--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think they clearly do not fit within…" description: "\"I think they clearly do not fit within the prescriptions of the Geneva Convention. It's hard for me to see how members of al Qaeda could be considered ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c1/eric-holder-7429_al-qaeda_i-think-they-clearly-do-not-fit-within-t_1305462.jpg" --- # I think they clearly do not fit within the prescriptions… ![“I think they clearly do not fit within the prescriptions of the Geneva Convention. It's hard for me to see how members of al Qaeda could be considered prisoners of war.” quote by Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c1/eric-holder-7429_al-qaeda_i-think-they-clearly-do-not-fit-within-t_1305462.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c1/eric-holder-7429_al-qaeda_i-think-they-clearly-do-not-fit-within-t_1305462.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c1/eric-holder-7429_al-qaeda_i-think-they-clearly-do-not-fit-within-t_1305462.jpg) > “I think they clearly do not fit within the prescriptions of the Geneva Convention. It's hard for me to see how members of al Qaeda could be considered prisoners of war.” [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He questions the classification of al Qaeda members as POWs, noting incompatibility with Geneva Convention standards. **In simple terms:** He doubts al Qaeda can be POWs under Geneva rules. Key Takeaway Reevaluate legal classifications. Themes law war human rights Geneva Convention Mood critical thoughtful Type legal ethical When to use this quote - policy debates - legal analysis - military tribunals - humanitarian law Key Concepts international law combatant status Questions to Reflect On - What criteria define a lawful combatant? - How should international law adapt to non-state actors? A Different Perspective Political implications may be contentious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Al qaeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/al-qaeda/) [Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/als/) [Considered Prisoners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/considered-prisoners-254281/) [Conventions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conventions/) [Fit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fit/) [Geneva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geneva/) [Geneva convention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geneva-convention/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Members](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/members/) [Prescriptions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prescriptions/) [Prisoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoner/) [Prisoner of war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoner-of-war/) [Qaeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/qaeda/) [Qaeda Considered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/qaeda-considered-4301037/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Human rights advocates, for example, claim that the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners is of a piece with President Bush's 2002 decision to deny al…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/human-rights-advocates-for-example-claim-that-the-mistreatment-of-2/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [If we go to Chihuahua we must be considered as prisoners of war?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zebulon-pike/if-we-go-to-chihuahua-we-must-be-considered-as-prisoners-of-war/) [Zebulon Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zebulon-pike/) > [A kid in an abusive home has far fewer rights than any POW. There is no Geneva Convention for kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-vachss/a-kid-in-an-abusive-home-has-far-fewer-rights-than-any-pow-there-is/) [Andrew Vachss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-vachss/) > [If we say the Geneva Convention is obsolete, then what do others who have our soldiers say?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-we-say-the-geneva-convention-is-obsolete-then-what-do-others-who/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Al Qaeda doesn't abide by the Geneva Conventions, so in my opinion, they should not be afforded the protections of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-thor/al-qaeda-doesn-t-abide-by-the-geneva-conventions-so-in-my-opinion/) [Brad Thor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-thor/) > [The United States was founded on the idea that all people are endowed with inalienable rights, and that principle has allowed us to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-united-states-was-founded-on-the-idea-that-all-people-are-endowed/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [If you are going to kill the families of terrorists, realize that there's something called the Geneva Convention we're going to have to pull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/if-you-are-going-to-kill-the-families-of-terrorists-realize-that/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [What is the Geneva Convention on wars! I have never read it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoweri-museveni/what-is-the-geneva-convention-on-wars-i-have-never-read-it/) [Yoweri Museveni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoweri-museveni/) > [Prisoners, according to the law, who are non-U.S. citizens and are detained outside the U.S. - including in Guantanamo Bay - are denied 'habeas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-feldman/prisoners-according-to-the-law-who-are-non-u-s-citizens-and-are/) [Noah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-feldman/) > [Nonetheless, Article 5 makes clear that if an Iraqi civilian who is not a member of the armed forces, has engaged in attacks on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/nonetheless-article-5-makes-clear-that-if-an-iraqi-civilian-who-is/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [But in Afghanistan, the general rule was that since you were fighting the Taliban, which was not a lawful government force, the Geneva Conventions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/but-in-afghanistan-the-general-rule-was-that-since-you-were-fighting/) [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) > [I haven't decided if he deserved to eat bread made out of sticks or live in a rancid puddle, probably because I haven't made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/i-haven-t-decided-if-he-deserved-to-eat-bread-made-out-of-sticks-or/) [Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/) > [There's a War Crimes Act in the United States passed by a Republican Congress in 1996, which says that grave breaches of the Geneva…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-a-war-crimes-act-in-the-united-states-passed-by-a-republican/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [That is because the conflict with al Qaeda is not governed by the Geneva Conventions, which applies only to international conflicts between states that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/that-is-because-the-conflict-with-al-qaeda-is-not-governed-by-the/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [The left, of course, will say Carson doesn't believe in the Geneva Convention, Carson doesn't believe in fighting stupid wars. And - and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/the-left-of-course-will-say-carson-doesn-t-believe-in-the-geneva/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) ## More by Eric Holder > [Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial we have always been and I believe continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/though-this-nation-has-proudly-thought-of-itself-as-an-ethnic-melting/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [The full resources of the Department of Justice have been committed to the investigation into Michael Brown's death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/the-full-resources-of-the-department-of-justice-have-been-committed/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [Ferguson and St. Louis County are not the first places that we have become engaged to ensure fair and equitable policing, and