---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are few things more bizarre than…"
description: "\"There are few things more bizarre than watching people advocate that another country be bombed even while acknowledging that it will achieve no good ou..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/glenn-greenwald-1215_achieve_there-are-few-things-more-bizarre-than-w_2723933.jpg"
---

#  There are few things more bizarre than watching people…

![“There are few things more bizarre than watching people advocate that another country be bombed even while acknowledging that it will achieve no good outcomes other than safeguarding the 'credibility' of those doing the bombing. Relatedly, it's hard to imagine a more potent sign of a weak…” quote by Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/glenn-greenwald-1215_achieve_there-are-few-things-more-bizarre-than-w_2723933.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/glenn-greenwald-1215_achieve_there-are-few-things-more-bizarre-than-w_2723933.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/glenn-greenwald-1215_achieve_there-are-few-things-more-bizarre-than-w_2723933.jpg)

> “There are few things more bizarre than watching people advocate that another country be bombed even while acknowledging that it will achieve no good outcomes other than safeguarding the 'credibility' of those doing the bombing. Relatedly, it's hard to imagine a more potent sign of a weak, declining empire than having one's national 'credibility' depend upon periodically bombing other countries.”

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The author argues that bombing for credibility is a sign of a weakening empire, exposing the paradox of destructive foreign policy.

**In simple terms:** Bombing to prove strength shows decline.

Key Takeaway

Question the logic of force as credibility.

Themes

politics war credibility empire ethics

Mood

critical concerned

Type

political philosophical

When to use this quote

- foreign policy debates
- military strategy
- public discourse

Key Concepts

power dynamics moral paradox imperial decline

Questions to Reflect On

- Is bombing ever justified for reputation?
- What alternatives preserve credibility?

A Different Perspective

Credibility can be built without violence.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bizarre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bizarre/) [Bombing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bombing/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Credibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credibility/) [Empires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empires/) [Other countries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/other-countries/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [It's hard to imagine a more potent sign of a weak, declining empire than having one's national 'credibility' depend upon periodically bombing other countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-hard-to-imagine-a-more-potent-sign-of-a-weak-declining-empire/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [How long will it take the citizens of the United States, one wonders, to recognize that the house their country bombed in Iraq is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/how-long-will-it-take-the-citizens-of-the-united-states-one-wonders/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [Leadership and punching above your weight doesn't necessarily always have to mean gunboat diplomacy and bombing other countries into the stone age. It can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-lewis/leadership-and-punching-above-your-weight-doesn-t-necessarily-always/)

[Clive Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-lewis/)

> [“The collect-it-all system did nothing to detect, let alone disrupt, the 2012 Boston Marathon bombing. It did not detect the attempted Christmas-day bombing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-collect-it-all-system-did-nothing-to-detect-let-alone-disrupt-the/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [A lot of these people are Iraqis fighting for control of their own government. Maybe there's an argument to make that outside forces that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/a-lot-of-these-people-are-iraqis-fighting-for-control-of-their-own/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [Protecting children at risk of exploitation will always be a priority, and at the other end, safeguarding an ageing population brings its own challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-rudd/protecting-children-at-risk-of-exploitation-will-always-be-a-priority/)

[Amber Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-rudd/)

> [The Charter of the United Nations expresses the noblest aspirations of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-selassie/the-charter-of-the-united-nations-expresses-the-noblest-aspirations/)

[Haile Selassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-selassie/)

> [America has the technology and resources to meet all its energy needs while safeguarding the earth's climate. The urgent question now is, 'Do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/america-has-the-technology-and-resources-to-meet-all-its-energy-needs/)

[Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/)

> [I looked at all friends, and did not find a better friend than safeguarding the tongue. I thought about all dresses, but did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-looked-at-all-friends-and-did-not-find-a-better-friend-than/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [For every person seeking greatness, there are hundreds more charged with safeguarding mediocrity. If you want to be wealthy, stop taking financial advice from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-gage/for-every-person-seeking-greatness-there-are-hundreds-more-charged/)

[Randy Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-gage/)

> [Abstract reason, formerly the servant of practical human reasons, has everywhere become its master, and denies poetry any excuse for existence. Though philosophers like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/abstract-reason-formerly-the-servant-of-practical-human-reasons-has/)

[Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/)

> [Food security is an authentically human requirement. Guaranteeing it for present and future generations also means safeguarding ourselves against the uncontrolled exploitation of natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/food-security-is-an-authentically-human-requirement-guaranteeing-it/)

[Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/)

> [Freedom can never be taken for granted. Each generation must safeguard it and extend it. Your parents and elders sacrificed much so that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/freedom-can-never-be-taken-for-granted-each-generation-must-safeguard/)

[Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/)

> [I think anybody in our - in the, in the national security apparatus has, has got to take full cognizance of their responsibility for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mullen/i-think-anybody-in-our-in-the-in-the-national-security-apparatus-has/)

[Michael Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mullen/)

> [There is one lesson from the past, in particular, that we cannot afford to ignore: You cannot make progress on gender equality or broader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/there-is-one-lesson-from-the-past-in-particular-that-we-cannot-afford/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

