--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No one that has ever been in combat ever…" description: "\"No one that has ever been in combat ever wants to see war anywhere in the world. It is horrible. It's horrible looking at the pock-marked walls. It's h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/matt-shea-14938_baghdad_no-one-that-has-ever-been-in-combat-ever_434992.png" --- # No one that has ever been in combat ever wants to see war… ![“No one that has ever been in combat ever wants to see war anywhere in the world. It is horrible. It's horrible looking at the pock-marked walls. It's horrible looking at the flesh embedded on walls in Bosnia. It was horrible looking and interviewing and talking to the kids who lost their parents…” quote by Matt Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/matt-shea-14938_baghdad_no-one-that-has-ever-been-in-combat-ever_434992.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/matt-shea-14938_baghdad_no-one-that-has-ever-been-in-combat-ever_434992.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/matt-shea-14938_baghdad_no-one-that-has-ever-been-in-combat-ever_434992.png) > “No one that has ever been in combat ever wants to see war anywhere in the world. It is horrible. It's horrible looking at the pock-marked walls. It's horrible looking at the flesh embedded on walls in Bosnia. It was horrible looking and interviewing and talking to the kids who lost their parents, because Saddam Hussein decided to feed their parents to the lions in downtown Baghdad. To characterize particularly myself, but other groups, as wanting to advocate a war I think is not only disingenuous, I think it's a patent falsehood intentionally created to stigmatize a group of people.” [Matt Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-shea/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Combat experience creates deep aversion to war, exposing its brutal reality and human cost. **In simple terms:** Veterans hate war after seeing its horrors. Key Takeaway Recognize and honor veterans' anti‑war perspectives. Themes war trauma humanity truth Mood somber reflective Type testimonial political ethical When to use this quote - veteran counseling - peace activism - policy debates - education curricula Key Concepts psychology ethics politics Questions to Reflect On - How does personal trauma shape public policy views? - What responsibilities do societies have to those who witnessed war? A Different Perspective Veterans may be pressured to support war for political agendas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baghdad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baghdad/) [Bosnia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bosnia/) [Combat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/combat/) [Falsehood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falsehood/) [Insightful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insightful/) [Inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Lions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lions/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Patents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patents/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Let's see if we can't get this war behind us now. Certainly, the man in the street, the common person there, wants to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/let-s-see-if-we-can-t-get-this-war-behind-us-now-certainly-the-man-in/) [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) > [I think Israel, as a number of commentators pointed out, is becoming an insane state. And we have to be honest about that. While…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-finkelstein/i-think-israel-as-a-number-of-commentators-pointed-out-is-becoming-an/) [Norman Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-finkelstein/) > [Nobody wants to go to war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-khan/nobody-wants-to-go-to-war/) [Kabir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-khan/) > [None of us wants any more war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-allen/none-of-us-wants-any-more-war/) [John R. Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-allen/) > [No one wants war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-kirk/no-one-wants-war/) [James T Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-kirk/) > [“It’s not a question of what you want. No sane person ever WANTS a war. But if you see outsiders as a threat and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lester/it-s-not-a-question-of-what-you-want-no-sane-person-ever-wants-a-war/) [Chris Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lester/) > [I wish I wasn't the war president. Who in the heck wants to be a war president? I don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-wish-i-wasn-t-the-war-president-who-in-the-heck-wants-to-be-a-war/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [The only time France wants us to go to war is when the German Army is sitting in Paris sipping coffee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regis-philbin/the-only-time-france-wants-us-to-go-to-war-is-when-the-german-army-is/) [Regis Philbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regis-philbin/) > [North Korea is no threat at all. I have already spoken about it during countless televised interviews. I visited North Korea and mingled with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-vltchek/north-korea-is-no-threat-at-all-i-have-already-spoken-about-it-during/) [Andre Vltchek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-vltchek/) > [Only a fool wants war, but once a war starts then it cannot be fought half-heartedly. It cannot even be fought with regret, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/only-a-fool-wants-war-but-once-a-war-starts-then-it-cannot-be-fought/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [The secret to happiness is to face the fact that the world is horrible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-secret-to-happiness-is-to-face-the-fact-that-the-world-is-horrible/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“The world was not perfect. It was dark, evil, and full of monsters in human disguise. The world's a horrible place, ad you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-preston/the-world-was-not-perfect-it-was-dark-evil-and-full-of-monsters-in-2/) [Natasha Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-preston/) > [The part of me which wanders through my mind and never sees or feels actual objects, but which lives in and moves through my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-part-of-me-which-wanders-through-my-mind-and-never-sees-or-feels/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The world is a horrible place, but no one worries because we have all been pacified by anodyne television in which incorruptible cops solve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mercurio/the-world-is-a-horrible-place-but-no-one-worries-because-we-have-all/) [Jed Mercurio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mercurio/) > [It's not anthrax or terrorism or AIDS that is the worst ill in our world: The most horrible disease in the world is hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/it-s-not-anthrax-or-terrorism-or-aids-that-is-the-worst-ill-in-our/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) ## More by Matt Shea > [The forces of immorality and Marxism and evil count on one thing: Us not showing up. And often, they're justified in that. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-shea/the-forces-of-immorality-and-marxism-and-evil-count-on-one-thing-us/) [Matt Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-shea/) > [We need to ask ourselves a question: Do we trust God? Is he not the same yesterday, today, and forever? And if he is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-shea/we-need-to-ask-ourselves-a-question-do-we-trust-god-is-he-not-the/) [Matt Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-shea/) > [We need to call what is happening out of Washington, D.C., what it is: Bureaucratic terrorism: If you want a list of stories, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-shea/we-need-to-call-what-is-happening-out-of-washington-d-c-what-it-is/) [Matt Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-shea/) > [I meet with virtually everybody that comes down to Olympia, that Facebook messages me or emails me or calls me on the telephone. And,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-shea/i-meet-with-virtually-everybody-that-comes-down-to-olympia-that/) [Matt Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-shea/) > [The correct answer is the University Titans, the West Valley Eagles, the Central Valley Bears, the East Valley Knights, the Riverside Rams. The fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-shea/the-correct-answer-is-the-university-titans-the-west-valley-eagles/) [Matt Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-shea/) > [While I've been asked to run for Congress, I really believe we need to defend freedom locally. And by doing that, by just standing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-shea/while-i-ve-been-asked-to-run-for-congress-i-really-believe-we-need-to/) [Matt Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-shea/) > ['An order is an order' was not an excuse to do the wrong thing. You couldn't just blindly follow a government order ... This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-shea/an-order-is-an-order-was-not-an-excuse-to-do-the-wrong-thing-you/) [Matt Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-shea/) > [It's great to be with you gun-toting, 10ther, pro-life, Austrian-economics, home-schooling, redoubt-living, Constitutionalist patriots this evening. I think that covers the SPLC's list.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-shea/it-s-great-to-be-with-you-gun-toting-10ther-pro-life-austrian/) [Matt Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-shea/) > [The easy road in Olympia is a yes vote. That's the easy road in Olympia. The easy road in Olympia is not carrying the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-shea/the-easy-road-in-olympia-is-a-yes-vote-that-s-the-easy-road-in/) [Matt Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-shea/) > [I am saddened by the release by a national media outlet of my opponent's involvement in pornography. I strongly condemn the release of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-shea/i-am-saddened-by-the-release-by-a-national-media-outlet-of-my/) [Matt Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-shea/) > [You know, we've been right on everything, haven't we? We told people about drones five years ago, didn't we? We told people about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-shea/you-know-we-ve-been-right-on-everything-haven-t-we-we-told-people/) [Matt Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-shea/) > [If you're wanting me to besmirch somebody's reputation so that there would be some sort of division created out of it, I'm not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-shea/if-you-re-wanting-me-to-besmirch-somebody-s-reputation-so-that-there/) [Matt Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-shea/) > [The law, in this country, is dead. The Supreme Court doesn't follow the Constitution, Congress doesn't follow the Constitution. The President doesn't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-shea/the-law-in-this-country-is-dead-the-supreme-court-doesn-t-follow-the/) [Matt Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-shea/) > [Number one, we need to get in shape, number two we need to shoot, number three, we need to learn