--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A desire to contain extremism is a major…" description: "\"A desire to contain extremism is a major reason why Putin offered help to the United States in battling the Taliban in Afghanistan after 9/11. It is al..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/fiona-hill-10019_desire_a-desire-to-contain-extremism-is-a-major_2775983.jpg" --- # A desire to contain extremism is a major reason why Putin… ![“A desire to contain extremism is a major reason why Putin offered help to the United States in battling the Taliban in Afghanistan after 9/11. It is also why Russia maintains close relations with Shia Iran, which acts as a counterweight to Sunni powers.” quote by Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/fiona-hill-10019_desire_a-desire-to-contain-extremism-is-a-major_2775983.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/fiona-hill-10019_desire_a-desire-to-contain-extremism-is-a-major_2775983.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/fiona-hill-10019_desire_a-desire-to-contain-extremism-is-a-major_2775983.jpg) > “A desire to contain extremism is a major reason why Putin offered help to the United States in battling the Taliban in Afghanistan after 9/11. It is also why Russia maintains close relations with Shia Iran, which acts as a counterweight to Sunni powers.” [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Russia’s desire to counter extremism drives its strategic support for the US against the Taliban and its alliance with Shia Iran against Sunni powers. **In simple terms:** Russia supports US against Taliban and aligns with Iran to counter extremism. Key Takeaway Strategic alliances shape geopolitical balance. Themes geopolitics extremism alliances Mood analytical critical Type political strategic When to use this quote - foreign policy analysis - diplomacy - security planning Key Concepts realpolitik regional security Questions to Reflect On - What are the long‑term risks of these alliances? - How does extremism influence foreign policy? A Different Perspective Alliances may have hidden agendas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contain Extremism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contain-extremism-3275149/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Extremism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extremism/) [Extremism Major](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extremism-major-3275151/) [Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help/) [Iran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iran/) [Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/putin/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reason Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-putin-3275150/) ## Related quotes > [If Trump were to go ahead with a renewed policy of hostility toward Iran, it would immediately raise tensions, and could quickly escalate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/if-trump-were-to-go-ahead-with-a-renewed-policy-of-hostility-toward/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [Putin has a lot at stake here and restoring the relationship with the United States, and there are already signs as Sandy mentioned that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-carlucci/putin-has-a-lot-at-stake-here-and-restoring-the-relationship-with-the/) [Frank Carlucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-carlucci/) > [We will stop Iran from becoming a nuclear power. We will stop that nuclear arms race that could happen in the Middle East. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-jindal/we-will-stop-iran-from-becoming-a-nuclear-power-we-will-stop-that/) [Bobby Jindal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-jindal/) > [After months of negotiations, Iran has finally agreed to reduce its nuclear weapons program. 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They deploy millions of dollars to weaponize our own political opposition research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/president-putin-and-the-russian-security-services-operate-like-a/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [Putin operates like a super PAC, taking advantage of opportunities for negative campaigning. The purpose is to show that the U.S. has no moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/putin-operates-like-a-super-pac-taking-advantage-of-opportunities-for/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [Indeed, for Russia, inconsistency is an integral part of its foreign policy strategy, particularly under Putin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/indeed-for-russia-inconsistency-is-an-integral-part-of-its-foreign/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [Calling Trump 'Putin's puppet' is a sign of the weakness of the American political system. It appears so weak and fragile that outsiders can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/calling-trump-putin-s-puppet-is-a-sign-of-the-weakness-of-the/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [Putin has the ability to advance his interests in many different ways. Sometimes tactical diplomacy can help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/putin-has-the-ability-to-advance-his-interests-in-many-different-ways/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [The idea is that Putin-Trump would be a win-win for the Kremlin, as they have mutual interests and alliances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/the-idea-is-that-putin-trump-would-be-a-win-win-for-the-kremlin-as/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [For Putin, Syria is all too reminiscent of Chechnya. Both conflicts pitted the state against disparate and leaderless opposition forces, which over time came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/for-putin-syria-is-all-too-reminiscent-of-chechnya-both-conflicts/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [In the instance of Iran for Russia, Iran is a very important counterweight to the Sunni Muslim powers in the Gulf, but Russia's always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/in-the-instance-of-iran-for-russia-iran-is-a-very-important/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [“Kill extremists and more extremists will appear. Kill Extremist Ideology and extremism will disappear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mouloud-benzadi/kill-extremists-and-more-extremists-will-appear-kill-extremist/) [Mouloud Benzadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mouloud-benzadi/) ## More by Fiona Hill > [The Cold War was obviously driven by a very intense ideological struggle that was very clearly defined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/the-cold-war-was-obviously-driven-by-a-very-intense-ideological/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [Outside of the Moscow elite and a very small urban elite, Russia is one great big blue-collar country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/outside-of-the-moscow-elite-and-a-very-small-urban-elite-russia-is/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [People in Washington, D.C., may not be paying that much attention to what's happening in Chechnya, but people in Riyadh and Amman and elsewhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/people-in-washington-d-c-may-not-be-paying-that-much-attention-to/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [I have worked hard and emigrated to the U.S., and I think of myself as working class but I'm probably not any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/i-have-worked-hard-and-emigrated-to-the-u-s-and-i-think-of-myself-as/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [We've got ourselves into a situation where government service is somehow seen to be a political act rather than an act of civic duty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/we-ve-got-ourselves-into-a-situation-where-government-service-is/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [For Putin, Syria is all too reminiscent of Chechnya. Both conflicts pitted the state against disparate and leaderless opposition forces, which over time came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/for-putin-syria-is-all-too-reminiscent-of-chechnya-both-conflicts/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [The Russians didn't invent partisan divides. The Russians haven't invented racism in the United States. But the Russians understand a lot of those divisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/the-russians-didn-t-invent-partisan-divides-the-russians-haven-t/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [New ties between Russia and Japan would mark not only a breakthrough in their relations but also a significant shift in Northeast Asia's political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/new-ties-between-russia-and-japan-would-mark-not-only-a-breakthrough/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [In the instance of Iran for Russia, Iran is a very important counterweight to the Sunni Muslim powers in the Gulf, but Russia's always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/in-the-instance-of-iran-for-russia-iran-is-a-very-important/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [The idea is that Putin-Trump would be a win-win for the Kremlin, as they have mutual interests and alliances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/the-idea-is-that-putin-trump-would-be-a-win-win-for-the-kremlin-as/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [You could say that by standing up to Russia, the U.S. is finally getting some balls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/you-could-say-that-by-standing-up-to-russia-the-u-s-is-finally/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [So with President Obama, he's a very different style. Very thoughtful, posed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/so-with-president-obama-he-s-a-very-different-style-very-thoughtful/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [Because the more you engage with someone who is spreading untruths, the more validity you give to those untruths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/because-the-more-you-engage-with-someone-who-is-spreading-untruths/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [I grew up poor with a very distinctive working-class accent. In England in the 1980s and 1990s this would have impeded my professional advancement.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/i-grew-up-poor-with-a-very-distinctive-working-class-accent-in/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [I am very confident based on all of the analysis that has been done - and, again, I don't want to start getting into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/i-am-very-confident-based-on-all-of-the-analysis-that-has-been-done/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) [Explore all 68 Fiona Hill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) ## More Desire quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. 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