--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would only go to Syria to destroy ISIS…" description: "\"I would only go to Syria to destroy ISIS. I would not use U.S. troops to depose Assad. But I would support the rebels there. It's okay to support those..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a7/john-kasich-1650_assad_i-would-only-go-to-syria-to-destroy-isis_2685480.jpg" --- # I would only go to Syria to destroy ISIS. I would not use… ![“I would only go to Syria to destroy ISIS. I would not use U.S. troops to depose Assad. But I would support the rebels there. It's okay to support those people who share your view. But for the United States to be embroiled in a civil war in Syria against [Bashr] Assad I think is a big mistake.” quote by John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a7/john-kasich-1650_assad_i-would-only-go-to-syria-to-destroy-isis_2685480.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a7/john-kasich-1650_assad_i-would-only-go-to-syria-to-destroy-isis_2685480.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a7/john-kasich-1650_assad_i-would-only-go-to-syria-to-destroy-isis_2685480.jpg) > “I would only go to Syria to destroy ISIS. I would not use U.S. troops to depose Assad. But I would support the rebels there. It's okay to support those people who share your view. But for the United States to be embroiled in a civil war in Syria against \[Bashr\] Assad I think is a big mistake.” [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Support for local forces against a common enemy can be justified, but direct military intervention may be a strategic error. **In simple terms:** Back local allies, avoid deep entanglement. Key Takeaway Support allies, limit direct involvement. Themes foreign policy military intervention regional stability ethical considerations Mood cautious reflective Type political ethical When to use this quote - advising policy - voting decisions - NGO support - public debate - peace advocacy Key Concepts proxy warfare nation building political risk humanitarian concerns Questions to Reflect On - What criteria should guide support for foreign groups? - How to balance moral imperatives with strategic risks? A Different Perspective Complexities of supporting rebels without clear outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-war/) [Isis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isis/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rebel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rebel/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Syria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/syria/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Troops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/troops/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [I think we bring together that broad coalition including Russia to help us destroy ISIS and work on a timetable to get rid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-think-we-bring-together-that-broad-coalition-including-russia-to/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [First and foremost, we need to go and destroy ISIS. And we need to do this with our Arab friends and our friends in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/first-and-foremost-we-need-to-go-and-destroy-isis-and-we-need-to-do/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [I think it's too late. I think that there's been too much. This all started with the red line, walking away from it. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-think-it-s-too-late-i-think-that-there-s-been-too-much-this-all/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [ I don't understand this thing about \[Bashar\] Assad. He has to go. Assad is aligned with Iran and Russia. The one thing we want… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-don-t-understand-this-thing-about-bashar-assad-he-has-to-go-assad/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [Using overwhelming air power to utterly and completely destroy ISIS. To put things in perspective, in the first Persian Gulf War, we launched roughly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/using-overwhelming-air-power-to-utterly-and-completely-destroy-isis/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [If we're going to ban all Muslims, how are we going to get them to be part of a coalition to destroy ISIS?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/if-we-re-going-to-ban-all-muslims-how-are-we-going-to-get-them-to-be/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [ They \[terrorists\] have declared war on us and we need to have a serious strategy to destroy ISIS. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/they-terrorists-have-declared-war-on-us-and-we-need-to-have-a-serious/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [If we want to destroy ISIS,if we expect to do this on our own, we will fail but if we do it in unison…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/if-we-want-to-destroy-isis-if-we-expect-to-do-this-on-our-own-we-will/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [What King Abdullah of Jordan said is essentially the war against ISIS is a war for the soul of Islam. And it must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/what-king-abdullah-of-jordan-said-is-essentially-the-war-against-isis/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Banning all Muslims will make it harder for us to do exactly what we need to do, which is to destroy ISIS. We need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/banning-all-muslims-will-make-it-harder-for-us-to-do-exactly-what-we/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [We should use every pillar of American power to destroy ISIS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-wilcox/we-should-use-every-pillar-of-american-power-to-destroy-isis/) [Todd Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-wilcox/) > [Developing a strategy, leading the world, funding it to make sure that we have a military that's second to none, and doing the job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/developing-a-strategy-leading-the-world-funding-it-to-make-sure-that/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [The main thing we should be focused on is the strategy to destroy ISIS. And I laid out a plan that the Reagan Library…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/the-main-thing-we-should-be-focused-on-is-the-strategy-to-destroy/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [We need a strategy to destroy ISIS there. You can't do that without the cooperation of the Muslim world because they're as threatened as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/we-need-a-strategy-to-destroy-isis-there-you-can-t-do-that-without/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [Immediately after taking office, I will ask my generals to present to me a plan within 30 days to defeat and destroy ISIS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/immediately-after-taking-office-i-will-ask-my-generals-to-present-to/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) ## More by John Kasich > [I was the chairman of the Budget Committee and the lead architect the last time it happened in Washington, and when we did it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-was-the-chairman-of-the-budget-committee-and-the-lead-architect-the/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [I think we can have some tax reform, but that doesn't mean tax increases. We ought to make the, the rates flatter. We ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-think-we-can-have-some-tax-reform-but-that-doesn-t-mean-tax/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [I was not in favor of U.S. troops in Lebanon. And I voted against it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-was-not-in-favor-of-u-s-troops-in-lebanon-and-i-voted-against-it/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [When I listen to candidates spend all their time attacking Barack Obama, I'm glad they're not driving this bus because they'd be looking