--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The enemy [in Iraq] pulls back. We think…" description: "\"The enemy [in Iraq] pulls back. We think we're doing well. Well, they pull back. They're not stupid. And then after we leave, you see what happened.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24a/donald-trump-18_enemy_the-enemy-in-iraq-pulls-back-we-think-we_1182308.jpg" --- # The enemy \[in Iraq\] pulls back. We think we're doing well… ![“The enemy [in Iraq] pulls back. We think we're doing well. Well, they pull back. They're not stupid. And then after we leave, you see what happened.” quote by Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24a/donald-trump-18_enemy_the-enemy-in-iraq-pulls-back-we-think-we_1182308.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24a/donald-trump-18_enemy_the-enemy-in-iraq-pulls-back-we-think-we_1182308.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24a/donald-trump-18_enemy_the-enemy-in-iraq-pulls-back-we-think-we_1182308.jpg) > “The enemy \[in Iraq\] pulls back. We think we're doing well. Well, they pull back. They're not stupid. And then after we leave, you see what happened.” [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The enemy’s tactical retreat is seen as intelligence, but the speaker suggests they are not foolish and that consequences follow after withdrawal. **In simple terms:** Retreats can be strategic, not stupid. Key Takeaway Don’t underestimate a retreating opponent. Themes strategy perception consequences Mood skeptical serious Type political analytical When to use this quote - conflict negotiations - post‑war planning - intelligence assessments Key Concepts military tactics political analysis Questions to Reflect On - What signals indicate a genuine retreat? - How should you respond to a strategic pull‑back? A Different Perspective Retreats may hide deeper plans. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Why did you leave me? When did you leave me? Where was I when this happened?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-did-you-leave-me-when-did-you-leave-me-where-was-i-when-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Chinese are not stupid people. 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It wasn't Iraq that knocked down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-was-against-the-war-with-iraq-first-of-all-they-didn-t-knock-down/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Without mentioning names, it was other people. Some day, they ought to open the report and find out. 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Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [As far as Japan is concerned, I want to help all of our allies, but we are losing billions and billions of dollars. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/as-far-as-japan-is-concerned-i-want-to-help-all-of-our-allies-but-we/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Change your attitude and gain some altitude. 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"Obama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-know-we-can-t-beat-isis-we-can-t-do-anything-we-can-t-take-care/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I have my own opinions; you can have your own opinions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-have-my-own-opinions-you-can-have-your-own-opinions/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [ David Cameron was wrong on this \[Brexit\]. He didn't get the mood of his country right. He was very surprised to see what happened. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/david-cameron-was-wrong-on-this-brexit-he-didn-t-get-the-mood-of-his/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The interesting thing is that everyone in golf is just nice. 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Hillary Clinton gave them 20% of our uranium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-didn-t-do-anything-for-russia-i-ve-done-nothing-for-russia-hillary/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I want regulation. I want to protect our environment. I want regulations for safety. I want all of the regulations that we need, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-want-regulation-i-want-to-protect-our-environment-i-want/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) [Explore all 3,556 Donald Trump quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) ## More Enemy quotes > [Shall there be truth between us, as two men? Not as friends, but as enemies and equals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/shall-there-be-truth-between-us-as-two-men-not-as-friends-but-as/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Fear is a man's worst enemy, but love is a man's most powerful weapon against anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fear-is-a-man-s-worst-enemy-but-love-is-a-man-s-most-powerful-weapon/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... 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The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-invention-of-gunpowder-and-the-constant-improvement-of-firearms/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Perfection is the enemy of greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/perfection-is-the-enemy-of-greatness/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [In this business, you find the enemy, then go after and destroy him. 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