--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As we've seen, deploying large armies…" description: "\"As we've seen, deploying large armies abroad won't always be our best offense. Countries typically don't want foreign soldiers in their cities and town..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/john-o-brennan-10652_abroad_as-we-ve-seen-deploying-large-armies-abr_409023.jpg" --- # As we've seen, deploying large armies abroad won't always… ![“As we've seen, deploying large armies abroad won't always be our best offense. Countries typically don't want foreign soldiers in their cities and towns.” quote by John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/john-o-brennan-10652_abroad_as-we-ve-seen-deploying-large-armies-abr_409023.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/john-o-brennan-10652_abroad_as-we-ve-seen-deploying-large-armies-abr_409023.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/john-o-brennan-10652_abroad_as-we-ve-seen-deploying-large-armies-abr_409023.jpg) > “As we've seen, deploying large armies abroad won't always be our best offense. Countries typically don't want foreign soldiers in their cities and towns.” [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Deploying troops abroad often backfires because local populations resist foreign military presence. **In simple terms:** Foreign troops are unpopular. Key Takeaway Avoid large overseas deployments. Themes military strategy public opinion sovereignty Mood cautious strategic Type policy analysis When to use this quote - peacekeeping missions - nation building - counterterrorism - humanitarian aid Key Concepts counterinsurgency political risk Questions to Reflect On - How can a nation protect interests without troops? - What alternatives exist to military presence? A Different Perspective Local resistance can undermine objectives despite military strength. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Armies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armies/) [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Countries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/countries/) [Soldiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldiers/) ## Related quotes > [The most dangerous states in the international system are continental powers with large armies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/the-most-dangerous-states-in-the-international-system-are-continental/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [Bogging down large armies in historically complex, dangerous areas ends in disaster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-hagel/bogging-down-large-armies-in-historically-complex-dangerous-areas/) [Chuck Hagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-hagel/) > [God is on everyone's side... and in the last analysis, he is on the side with plenty of money and large armies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/god-is-on-everyone-s-side-and-in-the-last-analysis-he-is-on-the-side/) [Jean Anouilh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/) > [So long as large armies go to battle, so long will the air arm remain their spearhead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-falls/so-long-as-large-armies-go-to-battle-so-long-will-the-air-arm-remain/) Cyril Falls > [It occurred to me that if I could invent a machine - a gun - which could by its rapidity of fire, enable one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jordan-gatling/it-occurred-to-me-that-if-i-could-invent-a-machine-a-gun-which-could/) Richard Jordan Gatling > [We have got to accept Big Government for the duration-for neither an offensive nor a defensive war can be waged, given our present government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-buckley-jr/we-have-got-to-accept-big-government-for-the-duration-for-neither-an/) [William F. Buckley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley-jr/) > [Rule 1, on page I of the book of war, is: "Do not march on Moscow". Various people have tried it, Napoleon and Hitler,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/rule-1-on-page-i-of-the-book-of-war-is-do-not-march-on-moscow-various/) [Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/) > [I sincerely believe... that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-sincerely-believe-that-banking-establishments-are-more-dangerous-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [If you're in the middle of a field, surrounded by armies, left right and centre, you can't just say: 'I've had enough now, sorry.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-pardew/if-you-re-in-the-middle-of-a-field-surrounded-by-armies-left-right/) [Alan Pardew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-pardew/) > [My favorite parts about 'The Battle of Five Armies' were the moments where you could clearly see that we were looking at New Zealand.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/my-favorite-parts-about-the-battle-of-five-armies-were-the-moments/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [If one is intelligent and applies himself well, what can he not accomplish? Even small bands of people, I have heard, have defeated whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sakya-pandita/if-one-is-intelligent-and-applies-himself-well-what-can-he-not/) Sakya Pandita > [All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-the-armies-of-europe-asia-and-africa-combined-with-all-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are not intimidated by the size of the armies, or the type of hardware the US has brought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saddam-hussein/we-are-not-intimidated-by-the-size-of-the-armies-or-the-type-of/) [Saddam Hussein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saddam-hussein/) > [Countries, not just their armies, win wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/countries-not-just-their-armies-win-wars/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [It's with them that we have constituted a liberation front and brought our logistic support to armies to help their countries come out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/it-s-with-them-that-we-have-constituted-a-liberation-front-and/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) ## More by John O. Brennan > [You always, I think, debate with yourself about whether or not you made the right decision. And you have to then give the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/you-always-i-think-debate-with-yourself-about-whether-or-not-you-made/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [While the intelligence profession oftentimes demands secrecy, it is critically important that there be a full and open discourse on intelligence matters with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/while-the-intelligence-profession-oftentimes-demands-secrecy-it-is/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [The CIA has acknowledged that it has detained about 100 terrorists since 9/11, and about a third of them have been subjected to what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/the-cia-has-acknowledged-that-it-has-detained-about-100-terrorists/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [Throughout my career, I had the great fortune to experience firsthand as well as to witness what it means to be a CIA officer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/throughout-my-career-i-had-the-great-fortune-to-experience-firsthand/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [Terrorism needs to be fought against and certainly delegitimized or attacked, but some of the underlying grievances that might in fact lead individuals astray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/terrorism-needs-to-be-fought-against-and-certainly-delegitimized-or/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [I