--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Since war itself is the most extreme form…" description: "\"Since war itself is the most extreme form of terrorism, a war on terrorism is profoundly self-contradictory.\" — Howard Zinn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/howard-zinn-576_contradictory_since-war-itself-is-the-most-extreme-for_2358859.jpg" --- # Since war itself is the most extreme form of terrorism, a… ![“Since war itself is the most extreme form of terrorism, a war on terrorism is profoundly self-contradictory.” quote by Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/howard-zinn-576_contradictory_since-war-itself-is-the-most-extreme-for_2358859.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/howard-zinn-576_contradictory_since-war-itself-is-the-most-extreme-for_2358859.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/howard-zinn-576_contradictory_since-war-itself-is-the-most-extreme-for_2358859.jpg) > “Since war itself is the most extreme form of terrorism, a war on terrorism is profoundly self-contradictory.” [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War is the ultimate terrorism; fighting terrorism with war contradicts its purpose. **In simple terms:** War is extreme terrorism; fighting it with war is contradictory. Key Takeaway Avoid using war to fight terrorism. Themes war terrorism contradiction Mood serious reflective Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy debates - military strategy - peace activism Key Concepts political philosophy ethics Questions to Reflect On - Can violence ever truly end violence? - What alternatives exist to militarized responses? A Different Perspective War may be seen as necessary by some states. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contradictory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradictory/) [Extremes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extremes/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Form Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form-terrorism-546675/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism/) [Terrorism Profoundly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism-profoundly-5768598/) [Terrorism War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism-war-401791/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War Extreme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-extreme-4825791/) [War on terror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-on-terror/) [War on terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-on-terrorism/) [War Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-terrorism/) ## Related quotes > [How can you have a war on terrorism when war itself is terrorism?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/how-can-you-have-a-war-on-terrorism-when-war-itself-is-terrorism/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Beyond the futility of armed force, and ultimately more important, is the fact that war in our time inevitably results in the indiscriminate killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/beyond-the-futility-of-armed-force-and-ultimately-more-important-is/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“War is the extreme edge of capitalism: an economic system so designed that it is always tipped in balance so that the mouth of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-j-mclean/war-is-the-extreme-edge-of-capitalism-an-economic-system-so-designed/) [Patricia J. McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-j-mclean/) > [War is a lie. War is a racket. War is hell. War is waste. War is a crime. War is terrorism. War is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coleen-rowley/war-is-a-lie-war-is-a-racket-war-is-hell-war-is-waste-war-is-a-crime/) [Coleen Rowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coleen-rowley/) > [War can't end terrorism. War is terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-berrigan/war-can-t-end-terrorism-war-is-terrorism/) [Philip Berrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-berrigan/) > [I believe that the war against terrorism and the war against poverty in these times of turmoil go together. So you - when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-macapagal-arroyo/i-believe-that-the-war-against-terrorism-and-the-war-against-poverty/) [Gloria Macapagal Arroyo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-macapagal-arroyo/) > [“How can you have a war on terrorism while war itself is terrorism!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/how-can-you-have-a-war-on-terrorism-while-war-itself-is-terrorism/) [HOWARD ZINN](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Terrorism is the war of the poor, and war is the terrorism of the rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-ustinov/terrorism-is-the-war-of-the-poor-and-war-is-the-terrorism-of-the-rich/) [Peter Ustinov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-ustinov/) > [I'm for fighting a war on terrorism, not a war in Southwest Asia that Alexander the Great couldn't win, the British Empire couldn't win,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-schrader/i-m-for-fighting-a-war-on-terrorism-not-a-war-in-southwest-asia-that/) [Kurt Schrader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-schrader/) > [When you have war, whether it's a war against drugs, war against terrorism, war overseas, the mentality of the people change and they're more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/when-you-have-war-whether-it-s-a-war-against-drugs-war-against/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [It is time we admitted that we are not at war with “terrorism.” We are at war with Islam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/it-is-time-we-admitted-that-we-are-not-at-war-with-terrorism-we-are/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [I've