---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We seem to be our own worst enemies. We…"
description: "\"We seem to be our own worst enemies. We should require critical U.S. infrastructure to remain in U.S. hands.\" — Duncan Hunter"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/duncan-hunter-29443_critical_we-seem-to-be-our-own-worst-enemies-we-s_3162378.png"
---

#  We seem to be our own worst enemies. We should require…

![“We seem to be our own worst enemies. We should require critical U.S. infrastructure to remain in U.S. hands.” quote by Duncan Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/duncan-hunter-29443_critical_we-seem-to-be-our-own-worst-enemies-we-s_3162378.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/duncan-hunter-29443_critical_we-seem-to-be-our-own-worst-enemies-we-s_3162378.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/duncan-hunter-29443_critical_we-seem-to-be-our-own-worst-enemies-we-s_3162378.png)

> “We seem to be our own worst enemies. We should require critical U.S. infrastructure to remain in U.S. hands.”

[Duncan Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hunter/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Domestic control of critical infrastructure is essential to prevent self‑sabotage.

**In simple terms:** We are our own worst enemies; keep infrastructure domestic.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize national ownership of key infrastructure.

Themes

security sovereignty self‑sabotage policy

Mood

cautionary policy‑oriented

Type

political strategic

When to use this quote

- energy grid
- telecommunications
- water supply
- transportation

Key Concepts

Strategic autonomy risk management

Questions to Reflect On

- What risks arise from foreign‑owned infrastructure?
- How can we balance security with global collaboration?

A Different Perspective

Global interdependence can limit full domestic control.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Critical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critical/) [Critical Infrastructure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critical-infrastructure-648338/) [Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies/) [Enemies Require](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies-require-5721764/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Infrastructure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infrastructure/) [Infrastructure Remain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infrastructure-remain-5721765/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst/) [Worst Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-enemies-391208/)

## Related quotes

> [What has a great value to us as a nation is the internet itself. The internet is critical infrastructure to the United States. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/what-has-a-great-value-to-us-as-a-nation-is-the-internet-itself-the/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [The internet is shared critical infrastructure for everyone on earth. It's not supposed to be a domain of warfare. We're not supposed to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-internet-is-shared-critical-infrastructure-for-everyone-on-earth/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [In our country, the vast majority of our critical infrastructure and intellectual property is of course in the hands of the private sector.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/in-our-country-the-vast-majority-of-our-critical-infrastructure-and/)

[Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/)

> [I secured funding for critical infrastructure like the Soo Locks whose failure would devastate the American economy within weeks and kneecap national defense for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/i-secured-funding-for-critical-infrastructure-like-the-soo-locks/)

[John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/)

> [If the United States is promoting the development of exploits, of vulnerabilities, of insecurity in this critical infrastructure, and we're not fixing it when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-the-united-states-is-promoting-the-development-of-exploits-of/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [The United States is more reliant on the technical systems. We're more reliant on the critical infrastructure of the internet than any other nation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-united-states-is-more-reliant-on-the-technical-systems-we-re-more/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [The security of computers and the Internet is a horrible and dangerous mess. Every week we hear about breaches of databases of Social Security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-blaze/the-security-of-computers-and-the-internet-is-a-horrible-and/)

[Matt Blaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-blaze/)

> [We need strong public health institutions to respond to any challenge. We need to deal with critical infrastructure. The reality is that very little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-menendez/we-need-strong-public-health-institutions-to-respond-to-any-challenge/)

[Bob Menendez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-menendez/)

> [When people conceptualize a cyber-attack, they do tend to think about parts of the critical infrastructure like power plants, water supplies, and similar sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/when-people-conceptualize-a-cyber-attack-they-do-tend-to-think-about/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [A lot is being done to bring additional protective measures, particularly the critical infrastructure locations around the United States, ... There is a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/a-lot-is-being-done-to-bring-additional-protective-measures/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [Are the worst enemies of society those who attack it or those who do not even give themselves the trouble of defending it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-le-bon/are-the-worst-enemies-of-society-those-who-attack-it-or-those-who-do/)

