boxer/)

> [What bin Laden had hoped to achieve in Afghanistan in the post-9/11 period, which was to drag the United States into a protracted guerrilla…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/what-bin-laden-had-hoped-to-achieve-in-afghanistan-in-the-post-9-11/)

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

> [Afghanistan has the capacity to become an industrialized country because of its mining and agriculture sectors. We can also create jobs for educated men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/afghanistan-has-the-capacity-to-become-an-industrialized-country/)

[Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/)

> [Some corporations don't want free markets, and they don't want democracy. They want profits. And they use our campaign finance system to loot our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-f-kennedy-jr/some-corporations-don-t-want-free-markets-and-they-don-t-want/)

[Robert F. Kennedy, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-f-kennedy-jr/)

> [The people who say they're for democracy want nothing to do with democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/the-people-who-say-they-re-for-democracy-want-nothing-to-do-with/)

[John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/)

> [The Arab Spring, nobody's in the streets demonstrating for radical Islam; they're in the streets with a window of democracy. They want our political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-keane/the-arab-spring-nobody-s-in-the-streets-demonstrating-for-radical/)

[Jack Keane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-keane/)

> [Everything is generated through your own will power. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. This is a democracy. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/everything-is-generated-through-your-own-will-power-you-don-t-have-to/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [I do not want to abandon representative democracy. I want to see it balanced by popular sovereignty, especially the variety known as deliberative democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-monbiot/i-do-not-want-to-abandon-representative-democracy-i-want-to-see-it/)

[George Monbiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-monbiot/)

> [I intend to do what I can, working with my congressional colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, to help bring about the changes to the practices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-intend-to-do-what-i-can-working-with-my-congressional-colleagues/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [I don't support direct democracy because I want a life, and that means I want to select people who work for me who do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/i-don-t-support-direct-democracy-because-i-want-a-life-and-that-means/)

[Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/)

> [I think it's something that the citizenry needs to be vigilant about - participating in democracy, and that includes issues like what's going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/i-think-it-s-something-that-the-citizenry-needs-to-be-vigilant-about/)

[Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/)

> [“As long as the United States remains a democracy, I want to be in the ideological fight against illiberal nationalism and continue to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcfaul/as-long-as-the-united-states-remains-a-democracy-i-want-to-be-in-the/)

[Michael McFaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcfaul/)

> [The membership survey was a great moment for inner-party democracy. We can't go back, nor do we want to. Our members are pouring their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/the-membership-survey-was-a-great-moment-for-inner-party-democracy-we/)

[Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/)

> [Most Americans do really think that Muslims all want to take over and they don't want democracy and they want nothing but Islamic law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/most-americans-do-really-think-that-muslims-all-want-to-take-over-and/)

[Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/)

## More by David Petraeus

> [ There \[in Afghanistan\] is also a growing insurgency threat from al-Qaida, the Taliban and other extremist elements, some of which comes from the tribal… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/there-in-afghanistan-is-also-a-growing-insurgency-threat-from-al/)

[David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/)

> [The job of the leader is to get the big ideas right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/the-job-of-the-leader-is-to-get-the-big-ideas-right/)

[David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/)

> [Over the last few years they have done a superb job in their fight against al-Qaida. As you may recall, our embassy in Jedda…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/over-the-last-few-years-they-have-done-a-superb-job-in-their-fight/)

[David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/)

> [After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/after-being-married-for-over-37-years-i-showed-extremely-poor/)

[David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/)

> [Money can be a very important form of "ammunition," although we should never forget that when you're being shot at the most important ammunition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/money-can-be-a-very-important-form-of-ammunition-although-we-should/)

[David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/)

> [The president and I sat down in the Oval Office, and he expressed very clearly that what he wants from me is my best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/the-president-and-i-sat-down-in-the-oval-office-and-he-expressed-very/)

[David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/)

> [Don't forget Yemen, where there are also extremist elements, as we saw recently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/don-t-forget-yemen-where-there-are-also-extremist-elements-as-we-saw/)

