--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We do have an obligation to deter…" description: "\"We do have an obligation to deter conflict and to prepare for it should it occur.\" — Martin Dempsey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c3/martin-dempsey-45036_conflict_we-do-have-an-obligation-to-deter-confli_1302779.png" --- # We do have an obligation to deter conflict and to prepare… ![“We do have an obligation to deter conflict and to prepare for it should it occur.” quote by Martin Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c3/martin-dempsey-45036_conflict_we-do-have-an-obligation-to-deter-confli_1302779.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c3/martin-dempsey-45036_conflict_we-do-have-an-obligation-to-deter-confli_1302779.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c3/martin-dempsey-45036_conflict_we-do-have-an-obligation-to-deter-confli_1302779.png) > “We do have an obligation to deter conflict and to prepare for it should it occur.” [Martin Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-dempsey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Nations must actively deter conflict and be ready to respond if it arises. **In simple terms:** Prepare and deter to avoid war. Key Takeaway Invest in deterrence and readiness. Themes security deterrence preparedness Mood serious strategic Type policy military When to use this quote - defense planning - crisis management - diplomacy Key Concepts international relations military strategy Questions to Reflect On - What are the costs of deterrence? - How to balance deterrence with diplomacy? A Different Perspective Deterrence may provoke escalation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [The U.S. military is here to fight and win our nation's wars. And we will always work to deter conflict whenever we can. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-austin/the-u-s-military-is-here-to-fight-and-win-our-nation-s-wars-and-we/) [Lloyd Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-austin/) > [RTE was set up by legislation as an instrument of public policy, and, as such is responsible to the government. The government have overall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lemass/rte-was-set-up-by-legislation-as-an-instrument-of-public-policy-and/) Sean Lemass > [Once you have become the centre of a conflict in a complex governmental enterprise you have the obligation to resign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/once-you-have-become-the-centre-of-a-conflict-in-a-complex/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I think that all services will have downtime. No matter how much you prepare, have redundant systems, or audit, there will periodically be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mullenweg/i-think-that-all-services-will-have-downtime-no-matter-how-much-you/) [Matt Mullenweg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mullenweg/) > [You have to prepare yourself physically as much as possible for a bad wipeout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-parkinson/you-have-to-prepare-yourself-physically-as-much-as-possible-for-a-bad/) [Joel Parkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-parkinson/) > [I have no control of life. I have to prepare myself for any situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyoto-machida/i-have-no-control-of-life-i-have-to-prepare-myself-for-any-situation/) [Lyoto Machida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyoto-machida/) > [“To prepare any activity for the child, it is necessary for the parent to think through every detail ahead of time. For example, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-polk-lillard/to-prepare-any-activity-for-the-child-it-is-necessary-for-the-parent/) [Paula Polk Lillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-polk-lillard/) > [The more you prepare beforehand, the more relaxed and creative and effective you’ll be when it counts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-parcells/the-more-you-prepare-beforehand-the-more-relaxed-and-creative-and/) [Bill Parcells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-parcells/) > [I felt good in all my fights. It's all in the preparation. I prepare myself for all of them. And I felt good in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-manuel-marquez/i-felt-good-in-all-my-fights-it-s-all-in-the-preparation-i-prepare/) [Juan Manuel Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-manuel-marquez/) > [To be successful at winning, we must first prepare to win!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-housham/to-be-successful-at-winning-we-must-first-prepare-to-win/) [Ricardo Housham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-housham/) > [For political and bureaucratic reasons, governments at all levels are telling far less to the public than to insiders about how to prepare for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/for-political-and-bureaucratic-reasons-governments-at-all-levels-are/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [We must be silent before we can listen. We must listen before we can learn. We must learn before we can prepare. We must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/we-must-be-silent-before-we-can-listen-we-must-listen-before-we-can/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [Preachers prepare with this fear: 'Am I going to be able to fill the time?' The audience never worries about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/preachers-prepare-with-this-fear-am-i-going-to-be-able-to-fill-the/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [“In your goals to go the extra mile, prepare to pay an extra cost. Excellence is to be exceptional, surpassing, more competent and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/in-your-goals-to-go-the-extra-mile-prepare-to-pay-an-extra-cost/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Anything you pray for, you need to prepare for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-franklin/anything-you-pray-for-you-need-to-prepare-for/) [DeVon Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-franklin/) ## More by Martin Dempsey > [We became consumed with preparing to go on a deployment, going on the deployment, coming back, and getting ready to go again. We stopped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-dempsey/we-became-consumed-with-preparing-to-go-on-a-deployment-going-on-the/) [Martin Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-dempsey/) > [We do have treaty obligations with our NATO allies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-dempsey/we-do-have-treaty-obligations-with-our-nato-allies/) [Martin Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-dempsey/) > [This is a major strategic challenge affecting not only our military, but ultimately, America's leadership in the global world order, we are at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-dempsey/this-is-a-major-strategic-challenge-affecting-not-only-our-military/) [Martin Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-dempsey/) > [If there are threats to the United States, then I would of course go back to