made it clear, Madam President, that the war against terrorism is not a war against Muslims, nor is it a war against Arabs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-ve-made-it-clear-madam-president-that-the-war-against-terrorism-is/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Wanton killing of innocent civilians is terrorism, not a war against terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/wanton-killing-of-innocent-civilians-is-terrorism-not-a-war-against/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The war against terrorism is a war against those who engage in torture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-markey/the-war-against-terrorism-is-a-war-against-those-who-engage-in-torture/) [Ed Markey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-markey/) > [It's a nonsense assumption that you can get rid of terrorism with war. Terrorism is taking the lives of innocent people to gain your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/it-s-a-nonsense-assumption-that-you-can-get-rid-of-terrorism-with-war/) [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) ## More by Howard Zinn > [“A black man, Benjamin Banneker, who taught himself mathematics and astronomy, predicted accurately a solar eclipse, and was appointed to plan the new city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/a-black-man-benjamin-banneker-who-taught-himself-mathematics-and/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/there-is-no-flag-large-enough-to-cover-the-shame-of-killing-innocent/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“a good education is a synthesis of book learning and involvement in social action, because each enrich the other. The accumulation of knowledge, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/a-good-education-is-a-synthesis-of-book-learning-and-involvement-in/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [The mountain of history books under which we all stand leans so heavily in the other direction-so tremblingly respectful of states and statesmen and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-mountain-of-history-books-under-which-we-all-stand-leans-so/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Let's face a historical truth: we have never had a "free market", we have always had government intervention in the economy, and indeed that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/let-s-face-a-historical-truth-we-have-never-had-a-free-market-we-have/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [I can UNDERSTAND pessimism, but I don't BELIEVE in it. It's not simply a matter of faith, but of historical EVIDENCE. Not overwhelming evidence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/i-can-understand-pessimism-but-i-don-t-believe-in-it-it-s-not-simply/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Protest beyond the law is not a departure from democracy; it is absolutely essential to it. It is a corrective to the sluggishness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/protest-beyond-the-law-is-not-a-departure-from-democracy-it-is/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Now I have been studying very closely what happens every day in the courts in Boston, Massachusetts. You would be astounded--maybe you wouldn't, maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/now-i-have-been-studying-very-closely-what-happens-every-day-in-the/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [They were not mentioned in the Declaration of Independence, they were absent in the Constitution and they were invisible in the new political democracy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/they-were-not-mentioned-in-the-declaration-of-independence-they-were/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“Sexual purity was to be the special virtue of a woman. It was assumed that men, as a matter of biological nature, would sin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/sexual-purity-was-to-be-the-special-virtue-of-a-woman-it-was-assumed/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“Middle-class Americans might be invited to join a new elite by attacks against the corruption of the established rich. The New Yorker Cadwallader Colden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/middle-class-americans-might-be-invited-to-join-a-new-elite-by/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [If those in charge of our society - politicians, corporate executives, and owners of press and television - can dominate our ideas, they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/if-those-in-charge-of-our-society-politicians-corporate-executives/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [We were not born critical of existing society. There was a moment in our lives (or a month, or a year) when certain facts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/we-were-not-born-critical-of-existing-society-there-was-a-moment-in/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Behind the deceptive words designed to entice people into supporting violence -- words like democracy, freedom, self-defense, national security -- there is the reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/behind-the-deceptive-words-designed-to-entice-people-into-supporting/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“George Washington had turned down the requests of blacks, seeking freedom, to fight in the Revolutionary army. So when the British military commander in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/george-washington-had-turned-down-the-requests-of-blacks-seeking/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) [Explore all 461 Howard Zinn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) ## More Contradictory quotes > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [A language possesses utility only insofar as it can construct conventional