--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Believe it or not the war on Iraq is…" description: "\"Believe it or not the war on Iraq is based on a sound scientific principle, The bee hive principle. Which clearly states that if you are stung by a bee..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98f/john-oliver-2975_baseball_believe-it-or-not-the-war-on-iraq-is-bas_1069525.jpg" --- # Believe it or not the war on Iraq is based on a sound… ![“Believe it or not the war on Iraq is based on a sound scientific principle, The bee hive principle. Which clearly states that if you are stung by a bee, you should follow it back to its nest and then proceed to beat nest to a pulp with a baseball bat until the stripey little turd has learned its…” quote by John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98f/john-oliver-2975_baseball_believe-it-or-not-the-war-on-iraq-is-bas_1069525.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98f/john-oliver-2975_baseball_believe-it-or-not-the-war-on-iraq-is-bas_1069525.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98f/john-oliver-2975_baseball_believe-it-or-not-the-war-on-iraq-is-bas_1069525.jpg) > “Believe it or not the war on Iraq is based on a sound scientific principle, The bee hive principle. Which clearly states that if you are stung by a bee, you should follow it back to its nest and then proceed to beat nest to a pulp with a baseball bat until the stripey little turd has learned its lesson.” [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The absurdity of using a simplistic analogy to justify complex geopolitical actions. **In simple terms:** Simplistic analogies can mislead policy. Key Takeaway Question the logic behind policies. Themes politics critique absurdity Mood critical skeptical Type satirical analytical When to use this quote - debate - media literacy - public discourse Key Concepts Logical fallacy policy analysis Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports the policy? - How does humor reveal truth? A Different Perspective Analogies can oversimplify; nuance matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Bats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bats/) [Beats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beats/) [Bee Follow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bee-follow-2657418/) [Bees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bees/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-war/) [Hive Principle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hive-principle-2657417/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Lessons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lessons/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Nests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nests/) [Principle Bee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle-bee-2657416/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Pulp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pulp/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Stung Bee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stung-bee-1103055/) [Turds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turds/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Just because you are a good friend of a scorpion doesn't mean that you can't be stung by a bee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/just-because-you-are-a-good-friend-of-a-scorpion-doesn-t-mean-that/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Playing in this nice weather really makes me remember all the times I got stung by a bee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/playing-in-this-nice-weather-really-makes-me-remember-all-the-times-i/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [My cousin just died. He was only 19. He got stung by a bee - the natural enemy of a tightrope walker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/my-cousin-just-died-he-was-only-19-he-got-stung-by-a-bee-the-natural/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [The worst thing for a writer is to know another writer, and worse than that, to know a number of other writers. Like flies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/the-worst-thing-for-a-writer-is-to-know-another-writer-and-worse-than/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [Don't ever write a novel unless it hurts like a hot turd coming out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/don-t-ever-write-a-novel-unless-it-hurts-like-a-hot-turd-coming-out/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“Max walked back to Beeson, sidestepping a slalom path of dog turds leading into the kitchen. He’d narrowly missed standing in a tepee of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-stone/max-walked-back-to-beeson-sidestepping-a-slalom-path-of-dog-turds/) [Nick Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-stone/) > [Don't pole-vault over mouse turds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/don-t-pole-vault-over-mouse-turds/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Shit just got real like Pinocchio turds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/childish-gambino/shit-just-got-real-like-pinocchio-turds/) [Childish Gambino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/childish-gambino/) > [that's as nutty as squirrel turds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-s-as-nutty-as-squirrel-turds/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Do you have troll turds in your ears?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenks/do-you-have-troll-turds-in-your-ears/) [Jenks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenks/) > [The trouble with most coaches is that they start with the assumption that everybody is a turd. And that ain't right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/the-trouble-with-most-coaches-is-that-they-start-with-the-assumption/) [Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) > [I live in a 9 million dollar turd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/i-live-in-a-9-million-dollar-turd/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [I like to think of myself as a regular guy, except I play football for a living. I try not to be an arrogant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-urlacher/i-like-to-think-of-myself-as-a-regular-guy-except-i-play-football-for/) [Brian Urlacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-urlacher/) > [I grew up having to piss in a bucket ’cos there was no indoor shitter, and now I have these computerised Japanese super-loo things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/i-grew-up-having-to-piss-in-a-bucket-cos-there-was-no-indoor-shitter/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [The thing that bothers me the most is the recklessness and greed of the local ranchers, who run too many cattle back here, choking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-haggard/the-thing-that-bothers-me-the-most-is-the-recklessness-and-greed-of/) [Merle Haggard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-haggard/) ## More by John Oliver > [I've always been interested in socially political, or overtly political, comedy. And I guess I've always liked to channel some kind of personal element…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-socially-political-or-overtly/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I knew I was going to go into the field and make fun of people to their faces. I knew what I was getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-knew-i-was-going-to-go-into-the-field-and-make-fun-of-people-to/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [Once you learn how to make people laugh, then you get to choose exactly how you want to make them laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/once-you-learn-how-to-make-people-laugh-then-you-get-to-choose/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [When you see people say crazy things on our show, they mean this stuff,and that's easy to forget: They're not joking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/when-you-see-people-say-crazy-things-on-our-show-they-mean-this-stuff/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I think Americans still can't help but respond to the natural authority of this voice. Deep down they long to be told what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-think-americans-still-can-t-help-but-respond-to-the-natural/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I think I'm just a summer fling that people will soon forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-think-i-m-just-a-summer-fling-that-people-will-soon-forget/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I guess the tone of jokes is often, at best, irreverent, but it always comes from a place of deep love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-guess-the-tone-of-jokes-is-often-at-best-irreverent-but-it-always/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I'm always interested in audience interaction. Not so much aggressive audience interaction - I'm genuinely interested in how people see things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-m-always-interested-in-audience-interaction-not-so-much-aggressive/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I do one accent - my own. I can make it louder or quieter. That is the sum total of my vocal range. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-do-one-accent-my-own-i-can-make-it-louder-or-quieter-that-is-the/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [If you work on a comedy show, your basic form of communication is teasing. That's generally how we speak to each other: you communicate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/if-you-work-on-a-comedy-show-your-basic-form-of-communication-is/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I know I'd be an absolutely horrendous politician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-know-i-d-be-an-absolutely-horrendous-politician/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [Anybody who claims to be excited for April Fools' Day is probably a sociopath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/anybody-who-claims-to-be-excited-for-april-fools-day-is-probably-a/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [Pumpkin spice lattes are egg nog for morning people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/pumpkin-spice-lattes-are-egg-nog-for-morning-people/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I've made so many people angry that they kind of blur into one unpleasant memory of people staring at you with somewhere between passive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-ve-made-so-many-people-angry-that-they-kind-of-blur-into-one/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [Armando Iannucci is one of my heroes. As I was growing up, he was probably the most influential comic voice that I had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/armando-iannucci-is-one-of-my-heroes-as-i-was-growing-up-he-was/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) [Explore all 143 John Oliver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) ## More Baseball quotes > [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. I never wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-perry/i-d-always-have-grease-in-at-least-two-places-in-case-the-umpires/) [Gaylord Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-perry/) > [When you're in the middle of a pennant race, you can't go up there thinking about home runs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammy-sosa/when-you-re-in-the-middle-of-a-pennant-race-you-can-t-go-up-there/) [Sammy Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammy-sosa/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [Spring training means flowers, people coming outdoors, sunshine, optimism and baseball. Spring training is a time to think about being young again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-banks/spring-training-means-flowers-people-coming-outdoors-sunshine/) [Ernie Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-banks/) > [Pitchers pitch differently. Hitters, hardly anyone has the same stance. That's just how it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-zimmerman/pitchers-pitch-differently-hitters-hardly-anyone-has-the-same-stance/) [Ryan Zimmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-zimmerman/) > [Five World Series rings, 3000-plus hits, the fame, the fortune and playing for the second most historic franchise in baseball... These are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mookie-betts/five-world-series-rings-3000-plus-hits-the-fame-the-fortune-and/) [Mookie Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mookie-betts/) > [I don't want the electronic strike zone. I like the element of sometimes pitches don't get called. Guys don't receive it well or whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-schwarber/i-don-t-want-the-electronic-strike-zone-i-like-the-element-of/) [Kyle Schwarber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-schwarber/) > [I sang the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium - at a baseball game - which was crazy; there was, like, 60,000 people there, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-devine/i-sang-the-national-anthem-at-dodger-stadium-at-a-baseball-game-which/) [Adam DeVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-devine/) > [If I was going to make one rule change, I would bring the DH to the National League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-brett/if-i-was-going-to-make-one-rule-change-i-would-bring-the-dh-to-the/) [George Brett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-brett/) > [In all honesty, once you become a professional, number one, you're no longer a fan. I don't root for the Dodgers, really. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vin-scully/in-all-honesty-once-you-become-a-professional-number-one-you-re-no/) [Vin Scully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vin-scully/) > [I'll tell you what's helped me my entire life. I look at baseball as a game. It's something where people can go out, enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-caray/i-ll-tell-you-what-s-helped-me-my-entire-life-i-look-at-baseball-as-a/) [Harry Caray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-caray/) > [When I step into the batters box. The fans, the noise, the cheers, they all disappear. For that moment, the world is just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/when-i-step-into-the-batters-box-the-fans-the-noise-the-cheers-they/) [Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/) > [What we should have done is kept the same team that played in the '95 World Series. Those trades (Eddie Murray & Carlos Baerga)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-belle/what-we-should-have-done-is-kept-the-same-team-that-played-in-the-95/) [Albert Belle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-belle/) > [“I can buy baseball cards to view an entire career on the back of a little square of cardboard. But nobody sells major league…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg-jr/i-can-buy-baseball-cards-to-view-an-entire-career-on-the-back-of-a/) [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) > [The wind always seems to blow against catchers when they are running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-garagiola/the-wind-always-seems-to-blow-against-catchers-when-they-are-running/) [Joe Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-garagiola/) [Browse all 7,461 Baseball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Believe it or not the war on Iraq is based on a sound scientific principle, The bee hive principle. 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