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Appropriate Quote by John O. Brennan

“I do not - I never believed it's better to kill a terrorist than to detain him. We want to detain as many terrorists as possible so we can elicit the intelligence from them in the appropriate manner so that we can disrupt follow-on terrorist attacks.” quote by John O. Brennan
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“I do not - I never believed it's better to kill a terrorist than to detain him. We want to detain as many terrorists as possible so we can elicit the intelligence from them in the appropriate manner so that we can disrupt follow-on terrorist attacks.”

John O. Brennan

About This Quote

Source Speech: Public remarks on counterterrorism policy, United States, 2011

Advocates detaining terrorists to extract intelligence and prevent future attacks rather than killing them.

In simple terms: Detain to gather info, not kill.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize intelligence gathering over lethal force.

Themes

security ethics counterterrorism

Mood

serious analytical

Type

policy ethical

When to use this quote

  • law enforcement operations
  • military strategy
  • policy debates

Key Concepts

intelligence extraction risk assessment human rights

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can we balance security with civil liberties?
  • What safeguards prevent abuse of detention?
A Different Perspective

Detention may raise legal and moral challenges.

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