--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The president made clear when he was a…" description: "\"The president made clear when he was a candidate for this office and when he took this office, that unfortunately prior to his taking office, because o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/jay-carney-19801_afghanistan_the-president-made-clear-when-he-was-a-c_2678560.jpg" --- # The president made clear when he was a candidate for this… ![“The president made clear when he was a candidate for this office and when he took this office, that unfortunately prior to his taking office, because of the focus on Iraq, and the U.S. efforts there, that the original war, if you will, in Afghanistan had been neglected, the strategy there was…” quote by Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/jay-carney-19801_afghanistan_the-president-made-clear-when-he-was-a-c_2678560.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/jay-carney-19801_afghanistan_the-president-made-clear-when-he-was-a-c_2678560.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/jay-carney-19801_afghanistan_the-president-made-clear-when-he-was-a-c_2678560.jpg) > “The president made clear when he was a candidate for this office and when he took this office, that unfortunately prior to his taking office, because of the focus on Iraq, and the U.S. efforts there, that the original war, if you will, in Afghanistan had been neglected, the strategy there was unclear, and that it was not properly resourced.” [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) ## 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 criticizes the neglect of Afghanistan’s war due to focus on Iraq, noting unclear strategy and insufficient resources. **In simple terms:** Afghanistan war was ignored while Iraq was prioritized. Key Takeaway Allocate clear strategy and resources to all conflicts. Themes policy military prioritization resource allocation Mood critical analytical Type political historical When to use this quote - government decision‑making - military planning - budget discussions - foreign policy debates Key Concepts strategic planning budget constraints political focus Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders balance multiple conflicts? - What mechanisms ensure adequate resourcing? A Different Perspective Limited resources and competing priorities often force compromises. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afghanistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategy/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [If you ask judges, do you always agree on everything? Of course not, we divide just as you do. Why aren't you transparent about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-you-ask-judges-do-you-always-agree-on-everything-of-course-not-we/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [The recession is over." This phrase has been used twice a year since 1973 by government leaders throughout the West. Its meaning is unclear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/the-recession-is-over-this-phrase-has-been-used-twice-a-year-since/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [As for the subject matter in my painting.. ..it is very often an incidental thing in the background, elusive and unclear, that really stirred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-baziotes/as-for-the-subject-matter-in-my-painting-it-is-very-often-an/) [William Baziotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-baziotes/) > [“Sometimes, when you look close enough at a person hoping to find clarity, the image of the person becomes so hazy, so distorted, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belle-aurora/sometimes-when-you-look-close-enough-at-a-person-hoping-to-find/) [Belle Aurora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/belle-aurora/) > [The unlucky hand dealt to clear and precise writers is that people assume they are superficial and so do not go to any trouble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-unlucky-hand-dealt-to-clear-and-precise-writers-is-that-people/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Only the image of my father is unclear, as if something obscure but vital has been blotted out, and only the raging surface is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-lewycka/only-the-image-of-my-father-is-unclear-as-if-something-obscure-but/) [Marina Lewycka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-lewycka/) > [Our marvelous new information technologies boost our power and opportunities for political engagement, but they can also disempower us by contributing to extreme political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-homer-dixon/our-marvelous-new-information-technologies-boost-our-power-and/) [Thomas Homer-Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-homer-dixon/) > [A line runs from the meditations of the heart to the words of the mouth. The meditations are not clear to us until the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mitchell/a-line-runs-from-the-meditations-of-the-heart-to-the-words-of-the/) [Richard Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mitchell/) > [The Bible is unfortunately unclear on a long list of moral and social questions and sex is one of them. On the one hand,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-allen/the-bible-is-unfortunately-unclear-on-a-long-list-of-moral-and-social/) [Steve Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-allen/) > [A nose job at the age of 12 is just too early. The nose hasn't grown enough, it's very unclear where it's going and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-dubrow/a-nose-job-at-the-age-of-12-is-just-too-early-the-nose-hasn-t-grown/) [Terry Dubrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-dubrow/) > [“It is unclear if corporate governments are truly the dunces of human health or if they are just faking it in order to propagate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/it-is-unclear-if-corporate-governments-are-truly-the-dunces-of-human/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I would rather be of clear mind and decision with the wrong club than with an unclear mind and the right club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-hagen/i-would-rather-be-of-clear-mind-and-decision-with-the-wrong-club-than/) [Walter Hagen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-hagen/) > [Speaking as Coulson, it's unclear. I feel like that are other formidable S.H.I.E.L.D. elements and they don't have Coulson's connection to some of these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-gregg/speaking-as-coulson-it-s-unclear-i-feel-like-that-are-other/) [Clark Gregg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-gregg/) > [When everything else seems unclear, at least