Afghanistan Quote by Jerry Costello
“Make no mistake, our troops will be in Afghanistan and Iraq for a long time.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Congressional testimony, 2008
The speaker warns that U.S. forces will remain deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq for an extended period.
In simple terms: U.S. troops will stay in those wars for a long time.
Key Takeaway
Prepare for prolonged commitment.
Themes
military
policy
conflict
commitment
geopolitics
Mood
cautious
serious
reflective
Type
political
analytical
warning
When to use this quote
- defense planning
- voter awareness
- media analysis
- family support
- budgeting
Key Concepts
foreign policy
war fatigue
strategic endurance
Questions to Reflect On
- How should policymakers balance strategic goals with domestic costs?
- What are the long‑term impacts on service members and their families?
A Different Perspective
Prolonged presence may strain resources and public support.
![“It still puts burden on some troops of ours who are there [in Afghanistan and Iraq] as advisors and facilitators.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8dd/barack-obama-17_advisors_it-still-puts-burden-on-some-troops-of-o_1500134.jpg)
![“And the last thing that I want to see us do is ask more and more of our troops [in Afghanistan ] without guaranteeing that we're providing more and more of what's necessary to make the mission successful.” quote by Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d3d/rahm-emanuel-4413_afghanistan_and-the-last-thing-that-i-want-to-see-us_502105.jpg)
![“We have fewer troops in Afghanistan than we had law enforcement [officers] at the Olympics in Salt Lake City.” quote by Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/5ff/hillary-clinton-51_afghanistan_we-have-fewer-troops-in-afghanistan-than_1418820.jpg)
![“I remind you again we had those elections [in Afghanistan and Iraq] because we had boots on the ground and we had people that could help people, and we had people on the ground that could get into somebody's face when they had to, and do whatever was required.” quote by Peter Schoomaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cf8/peter-schoomaker-83598_afghanistan_i-remind-you-again-we-had-those-election_710157.jpg)
![“We don't have this huge footprint, we are less likely to be targeted as, you know, occupiers [in Afghanistan and Iraq].” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fb4/barack-obama-17_afghanistan_we-don-t-have-this-huge-footprint-we-are_505636.jpg)
![“Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and made it more likely that others would join the ranks of her fallen comrades. Her prison sentence may end in a few months' [time], but her…” quote by John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/788/john-mccain-465_afghanistan_thousands-of-americans-have-given-their_26162.jpg)
