--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...And while everybody was tremendously…" description: "\"...And while everybody was tremendously impressed with the low cost of the conflict, for the 146 Americans who were killed in action and for their fami..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6b/dick-cheney-1810_action_and-while-everybody-was-tremendously-imp_3195847.jpg" --- # ...And while everybody was tremendously impressed with the… ![“...And while everybody was tremendously impressed with the low cost of the conflict, for the 146 Americans who were killed in action and for their families, it wasn't a cheap war. And the question in my mind is how many additional American casualties is Saddam worth? And the answer is not very…” quote by Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6b/dick-cheney-1810_action_and-while-everybody-was-tremendously-imp_3195847.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6b/dick-cheney-1810_action_and-while-everybody-was-tremendously-imp_3195847.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6b/dick-cheney-1810_action_and-while-everybody-was-tremendously-imp_3195847.jpg) > “...And while everybody was tremendously impressed with the low cost of the conflict, for the 146 Americans who were killed in action and for their families, it wasn't a cheap war. And the question in my mind is how many additional American casualties is Saddam worth? And the answer is not very damned many.” [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) ## 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 highlights the human cost of war, questioning the justification of casualties versus perceived benefits. **In simple terms:** War is not cheap when lives are lost. Key Takeaway Consider the true cost of conflict. Themes war ethics human cost politics Mood somber critical Type political ethical When to use this quote - military planning - public debate - family impact - political rhetoric Key Concepts casualties value of life policy decisions Questions to Reflect On - How do we weigh human lives against strategic goals? - What alternatives could reduce casualties? A Different Perspective The quote may oversimplify complex geopolitical calculations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [American Casualties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-casualties-526374/) [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Casualties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/casualties/) [Casualties Saddam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/casualties-saddam-2604369/) [Cheap War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cheap-war-5913477/) [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Impressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impressed/) [Lows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lows/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Saddam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saddam/) [Saddam Worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saddam-worth-2604368/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [The question in my mind is how many additional American casualties is Saddam worth? And the answer is not very damned many.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/the-question-in-my-mind-is-how-many-additional-american-casualties-is/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [“The American casualties continued to be staggering, in no small part because among the AEF’s junior officers enthusiasm generally outran their experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-e-persico/the-american-casualties-continued-to-be-staggering-in-no-small-part/) [Joseph E. Persico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-e-persico/) > [“The French suffered 531,000 casualties (dead, wounded and captured) in those three months, roughly as many as in the eight months of Verdun in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-asquith/the-french-suffered-531-000-casualties-dead-wounded-and-captured-in/) [Margot Asquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-asquith/) > [“Kuribayashi had the benefit of having traveled in the United States, and he had even attended Harvard for a short time. In his travels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-river-editors/kuribayashi-had-the-benefit-of-having-traveled-in-the-united-states/) [Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-river-editors/) > [The cost of an on-site inspection team would be minuscule compared to war, Saddam would have no choice except to comply, the results would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/the-cost-of-an-on-site-inspection-team-would-be-minuscule-compared-to/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [How could any responsible leader have ignored the Iraqi threat? 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He cultivated ties to terror -- hosting the Abu Nidal organization, supporting terrorists,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/saddam-hussein-had-a-lengthy-history-of-reckless-and-sudden/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [ The issue is that \[Saddam\] has chemical weapons. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/the-issue-is-that-saddam-has-chemical-weapons/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [ We do know, with absolute certainty, that \[Saddam\] is using his procurement system to acquire the equipment he needs in order to enrich uranium… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/we-do-know-with-absolute-certainty-that-saddam-is-using-his/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [We went over there and fought the war and eventually burned down every town in North Korea anyway, someway or another, and some in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-lemay/we-went-over-there-and-fought-the-war-and-eventually-burned-down/) [Curtis LeMay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-lemay/) > [I had no illusions about love anymore. It came, it went, it left casualties or it didn't. People weren't meant to be together forever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-had-no-illusions-about-love-anymore-it-came-it-went-it-left/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## More by Dick Cheney > [A little tough talk in the midst of a campaign or as part of a presidential debate cannot obscure a record of 30 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/a-little-tough-talk-in-the-midst-of-a-campaign-or-as-part-of-a/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [Senator Kerry says he sees two Americas. It makes the whole thing mutual - America sees two John Kerrys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/senator-kerry-says-he-sees-two-americas-it-makes-the-whole-thing/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [I am a deficit hawk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/i-am-a-deficit-hawk/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [We know he's been absolutely devoted to trying to acquire nuclear weapons, and we believe he has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/we-know-he-s-been-absolutely-devoted-to-trying-to-acquire-nuclear/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [I think the decision that's been made with respect to allowing gays to serve openly in the military is a good one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/i-think-the-decision-that-s-been-made-with-respect-to-allowing-gays/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [ \[In response to the question "Do you think that you underestimated the insurgency's strength?"\] I think so. I guess if I look back on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/in-response-to-the-question-do-you-think-that-you-underestimated-the/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [Let us rid ourselves of the fiction that low oil prices are somehow good for the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/let-us-rid-ourselves-of-the-fiction-that-low-oil-prices-are-somehow/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [I think we need to significantly reduce the regulatory burden on the private sector. The Obama administration is doing the opposite. They're loading on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/i-think-we-need-to-significantly-reduce-the-regulatory-burden-on-the/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [I'm often asked why I left politics and went to Halliburton and I explain that I reached the point where I was mean-spirited, short-tempered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/i-m-often-asked-why-i-left-politics-and-went-to-halliburton-and-i/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [I do find that the mainstream media oftentimes is what I would consider off base or has a bias.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/i-do-find-that-the-mainstream-media-oftentimes-is-what-i-would/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [I'm one of those people who believes that part of the greatness of the United States is our private sector. It's what we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/i-m-one-of-those-people-who-believes-that-part-of-the-greatness-of/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [I believe that we were not as effective in the second term dealing with this issue of nuclear none proliferation as we had been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/i-believe-that-we-were-not-as-effective-in-the-second-term-dealing/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [Sarah Palin is an attractive candidate, but based on her background, she only was governor for what, two years. I don't think she passed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/sarah-palin-is-an-attractive-candidate-but-based-on-her-background/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [My own belief is that the way we grow the economy, create jobs, create wealth is in the private sector. The government doesn't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/my-own-belief-is-that-the-way-we-grow-the-economy-create-jobs-create/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [From our perspective, trying to deal with this continuing campaign of terror, if you will, the war on terror that we're engaged in, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/from-our-perspective-trying-to-deal-with-this-continuing-campaign-of/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) [Explore all 207 Dick Cheney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) ## More Action 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/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. 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