I'll know I do it for the joy it brings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/when-everything-else-seems-unclear-at-least-i-ll-know-i-do-it-for-the/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I also try to discipline myself when I get into a situation... and I'm trying to think of an answer, instead of being verbose,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-quayle/i-also-try-to-discipline-myself-when-i-get-into-a-situation-and-i-m/) [Dan Quayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-quayle/) ## More by Jay Carney > [So our focus has to be on the things that we can control, which is to take the necessary measures working with Congress to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/so-our-focus-has-to-be-on-the-things-that-we-can-control-which-is-to/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [I - it's simply not for me to evaluate an independent rating agency's processes. But I will say that there was reason to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/i-it-s-simply-not-for-me-to-evaluate-an-independent-rating-agency-s/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [We certainly ... hope that the Congress will act in an appropriate fashion and not waste its time with ineffectual, sham legislation on Keystone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/we-certainly-hope-that-the-congress-will-act-in-an-appropriate/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [Obama wanted to offer his support to birth control activist Sandra Fluke. He wanted to express his disappointment that she has been the subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/obama-wanted-to-offer-his-support-to-birth-control-activist-sandra/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [Well, I haven't seen the records. I haven't seen Hilary Rosen; I personally know three Hilary Rosen's, so I don't know that this Hilary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/well-i-haven-t-seen-the-records-i-haven-t-seen-hilary-rosen-i/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [Benghazi happened a long time ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/benghazi-happened-a-long-time-ago/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [I'm going to work night and day to make sure that Americans get the tax relief that they need and deserve, and that our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/i-m-going-to-work-night-and-day-to-make-sure-that-americans-get-the/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [Let me just say that while I personally am very fond of John Boehner, his record of predicting what would happen if certain policies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/let-me-just-say-that-while-i-personally-am-very-fond-of-john-boehner/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [What we see happening with this Republican strategy is a willingness to threaten the very foundation of the world's greatest economic power. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/what-we-see-happening-with-this-republican-strategy-is-a-willingness/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [The Affordable Care Act reduces the deficit considerably. I would simply point out to you that the Supreme Court has spoken, the American people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/the-affordable-care-act-reduces-the-deficit-considerably-i-would/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [We believe that - the President believes that the economy will continue to grow, that the economy will continue to create jobs, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/we-believe-that-the-president-believes-that-the-economy-will-continue/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [This president's committed to taking steps to move the Middle East peace process forward, to bringing the two parties to the table to negotiate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/this-president-s-committed-to-taking-steps-to-move-the-middle-east/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [The debate we won't be having is whether or not the debt ceiling should be raised. We will not have a situation where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/the-debate-we-won-t-be-having-is-whether-or-not-the-debt-ceiling/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [I think, if you're a candidate and you want to be totally safe, and assure that what you say is not going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/i-think-if-you-re-a-candidate-and-you-want-to-be-totally-safe-and/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [And it's important to remember we are all responsible - or certainly the elected members in Washington of both parties are responsible for making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/and-it-s-important-to-remember-we-are-all-responsible-or-certainly/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) [Explore all 32 Jay Carney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) ## 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": "The president made clear when he was a candidate for this office and when he took this office, that unfortunately prior to his taking office, because of the focus on Iraq, and the U.S. efforts there, that the original war, if you will, in Afghanistan had been neglected, the strategy there was unclear, and that it was not properly resourced.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jay Carney" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/the-president-made-clear-when-he-was-a-candidate-for-this-office-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afghanistan" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/the-president-made-clear-when-he-was-a-candidate-for-this-office-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/jay-carney-19801_afghanistan_the-president-made-clear-when-he-was-a-c_2678560.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/jay-carney-19801_afghanistan_the-president-made-clear-when-he-was-a-c_2678560.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/jay-carney-19801_afghanistan_the-president-made-clear-when-he-was-a-c_2678560.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The president made clear when he was a candidate for this office and when he took this office, that…” — Jay Carney", "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": "Jay Carney", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The president made clear when he...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/the-president-made-clear-when-he-was-a-candidate-for-this-office-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/the-president-made-clear-when-he-was-a-candidate-for-this-office-and/#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 } } ] } ```