--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Americans should not expect one battle…" description: "\"Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign, unlike any other we have ever seen. It may include dramatic strikes, visible on TV, and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c7/george-w-bush-64_battle_americans-should-not-expect-one-battle-b_2633764.jpg" --- # Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy… ![“Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign, unlike any other we have ever seen. It may include dramatic strikes, visible on TV, and covert operations, secret even in success.” quote by George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c7/george-w-bush-64_battle_americans-should-not-expect-one-battle-b_2633764.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c7/george-w-bush-64_battle_americans-should-not-expect-one-battle-b_2633764.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c7/george-w-bush-64_battle_americans-should-not-expect-one-battle-b_2633764.jpg) > “Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign, unlike any other we have ever seen. It may include dramatic strikes, visible on TV, and covert operations, secret even in success.” [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. America faces a prolonged, multifaceted conflict with visible and covert actions. **In simple terms:** War will be long, with many forms and hidden ops. Key Takeaway Prepare for sustained, varied security challenges. Themes politics war strategy Mood cautious serious Type political strategic When to use this quote - military planning - media coverage - policy debates - civil liberties - global diplomacy Key Concepts asymmetric warfare public perception Questions to Reflect On - How can transparency be balanced with security? - What prepares societies for long‑term conflict? A Different Perspective Prolonged conflict can erode public trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Campaigns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaigns/) [Dramatic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dramatic/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Strikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strikes/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Defeating Hillary Clinton in a campaign unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephanopoulos/defeating-hillary-clinton-in-a-campaign-unlike-anything-we-ve-seen-in/) [George Stephanopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephanopoulos/) > [“What General Weygand called the Battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/what-general-weygand-called-the-battle-of-france-is-over-i-expect/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Covert Operations Report At approximately 0900 hours on Saturday, October 14, Operative Morgan was given a stern lecture by Agent Townsend, a tracking device…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/covert-operations-report-at-approximately-0900-hours-on-saturday/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [“The goal of covert operations was often regime change. This meant overthrowing the current government and replacing it with one that leaders at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hourly-history/the-goal-of-covert-operations-was-often-regime-change-this-meant/) Hourly History > [If Adam Schiff is able to review covert operations and intelligence, and if we have to be able to rely on his representations, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-gaetz/if-adam-schiff-is-able-to-review-covert-operations-and-intelligence/) [Matt Gaetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-gaetz/) > [“The requirements for covert operations weren't for the faint-hearted or overly modest, let me tell you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-l-lafevers/the-requirements-for-covert-operations-weren-t-for-the-faint-hearted/) [R.L. LaFevers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-l-lafevers/) > [It is a little-known fact about covert operations that you will spend a lot of time with people you can’t really trust. They may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/it-is-a-little-known-fact-about-covert-operations-that-you-will-spend/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [I first learned the power of trust in the CIA. There is no question that when I joined the Agency as a covert operations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/i-first-learned-the-power-of-trust-in-the-cia-there-is-no-question/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [The enjoyment that all morality has given us to now and that it continues to give us--and so, what has kept it going up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-enjoyment-that-all-morality-has-given-us-to-now-and-that-it/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The vagaries of the industry and show business itself would not lead one to conclude a lengthy career - because things change. Popularities come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-stein/the-vagaries-of-the-industry-and-show-business-itself-would-not-lead/) [Chris Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-stein/) > [ The average college graduate's proficient literacy in English \[the ability to read lengthy, complex texts and draw complicated inferences\] has declined from 40 percent… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/the-average-college-graduate-s-proficient-literacy-in-english-the/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [What makes a publishing house great? The easy answer is the consistency with which it produces books of value over a lengthy period of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/what-makes-a-publishing-house-great-the-easy-answer-is-the/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [I am at the moment writing a lengthy indictment against our century. When my brain begins to reel from my literary labors, I make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy-toole/i-am-at-the-moment-writing-a-lengthy-indictment-against-our-century/) [John Kennedy Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy-toole/) > [The notes I have made are not a diary in the ordinary sense, but partly lengthy records of my spiritual experiences, and partly poems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edvard-munch/the-notes-i-have-made-are-not-a-diary-in-the-ordinary-sense-but/) [Edvard Munch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edvard-munch/) > [Global warming results not from