--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I became security advisor, I became…" description: "\"When I became security advisor, I became familiar with the so-called SIOP war plans, I called in Secretary McNamara and asked him what they were hiding..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d9/henry-a-kissinger-1068_advisors_when-i-became-security-advisor-i-became_2946564.jpg" --- # When I became security advisor, I became familiar with the… ![“When I became security advisor, I became familiar with the so-called SIOP war plans, I called in Secretary McNamara and asked him what they were hiding from me, because I couldn't believe that the National policy would foresee such a level of destructiveness.” quote by Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d9/henry-a-kissinger-1068_advisors_when-i-became-security-advisor-i-became_2946564.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d9/henry-a-kissinger-1068_advisors_when-i-became-security-advisor-i-became_2946564.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d9/henry-a-kissinger-1068_advisors_when-i-became-security-advisor-i-became_2946564.jpg) > “When I became security advisor, I became familiar with the so-called SIOP war plans, I called in Secretary McNamara and asked him what they were hiding from me, because I couldn't believe that the National policy would foresee such a level of destructiveness.” [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker doubts official narratives about war planning, questioning transparency and moral responsibility of leadership. **In simple terms:** Question official war plans; seek truth. Key Takeaway Demand accountability from leaders. Themes war transparency ethics leadership trust Mood skeptical inquisitive Type statementary reflective When to use this quote - policy review - public debate - historical research - ethical oversight Key Concepts political science military strategy government secrecy Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports your doubt? - How can citizens ensure transparency? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex security decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [She's called the secretary, but as far as I can tell she basically runs the school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-stead/she-s-called-the-secretary-but-as-far-as-i-can-tell-she-basically/) [Rebecca Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-stead/) > [ General \[Michael\] Flynn has been in touch with diplomatic leaders, security leaders in some 30 countries. That's exactly what the incoming national security advisor… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/general-michael-flynn-has-been-in-touch-with-diplomatic-leaders/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Critics of the war plans (including myself) have pointed to the disastrous political results that must be expected: Iraq would break into three parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uri-avnery/critics-of-the-war-plans-including-myself-have-pointed-to-the/) [Uri Avnery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uri-avnery/) > [General, you don't have a war plan! All you have is a kind of horrible spasm!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/general-you-don-t-have-a-war-plan-all-you-have-is-a-kind-of-horrible/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [Quickly capping 363 oil well fires in a war zone is impossible. 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The low-level war against Saddam was 12 years old, with no… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leo/d-rawing-up-secret-war-plans-for-a-possible-attack-on-iraq-wasn-t/) [John Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leo/) > [Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/let-your-plans-be-dark-and-impenetrable-as-night/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [I have found in my experience of war, that plans are useless, but planning is invaluable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-have-found-in-my-experience-of-war-that-plans-are-useless-but/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [We never had planned to hijack a ship. We never thought of any war plans outside the Palestinian lands. 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The unconstitutional takes a little longer." \[...\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/before-the-freedom-of-information-act-i-used-to-say-at-meetings-the/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [The convictions that leaders have formed before reaching high office are the intellectual capital they will consume as long as they continue in office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/the-convictions-that-leaders-have-formed-before-reaching-high-office/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [Nothing is more urgent than a serious, dare I say compassionate, debate as to where we are going at home and abroad. Technicians cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/nothing-is-more-urgent-than-a-serious-dare-i-say-compassionate-debate/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [Jews were segregated from 1933 on. 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