--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The United States has faced threats from…" description: "\"The United States has faced threats from criminal groups, from terrorists, from spies throughout our history, and we have limited our responses. We hav..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/edward-snowden-555_around-the-world_the-united-states-has-faced-threats-from_2260365.jpg" --- # The United States has faced threats from criminal groups… ![“The United States has faced threats from criminal groups, from terrorists, from spies throughout our history, and we have limited our responses. We haven't resorted to total war every time we have a conflict around the world, because that restraint is what defines us. That restraint is what gives…” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/edward-snowden-555_around-the-world_the-united-states-has-faced-threats-from_2260365.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/edward-snowden-555_around-the-world_the-united-states-has-faced-threats-from_2260365.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/edward-snowden-555_around-the-world_the-united-states-has-faced-threats-from_2260365.jpg) > “The United States has faced threats from criminal groups, from terrorists, from spies throughout our history, and we have limited our responses. We haven't resorted to total war every time we have a conflict around the world, because that restraint is what defines us. That restraint is what gives us the moral standing to lead the world.” [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The U.S. maintains restraint in conflicts, avoiding total war, which preserves its moral authority and ability to lead globally. **In simple terms:** Restraint in war keeps moral credibility. Key Takeaway Practice measured responses to preserve integrity. Themes ethics leadership foreign policy Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy debates - military planning - international diplomacy - public discourse Key Concepts realism moral authority Questions to Reflect On - Is restraint always the best moral stance? - When does moral authority outweigh strategic necessity? A Different Perspective Restraint may limit effectiveness against aggressive foes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Around the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Criminals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminals/) [Defines Restraint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defines-restraint-5198510/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/groups/) [Havens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/havens/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Moral Standing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-standing-1421146/) [Response](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/response/) [Restraint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restraint/) [Restraint Gives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restraint-gives-5198509/) [Spy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spy/) [Standing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standing/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Terrorist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorist/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) [Total war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/total-war/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Restraint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-restraint-5198508/) ## Related quotes > [And Americans realized that native people are still here, that they have a moral standing, a legal standing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-banks/and-americans-realized-that-native-people-are-still-here-that-they/) [Dennis Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-banks/) > [True knowledge gives a moral standing and moral strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/true-knowledge-gives-a-moral-standing-and-moral-strength/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [People confuse integrity with the idea of a high moral standing. I think integrity is saying you're going to do something and doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-ruhle/people-confuse-integrity-with-the-idea-of-a-high-moral-standing-i/) [Stephanie Ruhle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-ruhle/) > [My moral standing is lying down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/my-moral-standing-is-lying-down/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) > [A parent of moral standing will never use their child to hurt others because they understand that at some point it will make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/a-parent-of-moral-standing-will-never-use-their-child-to-hurt-others/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [It's critical how we want to use these spy programs, these electronic capabilities, where we want to draw the line, and who should approve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-s-critical-how-we-want-to-use-these-spy-programs-these-electronic/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [People in both parties from the congressional intelligence committees - all these co-opted officials who play cheerleader for spy agencies - go on these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/people-in-both-parties-from-the-congressional-intelligence-committees/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [A political decision has been made not to irritate the intelligence community. The spy agencies are really embarrassed, they're really sore - the revelations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/a-political-decision-has-been-made-not-to-irritate-the-intelligence/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I've been a spy for almost all of my adult life - I don't like being in the spotlight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-ve-been-a-spy-for-almost-all-of-my-adult-life-i-don-t-like-being-in/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [The question that we, as a society, have to ask is, are our collective rights worth a small relative advantage in our ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-question-that-we-as-a-society-have-to-ask-is-are-our-collective/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Someone responding to the story said 'real spies do not speak like that'. Well, I am a spy and that is how they talk.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/someone-responding-to-the-story-said-real-spies-do-not-speak-like/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [It's clear the CIA was trying to play 'keep away' with documents relevant to an investigation by their overseers in Congress, and that's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-s-clear-the-cia-was-trying-to-play-keep-away-with-documents/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Ask yourself: if I were a Chinese spy, why wouldn't I have flown directly into Beijing? I could be living in a palace petting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/ask-yourself-if-i-were-a-chinese-spy-why-wouldn-t-i-have-flown/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I'm not a spy for Russia or China or any other country for that matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-m-not-a-spy-for-russia-or-china-or-any-other-country-for-that-matter/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Win with ability, not with numbers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-suvorov/win-with-ability-not-with-numbers/) [Alexander Suvorov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-suvorov/) ## More by Edward Snowden > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Much of what I saw in Geneva really disillusioned me about how my government functions and what its impact is in the world. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/much-of-what-i-saw-in-geneva-really-disillusioned-me-about-how-my/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [The NSA and Israel wrote Stuxnet together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-nsa-and-israel-wrote-stuxnet-together/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [As a general rule, so long as you have any choice at all, you should never route through or peer with the UK under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/as-a-general-rule-so-long-as-you-have-any-choice-at-all-you-should/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ \[Brazil\] went to the UN and said, "We need new standards for this." We need to take a look at what they're calling "data… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/brazil-went-to-the-un-and-said-we-need-new-standards-for-this-we-need/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [You are also asked to take an oath, and that's the oath of service. The oath of service is not to secrecy, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/you-are-also-asked-to-take-an-oath-and-that-s-the-oath-of-service-the/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We need to think about encryption not as this sort of arcane, black art. It's a basic protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-need-to-think-about-encryption-not-as-this-sort-of-arcane-black/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [A lot of people in 2008 voted for Obama. I did not vote for him. I voted for a third party. But I believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/a-lot-of-people-in-2008-voted-for-obama-i-did-not-vote-for-him-i/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [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/) > [ There was a real choice when \[Barack Obama\] became president. It was a very difficult choice - to say, "We're not going to hold… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/there-was-a-real-choice-when-barack-obama-became-president-it-was-a/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We've learned that we've allowed technological capabilities to dictate policies and practices, rather than ensuring that our laws and values guide our technological capabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-ve-learned-that-we-ve-allowed-technological-capabilities-to/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [It's much easier, I think, to protect communications while they're in transit at least, than it is to enforce legislation in every country in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-s-much-easier-i-think-to-protect-communications-while-they-re-in/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [If an adversary didn't target our power plants but they did target the core routers, the backbones that tie our internet connections together, entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-an-adversary-didn-t-target-our-power-plants-but-they-did-target/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I care more about the country than what happens to me. But we can't allow the law to become a political weapon or agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-care-more-about-the-country-than-what-happens-to-me-but-we-can-t/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) [Explore all 478 Edward Snowden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## More Around the world quotes > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. In other countries, people are still buying CDs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/look-at-music-for-what-it-s-worth-around-the-world-and-not-just/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/throughout-our-history-the-words-of-the-declaration-have-inspired/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [It's difficult to believe in yourself because the idea of self is an artificial construction. You are, in fact, part of the glorious oneness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-brand/it-s-difficult-to-believe-in-yourself-because-the-idea-of-self-is-an/) [Russell Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-brand/) > [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... America was a source for division around the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-know-the-candidate-barack-obama-what-he-was-like-the-anti-war/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [Since 'coming out,' I've marched in gay pride parades all around the world, I've filled my home full of rainbow tat and I've become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/since-coming-out-i-ve-marched-in-gay-pride-parades-all-around-the/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [Once, as an experiment, I travelled around the world with a single suit. Before I left, I went to a tailor in Savile Row…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hamilton/once-as-an-experiment-i-travelled-around-the-world-with-a-single-suit/) [George Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hamilton/) > [Thanks to all members of the military around the world for giving me the ultimate motivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-neidhart/thanks-to-all-members-of-the-military-around-the-world-for-giving-me/) [Natalya Neidhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-neidhart/) > [I look at what's happening around the world and I see Iran four years closer to a bomb. I see the Middle East with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-look-at-what-s-happening-around-the-world-and-i-see-iran-four-years/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [“The low point occurred in July, during Romney’s junior week abroad, in which the press became increasingly frustrated over Romney’s refusal to talk to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/the-low-point-occurred-in-july-during-romney-s-junior-week-abroad-in/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [I believe there definitely are good things about social networking. It's a way for people to connect all around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/i-believe-there-definitely-are-good-things-about-social-networking-it/) [Lizzie Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [“Isn’t everyone on the planet or at least everyone on the planet called me stuck between the two impulses of wanting to walk away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-lacey/isn-t-everyone-on-the-planet-or-at-least-everyone-on-the-planet/) [Catherine Lacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-lacey/) > [You always can improve and I think that's the beauty of international cricket, particularly test cricket, is playing all around the world against different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kane-williamson/you-always-can-improve-and-i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-international/) [Kane Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kane-williamson/) > [Trump is reviled around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-reid/trump-is-reviled-around-the-world/) [Joy Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-reid/) [Browse all 3,349 Around the world quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The United States has faced threats from criminal groups, from terrorists, from spies throughout our history, and we have limited our responses. 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