the president and make a recommendation that may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-dempsey/if-there-are-threats-to-the-united-states-then-i-would-of-course-go/) [Martin Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-dempsey/) > [You might argue that we have become a little too forgiving because, if a perpetrator shows up at a court-martial with a rack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-dempsey/you-might-argue-that-we-have-become-a-little-too-forgiving-because-if/) [Martin Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-dempsey/) > [And we have got to go back - I will tell you what we have got to do. We have got to go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-dempsey/and-we-have-got-to-go-back-i-will-tell-you-what-we-have-got-to-do-we/) [Martin Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-dempsey/) > [I think what happened is, we have gotten a little careless maybe and sloppy over the last 10 years with the mechanisms that used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-dempsey/i-think-what-happened-is-we-have-gotten-a-little-careless-maybe-and/) [Martin Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-dempsey/) > [You know, we live here in America and sometimes don't understand the realities of geography and demographics in Eastern Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-dempsey/you-know-we-live-here-in-america-and-sometimes-don-t-understand-the/) [Martin Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-dempsey/) [Explore all 9 Martin Dempsey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-dempsey/) ## More Conflict quotes > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [There is a conflict in the Middle East between two entities, and they're both right, each in their own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reuven-rivlin/there-is-a-conflict-in-the-middle-east-between-two-entities-and-they/) [Reuven Rivlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reuven-rivlin/) > [Conflict isn't negative, it just is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/conflict-isn-t-negative-it-just-is/) [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) > [I have lived in countries that were coming out of conflict: Ireland, South Africa, the Czech republic. People there are overflowing with energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-have-lived-in-countries-that-were-coming-out-of-conflict-ireland/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [Africa, being the major target of colonial plunder, therefore becomes a major source of conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-horne/africa-being-the-major-target-of-colonial-plunder-therefore-becomes-a/) [Gerald Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-horne/) > [All drama is conflict. Without conflict, there is no action. Without action, there is no character. Without character, there is no story. And without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd-field/all-drama-is-conflict-without-conflict-there-is-no-action-without/) [Syd Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd-field/) > [The irrepressible conflict propounded by abolitionism has produced now its legitimate fruits - disunion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-irrepressible-conflict-propounded-by-abolitionism-has-produced/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“These are all good things, I said. But no one knows where your country is or who you are. You don't have a familiar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/these-are-all-good-things-i-said-but-no-one-knows-where-your-country/) [Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/) > [I understand the formula that producers hire directors and directors are hired to direct and actors are hired to act. I don't have any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-trejo/i-understand-the-formula-that-producers-hire-directors-and-directors/) [Danny Trejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-trejo/) > [“While there is battle and hatred men have eyes for nothing save the fact that the enemy is the cause of all the troubles;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-butterfield/while-there-is-battle-and-hatred-men-have-eyes-for-nothing-save-the/) [Herbert Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-butterfield/) > [UN peacekeeping operations are now increasingly complex and multi-dimensional, going beyond monitoring a ceasefire to actually bringing failed States back to life, often after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/un-peacekeeping-operations-are-now-increasingly-complex-and-multi/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [All men have an instinct for conflict: at least, all healthy men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/all-men-have-an-instinct-for-conflict-at-least-all-healthy-men/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [I didnt like the Survivor shows because of the mean-spirited aspect, and women certainly were part of whatever conflict they would create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-lawrence/i-didnt-like-the-survivor-shows-because-of-the-mean-spirited-aspect/) [Sharon Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-lawrence/) > [“How we traverse the space between us when conflict arises has a profound effect on the health and longevity of our relationships.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/how-we-traverse-the-space-between-us-when-conflict-arises-has-a/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) [Browse all 3,969 Conflict quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We do have an obligation to deter conflict and to prepare for it should it occur.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Dempsey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-dempsey/we-do-have-an-obligation-to-deter-conflict-and-to-prepare-for-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conflict" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-dempsey/we-do-have-an-obligation-to-deter-conflict-and-to-prepare-for-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c3/martin-dempsey-45036_conflict_we-do-have-an-obligation-to-deter-confli_1302779.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c3/martin-dempsey-45036_conflict_we-do-have-an-obligation-to-deter-confli_1302779.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c3/martin-dempsey-45036_conflict_we-do-have-an-obligation-to-deter-confli_1302779.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We do have an obligation to deter conflict and to prepare for it should it occur.” — Martin Dempsey", "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": "Martin Dempsey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-dempsey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We do have an obligation to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-dempsey/we-do-have-an-obligation-to-deter-conflict-and-to-prepare-for-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-dempsey/we-do-have-an-obligation-to-deter-conflict-and-to-prepare-for-it/#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 } } ] } ```