--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can’t remember any time the Americans…" description: "\"“I can’t remember any time the Americans have delivered a worse mess than this. You know what they’re doing?” He bent forward and dropped his voice to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bee/jeffrey-gettleman-15142_time_i-can-t-remember-any-time-the-americans_261130.jpg" --- # I can’t remember any time the Americans have delivered a… ![“I can’t remember any time the Americans have delivered a worse mess than this. You know what they’re doing?” He bent forward and dropped his voice to a whisper—that’s what I loved about Louis, life was a Le Carré novel to him. “They’re still backing the warlords. The CIA never cut the assistance…” quote by Jeffrey Gettleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bee/jeffrey-gettleman-15142_time_i-can-t-remember-any-time-the-americans_261130.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bee/jeffrey-gettleman-15142_time_i-can-t-remember-any-time-the-americans_261130.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bee/jeffrey-gettleman-15142_time_i-can-t-remember-any-time-the-americans_261130.jpg) > ““I can’t remember any time the Americans have delivered a worse mess than this. You know what they’re doing?” He bent forward and dropped his voice to a whisper—that’s what I loved about Louis, life was a Le Carré novel to him. “They’re still backing the warlords. The CIA never cut the assistance, even after the clerics kicked the warlords’ ass, despite all those briefcases of cash. You know the assholes the CIA was backing? Qanyare? Abdi Qeybdiid? Hussein Aidid? They were the same assholes who shot down your helicopters during Black Hawk Down. You Americans”—he waved his lit cigarette at me—“you’re so tragic at history.”” [Jeffrey Gettleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-gettleman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques U.S. involvement in Somalia, highlighting support for warlords despite negative outcomes. **In simple terms:** U.S. backs harmful actors in Somalia. Key Takeaway Question foreign policy motives. Themes foreign policy military intervention ethics history Mood critical concerned Type political analytical When to use this quote - journalism - political analysis - human rights advocacy Key Concepts realpolitik moral hazard Questions to Reflect On - What are the unintended consequences of foreign interventions? - How can accountability be improved? A Different Perspective The perspective may oversimplify complex geopolitics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [“You put together two things that have not been put together before. And the world is changed. People may not notice at the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-put-together-two-things-that-have-not-been-put-together-before/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“Conception is the beginning of human life. 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You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I feel like the future is unwritten. 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It’s an addiction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-gettleman/the-more-war-you-get-the-more-war-you-want-it-s-an-addiction/) [Jeffrey Gettleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-gettleman/) > [“as soon as the Berlin Wall came crumbling down, the Mobutus became an embarrassment. There was suddenly no reason to prop them up. 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You know the assholes the CIA was backing? Qanyare? Abdi Qeybdiid? Hussein Aidid? They were the same assholes who shot down your helicopters during Black Hawk Down. 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