[Gustave Le Bon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-le-bon/)

> [Persons with a talent who never practice excellence are the worst enemies of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelly-mazloum/persons-with-a-talent-who-never-practice-excellence-are-the-worst/)

[Nelly Mazloum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelly-mazloum/)

> [We're our own worst enemies a lot of the time, but I still blame men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janeane-garofalo/we-re-our-own-worst-enemies-a-lot-of-the-time-but-i-still-blame-men/)

[Janeane Garofalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janeane-garofalo/)

> [Sometimes worst enemies like a Mohammed Ali and Joe Frazier that's what makes you fight so hard. Without them they never would have achieved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/sometimes-worst-enemies-like-a-mohammed-ali-and-joe-frazier-that-s/)

[Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/)

> [Be assured those will be thy worst enemies, not to whom thou hast done evil, but who have done evil to thee. And those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/be-assured-those-will-be-thy-worst-enemies-not-to-whom-thou-hast-done/)

[Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/)

## More by Duncan Hunter

> [Thousands of people die every year of cold, so if we had global warming it would save lives ... We ought to look out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/thousands-of-people-die-every-year-of-cold-so-if-we-had-global/)

[Duncan Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hunter/)

> [Media scrutiny is a great trademark of the American political arena.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/media-scrutiny-is-a-great-trademark-of-the-american-political-arena/)

[Duncan Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hunter/)

> [A number of people who have supported me on the border fence in the U.S. have observed the fences in Israel and their effectiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/a-number-of-people-who-have-supported-me-on-the-border-fence-in-the-u/)

[Duncan Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hunter/)

> [In 2006, the Secure Fence Act was signed into law, requiring the Department of Homeland Security to build upward of 700 miles of double…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/in-2006-the-secure-fence-act-was-signed-into-law-requiring-the/)

[Duncan Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hunter/)

> [One way to bring down crime in the state of California and every state in the union is to have an enforceable border. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/one-way-to-bring-down-crime-in-the-state-of-california-and-every/)

[Duncan Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hunter/)

> [You've got soldiers in the 3rd Infantry Division who are going every day on operations and they don't all have what is considered to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/you-ve-got-soldiers-in-the-3rd-infantry-division-who-are-going-every/)

[Duncan Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hunter/)

> [This century is going to be a very dangerous century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/this-century-is-going-to-be-a-very-dangerous-century/)

[Duncan Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hunter/)

> [They (#ISIS) are going to be bombing American cities coming across from Mexico.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/they-isis-are-going-to-be-bombing-american-cities-coming-across-from/)

[Duncan Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hunter/)

> [I think the American people have been surprised by the enthusiasm with which the Iraqis have taken to elections and politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/i-think-the-american-people-have-been-surprised-by-the-enthusiasm/)

[Duncan Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hunter/)

> [Nothing matures a military force quicker than actual military operations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/nothing-matures-a-military-force-quicker-than-actual-military/)

[Duncan Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hunter/)

> [Blue collar workers cannot hire each other. White collar workers cannot hire each other. You have to have a businessman or a businesswomen, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/blue-collar-workers-cannot-hire-each-other-white-collar-workers/)

[Duncan Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hunter/)

> [I think in the U.S., the border fence is no longer an immigration issue primarily; it's a security issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/i-think-in-the-u-s-the-border-fence-is-no-longer-an-immigration-issue/)

[Duncan Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hunter/)

> [Of all the nations in the world, the people of the United States like freedom maybe a little better than anybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/of-all-the-nations-in-the-world-the-people-of-the-united-states-like/)

[Duncan Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hunter/)

> [Fences would be a hindrance to terrorists should they decide to come across a land border between the U.S. and Mexico and to California.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/fences-would-be-a-hindrance-to-terrorists-should-they-decide-to-come/)

[Duncan Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hunter/)

> [Fences work and the walls work and separations work. They afford to any nation the delay of entry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/fences-work-and-the-walls-work-and-separations-work-they-afford-to/)