they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/ferguson-and-st-louis-county-are-not-the-first-places-that-we-have/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [Some have argued that the President is required to get permission from a federal court before taking action against a United States citizen who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/some-have-argued-that-the-president-is-required-to-get-permission/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [I look forward to working with the NRA to come up with ways in which we can use common sense approaches to reduce the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/i-look-forward-to-working-with-the-nra-to-come-up-with-ways-in-which/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [This is going to be a very transparent Justice Department. But I'm not gonna sacrifice the safety of the American people or our ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/this-is-going-to-be-a-very-transparent-justice-department-but-i-m-not/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [I have loved the Department of Justice ever since, as a young boy, I watched Robert Kennedy prove during the Civil Rights Movement how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/i-have-loved-the-department-of-justice-ever-since-as-a-young-boy-i/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [You constantly hear about voter fraud... but you don't see huge amounts of vote fraud out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/you-constantly-hear-about-voter-fraud-but-you-don-t-see-huge-amounts/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [I'm a 21st-century guy, secure in who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/i-m-a-21st-century-guy-secure-in-who-i-am/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [I'll leave here with my head held high and with confidence that history will judge my time here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/i-ll-leave-here-with-my-head-held-high-and-with-confidence-that/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [On a personal level, I've seen a lot in my time as attorney general, but few things have affected me as greatly as my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/on-a-personal-level-i-ve-seen-a-lot-in-my-time-as-attorney-general/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [It is the thing that keeps me up at night - the notion that you have individuals in the United States who are looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/it-is-the-thing-that-keeps-me-up-at-night-the-notion-that-you-have/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [Guantanamo is a chief recruiting tool for al-Qaida. It has put a wedge between the United States and at least some of its allies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/guantanamo-is-a-chief-recruiting-tool-for-al-qaida-it-has-put-a-wedge/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [I don't have any intention of resigning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/i-don-t-have-any-intention-of-resigning/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [Michael Brown's tragic death has revealed a deep distrust between some in the Ferguson community and its police force. It also developed a need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/michael-brown-s-tragic-death-has-revealed-a-deep-distrust-between/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) [Explore all 91 Eric Holder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) ## More Al qaeda quotes > [There's overwhelming evidence... circumstantial and otherwise, to suggest a connection between Iraq and al Qaeda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/there-s-overwhelming-evidence-circumstantial-and-otherwise-to-suggest/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Critics have stepped up their attacks on the President for authorizing the National Security Agency to listen to international communications of known al Qaeda…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcclellan/critics-have-stepped-up-their-attacks-on-the-president-for/) [Scott McClellan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcclellan/) > [“I do not go to church. I don’t go to Christian church or Jew church or any other church. I don’t go to church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/i-do-not-go-to-church-i-don-t-go-to-christian-church-or-jew-church-or/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [ This war \[in Syria\] is going to support Al-Qaeda and the same people that killed Americans in the 11th of September. The second thing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/this-war-in-syria-is-going-to-support-al-qaeda-and-the-same-people/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [The people who illegally cross into the country are from countries that have very close ties to al Qaeda, whether it's Yemen or Afghanistan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/the-people-who-illegally-cross-into-the-country-are-from-countries/) [Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/) > [The White House was signaling that the threat posed by Saddam Hussein was of such urgency that it had priority over the crushing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/the-white-house-was-signaling-that-the-threat-posed-by-saddam-hussein/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) > [I was on the front lines in the Cold War, and I was on the front lines in the fight against Al Qaeda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-haspel/i-was-on-the-front-lines-in-the-cold-war-and-i-was-on-the-front-lines/) [Gina Haspel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-haspel/) > [If you don't understand what al Qaeda was trying to do on 9/11, if you don't have a sense of who Osama bin Laden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/if-you-don-t-understand-what-al-qaeda-was-trying-to-do-on-9-11-if-you/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [Some have argued that the President is required to get permission from a federal court before taking action against a United States citizen who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/some-have-argued-that-the-president-is-required-to-get-permission/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [Iraq, for the first time, gives al Qaeda and its allies contiguous safe-haven territory to train and launch attacks into the Levant. First into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/iraq-for-the-first-time-gives-al-qaeda-and-its-allies-contiguous-safe/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [The idea the president of the United States was warned that Al-Qaeda was going to attack the United States and did nothing about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-idea-the-president-of-the-united-states-was-warned-that-al-qaeda/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [There's more evil in the charts than an Al-Qaeda suggestion box.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bailey/there-s-more-evil-in-the-charts-than-an-al-qaeda-suggestion-box/) [Bill Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bailey/) > [Muslim leaders around the globe have to continue working with us to decisively and unequivocally reject the hateful ideology that groups like ISIL and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/muslim-leaders-around-the-globe-have-to-continue-working-with-us-to/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Mistreatment of al Qaeda members and their friends and hangers-on is something I number among my moral concerns. But it's number 1,000,000,001.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/mistreatment-of-al-qaeda-members-and-their-friends-and-hangers-on-is/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [(The United States) is the same as al-Qaeda, under a different color flag, calling on the name a different God to sanction and approve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-wright/the-united-states-is-the-same-as-al-qaeda-under-a-different-color/) [Jeremiah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-wright/) [Browse all 360 Al qaeda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/al-qaeda/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think they clearly do not fit within the prescriptions of the Geneva Convention. 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