--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let me begin by saying that we have to…" description: "\"Let me begin by saying that we have to understand who ISIS is. ISIS is a radical Sunni group. They cannot just be defeated through air strikes. Air str..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/marco-rubio-355_air_let-me-begin-by-saying-that-we-have-to-u_2448761.png" --- # Let me begin by saying that we have to understand who ISIS… ![“Let me begin by saying that we have to understand who ISIS is. ISIS is a radical Sunni group. They cannot just be defeated through air strikes. Air strikes are a key component of defeating them, but they must be defeated on the ground by a ground force. And that ground force must be primarily made…” quote by Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/marco-rubio-355_air_let-me-begin-by-saying-that-we-have-to-u_2448761.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/marco-rubio-355_air_let-me-begin-by-saying-that-we-have-to-u_2448761.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/marco-rubio-355_air_let-me-begin-by-saying-that-we-have-to-u_2448761.png) > “Let me begin by saying that we have to understand who ISIS is. ISIS is a radical Sunni group. They cannot just be defeated through air strikes. Air strikes are a key component of defeating them, but they must be defeated on the ground by a ground force. And that ground force must be primarily made up of Sunni Arabs themselves, Sunni Arabs that reject them ideologically and confront them militarily.” [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Defeating ISIS requires both air power and a ground force of Sunni Arabs who oppose them ideologically and militarily. **In simple terms:** Air strikes alone aren’t enough; local Sunni forces are essential. Key Takeaway Support local Sunni forces alongside air campaigns. Themes security counterterrorism politics Mood strategic concerned Type analysis policy When to use this quote - policy planning - military training - community outreach - intelligence sharing Key Concepts insurgency regional dynamics military strategy Questions to Reflect On - What incentives can motivate Sunni Arabs to fight ISIS? - How can international partners aid ground operations? A Different Perspective Relying on local forces may be hindered by sectarian divisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Isis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isis/) [Radical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical/) [Strikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strikes/) ## Related quotes > [We understand that ISIS is a group that's growing in its governance of territory. It's not just Iraq and Syria. They are now a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/we-understand-that-isis-is-a-group-that-s-growing-in-its-governance/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [ISIS is a radical jihadist group that is increasingly sophisticated in its ability, for example, to radicalize American citizens, in its inability to exploit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/isis-is-a-radical-jihadist-group-that-is-increasingly-sophisticated/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [I think it's important to understand that ISIS's biggest enemy are ordinary Muslims. That's why they're fleeing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalia-mogahed/i-think-it-s-important-to-understand-that-isis-s-biggest-enemy-are/) [Dalia Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalia-mogahed/) > [Donald Trump is, in effect, the Recruiter-in-Chief for ISIS. ISIS wants nothing more right now than to have the world divided into Judeo-Christian on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/donald-trump-is-in-effect-the-recruiter-in-chief-for-isis-isis-wants/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [We should be using our brilliant people, our most brilliant minds to figure a way that ISIS cannot use the Internet. And then on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-should-be-using-our-brilliant-people-our-most-brilliant-minds-to/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [We didn't create ISIS - ISIS created themselves, but we will stop them, and one of the ways we stop them is by not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/we-didn-t-create-isis-isis-created-themselves-but-we-will-stop-them/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [Conservatives believe that we need to defeat radical Islam not because we want war but because ISIS and other radical Islamist are enemies of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatives-believe-that-we-need-to-defeat-radical-islam-not/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [We didn't create ISIS. ISIS created ISIS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drum/we-didn-t-create-isis-isis-created-isis/) [Kevin Drum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drum/) > [ISIS and radical Islam have declared war on us not because of anything we have done - not because we are a friend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-tancredo/isis-and-radical-islam-have-declared-war-on-us-not-because-of/) [Tom Tancredo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-tancredo/) > [At a time when America should be doing everything we can to lead the fight to defeat ISIS and other radical jihadists, Donald Trump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/at-a-time-when-america-should-be-doing-everything-we-can-to-lead-the/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [ISIS and radical Islamic terrorism will face no more determined foe than I will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/isis-and-radical-islamic-terrorism-will-face-no-more-determined-foe/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [ You guys should know we do \[ cover Obamacare, and ISIS, and radical Islamic terrorism\] because you watch CNN all day long. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anderson-cooper/you-guys-should-know-we-do-cover-obamacare-and-isis-and-radical/) [Anderson Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anderson-cooper/) > [ISIS is winning the propaganda war. They are recruiting people, including Americans, to join them, with the promise that they are joining this great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/isis-is-winning-the-propaganda-war-they-are-recruiting-people/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [ \[Bashar\] Assad is one of the main reasons why ISIS even exists to begin with. Assad is a puppet of Iran. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/bashar-assad-is-one-of-the-main-reasons-why-isis-even-exists-to-begin/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [What's important to do is we must deal frontally with this threat of radical Islamists, especially from ISIS. This is the most sophisticated terror…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/what-s-important-to-do-is-we-must-deal-frontally-with-this-threat-of/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) ## More by Marco Rubio > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [However, however, if the goal is to abandon America's free enterprise economy, if the goal is to convert America into a submissive member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/however-however-if-the-goal-is-to-abandon-america-s-free-enterprise/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [The president we have today is a typical Washington politician that's prone to hyperbole and decisiveness and false outrage. And I think it's very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/the-president-we-have-today-is-a-typical-washington-politician-that-s/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Donald Trump is not going to be the nominee, because we are not going to allow - people will wake up and we're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/donald-trump-is-not-going-to-be-the-nominee-because-we-are-not-going/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [My first job paid well for a young attorney. I was making over $50,000, which was more than either of my parents had ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/my-first-job-paid-well-for-a-young-attorney-i-was-making-over-50-000/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [My dad was a bartender. My mom was a cashier, a maid and a stock clerk at K-Mart. They never made it big. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/my-dad-was-a-bartender-my-mom-was-a-cashier-a-maid-and-a-stock-clerk/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Now, look, it's true, Americans do want leaders that will come to Washington, D.C. and work together to get things done, but that comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/now-look-it-s-true-americans-do-want-leaders-that-will-come-to/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [I have been an underdog my whole life, both in life and in politics. We're going to do well. We're going to pick up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/i-have-been-an-underdog-my-whole-life-both-in-life-and-in-politics-we/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Certainly being governor is an important job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/certainly-being-governor-is-an-important-job/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [The conservative movement is about government playing its important yet limited role, and about not falling into the trap of believing that every problem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/the-conservative-movement-is-about-government-playing-its-important/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [The greatest thing that we can do for the world is be America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/the-greatest-thing-that-we-can-do-for-the-world-is-be-america/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Our people want jobs. They don't want a safety net as a way of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/our-people-want-jobs-they-don-t-want-a-safety-net-as-a-way-of-life/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [I believe that every single human being is entitled to the protection of our laws, whether they can vote or not. Whether they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/i-believe-that-every-single-human-being-is-entitled-to-the-protection/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [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/) > [Any time you can degrade or take away the top leadership of an organization, it's a positive step forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/any-time-you-can-degrade-or-take-away-the-top-leadership-of-an/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) [Explore all 649 Marco Rubio quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) ## More Air quotes > [I will be a tireless advocate for our District's defense priorities including Sheppard Air Force Base, Pantex, Bell Helicopter, universities conducting important research, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/i-will-be-a-tireless-advocate-for-our-district-s-defense-priorities/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [If U.S. air, naval, missile, and ground forces were not in and around Korea, and if we were not treaty-bound to fight alongside South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/if-u-s-air-naval-missile-and-ground-forces-were-not-in-and-around/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The cooler days have brought a wistful mood upon him. 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But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. 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The logical consequence is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/washington-bureaucrats-have-classified-the-very-air-we-exhale-as-a/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [“It is unnatural to fear something natural.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/it-is-unnatural-to-fear-something-natural/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) Browse all 6,278 Air quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Let me begin by saying that we have to understand who ISIS is. ISIS is a radical Sunni group. They cannot just be defeated through air strikes. Air strikes are a key component of defeating them, but they must be defeated on the ground by a ground force. 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