--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Something that is completely unwinnable…" description: "\"Something that is completely unwinnable. I mean, it becomes unwinnable if we decide to leave [Afghanistan].\" — George W. Bush" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/999/george-w-bush-64_afghanistan_something-that-is-completely-unwinnable_2662669.jpg" --- # Something that is completely unwinnable. I mean, it… ![“Something that is completely unwinnable. I mean, it becomes unwinnable if we decide to leave [Afghanistan].” quote by George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/999/george-w-bush-64_afghanistan_something-that-is-completely-unwinnable_2662669.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/999/george-w-bush-64_afghanistan_something-that-is-completely-unwinnable_2662669.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/999/george-w-bush-64_afghanistan_something-that-is-completely-unwinnable_2662669.jpg) > “Something that is completely unwinnable. I mean, it becomes unwinnable if we decide to leave \[Afghanistan\].” [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. Leaving Afghanistan makes the conflict unwinnable, highlighting the importance of commitment. **In simple terms:** Abandoning a cause can doom it. Key Takeaway Stay committed to avoid defeat. Themes war politics commitment Mood tense political Type political strategic When to use this quote - military strategy - foreign policy debates - public opinion Key Concepts Strategic withdrawal nation‑building Questions to Reflect On - What are the costs of staying versus leaving? - How to define a “winning” outcome? A Different Perspective Withdrawal may be necessary for other reasons. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afghanistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) ## Related quotes > [If American forces leave Afghanistan, the Taliban is going to do what to America? Don't say you're worried about what they will do to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/if-american-forces-leave-afghanistan-the-taliban-is-going-to-do-what/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [To leave Afghanistan as a playground for terrorists and adventurers was simply not possible anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lakhdar-brahimi/to-leave-afghanistan-as-a-playground-for-terrorists-and-adventurers/) [Lakhdar Brahimi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lakhdar-brahimi/) > [As we begin to leave Afghanistan, are we fooling ourselves about what we are leaving behind or what we have promised the people of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-van-susteren/as-we-begin-to-leave-afghanistan-are-we-fooling-ourselves-about-what/) [Greta Van Susteren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-van-susteren/) > [We can't afford to leave Afghanistan to the Taliban and the terrorists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/we-can-t-afford-to-leave-afghanistan-to-the-taliban-and-the-terrorists/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [You begin to wonder as we make deals with the Taliban and we leave Afghanistan, if the federal government is not telling us that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-cain/you-begin-to-wonder-as-we-make-deals-with-the-taliban-and-we-leave/) [Will Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-cain/) > [Afghanistan is the most daring and ambition mission in the history of NATO.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/afghanistan-is-the-most-daring-and-ambition-mission-in-the-history-of/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I can look you in the eye and tell you I feel I've tried to solve the problem diplomatically to the max, and would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-can-look-you-in-the-eye-and-tell-you-i-feel-i-ve-tried-to-solve-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [The men and women of Afghanistan are building a nation that is free, and proud, and fighting terror - and America is honored to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-men-and-women-of-afghanistan-are-building-a-nation-that-is-free/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [My message is, is that although some of you didn't agree with the actions we took, now let's work together to rebuild Iraq, rebuild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-message-is-is-that-although-some-of-you-didn-t-agree-with-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Iraq and Afghanistan are now democracies and they are allies in the cause of freedom and peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now-democracies-and-they-are-allies-in-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I believe in the transformational power of liberty. I believe that the free Iraq is in this nation's interests. I believe a free Afghanistan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-believe-in-the-transformational-power-of-liberty-i-believe-that-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [God told me to smite Osama bin Laden, so I invaded Afghanistan. Then He told me to smite Saddam Hussein, so I invaded Iraq.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-told-me-to-smite-osama-bin-laden-so-i-invaded-afghanistan-then-he/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [From the bitter cold winter at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/from-the-bitter-cold-winter-at-valley-forge-to-the-mountains-of/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## 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 Afghanistan quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [From the bitter cold winter at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/from-the-bitter-cold-winter-at-valley-forge-to-the-mountains-of/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [They're criminals, they brutalized Afghanistan, they killed our people, they destroyed our land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-karzai/they-re-criminals-they-brutalized-afghanistan-they-killed-our-people/) [Hamid Karzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-karzai/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The terrorist attacks of September 11th and the courageous actions of our armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq remind us that friends of tyranny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-levin/the-terrorist-attacks-of-september-11th-and-the-courageous-actions-of/) [Carl Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-levin/) > [According to a recent Harvard study, $6 trillion, when you include the ongoing healthcare expenses for our wounded soldiers, which is the least they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/according-to-a-recent-harvard-study-6-trillion-when-you-include-the/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [You don't bargain with terrorists. You don't appease terrorists. And anybody who believes that this is about something we've done has to ask themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chertoff/you-don-t-bargain-with-terrorists-you-don-t-appease-terrorists-and/) [Michael Chertoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chertoff/) > [“I stood with my mom in the cemetery. She felt terrible pain. My grandmother is with God. My mom has to continue living. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-elliot/i-stood-with-my-mom-in-the-cemetery-she-felt-terrible-pain-my/) [Tucker Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-elliot/) > [The most successful cultural diplomacy strategy integrates people-to-people or arts/culture/media-to-people interactions into the basic business of diplomacy. The programs in Afghanistan, Egypt, and Iran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-p-schneider/the-most-successful-cultural-diplomacy-strategy-integrates-people-to/) [Cynthia P. Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-p-schneider/) > [Because Iran understands Afghanistan far better than Americans do, making Iran a partner in a long-term effort to transform Afghan agriculture makes sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/because-iran-understands-afghanistan-far-better-than-americans-do/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I have been to Afghanistan many times, even before the Taliban collapsed. I was fascinated by the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-khan/i-have-been-to-afghanistan-many-times-even-before-the-taliban/) [Kabir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-khan/) > [There has been sort of, if you will, a moral interventionism on the part of the United States trying to reshape countries in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/there-has-been-sort-of-if-you-will-a-moral-interventionism-on-the/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The legal system in Afghanistan is very immature and porous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/the-legal-system-in-afghanistan-is-very-immature-and-porous/) [Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/) [Browse all 1,159 Afghanistan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Something that is completely unwinnable. 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