--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Iraqi and Afghan wars have not…" description: "\"“The Iraqi and Afghan wars have not ‘ended.’ Only America's involvement has ‘ended.’ … When a country leaves a war before achieving victory it is not c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c6/dennis-prager-631_afghanistan-war_the-iraqi-and-afghan-wars-have-not-ended_2100135.jpg" --- # The Iraqi and Afghan wars have not ‘ended.’ Only America's… ![“The Iraqi and Afghan wars have not ‘ended.’ Only America's involvement has ‘ended.’ … When a country leaves a war before achieving victory it is not called leaving. It is called defeat. … When the decent leave, the indecent win.” quote by Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c6/dennis-prager-631_afghanistan-war_the-iraqi-and-afghan-wars-have-not-ended_2100135.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c6/dennis-prager-631_afghanistan-war_the-iraqi-and-afghan-wars-have-not-ended_2100135.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c6/dennis-prager-631_afghanistan-war_the-iraqi-and-afghan-wars-have-not-ended_2100135.jpg) > ““The Iraqi and Afghan wars have not ‘ended.’ Only America's involvement has ‘ended.’ … When a country leaves a war before achieving victory it is not called leaving. It is called defeat. … When the decent leave, the indecent win.”” [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) ## 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 ending a war without victory is defeat, and that when moral forces withdraw, immoral forces prevail. **In simple terms:** Leaving a war early equals defeat; moral retreat leads to immoral victory. Key Takeaway Stay until victory or reassess goals. Themes war morality politics Mood critical analytical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - military interventions - foreign policy debates - public opinion - historical analysis Key Concepts strategic withdrawal ethical responsibility Questions to Reflect On - Is victory always necessary? - What are the costs of prolonged conflict? A Different Perspective It simplifies complex geopolitical realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Iraq war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq-war/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [War is never a happy solution, but it may be the only solution. 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He opened his compass and took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-young/ice-pellets-made-ticking-noises-as-they-fell-gathering-in-the-folds/) [Tom Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-young/) > [“I disagreed with the conduct of the war, with bombing civilians, categorizing everyone as the enemy or simply as armed men, with the racism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-glenton/i-disagreed-with-the-conduct-of-the-war-with-bombing-civilians/) Joe Glenton > [Before the thunderous clamor of political debate or war set loose in the world, love insisted on its promise for the possibility of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aberjhani/before-the-thunderous-clamor-of-political-debate-or-war-set-loose-in/) [Aberjhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aberjhani/) ## More by Dennis Prager > [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/) > [Nothing more guarantees the erosion of character than getting something for nothing. 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