think we do have to take off the gloves in some areas, but within balance, and at the right time and the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/i-think-we-do-have-to-take-off-the-gloves-in-some-areas-but-within/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [U.S. computer networks and databases are under daily cyber attack by nation states, international crime organizations, subnational groups, and individual hackers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/u-s-computer-networks-and-databases-are-under-daily-cyber-attack-by/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [We are in this business, whether it be intelligence or the government, to protect freedom, democracy and liberty, not to violate that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/we-are-in-this-business-whether-it-be-intelligence-or-the-government/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [I want to be very clear: whenever it is possible to capture a suspected terrorist, it is the unqualified preference of the administration to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/i-want-to-be-very-clear-whenever-it-is-possible-to-capture-a/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [As a matter of international law, the United States is in an armed conflict with al-Qaida, the Taliban, and associated forces, in response to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/as-a-matter-of-international-law-the-united-states-is-in-an-armed/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [The United States is the first nation to regularly conduct strikes using remotely piloted aircraft in an armed conflict. Other nations also possess this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/the-united-states-is-the-first-nation-to-regularly-conduct-strikes/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [The men and women of the CIA are a national treasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/the-men-and-women-of-the-cia-are-a-national-treasure/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [We need to make sure that leaks of classified information, of national security secrets, needs to be rigorously pursued and prosecuted to the fullest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/we-need-to-make-sure-that-leaks-of-classified-information-of-national/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [Sometimes there are actions that we are forced to take, but there need to be boundaries beyond which we are going to recognize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/sometimes-there-are-actions-that-we-are-forced-to-take-but-there-need/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [In full accordance with the law - and in order to prevent terrorist attacks on the United States and to save American lives -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/in-full-accordance-with-the-law-and-in-order-to-prevent-terrorist/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) [Explore all 64 John O. Brennan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) ## More Abroad quotes > [I love India, Russia and touring has made me many friends abroad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-i-am/i-love-india-russia-and-touring-has-made-me-many-friends-abroad/) [will.i.am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-i-am/) > [“When the ancient Romans would conquer a new place or a new people, they would leave the language and the customs in tact –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/when-the-ancient-romans-would-conquer-a-new-place-or-a-new-people/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [Africa for the Africans... at home and abroad!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/africa-for-the-africans-at-home-and-abroad/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [For years, I had a top secret clearance and never left Russia. Just once did I go to Bulgaria with my wife for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalashnikov/for-years-i-had-a-top-secret-clearance-and-never-left-russia-just/) [Mikhail Kalashnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalashnikov/) > [We have a family holiday once a year, usually abroad, but that's it. I feel I should have holidays for my family's sake, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-webb/we-have-a-family-holiday-once-a-year-usually-abroad-but-that-s-it-i/) [Robert Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-webb/) > [I didn't go abroad until quite late. A friend drove us to Amalfi, Italy, for his sister's wedding when I was a teenager. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harewood/i-didn-t-go-abroad-until-quite-late-a-friend-drove-us-to-amalfi-italy/) [David Harewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harewood/) > [I studied a month in Costa Rica and loved it. I'm not scared to go abroad. I feel like I can figure things out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-olusola/i-studied-a-month-in-costa-rica-and-loved-it-i-m-not-scared-to-go/) [Kevin Olusola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-olusola/) > [I don't think I know everything because I don't watch much news from abroad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peng-shuai/i-don-t-think-i-know-everything-because-i-don-t-watch-much-news-from/) [Peng Shuai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peng-shuai/) > [Clearly, if you go abroad to a top club, it means one more step in your development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kroos/clearly-if-you-go-abroad-to-a-top-club-it-means-one-more-step-in-your/) [Toni Kroos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kroos/) > [My first trip abroad was to do a TV version of 'Les Miserables' in France with Anthony Perkins. There I was at 12 acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-fletcher/my-first-trip-abroad-was-to-do-a-tv-version-of-les-miserables-in/) [Dexter Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-fletcher/) > [I've had a lot of success in England, and I've really enjoyed my time with Manchester City, but I wanted to challenge myself even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-duggan/i-ve-had-a-lot-of-success-in-england-and-i-ve-really-enjoyed-my-time/) [Toni Duggan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-duggan/) > [“Hatutakiwi kuishi kama raia wa Tanzania peke yake. Tunatakiwa kuishi kama raia wa dunia na watumishi wa utu, hasa katika kipindi hiki cha zama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/hatutakiwi-kuishi-kama-raia-wa-tanzania-peke-yake-tunatakiwa-kuishi/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [I'm a simple hillbilly. I don't like eating modern, industrialized, fast food. I grew up eating home-cooked food. So when I'm traveling abroad, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-hirata/i-m-a-simple-hillbilly-i-don-t-like-eating-modern-industrialized-fast/) [Andrea Hirata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-hirata/) > [When you're abroad, you always miss your country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-mancini/when-you-re-abroad-you-always-miss-your-country/) [Roberto Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-mancini/) > [The great and recurrent question about Abroad is, is it worth the trouble of getting there?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/the-great-and-recurrent-question-about-abroad-is-is-it-worth-the/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) Browse all 363 Abroad quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As we've seen, deploying large armies abroad won't always be our best offense. 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