--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think as we look at this problem of…" description: "\"I think as we look at this problem of ISIS, it's more than just an army. It's also a fight about ideas. And we have got to dry up their recruiting. We ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d8/james-mattis-9515_army_i-think-as-we-look-at-this-problem-of-is_2088419.jpg" --- # I think as we look at this problem of ISIS, it's more than… ![“I think as we look at this problem of ISIS, it's more than just an army. It's also a fight about ideas. And we have got to dry up their recruiting. We have got to dry up their fundraising. The way we intend to do it is to humiliate them, to divorce them from any nation giving them protection, and…” quote by James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d8/james-mattis-9515_army_i-think-as-we-look-at-this-problem-of-is_2088419.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d8/james-mattis-9515_army_i-think-as-we-look-at-this-problem-of-is_2088419.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d8/james-mattis-9515_army_i-think-as-we-look-at-this-problem-of-is_2088419.jpg) > “I think as we look at this problem of ISIS, it's more than just an army. It's also a fight about ideas. And we have got to dry up their recruiting. We have got to dry up their fundraising. The way we intend to do it is to humiliate them, to divorce them from any nation giving them protection, and humiliating their message of hatred, of violence. Anyone who kills women and children is not devout. They have - they cannot dress themselves up in false religious garb and say that somehow this message has dignity.” [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Addressing ISIS requires undermining both its military capacity and its ideological appeal by cutting recruitment, funding, and legitimacy. **In simple terms:** Fight ISIS by attacking ideas and resources, not just troops. Key Takeaway Target propaganda and finances to weaken the group. Themes counterterrorism ideology strategy security Mood determined urgent Type strategic policy When to use this quote - policy planning - public diplomacy - law enforcement - community outreach Key Concepts radicalization propaganda fundraising legitimacy Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance military action with ideological countermeasures? - What role do local communities play in preventing radicalization? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on ideology may overlook ground realities and local grievances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Dignity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity/) [Divorce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divorce/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Isis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isis/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Protection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protection/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) ## Related quotes > [The problem of ISIS is not recent. Ever since the Second World War, people in this region have been, and are today, living under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mano-khalil/the-problem-of-isis-is-not-recent-ever-since-the-second-world-war/) [Mano Khalil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mano-khalil/) > [One thing that I don’t know if people have come to grips with yet is just how serious ISIS is, just how serious militant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/one-thing-that-i-don-t-know-if-people-have-come-to-grips-with-yet-is/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Now you have Donald Trump ready to execute policy on the basis that the Muslims are the problem, not ISIS. Oh Jesus, it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-wrightson-nance/now-you-have-donald-trump-ready-to-execute-policy-on-the-basis-that/) [Malcolm Wrightson Nance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-wrightson-nance/) > [I think we as a society, a global community, we as governments, need to figure out ways to combat ISIS, not just as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-heineman/i-think-we-as-a-society-a-global-community-we-as-governments-need-to/) [Matthew Heineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-heineman/) > [We should practice by showing one another love and helping one another. It is a mistake to pursue happiness and to seek to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/we-should-practice-by-showing-one-another-love-and-helping-one/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Honoured sir, poverty is not a vice, that's a true saying. Yet I know too that drunkeness is not a virtue, and that's even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/honoured-sir-poverty-is-not-a-vice-that-s-a-true-saying-yet-i-know/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [The greatest power of freedom is to overcome hatred and violence, and turn the creative gifts of men and women to the pursuits of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-greatest-power-of-freedom-is-to-overcome-hatred-and-violence-and/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“How do we understand prejudice, hatred, and violence in the context of modern societies, like our own, among people much like ourselves, among men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-walser-smith/how-do-we-understand-prejudice-hatred-and-violence-in-the-context-of/) [Helmut Walser Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-walser-smith/) > [So many red lines have been crossed that people seem to think it is acceptable for politicians and the media to actually incite hatred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-miller/so-many-red-lines-have-been-crossed-that-people-seem-to-think-it-is/) [Gina Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-miller/) > [“Minorities will suffer discrimination, hatred, and violence under the horrific reign of Trump and his Republican minions. Their dreams are dead. But”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcmurrey/minorities-will-suffer-discrimination-hatred-and-violence-under-the/) [Scott McMurrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcmurrey/) > [“❤What the world needs now is peace not war✌ Is the darkness of hatred and violence... ever worth dying for?