--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's no debate in the world as to…" description: "\"There's no debate in the world as to whether people have weapons of mass destruction... We all know that. A trained ape knows that.\" — Donald Rumsfeld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/donald-rumsfeld-1507_debate_there-s-no-debate-in-the-world-as-to-whe_2732725.png" --- # There's no debate in the world as to whether people have… ![“There's no debate in the world as to whether people have weapons of mass destruction... We all know that. A trained ape knows that.” quote by Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/donald-rumsfeld-1507_debate_there-s-no-debate-in-the-world-as-to-whe_2732725.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/donald-rumsfeld-1507_debate_there-s-no-debate-in-the-world-as-to-whe_2732725.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/donald-rumsfeld-1507_debate_there-s-no-debate-in-the-world-as-to-whe_2732725.png) > “There's no debate in the world as to whether people have weapons of mass destruction... We all know that. A trained ape knows that.” [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) ## 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 claims universal agreement that weapons of mass destruction exist, comparing belief to an animal’s instinct. **In simple terms:** Everyone knows about WMDs. Key Takeaway Acknowledge known threats. Themes security knowledge confidence Mood cautious assertive Type political strategic When to use this quote - defense planning - public communication - international negotiations - media reporting Key Concepts threat perception policy making Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports this belief? - How does certainty affect policy? A Different Perspective Overconfidence may ignore uncertainty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Debate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate/) [Destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destruction/) [Mass destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass-destruction/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Weapons of mass destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons-of-mass-destruction/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [America has shown we are serious about removing the threat of weapons of mass destruction... We now know that Saddam Hussein had the capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/america-has-shown-we-are-serious-about-removing-the-threat-of-weapons/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [Imagine, a September 11 with weapons of mass destruction. It's not 3,000. It's tens of thousands of innocent men, women and children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/imagine-a-september-11-with-weapons-of-mass-destruction-it-s-not-3/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [There are people who in large measure have information that we need . . . so that we can track down the weapons of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/there-are-people-who-in-large-measure-have-information-that-we-need/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [We never believed that we'd just tumble over weapons of mass destruction in that country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/we-never-believed-that-we-d-just-tumble-over-weapons-of-mass/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/simply-stated-there-is-no-doubt-that-saddam-hussein-now-has-weapons/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Oh my goodness gracious, what you can buy off the Internet in terms of overhead photography. A trained ape can know an awful lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/oh-my-goodness-gracious-what-you-can-buy-off-the-internet-in-terms-of/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [The truth is like a weapon of mass destruction, because even though we all know it exists, finding it is almost impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemar-hinds/the-truth-is-like-a-weapon-of-mass-destruction-because-even-though-we/) [Kemar Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemar-hinds/) > [“Who needs immortal strength when you've got weapons of mass destruction?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-saare/who-needs-immortal-strength-when-you-ve-got-weapons-of-mass/) [J.A. Saare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-saare/) > [Hussein has chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/hussein-has-chosen-to-spend-his-money-on-building-weapons-of-mass/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [Instead of building newer and larger weapons of mass destruction, I think mankind should try to get more use out of the ones we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/instead-of-building-newer-and-larger-weapons-of-mass-destruction-i/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“Unfortunately, however, weapons of mass destruction tend to attract maniacs: men - it's almost always men - who want to jab the red button…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mal-peet/unfortunately-however-weapons-of-mass-destruction-tend-to-attract/) [Mal Peet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mal-peet/) > [Weapons of mass destruction - nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons - are just that, and no cause can excuse their use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-n-haass/weapons-of-mass-destruction-nuclear-biological-and-chemical-weapons/) [Richard N. Haass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-n-haass/) > [Never, never tell jokes about a man with easy access to weapons of mass destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-chernin/never-never-tell-jokes-about-a-man-with-easy-access-to-weapons-of/) [Peter Chernin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-chernin/) > [Free nations don't develop weapons of mass destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/free-nations-don-t-develop-weapons-of-mass-destruction/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I have absolutely no doubt at all that we will find evidence of weapons of mass destruction