--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being an Arab leader has its rewards: the…" description: "\"Being an Arab leader has its rewards: the suite at the Waldorf-Astoria during the United Nations General Assembly, travel in your own plane, plenty of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/elliott-abrams-1577_arab_being-an-arab-leader-has-its-rewards-the_1206769.jpg" --- # Being an Arab leader has its rewards: the suite at the… ![“Being an Arab leader has its rewards: the suite at the Waldorf-Astoria during the United Nations General Assembly, travel in your own plane, plenty of cash, even job security - whether kings, sheiks or presidents, with or without elections, most serve for life.” quote by Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/elliott-abrams-1577_arab_being-an-arab-leader-has-its-rewards-the_1206769.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/elliott-abrams-1577_arab_being-an-arab-leader-has-its-rewards-the_1206769.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/elliott-abrams-1577_arab_being-an-arab-leader-has-its-rewards-the_1206769.jpg) > “Being an Arab leader has its rewards: the suite at the Waldorf-Astoria during the United Nations General Assembly, travel in your own plane, plenty of cash, even job security - whether kings, sheiks or presidents, with or without elections, most serve for life.” [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power and privilege often accompany high political office, granting material comforts and job security regardless of democratic legitimacy. **In simple terms:** High office brings wealth and security. Key Takeaway Recognize the ethical costs of power. Themes politics privilege leadership corruption democracy Mood cynical critical Type political observational When to use this quote - diplomatic negotiations - policy making - international summits - government appointments Key Concepts authorism elite dynamics political economy Questions to Reflect On - How does personal benefit affect decision making? - What safeguards can limit lifetime tenure? A Different Perspective Power can erode accountability and public trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arab/) [Arab Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arab-leader-394750/) [Assembly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assembly/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cash/) [Elections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elections/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [General](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general/) [General assembly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general-assembly/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Job security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job-security/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leader Rewards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader-rewards-3641639/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Nations General](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations-general-3641640/) [Own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/own/) [Plane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plane/) [Plenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plenty/) [Presidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidents/) [Rewards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewards/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [Serve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serve/) [Suite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suite/) [Travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-nations/) [Whether](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whether/) [Without](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/without/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [Why should the Arabs make peace? If I was an Arab leader I would never make terms with Israel. That is natural: we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ben-gurion/why-should-the-arabs-make-peace-if-i-was-an-arab-leader-i-would-never/) [David Ben-Gurion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ben-gurion/) > [ If I was an Arab leader I would never make \[peace\] with Israel. That is natural: we have taken their country. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ben-gurion/if-i-was-an-arab-leader-i-would-never-make-peace-with-israel-that-is/) [David Ben-Gurion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ben-gurion/) > [What holds an Arab leader in power is a mixture of violence and prestige. Both President Assad and King Hussein were felt to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buchan/what-holds-an-arab-leader-in-power-is-a-mixture-of-violence-and/) [James Buchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-buchan/) > [If we look at Abdel Nasser in Egypt as an Arab leader, he was secular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maajid-nawaz/if-we-look-at-abdel-nasser-in-egypt-as-an-arab-leader-he-was-secular/) [Maajid Nawaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maajid-nawaz/) > [Any reporter who's ever covered the Middle East can tell you about the Arab leader photo op. It is one of the most curious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/any-reporter-who-s-ever-covered-the-middle-east-can-tell-you-about/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [Every time an Arab leader truly wanted peace, they got it. If the Palestinians truly want peace, we will make peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/every-time-an-arab-leader-truly-wanted-peace-they-got-it-if-the/) [Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/) > [I got invited to what's called the Gifting Suite in Toronto. I had the day off, so I thought I'd go and see what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-manville/i-got-invited-to-what-s-called-the-gifting-suite-in-toronto-i-had-the/) [Lesley Manville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-manville/) > [I love those kids on 'The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.' I remember when they were little they looked like they were having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/i-love-those-kids-on-the-suite-life-of-zack-and-cody-i-remember-when/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) > [Google Apps for Education is a suite of applications intended to be helpful to higher level educational institutions, but in the long run, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vint-cerf/google-apps-for-education-is-a-suite-of-applications-intended-to-be/) [Vint Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vint-cerf/) > [“pdf995 suite of products - Pdf995, PdfEdit995”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/pdf995-suite-of-products-pdf995-pdfedit995/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [After Fergie and Prince Andrew honeymooned at Le Touessrok in Mauritius, Bobby, my late husband, and I were first to stay in their suite.