## More by Glenn Greenwald

> [In essence, I see the value of journalism as resting in a twofold mission: informing the public of accurate and vital information, and its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/in-essence-i-see-the-value-of-journalism-as-resting-in-a-twofold/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [“The evidence shows that assurances that surveillance is only targeted at those who “have done something wrong” should provide little comfort, since a state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-evidence-shows-that-assurances-that-surveillance-is-only-targeted/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [“It's almost hard to imagine anything more undemocratic than the view that political officials should not debate American wars in public, but only express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-almost-hard-to-imagine-anything-more-undemocratic-than-the-view/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [It's hardly news that the Obama administration is intensely and, in many respects, unprecedentedly hostile toward the news-gathering process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-hardly-news-that-the-obama-administration-is-intensely-and-in/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [Only In America can a renowned and devoted terrorism supporter like Peter King be the arbiter of national security and treason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/only-in-america-can-a-renowned-and-devoted-terrorism-supporter-like/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [“Above even our physical well-being, a central value is keeping the state out of the private realm—our “persons, houses, papers, and effects,” as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/above-even-our-physical-well-being-a-central-value-is-keeping-the/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [“That capability at any time could be turned around on the American people and no American would have any privacy left, such is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/that-capability-at-any-time-could-be-turned-around-on-the-american/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [“Converting the Internet into a system of surveillance thus guts it of its core potential. Worse, it turns the Internet into a tool of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/converting-the-internet-into-a-system-of-surveillance-thus-guts-it-of/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [“the desire for privacy is shared by us all as an essential, not ancillary, part of what it means to be human. We all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-desire-for-privacy-is-shared-by-us-all-as-an-essential-not/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [I don't have a 'side'—I'm responsible for what I say and nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/i-don-t-have-a-side-i-m-responsible-for-what-i-say-and-nothing-else/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [“Encryption matters, and it is not just for spies and philanderers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/encryption-matters-and-it-is-not-just-for-spies-and-philanderers/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [“Among other devices, the agency intercepts and tampers with routers and servers manufactured by Cisco to direct large amounts of Internet traffic back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/among-other-devices-the-agency-intercepts-and-tampers-with-routers/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [“NSA has increasingly made use of a secret technology that enables it to enter and alter data in computers even if they are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/nsa-has-increasingly-made-use-of-a-secret-technology-that-enables-it/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [A key purpose of journalism is to provide an adversarial check on those who wield the greatest power by shining a light on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/a-key-purpose-of-journalism-is-to-provide-an-adversarial-check-on/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [“We all instinctively understand that the private realm is where we can act, think, speak, write, experiment, and choose how to be, away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/we-all-instinctively-understand-that-the-private-realm-is-where-we/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

[Explore all 270 Glenn Greenwald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

## More Achieve quotes

> [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/)

[Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/)

[Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/)

> [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/)

[Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/)

> [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/)

[Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/)

> [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/)

[Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/)

> [I'm a film guy. I love it. When I read the screenplay, I knew that there would be no HD camera that could achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-taylor/i-m-a-film-guy-i-love-it-when-i-read-the-screenplay-i-knew-that-there/)

Deon Taylor

> [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/)

Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera

> [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/)

[Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/)

> [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [Governments follow their people. A great deal has to do with the vision of the leadership of governments. They have a vision, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/governments-follow-their-people-a-great-deal-has-to-do-with-the/)

[Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/)

> [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power &amp; movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [To achieve something you've never achieved before, you must become someone you've never been before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubham-joshi/to-achieve-something-you-ve-never-achieved-before-you-must-become/)

[Shubham Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubham-joshi/)

> [I've identified as bisexual since I was a teenager, and if we want to achieve equality for all in our policies, we need more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hill/i-ve-identified-as-bisexual-since-i-was-a-teenager-and-if-we-want-to/)

[Katie Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hill/)

Browse all 6,390 Achieve quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "There are few things more bizarre than watching people advocate that another country be bombed even while acknowledging that it will achieve no good outcomes other than safeguarding the 'credibility' of those doing the bombing. Relatedly, it's hard to imagine a more potent sign of a weak, declining empire than having one's national 'credibility' depend upon periodically bombing other countries.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Glenn Greenwald"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/there-are-few-things-more-bizarre-than-watching-people-advocate-that/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Achieve"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/there-are-few-things-more-bizarre-than-watching-people-advocate-that/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/glenn-greenwald-1215_achieve_there-are-few-things-more-bizarre-than-w_2723933.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/glenn-greenwald-1215_achieve_there-are-few-things-more-bizarre-than-w_2723933.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/glenn-greenwald-1215_achieve_there-are-few-things-more-bizarre-than-w_2723933.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There are few things more bizarre than watching people advocate that another country be bombed even while…” — Glenn Greenwald",
                "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": "Glenn Greenwald",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "There are few things more bizarre...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/there-are-few-things-more-bizarre-than-watching-people-advocate-that/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/there-are-few-things-more-bizarre-than-watching-people-advocate-that/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
