--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Winning in Afghanistan is having a…" description: "\"Winning in Afghanistan is having a country that is stable enough to ensure that there is no safe haven for Al Qaida or for a militant Taliban that welc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/leon-panetta-7577_afghanistan_winning-in-afghanistan-is-having-a-count_2163890.jpg" --- # Winning in Afghanistan is having a country that is stable… ![“Winning in Afghanistan is having a country that is stable enough to ensure that there is no safe haven for Al Qaida or for a militant Taliban that welcomes Al Qaida. That's really the measure of success for the United States.” quote by Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/leon-panetta-7577_afghanistan_winning-in-afghanistan-is-having-a-count_2163890.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/leon-panetta-7577_afghanistan_winning-in-afghanistan-is-having-a-count_2163890.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/leon-panetta-7577_afghanistan_winning-in-afghanistan-is-having-a-count_2163890.jpg) > “Winning in Afghanistan is having a country that is stable enough to ensure that there is no safe haven for Al Qaida or for a militant Taliban that welcomes Al Qaida. That's really the measure of success for the United States.” [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success is measured by a stable country that denies safe havens to terrorist groups. **In simple terms:** Stability prevents terrorism. Key Takeaway Promote stable governance. Themes security politics terrorism Mood cautious optimistic Type political strategic When to use this quote - foreign aid - military planning - diplomacy - nation building Key Concepts statebuilding counterterrorism policy Questions to Reflect On - How can we sustain stability? - What role does local culture play? A Different Perspective Stability alone may not eliminate extremist ideology. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afghanistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Measure of success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/measure-of-success/) [Safe haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe-haven/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [No one argues that we should have imposed a dictatorship in Afghanistan having liberated the country. Similarly, we weren't about to impose a dictatorship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/no-one-argues-that-we-should-have-imposed-a-dictatorship-in/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [What did we want out of Iraq? We wanted a country that was stable and secure, that elected its own government, that was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-keane/what-did-we-want-out-of-iraq-we-wanted-a-country-that-was-stable-and/) [Jack Keane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-keane/) > [The U.S. has to realize it's got so much going for it. Let's just get ourselves to come together as a team - one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-callahan-erdoes/the-u-s-has-to-realize-it-s-got-so-much-going-for-it-let-s-just-get/) [Mary Callahan Erdoes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-callahan-erdoes/) > [I do not intend to join the NDA. I just want the country to get a stable government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raj-thackeray/i-do-not-intend-to-join-the-nda-i-just-want-the-country-to-get-a/) [Raj Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raj-thackeray/) > [There are some things that could hold it together, notably oil revenues. But at the moment, the much vaunted surge has had a measure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cockburn/there-are-some-things-that-could-hold-it-together-notably-oil/) [Patrick Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cockburn/) > [I'm very ambitious. I live in reality but I have dreams I want to fulfill - I want to be a director, and I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-pettyfer/i-m-very-ambitious-i-live-in-reality-but-i-have-dreams-i-want-to/) [Alex Pettyfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-pettyfer/) > [The most treasured and sacred moments of our lives are those filled with the spirit of love. The greater the measure of our love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/the-most-treasured-and-sacred-moments-of-our-lives-are-those-filled/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [I measure success in terms of the connection with the audience, which we've been able to do in spades. I mean, it's very hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-freston/i-measure-success-in-terms-of-the-connection-with-the-audience-which/) [Tom Freston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-freston/) > [You must keep sending work out; you must never let a manuscript do nothing but eat its head off in a drawer. You send…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/you-must-keep-sending-work-out-you-must-never-let-a-manuscript-do/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [I don't measure success by how many buildings have my name on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/i-don-t-measure-success-by-how-many-buildings-have-my-name-on-it/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [“one measure of success in life is a moment of contentment derived from deep fellowship and hard work, the”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-mott-freeman/one-measure-of-success-in-life-is-a-moment-of-contentment-derived/) Sally Mott Freeman > [I can only tell you one thing I've learned. Enjoy the walk along the path you've chosen. Don't count down the days. Make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/i-can-only-tell-you-one-thing-i-ve-learned-enjoy-the-walk-along-the/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [Do not measure success by today's harvest. Measure success by the seeds you plant today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/do-not-measure-success-by-today-s-harvest-measure-success-by-the/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [How many people you bless is how you measure success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-ross/how-many-people-you-bless-is-how-you-measure-success/) [Rick Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-ross/) > [“To live the lives we truly want and deserve, and not just the lives we settle for, we need a Third Metric, a third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/to-live-the-lives-we-truly-want-and-deserve-and-not-just-the-lives-we/) [Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) ## More by Leon Panetta > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [The one thing that I remember from all of my intelligence briefings and my dealings with the Russians is that when you deal with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/the-one-thing-that-i-remember-from-all-of-my-intelligence-briefings/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [The fundamental premise is that neither the United States or the international community is going to allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/the-fundamental-premise-is-that-neither-the-united-states-or-the/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [If you're a terrorist, you're a terrorist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/if-you-re-a-terrorist-you-re-a-terrorist/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [As a result of the kind of partisan trench warfare that's going on in Washington, the special interests on both sides basically drive the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/as-a-result-of-the-kind-of-partisan-trench-warfare-that-s-going-on-in/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [These days, it takes only seconds - seconds - for a picture, a photo, to suddenly become an international headline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/these-days-it-takes-only-seconds-seconds-for-a-picture-a-photo-to/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [The consequence could be that we would have an escalation that would take place that would not only involve many lives, but I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/the-consequence-could-be-that-we-would-have-an-escalation-that-would/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Sexual assault has no place in the military. It is a violation of everything that the US military stands for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/sexual-assault-has-no-place-in-the-military-it-is-a-violation-of/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Frankly, my fundamental beliefs have not changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/frankly-my-fundamental-beliefs-have-not-changed/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [People elected Donald Trump because he acts decisively. He fired James Comey. He didn't fire the entire FBI. If there's something there, the FBI…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/people-elected-donald-trump-because-he-acts-decisively-he-fired-james/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [If we don't do something to simplify the tax system, we're going to end up with a national police force of internal revenue agents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/if-we-don-t-do-something-to-simplify-the-tax-system-we-re-going-to/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [If the Iraqis fail to implement the reforms, if they fail to get a handle on the violence, there's nothing the United States can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/if-the-iraqis-fail-to-implement-the-reforms-if-they-fail-to-get-a/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Clearly, Russia has lied to the world about what's going on in Ukraine. They have clearly violated the cease-fire agreements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/clearly-russia-has-lied-to-the-world-about-what-s-going-on-in-ukraine/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [In this century, the 21st century, the U.S. recognizes our prosperity and our security depends even more on the Asia-Pacific region.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/in-this-century-the-21st-century-the-u-s-recognizes-our-prosperity/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [I think a quality that a national security adviser must have is the ability to set up procedures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/i-think-a-quality-that-a-national-security-adviser-must-have-is-the/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) [Explore all 90 Leon Panetta quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) ## More Afghanistan quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [From the bitter cold winter at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/from-the-bitter-cold-winter-at-valley-forge-to-the-mountains-of/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [They're criminals, they brutalized Afghanistan, they killed our people, they destroyed our land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-karzai/they-re-criminals-they-brutalized-afghanistan-they-killed-our-people/) [Hamid Karzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-karzai/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The terrorist attacks of September 11th and the courageous actions of our armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq remind us that friends of tyranny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-levin/the-terrorist-attacks-of-september-11th-and-the-courageous-actions-of/) [Carl Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-levin/) > [According to a recent Harvard study, $6 trillion, when you include the ongoing healthcare expenses for our wounded soldiers, which is the least they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/according-to-a-recent-harvard-study-6-trillion-when-you-include-the/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [You don't bargain with terrorists. You don't appease terrorists. And anybody who believes that this is about something we've done has to ask themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chertoff/you-don-t-bargain-with-terrorists-you-don-t-appease-terrorists-and/) [Michael Chertoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chertoff/) > [“I stood with my mom in the cemetery. She felt terrible pain. My grandmother is with God. My mom has to continue living. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-elliot/i-stood-with-my-mom-in-the-cemetery-she-felt-terrible-pain-my/) [Tucker Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-elliot/) > [The most successful cultural diplomacy strategy integrates people-to-people or arts/culture/media-to-people interactions into the basic business of diplomacy. The programs in Afghanistan, Egypt, and Iran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-p-schneider/the-most-successful-cultural-diplomacy-strategy-integrates-people-to/) [Cynthia P. Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-p-schneider/) > [Because Iran understands Afghanistan far better than Americans do, making Iran a partner in a long-term effort to transform Afghan agriculture makes sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/because-iran-understands-afghanistan-far-better-than-americans-do/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I have been to Afghanistan many times, even before the Taliban collapsed. I was fascinated by the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-khan/i-have-been-to-afghanistan-many-times-even-before-the-taliban/) [Kabir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-khan/) > [There has been sort of, if you will, a moral interventionism on the part of the United States trying to reshape countries in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/there-has-been-sort-of-if-you-will-a-moral-interventionism-on-the/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The legal system in Afghanistan is very immature and porous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/the-legal-system-in-afghanistan-is-very-immature-and-porous/) [Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/) [Browse all 1,159 Afghanistan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Winning in Afghanistan is having a country that is stable enough to ensure that there is no safe haven for Al Qaida or for a militant Taliban that welcomes Al Qaida. 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