--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The important thing here to understand is…" description: "\"The important thing here to understand is that the people that are at Guantanamo are bad people. I mean, these are terrorists for the most part. These ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fb/dick-cheney-1810_afghanistan_the-important-thing-here-to-understand-i_1595458.jpg" --- # The important thing here to understand is that the people… ![“The important thing here to understand is that the people that are at Guantanamo are bad people. I mean, these are terrorists for the most part. These are people that were captured in the battlefield of Afghanistan or rounded up as part of the Al Qaeda network. We've already screened the detainees…” quote by Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fb/dick-cheney-1810_afghanistan_the-important-thing-here-to-understand-i_1595458.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fb/dick-cheney-1810_afghanistan_the-important-thing-here-to-understand-i_1595458.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fb/dick-cheney-1810_afghanistan_the-important-thing-here-to-understand-i_1595458.jpg) > “The important thing here to understand is that the people that are at Guantanamo are bad people. I mean, these are terrorists for the most part. These are people that were captured in the battlefield of Afghanistan or rounded up as part of the Al Qaeda network. We've already screened the detainees there and released a number, sent them back to their home countries. But what's left is hard core.” [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. He emphasizes that the remaining detainees are hardened terrorists, not merely captured combatants. **In simple terms:** The remaining prisoners are dangerous terrorists. Key Takeaway Recognize the security risk they pose. Themes security terrorism detention policy risk Mood serious concerned Type political analytical When to use this quote - policy debate - legal review - media reporting - public opinion Key Concepts counterterrorism human rights legal ethics Questions to Reflect On - Should societies prioritize security over individual rights? - How can we balance justice and safety? A Different Perspective Some argue for due process and rehabilitation; not all agree. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afghanistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) [Al qaeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/al-qaeda/) [Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/als/) [Bad people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-people/) [Battlefields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battlefields/) [Captured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/captured/) [Core](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/core/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Detainees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detainees/) [Guantanamo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guantanamo/) [Guantanamo Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guantanamo-bad-4643447/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard core](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-core/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Home country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home-country/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-things/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Guantanamo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-guantanamo-2401400/) [Terrorist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorist/) [Terrorists People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorists-people-1939868/) [Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture/) ## Related quotes > [The important thing here to understand is that the people that are at Guantanamo are bad people. I mean, these are terrorists for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/the-important-thing-here-to-understand-is-that-the-people-that-are-at/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [If people around the world knew how well people at Guantanamo Bay are treating prisoners, they would not fall prey to the accusations that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hayes/if-people-around-the-world-knew-how-well-people-at-guantanamo-bay-are/) [Robin Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hayes/) > [Here's the bigger problem with all this, we're not interrogating anybody right now. Guantanamo's being emptied by this president. We should be putting people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/here-s-the-bigger-problem-with-all-this-we-re-not-interrogating/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Torture is and must remain illegal. Warrantless wiretapping is also illegal, as was the transfer of Guantanamo detainees to Qatar without proper notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-sestak/torture-is-and-must-remain-illegal-warrantless-wiretapping-is-also/) [Joe Sestak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-sestak/) > [It troubled me that we had these reports of torture of detainees, we had people jailed at Guantanamo Bay who couldn't even talk to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/it-troubled-me-that-we-had-these-reports-of-torture-of-detainees-we/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [I mean, the people who run Guantanamo, the military, pretty much dismiss complaints by the detainees because they say that they're all created as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/i-mean-the-people-who-run-guantanamo-the-military-pretty-much-dismiss/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [Obviously this prison has been controversial ever since the first detainees arrived in Guantanamo more than 14 years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audie-cornish/obviously-this-prison-has-been-controversial-ever-since-the-first/) [Audie Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audie-cornish/) > [I think we need to understand what we mean when we talk about closure, we don't mean transfer or prosecute which is what