[David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/)

> [If you look at casualties, you find countries that had much higher loss rates per capita than the US. Denmark comes to mind, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/if-you-look-at-casualties-you-find-countries-that-had-much-higher/)

[David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/)

> [I will not ever run for political office. I can assure you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/i-will-not-ever-run-for-political-office-i-can-assure-you/)

[David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/)

> [Political progress will only take place if sufficient security exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/political-progress-will-only-take-place-if-sufficient-security-exists/)

[David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/)

> [Even the Interior Ministry in Riyadh was hit. Since then, the Saudis have employed a very intelligent and comprehensive approach to counter al-Qaida, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/even-the-interior-ministry-in-riyadh-was-hit-since-then-the-saudis/)

[David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/)

> [In Afghanistan you are not rebuilding, you are building. There is very limited infrastructure and extreme terrain, with deserts in the south and mountains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/in-afghanistan-you-are-not-rebuilding-you-are-building-there-is-very/)

[David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/)

> [“We have relearned since 9/11 the timeless lesson that we don’t always get to fight the wars for which we’re most prepared or most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/we-have-relearned-since-9-11-the-timeless-lesson-that-we-don-t-always/)

[David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/)

> [Iran, as we have already discussed, has carried out very, very harmful activities inside Iraq. Funding, trainings, arming and, in some cases, even directing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/iran-as-we-have-already-discussed-has-carried-out-very-very-harmful/)

[David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/)

> [This is actually true of the overall fight against al-Qaeda and trans-national extremists, that as you put pressure on them in one location, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/this-is-actually-true-of-the-overall-fight-against-al-qaeda-and-trans/)

[David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/)

[Explore all 61 David Petraeus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/)

## More Achieve quotes

> [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/)

[Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/)

[Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/)

> [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/)

[Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/)

> [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/)

[Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/)

> [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/)

[Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/)

> [I'm a film guy. I love it. When I read the screenplay, I knew that there would be no HD camera that could achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-taylor/i-m-a-film-guy-i-love-it-when-i-read-the-screenplay-i-knew-that-there/)

Deon Taylor

> [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/)

Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera

> [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/)

[Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/)

> [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [Governments follow their people. A great deal has to do with the vision of the leadership of governments. They have a vision, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/governments-follow-their-people-a-great-deal-has-to-do-with-the/)

[Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/)

> [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/)

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

> [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [To achieve something you've never achieved before, you must become someone you've never been before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubham-joshi/to-achieve-something-you-ve-never-achieved-before-you-must-become/)

[Shubham Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubham-joshi/)

> [I've identified as bisexual since I was a teenager, and if we want to achieve equality for all in our policies, we need more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hill/i-ve-identified-as-bisexual-since-i-was-a-teenager-and-if-we-want-to/)

[Katie Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hill/)

Browse all 6,390 Achieve quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "President Obama has said that our aspirations should be realistic. We are not going to turn one of the poorest countries in the world, that was plunged into 30 years of war, into an advanced, industrialized, Western-style democracy. What we want to achieve is Afghanistan's capacity to secure and govern itself.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Petraeus"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/president-obama-has-said-that-our-aspirations-should-be-realistic-we/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Achieve"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/president-obama-has-said-that-our-aspirations-should-be-realistic-we/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/767/david-petraeus-11182_achieve_president-obama-has-said-that-our-aspira_1385654.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/767/david-petraeus-11182_achieve_president-obama-has-said-that-our-aspira_1385654.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/767/david-petraeus-11182_achieve_president-obama-has-said-that-our-aspira_1385654.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“President Obama has said that our aspirations should be realistic. We are not going to turn one of the…” — David Petraeus",
                "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 Petraeus",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "President Obama has said that our...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/president-obama-has-said-that-our-aspirations-should-be-realistic-we/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/president-obama-has-said-that-our-aspirations-should-be-realistic-we/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```