--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If those who support aggressive war had…" description: "\"If those who support aggressive war had seen a fraction of what I've seen, if they'd watched children fry to death from Napalm and bleed to death from ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45a/john-pilger-10261_aggressive_if-those-who-support-aggressive-war-had_2986513.jpg" --- # If those who support aggressive war had seen a fraction of… ![“If those who support aggressive war had seen a fraction of what I've seen, if they'd watched children fry to death from Napalm and bleed to death from a cluster bomb, they might not utter the claptrap they do.” quote by John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45a/john-pilger-10261_aggressive_if-those-who-support-aggressive-war-had_2986513.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45a/john-pilger-10261_aggressive_if-those-who-support-aggressive-war-had_2986513.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45a/john-pilger-10261_aggressive_if-those-who-support-aggressive-war-had_2986513.jpg) > “If those who support aggressive war had seen a fraction of what I've seen, if they'd watched children fry to death from Napalm and bleed to death from a cluster bomb, they might not utter the claptrap they do.” [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Witnessing war atrocities can shatter complacency and reveal the moral cost of conflict. **In simple terms:** Seeing war horrors changes views. Key Takeaway Question support for war. Themes war morality media Mood somber urgent Type political activist When to use this quote - policy debates - activism - education - journalism Key Concepts ethical responsibility human cost Questions to Reflect On - What personal experiences shape your view on war? - How can societies prevent such atrocities? A Different Perspective Some may argue selective focus. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bombs/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Napalm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/napalm/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“In our new age of terrifying, lethal gadgets, which supplanted so swiftly the old one, the first great aggressive war, if it should come,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-l-shirer/in-our-new-age-of-terrifying-lethal-gadgets-which-supplanted-so/) [William L. Shirer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-l-shirer/) > [At every step the vast majority have expressed horror at the idea of an aggressive war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-robeson/at-every-step-the-vast-majority-have-expressed-horror-at-the-idea-of/) [Paul Robeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-robeson/) > [Have you never, when waves were breaking, watched children at sport on the beach, With their little feet tempting the foam-fringe, till with stronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-austin/have-you-never-when-waves-were-breaking-watched-children-at-sport-on/) [Alfred Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-austin/) > [“Adolf Hitler is probably the last of the great adventurer-conquerors in the tradition of Alexander, Caesar and Napoleon, and the Third Reich the last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-l-shirer/adolf-hitler-is-probably-the-last-of-the-great-adventurer-conquerors-2/) [William L. 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Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-jackson/) > [If we can cultivate in the world the idea that aggressive war-making is the way to the prisoner's dock rather than the way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-jackson/if-we-can-cultivate-in-the-world-the-idea-that-aggressive-war-making/) [Robert H. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-jackson/) > [I watched my children grow up, then they left home and had their own children. You miss them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-taylor/i-watched-my-children-grow-up-then-they-left-home-and-had-their-own/) [Phil Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-taylor/) > [We must make clear to the Germans that the wrong for which their fallen leaders are on trial is not that they lost the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-jackson/we-must-make-clear-to-the-germans-that-the-wrong-for-which-their-2/) [Robert H. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-jackson/) ## More by John Pilger > [“Many journalists now are no more than channelers and echoers of what George Orwell called the 'official truth'. They simply cipher and transmit lies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/many-journalists-now-are-no-more-than-channelers-and-echoers-of-what/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [Israel is the American watchdog in the Middle East, and that's why the Palestinians remain victims of one of the longest military occupations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/israel-is-the-american-watchdog-in-the-middle-east-and-that-s-why-the/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [In the sublime days before 11 September 2001, when the powerful were routinely attacking and terrorising the weak, and those dying were black or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/in-the-sublime-days-before-11-september-2001-when-the-powerful-were/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [Vietnam was as much a laboratory experiment as a war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/vietnam-was-as-much-a-laboratory-experiment-as-a-war/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [Certainly, until there is justice for the Palestinians, there will never be any kind of stability in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/certainly-until-there-is-justice-for-the-palestinians-there-will/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [Bill Clinton persuaded some people that he was really a civilized character and his Administration had the best interests of humanity at heart. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/since-september-11-the-mirror-has-reached-back-to-its-roots-and/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [Private Manning is the world's pre-eminent prisoner of conscience, having remained true to the Nuremberg principle that every soldier has the right to 'a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/private-manning-is-the-world-s-pre-eminent-prisoner-of-conscience/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [The Mirror has become an important antidote to a media that is, most of it, supportive of the establishment, some of it quite rabidly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/the-mirror-has-become-an-important-antidote-to-a-media-that-is-most/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [In Western Australia, minerals are being dug up from Aboriginal land and shipped to China for a profit of a billion dollars a week.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/in-western-australia-minerals-are-being-dug-up-from-aboriginal-land/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [Two increasing themes which appear to dominate our listening, reading and watching lives are propaganda and 'national security', or manufactured war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/two-increasing-themes-which-appear-to-dominate-our-listening-reading/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [In these surreal days, there is one truth. Nothing justified the killing of innocent people in America last week and nothing justifies the killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/in-these-surreal-days-there-is-one-truth-nothing-justified-the/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [Orwell is almost our litmus test. Some of his satirical writing looks like reality these days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/orwell-is-almost-our-litmus-test-some-of-his-satirical-writing-looks/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) [Explore all 67 John Pilger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) ## More Aggressive quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Good girls don't hurt other people's feelings. Good girls are not overly aggressive, competitive, or boastful. Good girls please others. But what good girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jane-gilman/good-girls-don-t-hurt-other-people-s-feelings-good-girls-are-not/) [Susan Jane Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jane-gilman/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“Passive...Aggressive...Pussy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-azzarello/passive-aggressive-pussy/) [Brian Azzarello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-azzarello/) > [I'm not a fan of endless mystery in storytelling - I like to know where the mythology's going; I like to get there in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kripke/i-m-not-a-fan-of-endless-mystery-in-storytelling-i-like-to-know-where/) [Eric Kripke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kripke/) > [Most conservatives - by which I mean normal people - have little conception of the aggressive and revolutionary force that confronts them. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-bethell/most-conservatives-by-which-i-mean-normal-people-have-little/) [Tom Bethell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-bethell/) > [If I serve good and play aggressive from the baseline, I can beat everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karolina-pliskova/if-i-serve-good-and-play-aggressive-from-the-baseline-i-can-beat/) [Karolina Pliskova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karolina-pliskova/) > [I'm just trying to be aggressive. Be aggressive with my shot. Be aggressive going to the rim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-murray/i-m-just-trying-to-be-aggressive-be-aggressive-with-my-shot-be/) [Jamal Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-murray/) > [I see other teams playing aggressive, attacking football, they are games I switch on and watch. 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