programmes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-have-absolutely-no-doubt-at-all-that-we-will-find-evidence-of/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) ## More by Donald Rumsfeld > [Five days or five months, but it certainly isn't going to last longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/five-days-or-five-months-but-it-certainly-isn-t-going-to-last-longer/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [I don't believe anyone that I know in the administration ever said that Iraq had nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/i-don-t-believe-anyone-that-i-know-in-the-administration-ever-said/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [I don't think we'll discover anything, myself. I think what will happen is we'll discover people who will tell us where to go find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/i-don-t-think-we-ll-discover-anything-myself-i-think-what-will-happen/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Members of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate are not there by accident. Each managed to get there for some reason. Learn what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/members-of-the-u-s-house-and-the-u-s-senate-are-not-there-by-accident/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [The Federal Government should be the last resort, not the first. Ask if a potential program is truly a federal responsibility or whether it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/the-federal-government-should-be-the-last-resort-not-the-first-ask-if/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [The price of being close to the President is delivering bad news. You fail him if you don't tell him the truth. Others won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/the-price-of-being-close-to-the-president-is-delivering-bad-news-you/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Don't speak ill of your predecessors or successors. You didn't walk in their shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/don-t-speak-ill-of-your-predecessors-or-successors-you-didn-t-walk-in/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [If you can't solve a problem, make it bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/if-you-can-t-solve-a-problem-make-it-bigger/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Enjoy your time in public service. It may well be one of the most interesting and challenging times of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/enjoy-your-time-in-public-service-it-may-well-be-one-of-the-most/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [There will be good moments, and there will be less good moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/there-will-be-good-moments-and-there-will-be-less-good-moments/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [From where you sit, the White House may look as untidy as the inside of a stomach. As is said of the legislative process,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/from-where-you-sit-the-white-house-may-look-as-untidy-as-the-inside/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [You will launch many projects, but have time to finish only a few. So think, plan, develop, launch and tap good people to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/you-will-launch-many-projects-but-have-time-to-finish-only-a-few-so/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [What is the value of having millions of people in Iraq not having a repressive regime? 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/) > [Don't be a bottleneck. If a matter is not a decision for the President or you, delegate it. Force responsibility down and out. Find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/don-t-be-a-bottleneck-if-a-matter-is-not-a-decision-for-the-president/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [When you're skiing, if you're not falling you're not trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/when-you-re-skiing-if-you-re-not-falling-you-re-not-trying/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) [Explore all 234 Donald Rumsfeld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) ## More Debate quotes > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [One of the undervalued contributors to Trump's stunning 2016 victory was the masterful performance Pence had in his debate against Hillary Clinton running mate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mollie-hemingway/one-of-the-undervalued-contributors-to-trump-s-stunning-2016-victory/) [Mollie Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mollie-hemingway/) > [I am encouraged President Obama now says he will fulfill his constitutional obligation to seek authorization for any potential military action in Syria. 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When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [There can be a debate on the Citizenship Amendment Act, but why should we shelter someone who has come to India illegally from outside?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raj-thackeray/there-can-be-a-debate-on-the-citizenship-amendment-act-but-why-should/) [Raj Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raj-thackeray/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) Joe Pitts > [Grace is ours. Let's live it! Deny it or debate it and we kill it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/grace-is-ours-let-s-live-it-deny-it-or-debate-it-and-we-kill-it/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [As far as I know, the question of whether and how it could be strategically or morally justified was never the subject of open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-far-as-i-know-the-question-of-whether-and-how-it-could-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The "family" has clearly emerged anew in the late 1970s as a central subject for discussion, debate, research and writing in bothscholarly and popular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/the-family-has-clearly-emerged-anew-in-the-late-1970s-as-a-central/) Sheila Kamerman > [The premise of any discussion I have is not to debate my humanity. I refuse to engage on that level. 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