many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-daskal/i-think-we-need-to-understand-what-we-mean-when-we-talk-about-closure/) [Jennifer Daskal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-daskal/) > [The Justices are currently considering a case, argued last month, which seeks to extend the writ of habeas corpus to al Qaeda and Taliban…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/the-justices-are-currently-considering-a-case-argued-last-month-which/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [The Democrats in the Senate adopted a resolution, an amendment, saying that there should be no Guantanamo detainees brought into this country. So, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-democrats-in-the-senate-adopted-a-resolution-an-amendment-saying/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [And, in fact, there is a connection, the people who designed this here program and who implement it are the same people who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/and-in-fact-there-is-a-connection-the-people-who-designed-this-here/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [Anyway, a spokesman for Barack Obama says the prisoners that are released from Guantanamo will either be sent back to their home countries or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/anyway-a-spokesman-for-barack-obama-says-the-prisoners-that-are/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Unfortunately, we don't have the option of marriage in our country. We could go to Britain or Spain or Argentina and do something symbolic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/unfortunately-we-don-t-have-the-option-of-marriage-in-our-country-we/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [Terrorists are people, too - they are given to error. Naipaul and then DeLillo do a good job in their novels of drawing this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-mahajan/terrorists-are-people-too-they-are-given-to-error-naipaul-and-then/) [Karan Mahajan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-mahajan/) > [Hospitality is one of the things the Afghan population is famous for, but nobody says that anymore. Now they're terrorists - and they're not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ling/hospitality-is-one-of-the-things-the-afghan-population-is-famous-for/) [Lisa Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ling/) ## 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 Afghanistan quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [From the bitter cold winter at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/from-the-bitter-cold-winter-at-valley-forge-to-the-mountains-of/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [They're criminals, they brutalized Afghanistan, they killed our people, they destroyed our land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-karzai/they-re-criminals-they-brutalized-afghanistan-they-killed-our-people/) [Hamid Karzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-karzai/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The terrorist attacks of September 11th and the courageous actions of our armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq remind us that friends of tyranny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-levin/the-terrorist-attacks-of-september-11th-and-the-courageous-actions-of/) [Carl Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-levin/) > [According to a recent Harvard study, $6 trillion, when you include the ongoing healthcare expenses for our wounded soldiers, which is the least they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/according-to-a-recent-harvard-study-6-trillion-when-you-include-the/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [You don't bargain with terrorists. You don't appease terrorists. And anybody who believes that this is about something we've done has to ask themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chertoff/you-don-t-bargain-with-terrorists-you-don-t-appease-terrorists-and/) [Michael Chertoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chertoff/) > [“I stood with my mom in the cemetery. She felt terrible pain. My grandmother is with God. My mom has to continue living. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-elliot/i-stood-with-my-mom-in-the-cemetery-she-felt-terrible-pain-my/) [Tucker Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-elliot/) > [The most successful cultural diplomacy strategy integrates people-to-people or arts/culture/media-to-people interactions into the basic business of diplomacy. The programs in Afghanistan, Egypt, and Iran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-p-schneider/the-most-successful-cultural-diplomacy-strategy-integrates-people-to/) [Cynthia P. Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-p-schneider/) > [Because Iran understands Afghanistan far better than Americans do, making Iran a partner in a long-term effort to transform Afghan agriculture makes sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/because-iran-understands-afghanistan-far-better-than-americans-do/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I have been to Afghanistan many times, even before the Taliban collapsed. I was fascinated by the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-khan/i-have-been-to-afghanistan-many-times-even-before-the-taliban/) [Kabir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-khan/) > [There has been sort of, if you will, a moral interventionism on the part of the United States trying to reshape countries in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/there-has-been-sort-of-if-you-will-a-moral-interventionism-on-the/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The legal system in Afghanistan is very immature and porous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/the-legal-system-in-afghanistan-is-very-immature-and-porous/) [Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/) [Browse all 1,159 Afghanistan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The important thing here to understand is that the people that are at Guantanamo are bad people. 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