--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The risk of just one terrorist with just…" description: "\"The risk of just one terrorist with just one nuclear weapon is a risk we simply cannot afford to take.\" — John O. Brennan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a72/john-o-brennan-10652_cannot_the-risk-of-just-one-terrorist-with-just_2245557.jpg" --- # The risk of just one terrorist with just one nuclear… ![“The risk of just one terrorist with just one nuclear weapon is a risk we simply cannot afford to take.” quote by John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a72/john-o-brennan-10652_cannot_the-risk-of-just-one-terrorist-with-just_2245557.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a72/john-o-brennan-10652_cannot_the-risk-of-just-one-terrorist-with-just_2245557.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a72/john-o-brennan-10652_cannot_the-risk-of-just-one-terrorist-with-just_2245557.jpg) > “The risk of just one terrorist with just one nuclear weapon is a risk we simply cannot afford to take.” [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. A warning that a single terrorist with a nuclear weapon poses an unacceptable existential threat, emphasizing the need for strict non‑proliferation and security measures. **In simple terms:** One nuclear terrorist is too dangerous to risk. Key Takeaway Prevent nuclear weapons from falling into extremist hands. Themes security terrorism non‑proliferation policy existential risk Mood urgent grave serious Type political policy strategic When to use this quote - government policy - counter‑terrorism strategy - international negotiations - public safety - risk management Key Concepts deterrence risk assessment global stability Questions to Reflect On - How can societies protect against nuclear terrorism without eroding freedoms? - What policies best deter extremist acquisition of WMDs? A Different Perspective Balancing civil liberties with security measures can be contentious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Nuclear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear/) [Nuclear weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear-weapons/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Weapon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapon/) [Weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons/) ## Related quotes > [I vowed to our countrymen that I would do everything I could to protect the American people... That's why I said to Afghanistan: If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-vowed-to-our-countrymen-that-i-would-do-everything-i-could-to/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [And just as the terrorist seeks to divide humanity in hate, so we have to unify it around an idea. And that idea is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/and-just-as-the-terrorist-seeks-to-divide-humanity-in-hate-so-we-have/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [I think Charles Manson was a hair's breath away from just being a terrorist. He wanted to start a war, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/i-think-charles-manson-was-a-hair-s-breath-away-from-just-being-a/) [Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) > [The common stereotype of the Middle Eastern, Muslim-born terrorist is not just lazy and inaccurate but easy fodder for the anti-immigrant, anti-Islam far right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehdi-hasan/the-common-stereotype-of-the-middle-eastern-muslim-born-terrorist-is/) [Mehdi Hasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehdi-hasan/) > [“Even if it was only for a day, an hour, or a minute – I would risk everything just so I could be with you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abi-ketner/even-if-it-was-only-for-a-day-an-hour-or-a-minute-i-would-risk/) [Abi Ketner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abi-ketner/) > [But risk is just part of relationships. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/but-risk-is-just-part-of-relationships-sometimes-they-work-sometimes/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Go for someone who is not only proud to have you... but will also take every risk just to be with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/go-for-someone-who-is-not-only-proud-to-have-you-but-will-also-take-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You will never know how real your love is until you risk everything just to be with the person you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-never-know-how-real-your-love-is-until-you-risk-everything/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Always go for someone who is not only proud to have you, but will take every risk just to keep you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/always-go-for-someone-who-is-not-only-proud-to-have-you-but-will-take/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Because if you take a risk, you just might find what you're looking for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/because-if-you-take-a-risk-you-just-might-find-what-you-re-looking-for/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [Make a relation with someone, who is not only proud to have you; but will take every risk just to be with you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinku-razoria/make-a-relation-with-someone-who-is-not-only-proud-to-have-you-but/) [Tinku Razoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinku-razoria/) > [Because if you're prepared and you know what it takes, it's not a risk. You just have to figure out how to get there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/because-if-you-re-prepared-and-you-know-what-it-takes-it-s-not-a-risk/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [When you truly care about someone, you must be willing to risk it all just for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-truly-care-about-someone-you-must-be-willing-to-risk-it-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Go for Someone who is not only proud to have you. But will also risk anything just to keep you :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/go-for-someone-who-is-not-only-proud-to-have-you-but-will-also-risk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When it comes down to love, you risk nothing or everything. That's just how it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-it-comes-down-to-love-you-risk-nothing-or-everything-that-s-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## 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. 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