--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Washington is like a self-sealing tank on…" description: "\"Washington is like a self-sealing tank on a military aircraft. When a bullet passes through, it closes up.\" — Dean Acheson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/dean-acheson-14457_aircraft_washington-is-like-a-self-sealing-tank-o_765505.jpg" --- # Washington is like a self-sealing tank on a military… ![“Washington is like a self-sealing tank on a military aircraft. When a bullet passes through, it closes up.” quote by Dean Acheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/dean-acheson-14457_aircraft_washington-is-like-a-self-sealing-tank-o_765505.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/dean-acheson-14457_aircraft_washington-is-like-a-self-sealing-tank-o_765505.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/dean-acheson-14457_aircraft_washington-is-like-a-self-sealing-tank-o_765505.jpg) > “Washington is like a self-sealing tank on a military aircraft. When a bullet passes through, it closes up.” [Dean Acheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-acheson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Washington's resilience is likened to a self-sealing tank that repairs itself after damage. **In simple terms:** Washington heals itself after attacks. Key Takeaway Trust in institutional self-repair. Themes resilience government defense Mood cautious analytical Type political strategic When to use this quote - policy making - crisis management - military planning Key Concepts self-sealing systems strategic stability Questions to Reflect On - How can institutions ensure rapid recovery? - What are the limits of self-healing systems? A Different Perspective Self-repair may be limited by scale of damage. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/washington/) ## Related quotes > [Denzel Washington: I like the collaboration, I like seeing people do well, so I really plan to direct the rest of my days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/denzel-washington-i-like-the-collaboration-i-like-seeing-people-do/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Washington is like playing the Super Bowl, only there are no timeouts, no potty breaks, and the arena is filled with the media. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiree-rogers/washington-is-like-playing-the-super-bowl-only-there-are-no-timeouts/) [Desiree Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiree-rogers/) > [Political life at Washington is like political life in a suburban vestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/political-life-at-washington-is-like-political-life-in-a-suburban/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I will keep fighting for our district in Washington like I fought for our nation in war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/i-will-keep-fighting-for-our-district-in-washington-like-i-fought-for/) [John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/) > [I should say here, because some in Washington like to dream up ways to control the Internet, that we don't need to 'control' free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-noonan/i-should-say-here-because-some-in-washington-like-to-dream-up-ways-to/) [Peggy Noonan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-noonan/) > [If we can make Washington more like Texas, the whole country will be a winner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cornyn/if-we-can-make-washington-more-like-texas-the-whole-country-will-be-a/) [John Cornyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cornyn/) > [We have built a total of about 1250 of this aircraft, but only fifty were allowed to be used as fighters - as interceptors.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-galland/we-have-built-a-total-of-about-1250-of-this-aircraft-but-only-fifty/) [Adolf Galland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-galland/) > [At the end of the first half-century of engine-driven flight, we are confronted with the stark fact that the historical significance of aircraft has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/at-the-end-of-the-first-half-century-of-engine-driven-flight-we-are/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [What is the value of having millions of people in Iraq not having a repressive regime? 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All the others look old as compared to this one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-lauda/this-aircraft-tops-everything-all-the-others-look-old-as-compared-to/) [Niki Lauda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-lauda/) > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) ## More by Dean Acheson > [How could the USA champion individual freedom in the world generally while denying it to an important minority in its own country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-acheson/how-could-the-usa-champion-individual-freedom-in-the-world-generally/) [Dean Acheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-acheson/) > [The test for aid to poor nations is therefore whether it makes them capable of being productive. If it fails to do so, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-acheson/the-test-for-aid-to-poor-nations-is-therefore-whether-it-makes-them/) [Dean Acheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-acheson/) > [To leave positions of great responsibility and authority is to die a little, but the time comes when that must be faced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-acheson/to-leave-positions-of-great-responsibility-and-authority-is-to-die-a/) [Dean Acheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-acheson/) > [Between 9 and 10 AM the American radio is concerned almost exclusively with love. It seems a little like ending breakfast with a stiff bourbon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-acheson/between-9-and-10-am-the-american-radio-is-concerned-almost/) [Dean Acheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-acheson/) > [It is worse than immoral, it's a mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-acheson/it-is-worse-than-immoral-it-s-a-mistake/) [Dean Acheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-acheson/) > [Great Britain has lost an Empire and has not yet found a role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-acheson/great-britain-has-lost-an-empire-and-has-not-yet-found-a-role/) [Dean Acheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-acheson/) > [The Iraqi is really not whacky toady, perhaps, even tacky. 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It would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-acheson/like-apples-in-a-barrel-infected-by-one-rotten-one-the-corruption-of/) [Dean Acheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-acheson/) [Explore all 46 Dean Acheson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-acheson/) ## More Aircraft quotes > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [This aircraft tops everything. All the others look old as compared to this one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-lauda/this-aircraft-tops-everything-all-the-others-look-old-as-compared-to/) [Niki Lauda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-lauda/) > [“A flat tire is like a bad attitude, you won't go anywhere until you change it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-brown/a-flat-tire-is-like-a-bad-attitude-you-won-t-go-anywhere-until-you/) Winston Brown > [I established strong connections between Rockwell and Israel Aircraft Industries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnon-milchan/i-established-strong-connections-between-rockwell-and-israel-aircraft/) [Arnon Milchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnon-milchan/) > [You mentioned the Navy, for example, and that we have fewer ships than we did in 1916. 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What is the value of having the Iraqi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/what-is-the-value-of-having-millions-of-people-in-iraq-not-having-a/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [At the end of the first half-century of engine-driven flight, we are confronted with the stark fact that the historical significance of aircraft has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/at-the-end-of-the-first-half-century-of-engine-driven-flight-we-are/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [We have built a total of about 1250 of this aircraft, but only fifty were allowed to be used as fighters - as interceptors.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-galland/we-have-built-a-total-of-about-1250-of-this-aircraft-but-only-fifty/) [Adolf Galland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-galland/) > [These abnormal aspects included the shapes of UFOs and their behavior. Most of the UFOs seen in the daytime were said to have had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-berliner/these-abnormal-aspects-included-the-shapes-of-ufos-and-their-behavior/) [Don Berliner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-berliner/) > [Marines have a cynical approach to war. They believe in three things; liberty, payday and that when two Marines are together in a fight,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-pyle/marines-have-a-cynical-approach-to-war-they-believe-in-three-things/) [Ernie Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-pyle/) > [I used to own some hobby aircraft, but I got rid of them. I didn't have the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-kalitta/i-used-to-own-some-hobby-aircraft-but-i-got-rid-of-them-i-didn-t-have/) [Connie Kalitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-kalitta/) > [California is a tragic country — like Palestine, like every Promised Land. Its short history is a fever-chart of migrations — the land rush,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-isherwood/california-is-a-tragic-country-like-palestine-like-every-promised/) [Christopher Isherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-isherwood/) > [Every time I've flown an aircraft, or visited a steelworks, or watched a panel-beater at work, I've learned something new that can be applied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/every-time-i-ve-flown-an-aircraft-or-visited-a-steelworks-or-watched/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) > [There is also the fact that NORAD-Northeast was conducting war game exercises that morning, a fact that has been very little talked about and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-marrs/there-is-also-the-fact-that-norad-northeast-was-conducting-war-game/) [Jim Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-marrs/) Browse all 209 Aircraft quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Washington is like a self-sealing tank on a military aircraft. 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