self-defense, and number four,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-shea/number-one-we-need-to-get-in-shape-number-two-we-need-to-shoot-number/) [Matt Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-shea/) > [Make no mistake. This is a war on rural America. ... It is chilling to watch people who joined the military to defend American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-shea/make-no-mistake-this-is-a-war-on-rural-america-it-is-chilling-to/) [Matt Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-shea/) [Explore all 44 Matt Shea quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-shea/) ## More Baghdad quotes > [“I know a feeling like that only comes once in a lifetime, and I think you should follow your heart’s desires. I believe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmad-ardalan/i-know-a-feeling-like-that-only-comes-once-in-a-lifetime-and-i-think/) [Ahmad Ardalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmad-ardalan/) > [My dad's Israeli. He was born in Baghdad to Iraqi Jews. Then, at age two, his parents wanted to move to their homeland and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-yamin/my-dad-s-israeli-he-was-born-in-baghdad-to-iraqi-jews-then-at-age-two/) [Elliott Yamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-yamin/) > [Almost immediately, I remember right when Tikrit even fell, a few days after Baghdad fell, there was talks of insurgency, there was talks of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farnaz-fassihi/almost-immediately-i-remember-right-when-tikrit-even-fell-a-few-days/) Farnaz Fassihi > [What is at stake is how to answer the potential threat Iraq represents with the risk of proliferation of WMD. Baghdad's regime did use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-chirac/what-is-at-stake-is-how-to-answer-the-potential-threat-iraq/) [Jacques Chirac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-chirac/) > [Our military superiority is so great - it's far greater than it was in the Gulf War, and the Gulf War was over in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/our-military-superiority-is-so-great-it-s-far-greater-than-it-was-in/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [The authority of the civil defense ... issued a warning to the civilian population not to pick up any of those pencils because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/the-authority-of-the-civil-defense-issued-a-warning-to-the-civilian/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [The mission statement was ordered, and it sent the 800th MP Brigade, effective the first of July, up to Baghdad. I joined my brigade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-karpinski/the-mission-statement-was-ordered-and-it-sent-the-800th-mp-brigade/) [Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) > [The senior officer who met with reporters in Baghdad said there had been 21 car bombings in the capital in May, and 126 in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-lowry/the-senior-officer-who-met-with-reporters-in-baghdad-said-there-had/) [Rich Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-lowry/) > [There are people who haven't faced the reality of what has gone on in Iraq. They still think that the old central state is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-w-galbraith/there-are-people-who-haven-t-faced-the-reality-of-what-has-gone-on-in/) Peter W. Galbraith > [If the U.N. secretary-general withdraws the inspectors from Baghdad ... this means that the secretary-general has abandoned its own responsibility in maintaining peace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naji-sabri/if-the-u-n-secretary-general-withdraws-the-inspectors-from-baghdad/) [Naji Sabri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naji-sabri/) > [I think that were I in the middle of an obsession to write about, say, sudden oak death in California or my grandchildren or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/i-think-that-were-i-in-the-middle-of-an-obsession-to-write-about-say/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [They are going to surrender or be burned in their tanks. They will surrender, it is they who will surrender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/they-are-going-to-surrender-or-be-burned-in-their-tanks-they-will/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [I firmly believed we should not march into Baghdad ...To occupy Iraq would instantly shatter our coalition, turning the whole Arab world against us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/i-firmly-believed-we-should-not-march-into-baghdad-to-occupy-iraq/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [We're giving them a real lesson today. Heavy doesn't accurately describe the level of casualties we have inflicted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/we-re-giving-them-a-real-lesson-today-heavy-doesn-t-accurately/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [I think that we live in a remarkably networked world. The problem with that, of course, is that tensions can travel in nanoseconds across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eboo-patel/i-think-that-we-live-in-a-remarkably-networked-world-the-problem-with/) [Eboo Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eboo-patel/) [Browse all 191 Baghdad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baghdad/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No one that has ever been in combat ever wants to see war anywhere in the world. It is horrible. It's horrible looking at the pock-marked walls. It's horrible looking at the flesh embedded on walls in Bosnia. It was horrible looking and interviewing and talking to the kids who lost their parents, because Saddam Hussein decided to feed their parents to the lions in downtown Baghdad. 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