---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A military starved of resources…"
description: "\"A military starved of resources, training, and equipment will not long be able to protect the country physically or economically.\" — Mac Thornberry"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dc/mac-thornberry-16997_country_a-military-starved-of-resources-training_1452697.jpg"
---

#  A military starved of resources, training, and equipment…

![“A military starved of resources, training, and equipment will not long be able to protect the country physically or economically.” quote by Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dc/mac-thornberry-16997_country_a-military-starved-of-resources-training_1452697.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dc/mac-thornberry-16997_country_a-military-starved-of-resources-training_1452697.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dc/mac-thornberry-16997_country_a-military-starved-of-resources-training_1452697.jpg)

> “A military starved of resources, training, and equipment will not long be able to protect the country physically or economically.”

[Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Insufficient military resources and training erode a nation’s defensive and economic security over time.

**In simple terms:** Weak military cannot protect a country.

Key Takeaway

Invest in military readiness and training.

Themes

defense security economics policy resource allocation

Mood

serious urgent

Type

policy analytical

When to use this quote

- budget cuts
- geopolitical tension
- military recruitment
- equipment shortages

Key Concepts

strategic studies national security budget constraints

Questions to Reflect On

- What are the trade‑offs of increased defense spending?
- How can efficiency improve without more funds?

A Different Perspective

Balancing defense spending with other national needs is challenging.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Country Physically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-physically-5228409/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Military Starved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military-starved-5228407/) [Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect/) [Protect Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect-country-406862/) [Starved Resources](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starved-resources-5228408/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/)

## Related quotes

> [If the men and women who protect the country are to succeed in the missions they are assigned, we simply must invest more in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/if-the-men-and-women-who-protect-the-country-are-to-succeed-in-the/)

[Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/)

> [To protect our country's economic future and the health and well being of all Americans, we must find a way to rein in out-of-control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bennet/to-protect-our-country-s-economic-future-and-the-health-and-well/)

[Michael Bennet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bennet/)

> [I also believe that we have to protect our country and lead the world with strength and steadiness, and we have to unify our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-also-believe-that-we-have-to-protect-our-country-and-lead-the-world/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [Significant steps have been taken since 9-11 to protect out country here at home, but much remains to be done, Americans from across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-rudman/significant-steps-have-been-taken-since-9-11-to-protect-out-country/)

[Warren Rudman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-rudman/)

> [The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-duty-of-a-patriot-is-to-protect-his-country-from-its-government/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [We need everyone to protect ourselves in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoav-gallant/we-need-everyone-to-protect-ourselves-in-this-country/)

[Yoav Gallant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoav-gallant/)

> [The notion, the invention of a country, is fairly new in the history of mankind. We tend to forget that. We want to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-falardeau/the-notion-the-invention-of-a-country-is-fairly-new-in-the-history-of/)

[Philippe Falardeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-falardeau/)

> [We cannot continue to ask the brave men and women of our Armed Forces to put their lives on the line to protect our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-tierney/we-cannot-continue-to-ask-the-brave-men-and-women-of-our-armed-forces/)

[John F. Tierney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-tierney/)

> [“The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-general-who-advances-without-coveting-fame-and-retreats-without-2/)

[Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/)

> [I don't live under the illusion we don't need a military to protect this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/i-don-t-live-under-the-illusion-we-don-t-need-a-military-to-protect/)

[Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/)

> [You look at Iran, you look at North Korea, you look at terrorists, we don't even know where to look. We don't know where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-look-at-iran-you-look-at-north-korea-you-look-at-terrorists-we/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-general-who-advances-without-coveting-fame-and-retreats-without/)

[Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/)

> [After 9/11, I told the American people I would do everything in my power to protect the country, within the law, and that's exactly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/after-9-11-i-told-the-american-people-i-would-do-everything-in-my/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [Most people in the country didn't - and might still not - know about how powerful the United States is. They think North Korean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/most-people-in-the-country-didn-t-and-might-still-not-know-about-how/)

[Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/)

> [The Second Amendment is key to how this country was founded. The Founders put it in place so we could defend ourselves from enemies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/the-second-amendment-is-key-to-how-this-country-was-founded-the/)

[Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/)

## More by Mac Thornberry

> [It is very distressing that anyone would look at these matters from a political viewpoint. Core beliefs about when life begins and ends are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/it-is-very-distressing-that-anyone-would-look-at-these-matters-from-a/)

[Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/)

> [For more than two centuries since winning our own freedom, we the people of the United States have repeatedly answered the call to lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/for-more-than-two-centuries-since-winning-our-own-freedom-we-the/)

[Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/)

> [In a budget this massive, there are certainly areas where I think we could do much better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/in-a-budget-this-massive-there-are-certainly-areas-where-i-think-we/)

[Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/)

> [I am particularly disturbed that our country is the largest financial supporter of an organization that not only wastes a lot of our money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/i-am-particularly-disturbed-that-our-country-is-the-largest-financial/)

[Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/)

> [In sum, we took energy for granted, assuming when we flipped the switch, the lights would go on and assuming that there would always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/in-sum-we-took-energy-for-granted-assuming-when-we-flipped-the-switch/)

[Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/)

> [If the men and women who protect the country are to succeed in the missions they are assigned, we simply must invest more in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/if-the-men-and-women-who-protect-the-country-are-to-succeed-in-the/)

[Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/)

> [Any president has to work with Congress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/any-president-has-to-work-with-congress/)

[Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/)

> [It would be better for the country if the Pentagon and the military do not shut down at any point because the threats to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/it-would-be-better-for-the-country-if-the-pentagon-and-the-military/)

[Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/)

> [Energy is necessary for economic growth, for a better quality of life, and for human progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/energy-is-necessary-for-economic-growth-for-a-better-quality-of-life/)

[Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/)

> [No other date on the calendar more potently symbolizes all that our nation stands for than the Fourth of July.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/no-other-date-on-the-calendar-more-potently-symbolizes-all-that-our/)

[Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/)

> [Even talking about change can be threatening to entrenched interests...Careers in the Pentagon, the board room, or the halls of Congress are not advanced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/even-talking-about-change-can-be-threatening-to-entrenched-interests/)

[Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/)

> [To protect America's security, we are going to have to pull America's military out of the swamp of Washington politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/to-protect-america-s-security-we-are-going-to-have-to-pull-america-s/)

[Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/)

> [Since World War II, the rules-based international order created and maintained by the United States has benefited peoples around the globe and none more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/since-world-war-ii-the-rules-based-international-order-created-and/)

[Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/)

> [We should start by allowing drilling in Alaska's National Wildlife Refuge. It can provide billions of barrels of recoverable oil and trillions of cubic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/we-should-start-by-allowing-drilling-in-alaska-s-national-wildlife/)

[Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/)

> [We need a strong, vibrant economy to produce the tax revenue to fund our military.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/we-need-a-strong-vibrant-economy-to-produce-the-tax-revenue-to-fund/)

[Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/)

[Explore all 38 Mac Thornberry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/)

## More Country quotes

> [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/)

[Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/)

> [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/)

[Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/)

> [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/)

[Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/)

> [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/)

[Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/)

> [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/)

[Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/)

> [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/)

[Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/)

> [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/)

[Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/)

> [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/)

[Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/)

> [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/)

[Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/)

> [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/)

[Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/)

> [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/)

[Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/)

[Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "A military starved of resources, training, and equipment will not long be able to protect the country physically or economically.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Mac Thornberry"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/a-military-starved-of-resources-training-and-equipment-will-not-long/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Country"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/a-military-starved-of-resources-training-and-equipment-will-not-long/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dc/mac-thornberry-16997_country_a-military-starved-of-resources-training_1452697.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dc/mac-thornberry-16997_country_a-military-starved-of-resources-training_1452697.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dc/mac-thornberry-16997_country_a-military-starved-of-resources-training_1452697.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“A military starved of resources, training, and equipment will not long be able to protect the country…” — Mac Thornberry",
                "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": "Mac Thornberry",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "A military starved of resources, training,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/a-military-starved-of-resources-training-and-equipment-will-not-long/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/a-military-starved-of-resources-training-and-equipment-will-not-long/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
