--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The actions that we take on the…" description: "\"The actions that we take on the counterterrorism front, again, are to take actions against individuals where we believe that the intelligence base is s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a1/john-o-brennan-10652_action_the-actions-that-we-take-on-the-countert_2039666.jpg" --- # The actions that we take on the counterterrorism front… ![“The actions that we take on the counterterrorism front, again, are to take actions against individuals where we believe that the intelligence base is so strong and the nature of the threat is so grave and serious, as well as imminent, that we have no recourse except to take this action that may…” quote by John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a1/john-o-brennan-10652_action_the-actions-that-we-take-on-the-countert_2039666.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a1/john-o-brennan-10652_action_the-actions-that-we-take-on-the-countert_2039666.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a1/john-o-brennan-10652_action_the-actions-that-we-take-on-the-countert_2039666.jpg) > “The actions that we take on the counterterrorism front, again, are to take actions against individuals where we believe that the intelligence base is so strong and the nature of the threat is so grave and serious, as well as imminent, that we have no recourse except to take this action that may involve a lethal strike.” [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. When intelligence is overwhelming and a threat is imminent, lethal force is the only viable response. **In simple terms:** Strong evidence forces lethal action. Key Takeaway Use lethal force only with clear, imminent threat. Themes security ethics decisionmaking Mood serious urgency Type political strategic When to use this quote - military operations - law enforcement - policy deliberations - risk assessment Key Concepts counterterrorism lethal force intelligence assessment Questions to Reflect On - Is the intelligence truly conclusive? - What safeguards prevent misuse? A Different Perspective Lethal strikes can cause collateral damage and political fallout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Actions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actions/) [Actions Counterterrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actions-counterterrorism-3790006/) [Again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/again/) [Against](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/against/) [Base](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/base/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Counterterrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/counterterrorism/) [Counterterrorism Actions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/counterterrorism-actions-3790005/) [Except](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/except/) [Front](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/front/) [Grave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grave/) [Imminent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imminent/) [Individuals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individuals/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Intelligence Base](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence-base-3790007/) [Involve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/involve/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Lethal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lethal/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) [Strike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strike/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [Take](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) [Well](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/well/) [Where](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/where/) ## Related quotes > [When we uphold the rule of law, our counterterrorism tools are more likely to withstand the scrutiny of our courts, our allies, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/when-we-uphold-the-rule-of-law-our-counterterrorism-tools-are-more-2/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [When we uphold the rule of law, our counterterrorism tools are more likely to withstand the scrutiny of our courts, our allies, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/when-we-uphold-the-rule-of-law-our-counterterrorism-tools-are-more/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [Our counterterrorism tools do not exist in a vacuum. They are stronger and more sustainable when the American people understand and support them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/our-counterterrorism-tools-do-not-exist-in-a-vacuum-they-are-stronger/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [We will never abdicate the security of the United States to a foreign country or refrain from taking action when appropriate. But we cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/we-will-never-abdicate-the-security-of-the-united-states-to-a-foreign/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [When death is imminent and dying patients find their suffering unbearable, then the physician's role should shift from healing to relieving suffering in accord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-angell/when-death-is-imminent-and-dying-patients-find-their-suffering/) [Marcia Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-angell/) > [“In life, growth is imminent. And, growth without change, is unthinkable. And, to make the unthinkable thinkable, new roads need to be carved out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandeep-n-tripathi/in-life-growth-is-imminent-and-growth-without-change-is-unthinkable/) [Sandeep N. Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandeep-n-tripathi/) > [Nothing is more imminent than the impossible . . . what we must always foresee is the unforeseen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/nothing-is-more-imminent-than-the-impossible-what-we-must-always/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Imminent death is a fact of life”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valentine-adams/imminent-death-is-a-fact-of-life/) [Valentine Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valentine-adams/) > [Savor the imminent weirdness of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baxter/savor-the-imminent-weirdness-of-the-day/) [Charles Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baxter/) > [“Armageddon isn't just real, it's imminent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaneda-chaplin/armageddon-isn-t-just-real-it-s-imminent/) [Kaneda Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaneda-chaplin/) > [“There's something about imminent death that makes all the threads weave into a picture...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-destefano/there-s-something-about-imminent-death-that-makes-all-the-threads/) [Lauren DeStefano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-destefano/) > [I want to tell you what it was really like to think death is imminent, but I can't. It's a taste in your mouth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-huey/i-want-to-tell-you-what-it-was-really-like-to-think-death-is-imminent/) [Aaron Huey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-huey/) > [Imminent resignation isn't a fun thing to have on your plate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-key/imminent-resignation-isn-t-a-fun-thing-to-have-on-your-plate/) [Tim Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-key/) > [Risk is relative. And relative to the imminent planetary 'game over' neon sign that's starting to flicker above our children's heads, just as they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hampton/risk-is-relative-and-relative-to-the-imminent-planetary-game-over/) [Dave Hampton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hampton/) > [Even when our death is imminent, we carry the image of ourselves moving forward, alive, into the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/even-when-our-death-is-imminent-we-carry-the-image-of-ourselves/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) ## 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/) > [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.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/as-we-ve-seen-deploying-large-armies-abroad-won-t-always-be-our-best/) [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/) [Explore all 64 John O. Brennan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. 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