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cilla-black/after-fergie-and-prince-andrew-honeymooned-at-le-touessrok-in/) [Cilla Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cilla-black/) > [I play Zack Martin on 'The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-sprouse/i-play-zack-martin-on-the-suite-life-of-zack-and-cody/) [Dylan Sprouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-sprouse/) > [I hate sitting around and waiting; that's why I always have an editing suite on set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/til-schweiger/i-hate-sitting-around-and-waiting-that-s-why-i-always-have-an-editing/) [Til Schweiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/til-schweiger/) > [People don't just show up in the C-suite overnight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-hood/people-don-t-just-show-up-in-the-c-suite-overnight/) [Amy Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-hood/) > [Running the test suite like this allows us to catch problems when they are just introduced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-icaza/running-the-test-suite-like-this-allows-us-to-catch-problems-when/) [Miguel de Icaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-icaza/) ## More by Elliott Abrams > [President Obama has never summarized the Obama Doctrine with such clarity, but here is what it would look like: 'I will undertake any military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/president-obama-has-never-summarized-the-obama-doctrine-with-such/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [The story of the Jews in the Bible is replete with incidents of their ingratitude to God for His gifts to them: incidents that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/the-story-of-the-jews-in-the-bible-is-replete-with-incidents-of-their/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [History may someday record that the Arab awakening that began with the Arab revolt of 1916 against the Ottomans ended about a century later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/history-may-someday-record-that-the-arab-awakening-that-began-with/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [From its earliest days in the nineteenth century, and until the Holocaust, the Orthodox rabbinate in eastern Europe was not enthusiastic about the Zionist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/from-its-earliest-days-in-the-nineteenth-century-and-until-the/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [The Pope is not a political figure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/the-pope-is-not-a-political-figure/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Israel and the Palestinians had been at the table together for decades until the Obama/Mitchell/Rahm Emanuel decision to demand a total end to Israeli…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/israel-and-the-palestinians-had-been-at-the-table-together-for/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Pundits are used to analyzing the gap between what our ideals suggest and what our security interests require.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/pundits-are-used-to-analyzing-the-gap-between-what-our-ideals-suggest/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [The Egyptian military and the government of Israel have long had a common interest in maintaining order and fighting terrorism in Sinai.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/the-egyptian-military-and-the-government-of-israel-have-long-had-a/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [In 2007, early in the improbable presidential candidacy of Barack Obama, the young first-term senator began a series of foreign-policy speeches that seemed too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/in-2007-early-in-the-improbable-presidential-candidacy-of-barack/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Terrorists that kill Americans don't get released.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/terrorists-that-kill-americans-don-t-get-released/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Refusing to lift sanctions and adopting tougher rhetoric toward Iran would not be partisan issues. Plenty of Democrats think that those actions are both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/refusing-to-lift-sanctions-and-adopting-tougher-rhetoric-toward-iran/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [At the height of the Cold War, when Ronald Reagan was president, the Soviets and their allies and satellites did not shirk human rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/at-the-height-of-the-cold-war-when-ronald-reagan-was-president-the/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [I personally would not talk to a Jew for Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/i-personally-would-not-talk-to-a-jew-for-jesus/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [When freedom of the press is threatened, the United States should be leading efforts to protect it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/when-freedom-of-the-press-is-threatened-the-united-states-should-be/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Israel bombed the Syrian nuclear reactor in 2007. What the Syrians did in response, nothing. Israel has killed a number of terrorist leaders in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/israel-bombed-the-syrian-nuclear-reactor-in-2007-what-the-syrians-did/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) [Explore all 226 Elliott Abrams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) ## More