through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/when-i-listen-to-candidates-spend-all-their-time-attacking-barack/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [You want your children to be safe. You want your families to be safe. We know that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/you-want-your-children-to-be-safe-you-want-your-families-to-be-safe/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [I was the chairman of the House Budget Committee and one of the chief architects the last time we balanced a budget, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-was-the-chairman-of-the-house-budget-committee-and-one-of-the-chief/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [We have to go massively, like we did in the first Gulf War where we destroyed Saddam's ability to take Kuwait. We need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/we-have-to-go-massively-like-we-did-in-the-first-gulf-war-where-we/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [I mean, the fact of the matter is, Ohio 's coming back because we set a clear path, we cut taxes, we balanced our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-mean-the-fact-of-the-matter-is-ohio-s-coming-back-because-we-set-a/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [When we give a subsidy, the benefits to the public ought to exceed the benefits to the company. When it doesn't, that's our definition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/when-we-give-a-subsidy-the-benefits-to-the-public-ought-to-exceed-the/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [People have now been absorbing only that they agree with. You know, part of it is if you're liberal, you consume liberal information. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/people-have-now-been-absorbing-only-that-they-agree-with-you-know/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [To put all of your eggs in one basket is silly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/to-put-all-of-your-eggs-in-one-basket-is-silly/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [Affirmative action has a negative effect on our society when it means counting us like so many beans and dividing us into separate piles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/affirmative-action-has-a-negative-effect-on-our-society-when-it-means/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [If the B2 is invisible, just announce you've built 100 of them and don't build them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/if-the-b2-is-invisible-just-announce-you-ve-built-100-of-them-and-don/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [We think about our country and the big issues that we face in this country; creating jobs, making sure people can keep their jobs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/we-think-about-our-country-and-the-big-issues-that-we-face-in-this/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [I try to keep what I say. And I - I'm not deviated from this position at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-try-to-keep-what-i-say-and-i-i-m-not-deviated-from-this-position-at/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) [Explore all 219 John Kasich quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) ## More Assad quotes > [ People talk about \[Bashar\] Assad running Syria. He doesn't control his own country. He's down to about 20, 25 percent of the country. What… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/people-talk-about-bashar-assad-running-syria-he-doesn-t-control-his/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [We could have made peace with Syrian dictator Bashar Assad a long time ago. It didn't happen, because Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doesn't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/we-could-have-made-peace-with-syrian-dictator-bashar-assad-a-long/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [ You cannot bring peace in Syria as long as \[Bashar\] Assad is, in fact, there. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/you-cannot-bring-peace-in-syria-as-long-as-bashar-assad-is-in-fact/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [Assad's mother was a terror. He was terrified of her and she kept saying to him, you're not like your father. That's interesting, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/assad-s-mother-was-a-terror-he-was-terrified-of-her-and-she-kept/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [ We have to do one thing at a time. We can't be fighting ISIS and fighting \[Bashar\]Assad. Assad is fighting ISIS. He is fighting… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-have-to-do-one-thing-at-a-time-we-can-t-be-fighting-isis-and/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“Assad whistled a few notes of one of his native country's melancholic songs. It sounded as though he was whistling backwards”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jussi-adler-olsen/assad-whistled-a-few-notes-of-one-of-his-native-country-s-melancholic/) [Jussi Adler-Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jussi-adler-olsen/) > [ \[Bashar\] Assad is one of the main reasons why ISIS even exists to begin with. Assad is a puppet of Iran. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/bashar-assad-is-one-of-the-main-reasons-why-isis-even-exists-to-begin/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Bashar Assad is a major cause of the refugees which are now flooding Europe and causing such consternation in the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/bashar-assad-is-a-major-cause-of-the-refugees-which-are-now-flooding/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [The principal sponsors of the terrorists are not religious fanatics. "Palestine's Yasser Arafat, Iraq's Saddam Hussein, and Syria's Assad family have made themselves the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-buckley-jr/the-principal-sponsors-of-the-terrorists-are-not-religious-fanatics/) [William F. Buckley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley-jr/) > [ I think those who have wanted regime \[of Bashar Assad\] change have made a mistake. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-think-those-who-have-wanted-regime-of-bashar-assad-change-have-made/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [ If \[Bashar\] Assad himself could save this whole process by saying, "I will engage in a managed transition where we all work together to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/if-bashar-assad-himself-could-save-this-whole-process-by-saying-i/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [We know that russians are deeply engaged in supporting Assad because they want to have a place in the Middle East. They have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-know-that-russians-are-deeply-engaged-in-supporting-assad-because/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [ If we topple \[Bashar\] Assad, the result will be ISIS will take over Syria, and it will worsen U.S. national security interests. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/if-we-topple-bashar-assad-the-result-will-be-isis-will-take-over/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [ Every chance at destabilizing \[Bashar\] Assad... the bombing campaign causes a flood of refugees into Jordan, there's already half a million in Jordan. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/every-chance-at-destabilizing-bashar-assad-the-bombing-campaign/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [ I'll tell you whose view on \[Bashar\] Assad is the same as mine. It's Prime Minister \[Benjamin\] Netanyahu. Prime Minister Netanyahu has said Israel… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-ll-tell-you-whose-view-on-bashar-assad-is-the-same-as-mine-it-s/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) Browse all 130 Assad quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I would only go to Syria to destroy ISIS. I would not use U.S. troops to depose Assad. But I would support the rebels there. It's okay to support those people who share your view. 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