--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I really wanted to talk about the War on…" description: "\"I really wanted to talk about the War on Terror and say that both sides were completely incompetent [in addressing it]. You can't blame the other side ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61f/lewis-black-1143_blame_i-really-wanted-to-talk-about-the-war-on_2420434.png" --- # I really wanted to talk about the War on Terror and say… ![“I really wanted to talk about the War on Terror and say that both sides were completely incompetent [in addressing it]. You can't blame the other side when you're involved in it.” quote by Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61f/lewis-black-1143_blame_i-really-wanted-to-talk-about-the-war-on_2420434.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61f/lewis-black-1143_blame_i-really-wanted-to-talk-about-the-war-on_2420434.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61f/lewis-black-1143_blame_i-really-wanted-to-talk-about-the-war-on_2420434.png) > “I really wanted to talk about the War on Terror and say that both sides were completely incompetent \[in addressing it\]. You can't blame the other side when you're involved in it.” [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In conflict, each side shares responsibility; blaming the other ignores mutual involvement. **In simple terms:** Both sides are responsible for failures. Key Takeaway Recognize shared blame and seek collaborative solutions. Themes responsibility conflict accountability Mood reflective critical Type satirical political When to use this quote - political negotiations - international diplomacy - community disputes Key Concepts mutual culpability systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - How can parties acknowledge their own faults? - What steps foster joint responsibility? A Different Perspective Oversimplifies complex power dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Addressing Blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/addressing-blame-6123564/) [Blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame/) [Both sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/both-sides/) [Completely Incompetent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/completely-incompetent-1160195/) [Incompetent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incompetent/) [Involved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/involved/) [Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sides/) [Talk War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk-war-728328/) [Terror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terror/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War on terror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-on-terror/) [War Terror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-terror/) ## Related quotes > [While the Obama White House is completely incompetent and weak, they know how to spin everyday Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-grenell/while-the-obama-white-house-is-completely-incompetent-and-weak-they/) [Richard Grenell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-grenell/) > [Here's why I think there's something a little odd with George Bush. Because a lot of the times when he speaks, his words don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/here-s-why-i-think-there-s-something-a-little-odd-with-george-bush/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > ["The War on Consciousness" is really all physical manifestations and all those problems are ultimately just a war on your way of thinking. Especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mcgwire/the-war-on-consciousness-is-really-all-physical-manifestations-and/) [Mark McGwire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mcgwire/) > [When you look around now we have the war on terror. Yes, okay, the World Trade Center was sort of like a single act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mawer/when-you-look-around-now-we-have-the-war-on-terror-yes-okay-the-world/) [Simon Mawer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mawer/) > [Our enemies are fully aware that they can use oil as a weapon against America. And if we don't take this threat as seriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/our-enemies-are-fully-aware-that-they-can-use-oil-as-a-weapon-against/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ After 9/11, it became clear that we \[the United States\] had to do several things to have a successful strategy to win the global… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/after-9-11-it-became-clear-that-we-the-united-states-had-to-do/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [Similarly, today, we do not know what will happen as we wage the War on Terror. We do know that we can count on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/similarly-today-we-do-not-know-what-will-happen-as-we-wage-the-war-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Hundreds of thousands of American servicemen and women are deployed across the world in the war on terror. By bringing hope to the oppressed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/hundreds-of-thousands-of-american-servicemen-and-women-are-deployed/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Ever since 9/11, I found myself interested in chronicling the war and the war on terror and the way that this giant machinery was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-boal/ever-since-9-11-i-found-myself-interested-in-chronicling-the-war-and/) [Mark Boal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-boal/) > [The war on terror is a fight that we did not start, but it is one that we shall finish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lampson/the-war-on-terror-is-a-fight-that-we-did-not-start-but-it-is-one-that/) [Nick Lampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lampson/) > [I am one of the few people I know of who has argued in print that torture may be an ethical necessity in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/i-am-one-of-the-few-people-i-know-of-who-has-argued-in-print-that/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [One of the hardest parts of my job is to connect Iraq to the war on terror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/one-of-the-hardest-parts-of-my-job-is-to-connect-iraq-to-the-war-on/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [We all know that Washington families are making a tremendous commitment to winning the War on Terror. Tonight, more than 22,000 Washington state soldiers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-murray/we-all-know-that-washington-families-are-making-a-tremendous/) [Patty Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-murray/) > [From our perspective, trying to deal with this continuing campaign of terror, if you will, the war on terror that we're engaged in, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/from-our-perspective-trying-to-deal-with-this-continuing-campaign-of/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [If it is terrorism, if it is war on terror, then the Afghan people will join you on terror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-karzai/if-it-is-terrorism-if-it-is-war-on-terror-then-the-afghan-people-will/) [Hamid Karzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-karzai/) ## More by Lewis Black > [I think one reason people play golf is it allows them to obsess about something other than the daily crap. It takes your mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/i-think-one-reason-people-play-golf-is-it-allows-them-to-obsess-about/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [If you're going to vote for somebody because you think they have a great faith in God, you'd better be sure that God has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/if-you-re-going-to-vote-for-somebody-because-you-think-they-have-a/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [I think that I don't panic as much as the folks on the left or the right do. I don't have that sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/i-think-that-i-don-t-panic-as-much-as-the-folks-on-the-left-or-the/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [“I don't know if you've noticed, but our two-party system is a bowl of shit looking at itself in the mirror.