Arab quotes > [We do not know which irresponsible Israeli prime minister will take office and decide to use nuclear weapons in the struggle against neighboring Arab…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordechai-vanunu/we-do-not-know-which-irresponsible-israeli-prime-minister-will-take/) [Mordechai Vanunu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordechai-vanunu/) > [Preemptive war is what Israel did in '67 with Arab armies on its borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/preemptive-war-is-what-israel-did-in-67-with-arab-armies-on-its/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [The majority of Arab people would side with Russia and China, not with the West. And they'd throw their 'elites' groomed in and by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-vltchek/the-majority-of-arab-people-would-side-with-russia-and-china-not-with/) [Andre Vltchek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-vltchek/) > [“For the Arab, the past does not merely live. The past defines the present.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davis-bunn/for-the-arab-the-past-does-not-merely-live-the-past-defines-the/) [Davis Bunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davis-bunn/) > [Al Jazeera is a representation of, you know, diversity in the Arab world. In our newsroom, we have every single nationality, we have every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wadah-khanfar/al-jazeera-is-a-representation-of-you-know-diversity-in-the-arab/) [Wadah Khanfar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wadah-khanfar/) > [The twin causes Bin Laden invokes are Islam and Arab self-determination, and armies rise to serve him. No need to convert or dogmatize. Believers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/the-twin-causes-bin-laden-invokes-are-islam-and-arab-self/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [Arab youth are taught to wonder, 'Since the Holocaust was a European affair, why are the Palestinians being forced to pay for the creation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-bronfman-sr/arab-youth-are-taught-to-wonder-since-the-holocaust-was-a-european/) [Edgar Bronfman, Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-bronfman-sr/) > [The majority of Arab people see the United States and Israel (definitely not Iran or Syria) as the greatest danger to the world. Could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-vltchek/the-majority-of-arab-people-see-the-united-states-and-israel/) [Andre Vltchek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-vltchek/) > [I'm called a terrorist in the Arab media still today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yitzhak-shamir/i-m-called-a-terrorist-in-the-arab-media-still-today/) [Yitzhak Shamir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yitzhak-shamir/) > [I have been to Burj-Al-Arab. And I visit Dubai quite often, I really like the place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-dhupia/i-have-been-to-burj-al-arab-and-i-visit-dubai-quite-often-i-really/) [Neha Dhupia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-dhupia/) > [History may someday record that the Arab awakening that began with the Arab revolt of 1916 against the Ottomans ended about a century later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/history-may-someday-record-that-the-arab-awakening-that-began-with/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [None of us is certain about the outcome of the Arab Spring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ayotte/none-of-us-is-certain-about-the-outcome-of-the-arab-spring/) [Kelly Ayotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ayotte/) > [As you know with the Arab Spring, there were no dividends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/najib-razak/as-you-know-with-the-arab-spring-there-were-no-dividends/) [Najib Razak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/najib-razak/) > [ \[Arab peoples\] are stuck back thousands of years and they think they're going to get out with a TV set. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/arab-peoples-are-stuck-back-thousands-of-years-and-they-think-they-re/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [I was one of the first people in the Palestinian world, in the late 1970s, to say that there is no military option, either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-said/i-was-one-of-the-first-people-in-the-palestinian-world-in-the-late/) [Edward Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-said/) [Browse all 310 Arab quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arab/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being an Arab leader has its rewards: the suite at the Waldorf-Astoria during the United Nations General Assembly, travel in your own plane, plenty of cash, even job security - whether kings, sheiks or presidents, with or without elections, most serve for life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elliott Abrams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/being-an-arab-leader-has-its-rewards-the-suite-at-the-waldorf-astoria/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arab" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/being-an-arab-leader-has-its-rewards-the-suite-at-the-waldorf-astoria/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/elliott-abrams-1577_arab_being-an-arab-leader-has-its-rewards-the_1206769.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/elliott-abrams-1577_arab_being-an-arab-leader-has-its-rewards-the_1206769.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/elliott-abrams-1577_arab_being-an-arab-leader-has-its-rewards-the_1206769.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Being an Arab leader has its rewards: the suite at the Waldorf-Astoria during the United Nations General…” — Elliott Abrams", "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": "Elliott Abrams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Being an Arab leader has its...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/being-an-arab-leader-has-its-rewards-the-suite-at-the-waldorf-astoria/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/being-an-arab-leader-has-its-rewards-the-suite-at-the-waldorf-astoria/#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 } } ] } ```