the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, but from an unusually high level of solar radiation and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khabibullo-abdusamatov/global-warming-results-not-from-the-emission-of-greenhouse-gases-into/) Khabibullo Abdusamatov ## More by George W. Bush > [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/) > [I recognize I am essentially a failed human being in the sense that I can't possibly live up to the expectations of an Almighty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-recognize-i-am-essentially-a-failed-human-being-in-the-sense-that-i/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [We will make sure our troops have all that is necessary to complete their missions. That's why I went to the Congress last September…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-will-make-sure-our-troops-have-all-that-is-necessary-to-complete/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [God speaks through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-speaks-through-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [For diplomacy to be effective, words must be credible - and no one can now doubt the word of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/for-diplomacy-to-be-effective-words-must-be-credible-and-no-one-can/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [You can fool some of the people all the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/you-can-fool-some-of-the-people-all-the-time-and-those-are-the-ones/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [If you take all the food aid, America is by far the most generous country. If you take the direct aid, we're very generous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-you-take-all-the-food-aid-america-is-by-far-the-most-generous/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [The tyrant has fallen, and Iraq is free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-tyrant-has-fallen-and-iraq-is-free/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“One of our energy strategies is to increase the CAFE standards to 35 miles per hour..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/one-of-our-energy-strategies-is-to-increase-the-cafe-standards-to-35/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [There's a lot that I want to accomplish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/there-s-a-lot-that-i-want-to-accomplish/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [If he's - the inference is that somehow he thinks slavery is a - is a noble institution I would - I would strongly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-he-s-the-inference-is-that-somehow-he-thinks-slavery-is-a-is-a/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [My answer is bring 'em on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-answer-is-bring-em-on/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [On 9-11, we discovered that we cannot escape from the world. To me personally, this was a life-changing experience, and I realized, as did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/on-9-11-we-discovered-that-we-cannot-escape-from-the-world-to-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [As Americans, we want peace - we work and sacrifice for peace. But there can be no peace if our security depends on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/as-americans-we-want-peace-we-work-and-sacrifice-for-peace-but-there/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I couldn't imagine somebody like Osama bin Laden understanding the joy of Chanukah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-couldn-t-imagine-somebody-like-osama-bin-laden-understanding-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) [Explore all 1,717 George W. Bush quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) ## More Battle quotes > [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. We just have to revoke the thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/in-the-battle-for-police-reform-accountability-and-justice-americans/) [Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/) > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [“Which people take the time to care for their souls, these days? I reckon not many. But...hear this: I think that maybe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fletcher/which-people-take-the-time-to-care-for-their-souls-these-days-i/) [Susan Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fletcher/) > [Only great and general battles can produce great results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/only-great-and-general-battles-can-produce-great-results/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Life is a battle of wits, and many people have to fight it unarmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/life-is-a-battle-of-wits-and-many-people-have-to-fight-it-unarmed/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [When I step into the batters box. The fans, the noise, the cheers, they all disappear. For that moment, the world is just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/when-i-step-into-the-batters-box-the-fans-the-noise-the-cheers-they/) [Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/) > [I knew Jimmy Dean. He tested for 'Battle Cry'. Paul Newman tested for 'Battle Cry'. I did nine tests to finally get that role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-knew-jimmy-dean-he-tested-for-battle-cry-paul-newman-tested-for/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-our-battles-and-open-our-heart-to-things-as-they/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Love is a battle," said Marie-Claude, still smiling. "And I plan to go on fighting. To the end." Love is a battle?" said Franz.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/love-is-a-battle-said-marie-claude-still-smiling-and-i-plan-to-go-on/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [It's almost ironic sitting here watching stories about Norm's courageous 'battle' with cancer. 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But whatever they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/for-many-people-it-s-facebook-or-sports-on-tv-whatever-it-is-i-have/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) [Browse all 4,526 Battle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign, unlike any other we have ever seen. It may include dramatic strikes, visible on TV, and covert operations, secret even in success.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George W. 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