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/what-the-world-needs-now-is-peace-not-war-is-the-darkness-of-hatred/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [“What we thrive on is hatred and violence; if we were a peaceable people we would have peace tomorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/what-we-thrive-on-is-hatred-and-violence-if-we-were-a-peaceable/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [To cure the violence, we must identify and heal the causes of hatred and violence. If we don't deal with the causes we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-yarrow/to-cure-the-violence-we-must-identify-and-heal-the-causes-of-hatred/) [Peter Yarrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-yarrow/) > [“The essence of religion remains love and kindness, yet it has been the biggest cause of hatred and violence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mouloud-benzadi/the-essence-of-religion-remains-love-and-kindness-yet-it-has-been-the/) [Mouloud Benzadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mouloud-benzadi/) > [I think loathing begets fanaticism, and in the end, loathing begets hatred and violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/i-think-loathing-begets-fanaticism-and-in-the-end-loathing-begets/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) ## More by James Mattis > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [An untrained or uneducated Marine ... deployed to the combat zone is a bigger threat to mission accomplishment ... than the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/an-untrained-or-uneducated-marine-deployed-to-the-combat-zone-is-a/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [The first time you blow someone away is not an insignificant event. 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We can destroy virtually anything we choose to destroy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/we-can-kill-lots-of-people-we-do-kill-lots-of-people-we-can-destroy/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [I just hope we can find our way back to engaging with one another, arguing strongly with one another, and then going down and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-just-hope-we-can-find-our-way-back-to-engaging-with-one-another/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [We've backed off in good faith to try and give you a chance to straighten this problem out. But I am going to beg…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/we-ve-backed-off-in-good-faith-to-try-and-give-you-a-chance-to/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [You've been told that you're broken. That you're damaged goods ... there is also Post-Traumatic Growth. You come back from war stronger and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/you-ve-been-told-that-you-re-broken-that-you-re-damaged-goods-there/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [It's quite fun to fight them, you know. It's a hell of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/it-s-quite-fun-to-fight-them-you-know-it-s-a-hell-of-a-hoot-it-s-fun/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [You cannot allow any of your people to avoid the brutal facts. If they start living in a dream world, it's going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/you-cannot-allow-any-of-your-people-to-avoid-the-brutal-facts-if-they/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [You can overcome wrong technology. Your people have the initiative, they see the problem, no big deal ... you can't overcome bad culture. You've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/you-can-overcome-wrong-technology-your-people-have-the-initiative/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil. You know, guys like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/you-go-into-afghanistan-you-got-guys-who-slap-women-around-for-five-2/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [We have the most skillful, firecest, and certainly the most ethical ground forces in the world... I'm not saying we have to commit right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/we-have-the-most-skillful-firecest-and-certainly-the-most-ethical/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [I don't see lethality as the problem. I mean, the lethality of US forces is quite remarkable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-don-t-see-lethality-as-the-problem-i-mean-the-lethality-of-us/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [The United States has been essentially engaged in an ongoing war that most people date from 2001. That war has taken us to Afghanistan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/the-united-states-has-been-essentially-engaged-in-an-ongoing-war-that/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) [Explore all 72 James Mattis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) ## More Army quotes > [There are no more worlds to conquer!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/there-are-no-more-worlds-to-conquer/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [I just read an article about how young American males feel uncomfortable appearing naked in front of each other in locker rooms. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ivory/i-just-read-an-article-about-how-young-american-males-feel/) [James Ivory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ivory/) > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. 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