--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: While the distance between the United…" description: "\"While the distance between the United States and Iraq is great, Saddam Hussein's ability to use his chemical and biological weapons against us is not c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d0/dianne-feinstein-7476_ability_while-the-distance-between-the-united-st_131502.png" --- # While the distance between the United States and Iraq is… ![“While the distance between the United States and Iraq is great, Saddam Hussein's ability to use his chemical and biological weapons against us is not constrained by geography - it can be accomplished in a number of different ways - which is what makes this threat so real and persuasive.” quote by Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d0/dianne-feinstein-7476_ability_while-the-distance-between-the-united-st_131502.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d0/dianne-feinstein-7476_ability_while-the-distance-between-the-united-st_131502.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d0/dianne-feinstein-7476_ability_while-the-distance-between-the-united-st_131502.png) > “While the distance between the United States and Iraq is great, Saddam Hussein's ability to use his chemical and biological weapons against us is not constrained by geography - it can be accomplished in a number of different ways - which is what makes this threat so real and persuasive.” [Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The threat of weapons of mass destruction transcends physical distance, making it a pervasive risk regardless of geography. **In simple terms:** WMD threats are not limited by distance. Key Takeaway Recognize and address non‑geographic security threats. Themes security geopolitics risk management Mood alert concerned Type political analytical When to use this quote - policy planning - military strategy - intelligence analysis Key Concepts deterrence asymmetric warfare global security Questions to Reflect On - How can nations mitigate threats that bypass physical borders? - What defenses are effective against covert WMD delivery? A Different Perspective Geographic distance can still affect response capabilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Biological weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biological-weapons/) [Geography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geography/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Persuasive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persuasive/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [Weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons/) ## Related quotes > [Our nonviolent tactics are not as effective. We ask nicely for years and get nothing. Someone makes a threat, and it works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-newkirk/our-nonviolent-tactics-are-not-as-effective-we-ask-nicely-for-years/) [Ingrid Newkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-newkirk/) > [The birth of democracy in Iraq is one of the great positive changes of our era.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-istook/the-birth-of-democracy-in-iraq-is-one-of-the-great-positive-changes/) [Ernest Istook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-istook/) > [The threat is there. It's very real and it's continuing. And what the Obama people are doing, in effect, is saying, well, we don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/the-threat-is-there-it-s-very-real-and-it-s-continuing-and-what-the/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [The threat from Saddam Hussein and weapons of mass destruction - chemical, biological, potentially nuclear weapons capability - that threat is real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/the-threat-from-saddam-hussein-and-weapons-of-mass-destruction/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Every threat needs to be taken as: 'This is the one; this is the real threat.' That's how we focus on things in counterterrorism.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-spanberger/every-threat-needs-to-be-taken-as-this-is-the-one-this-is-the-real/) [Abigail Spanberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-spanberger/) > [Pathology by Daesh is distinctively to swallow its opponents, to frighten the population. 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This stockpile is not only a threat in itself but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/israel-has-a-couple-of-hundred-nuclear-weapons-and-also-chemical-and/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More by Dianne Feinstein > [Domestic violence causes far more pain than the visible marks of bruises and scars. It is devastating to be abused by someone that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/domestic-violence-causes-far-more-pain-than-the-visible-marks-of/) [Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/) > [My mother emigrated from Russia as a young child. She couldn't speak English and had no education. Her father died at age 32, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/my-mother-emigrated-from-russia-as-a-young-child-she-couldn-t-speak/) [Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/) > [I think the greatest threat to the privacy of Americans is the drone, and the use of the drone and the very few regulations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/i-think-the-greatest-threat-to-the-privacy-of-americans-is-the-drone/) [Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/) > [We're not perfect, and there are some dark patches in our past, but what makes us special is that we recognize these evils, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/we-re-not-perfect-and-there-are-some-dark-patches-in-our-past-but/) [Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/) > [After a disaster such as Hurricane Katrina, the federal government has a profound obligation to help those in need, .. 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And people know to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/people-who-travel-should-be-on-guard-all-our-military-our-police-and/) [Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/) > [Survival is nothing more than recovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/survival-is-nothing-more-than-recovery/) [Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/) > [I'm concerned about the role the court will play in protecting individual rights in this and the next century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/i-m-concerned-about-the-role-the-court-will-play-in-protecting/) [Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/) > [Ninety percent of leadership is the ability to communicate something people want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/ninety-percent-of-leadership-is-the-ability-to-communicate-something/) [Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/) > [So there will be a bill. We've been working on it now for a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/so-there-will-be-a-bill-we-ve-been-working-on-it-now-for-a-year/) [Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/) > [Our climate is changing. The Earth's climate has, in fact, warmed by 1.1 to 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit since the industrial revolution. People look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/our-climate-is-changing-the-earth-s-climate-has-in-fact-warmed-by-1-1/) [Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/) > [Abortion, however, is a big threshold issue for me because the dominant majority of people in my state are pro-choice, .. I ran as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/abortion-however-is-a-big-threshold-issue-for-me-because-the-dominant/) [Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/) > [The criteria for serving one's country should be competence, courage and willingness to serve. When we deny people the chance to serve because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/the-criteria-for-serving-one-s-country-should-be-competence-courage/) [Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/) [Explore all 91 Dianne Feinstein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. 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Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "While the distance between the United States and Iraq is great, Saddam Hussein's ability to use his chemical and biological weapons against us is not constrained by geography - it can be accomplished in a number of different ways - which is what makes this threat so real and persuasive.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dianne Feinstein" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/while-the-distance-between-the-united-states-and-iraq-is-great-saddam/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/while-the-distance-between-the-united-states-and-iraq-is-great-saddam/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d0/dianne-feinstein-7476_ability_while-the-distance-between-the-united-st_131502.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d0/dianne-feinstein-7476_ability_while-the-distance-between-the-united-st_131502.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d0/dianne-feinstein-7476_ability_while-the-distance-between-the-united-st_131502.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“While the distance between the United States and Iraq is great, Saddam Hussein's ability to use his chemical…” — Dianne Feinstein", "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": "Dianne Feinstein", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "While the distance between the United...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/while-the-distance-between-the-united-states-and-iraq-is-great-saddam/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/while-the-distance-between-the-united-states-and-iraq-is-great-saddam/#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 } } ] } ```