boundaries. A language of no boundaries is no language at all, and thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/a-language-possesses-utility-only-insofar-as-it-can-construct/) [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) > [Wise people are able to give themselves gracefully to seemingly contradictory experiences, because they know that they belong to different seasons of life, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-keen/wise-people-are-able-to-give-themselves-gracefully-to-seemingly/) [Sam Keen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-keen/) > [We've got a great team sport, but we harp on about individuals. It's a bit contradictory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alun-wyn-jones/we-ve-got-a-great-team-sport-but-we-harp-on-about-individuals-it-s-a/) [Alun Wyn Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alun-wyn-jones/) > [In years to come, he would be a giver of bread, not a stealer - proof again of the contradictory human being. So much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/in-years-to-come-he-would-be-a-giver-of-bread-not-a-stealer-proof/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Strong men don't compromise, it is said, and principles should never be compromised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/strong-men-don-t-compromise-it-is-said-and-principles-should-never-be/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [Ruth and I don't have a perfect marriage, but we have a great one. How can I say two things that seem so contradictory?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/ruth-and-i-don-t-have-a-perfect-marriage-but-we-have-a-great-one-how/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [“Away from Lev, she craves his need for her. When with him, it enervates. Why is that? She cannot help it. Nothing to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-richler/away-from-lev-she-craves-his-need-for-her-when-with-him-it-enervates/) [Emma Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-richler/) > [“Throughout my life, I have always felt torn between my dual contradictory natures. I'm the obedient daughter and devoted friend, but also a self-destructive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elyse-schein/throughout-my-life-i-have-always-felt-torn-between-my-dual/) [Elyse Schein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elyse-schein/) > [When faced with a loss, it is no use trying to recover what has gone. On the other hand, a great space has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-faced-with-a-loss-it-is-no-use-trying-to-recover-what-has-gone/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [ The typical white intellectual considers himself superior to ordinary white people for two contradictory reasons: a\] he constantly proclaims belief in human equality, but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-sailer/the-typical-white-intellectual-considers-himself-superior-to-ordinary/) [Steve Sailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-sailer/) > [It is only through literature that one can put oneself in someone else’s shoes and understand the other’s different and contradictory sides and refrain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/it-is-only-through-literature-that-one-can-put-oneself-in-someone/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [The form most contradictory to human life that can appear among the human species is the "self-sat-isfied man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/the-form-most-contradictory-to-human-life-that-can-appear-among-the/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [A girl asks her doctor, "Doctor, I've forgotten to take my contradictory pill!" The doctor says: "Are you ignorant?" The girl says: "Yes, three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-carson/a-girl-asks-her-doctor-doctor-i-ve-forgotten-to-take-my-contradictory/) [Frank Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-carson/) > [“Is this a Kurdish thing?’ ‘What?’ ‘Being deliberately contradictory?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcdonald/is-this-a-kurdish-thing-what-being-deliberately-contradictory/) [Ian McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcdonald/) [Browse all 443 Contradictory quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradictory/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Since war itself is the most extreme form of terrorism, a war on terrorism is profoundly self-contradictory.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Howard Zinn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/since-war-itself-is-the-most-extreme-form-of-terrorism-a-war-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Contradictory" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/since-war-itself-is-the-most-extreme-form-of-terrorism-a-war-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/howard-zinn-576_contradictory_since-war-itself-is-the-most-extreme-for_2358859.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/howard-zinn-576_contradictory_since-war-itself-is-the-most-extreme-for_2358859.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/howard-zinn-576_contradictory_since-war-itself-is-the-most-extreme-for_2358859.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Since war itself is the most extreme form of terrorism, a war on terrorism is profoundly self-contradictory.” — Howard Zinn", "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": "Howard Zinn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Since war itself is the most...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/since-war-itself-is-the-most-extreme-form-of-terrorism-a-war-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/since-war-itself-is-the-most-extreme-form-of-terrorism-a-war-on/#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 } } ] } ```