[Duncan Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hunter/)

[Explore all 18 Duncan Hunter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hunter/)

## More Critical quotes

> [People will pay a price for putting political obstruction over progress in a time that is so critical and urgent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kaine/people-will-pay-a-price-for-putting-political-obstruction-over/)

[Tim Kaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kaine/)

> [Our critical day is not the very day of our death; but the whole course of our life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/our-critical-day-is-not-the-very-day-of-our-death-but-the-whole/)

[John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/)

> [It's pointless to be critical of your stuff once it's done. I don't spend a lot of time agonising over it. It's of no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/it-s-pointless-to-be-critical-of-your-stuff-once-it-s-done-i-don-t/)

[Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/)

> [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Without a vision there is no possibility of creating something larger than what al-ready exists. An entrepreneur has to be able to bring something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/without-a-vision-there-is-no-possibility-of-creating-something-larger/)

[Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/)

> [We must always refill and ensure there is a critical mass of leaders and activists committed to nonviolence and racial and economic justice who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/we-must-always-refill-and-ensure-there-is-a-critical-mass-of-leaders/)

[Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/)

> [But whether you stay or go, the critical decision you can make is to stop letting your partner distort the lens of your life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/but-whether-you-stay-or-go-the-critical-decision-you-can-make-is-to/)

[Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/)

> [As a businessperson, I dont have the power to change the government. That is in the hands of the political leaders. However, as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadashi-yanai/as-a-businessperson-i-dont-have-the-power-to-change-the-government/)

[Tadashi Yanai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadashi-yanai/)

> [It has never been more critical that a leader step forward to accelerate our understanding of cancer - and champion the effort to finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-j-dzau/it-has-never-been-more-critical-that-a-leader-step-forward-to/)

[Victor J. Dzau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-j-dzau/)

> [Pleasure is by no means an infallible critical guide, but it is the least fallible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/pleasure-is-by-no-means-an-infallible-critical-guide-but-it-is-the/)

[W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/)

> [There is no royal path to good writing; and such paths as exist do not lead through neat critical gardens, various as they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/there-is-no-royal-path-to-good-writing-and-such-paths-as-exist-do-not/)

[Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/)

> [You know, children philosophize more than adults - and they are critical of adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/you-know-children-philosophize-more-than-adults-and-they-are-critical/)

[Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/)

> [The critical question about regret is whether experience led to growth and new learning. Some people seem to keep on making the same mistakes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-catherine-bateson/the-critical-question-about-regret-is-whether-experience-led-to/)

[Mary Catherine Bateson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-catherine-bateson/)

> [Obama did organize a great large number of people and many enthusiastic people, what's called in the press 'Obama's Army.' But the army is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/obama-did-organize-a-great-large-number-of-people-and-many/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [Too often we forget that social and political movements don't happen overnight. They don't bring change immediately - you have to build a critical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/too-often-we-forget-that-social-and-political-movements-don-t-happen/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

[Browse all 2,389 Critical quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critical/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "We seem to be our own worst enemies. We should require critical U.S. infrastructure to remain in U.S. hands.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Duncan Hunter"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/we-seem-to-be-our-own-worst-enemies-we-should-require-critical-u-s/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Critical"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/we-seem-to-be-our-own-worst-enemies-we-should-require-critical-u-s/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/duncan-hunter-29443_critical_we-seem-to-be-our-own-worst-enemies-we-s_3162378.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/duncan-hunter-29443_critical_we-seem-to-be-our-own-worst-enemies-we-s_3162378.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/duncan-hunter-29443_critical_we-seem-to-be-our-own-worst-enemies-we-s_3162378.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We seem to be our own worst enemies. We should require critical U.S. infrastructure to remain in U.S. hands.” — Duncan Hunter",
                "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": "Duncan Hunter",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hunter/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "We seem to be our own...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/we-seem-to-be-our-own-worst-enemies-we-should-require-critical-u-s/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/we-seem-to-be-our-own-worst-enemies-we-should-require-critical-u-s/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