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/i-don-t-know-if-you-ve-noticed-but-our-two-party-system-is-a-bowl-of/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [These ballot initiatives against same sex marriage remind us that America is the land where people are free to dream whatever they want, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/these-ballot-initiatives-against-same-sex-marriage-remind-us-that/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [If you're going to pick a book and you want to base a system of government around it, why not 'Harry Potter?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/if-you-re-going-to-pick-a-book-and-you-want-to-base-a-system-of/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [No matter what, your parents are going to worry about you. I had a tour bus, and my mother still thought I was broke.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/no-matter-what-your-parents-are-going-to-worry-about-you-i-had-a-tour/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [I'm always amazed when I hear people saying, "That George Bush, he's a great leader". And I wonder, where can one find a drug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/i-m-always-amazed-when-i-hear-people-saying-that-george-bush-he-s-a/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [I knew that I'd lived in New York too long when, a few years ago, I was on a subway going downtown, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/i-knew-that-i-d-lived-in-new-york-too-long-when-a-few-years-ago-i-was/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [If you're seeing a psychiatrist, you're wasting money because all you've got to do is get on a plane, get on a subway tomorrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/if-you-re-seeing-a-psychiatrist-you-re-wasting-money-because-all-you/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [Well first of all, I'd just like to say that 2005 was a great year, if you like swimming through crap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/well-first-of-all-i-d-just-like-to-say-that-2005-was-a-great-year-if/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [I'd like the campaigning to be about all the things they're not going to do. Just tell me what you're not going do! Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/i-d-like-the-campaigning-to-be-about-all-the-things-they-re-not-going/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [All food is comfort food. Maybe I just like to chew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/all-food-is-comfort-food-maybe-i-just-like-to-chew/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [Johnny Vassilaros is the man who has created the finest cup of coffee ever served in the city of New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/johnny-vassilaros-is-the-man-who-has-created-the-finest-cup-of-coffee/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [“At seven p.m., hope is sparked again when some new chirpy airline employee announces that a new plane without that nasty mechanical problem -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/at-seven-p-m-hope-is-sparked-again-when-some-new-chirpy-airline/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) [Explore all 283 Lewis Black quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) ## More Blame quotes > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. Me girlfriend sort of blames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/me-mum-used-to-always-have-the-radio-on-even-now-she-has-it-on-in/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [I like to praise and reward loudly, to blame quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-the-great/i-like-to-praise-and-reward-loudly-to-blame-quietly/) [Catherine the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-the-great/) > [Some of the things that I said I hated to say, but blame yourself mother fucker you made it this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedi-mind-tricks/some-of-the-things-that-i-said-i-hated-to-say-but-blame-yourself/) [Jedi Mind Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedi-mind-tricks/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In places where government priorities and market imperatives create a world so capricious that to help a neighbor is to risk your ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/in-places-where-government-priorities-and-market-imperatives-create-a/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [“Stop Blaming Others For Your Own Actions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-g-roldan/stop-blaming-others-for-your-own-actions/) [Alexis G. Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't blame anyone .. I did this to myself .. It's my fault .. Everything is my FAULT ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nurnizz95/i-don-t-blame-anyone-i-did-this-to-myself-it-s-my-fault-everything-is/) [Nurnizz95](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nurnizz95/) > [“They would congratulate themselves every morning on keeping their integrity, and blame themselves each night for that missed opportunity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-would-congratulate-themselves-every-morning-on-keeping-their/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. So I try to choose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-aronofsky/i-try-to-live-my-life-where-i-end-up-at-a-point-where-i-have-no/) [Darren Aronofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-aronofsky/) > [How come you don't feel that magic in the air? I guess I knew you'll never be there. I guess I knew you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-come-you-don-t-feel-that-magic-in-the-air-i-guess-i-knew-you-ll/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am down mentally. I can't understand how it happened and who is to blame? I don't know why the ground was rolled before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeasin-khan/i-am-down-mentally-i-can-t-understand-how-it-happened-and-who-is-to/) [Yeasin Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeasin-khan/) > [A refusal to admit one's mistake & not accepting responsibility for that mistake by blaming everyone else, is d beginning of one's decline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-refusal-to-admit-one-s-mistake-not-accepting-responsibility-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Listen, the guy was not created by coverage from MSNBC and CNN. If you want to blame us for making Donald Trump president because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/listen-the-guy-was-not-created-by-coverage-from-msnbc-and-cnn-if-you/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) [Browse all 3,779 Blame quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I really wanted to talk about the War on Terror and say that both sides were completely incompetent [in addressing it]. You can't blame the other side when you're involved in it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lewis Black" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/i-really-wanted-to-talk-about-the-war-on-terror-and-say-that-both/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blame" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/i-really-wanted-to-talk-about-the-war-on-terror-and-say-that-both/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61f/lewis-black-1143_blame_i-really-wanted-to-talk-about-the-war-on_2420434.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61f/lewis-black-1143_blame_i-really-wanted-to-talk-about-the-war-on_2420434.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61f/lewis-black-1143_blame_i-really-wanted-to-talk-about-the-war-on_2420434.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I really wanted to talk about the War on Terror and say that both sides were completely incompetent [in…” — Lewis Black", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lewis Black", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I really wanted to talk about...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/i-really-wanted-to-talk-about-the-war-on-terror-and-say-that-both/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/i-really-wanted-to-talk-about-the-war-on-terror-and-say-that-both/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```