--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It does surprise me that intelligent…" description: "\"It does surprise me that intelligent people in the 21st century could claim that if you respond to the terrorists with force, you spawn terrorism, but ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/meles-zenawi-37111_21st-century_it-does-surprise-me-that-intelligent-peo_2225436.jpg" --- # It does surprise me that intelligent people in the 21st… ![“It does surprise me that intelligent people in the 21st century could claim that if you respond to the terrorists with force, you spawn terrorism, but if you appease them, you somehow tame them. This argument, as I said, is very interesting, and very surprising.” quote by Meles Zenawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/meles-zenawi-37111_21st-century_it-does-surprise-me-that-intelligent-peo_2225436.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/meles-zenawi-37111_21st-century_it-does-surprise-me-that-intelligent-peo_2225436.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/meles-zenawi-37111_21st-century_it-does-surprise-me-that-intelligent-peo_2225436.jpg) > “It does surprise me that intelligent people in the 21st century could claim that if you respond to the terrorists with force, you spawn terrorism, but if you appease them, you somehow tame them. This argument, as I said, is very interesting, and very surprising.” [Meles Zenawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meles-zenawi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The claim that violent retaliation creates more terrorism while appeasement tames it is paradoxical and oversimplified. **In simple terms:** Violence may fuel more terror; appeasement may not stop it. Key Takeaway Question both tactics critically. Themes politics security conflict terrorism policy Mood skeptical reflective Type analytical critical When to use this quote - government negotiations - counter‑terrorism strategy - public discourse - media analysis Key Concepts deterrence radicalization statecraft peacebuilding Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports each side? - How can policies balance security and dialogue? A Different Perspective The reality is more nuanced; both force and dialogue have limits and risks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [21st century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/21st-century/) [Appease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appease/) [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/century/) [Claims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/claims/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Intelligent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligent/) [Intelligent people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligent-people/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Respond Terrorists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respond-terrorists-4984508/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Spawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spawn/) [Spawn Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spawn-terrorism-4984510/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) [Surprise me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise-me/) [Surprising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprising/) [Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism/) [Terrorism Appease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism-appease-4984509/) [Terrorist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorist/) [Terrorists Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorists-force-2035374/) [Very interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-interesting/) ## Related quotes > [The idea of reasoning with terrorists without force or with appeasement is naive, and I think it's dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-allen/the-idea-of-reasoning-with-terrorists-without-force-or-with/) [George Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-allen/) > [Successful ... politicians are insecure and intimidated men. They advance politically only as they placate, appease, bribe, seduce, bamboozle or otherwise manage to manipulate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/successful-politicians-are-insecure-and-intimidated-men-they-advance/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [You can't be around people who appease you all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-heath/you-can-t-be-around-people-who-appease-you-all-the-time/) [Phil Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-heath/) > [The influence of fine scenery, the presence of mountains, appeases our irritations and elevates our friendships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-influence-of-fine-scenery-the-presence-of-mountains-appeases-our/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [This is my chance to get out there and appease the fans of my music as well as show people that I do do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cannon/this-is-my-chance-to-get-out-there-and-appease-the-fans-of-my-music/) [Nick Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cannon/) > [When you're composing for somebody, that means you have a boss. You have to do what it takes to, at the end of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-younge/when-you-re-composing-for-somebody-that-means-you-have-a-boss-you/) [Adrian Younge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-younge/) > [There are some who, for varying reasons, would appease Red China. They are blind to history's clear lesson, for history teaches with unmistakable emphasis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/there-are-some-who-for-varying-reasons-would-appease-red-china-they/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [You're always looking for somebody to love you, be accepted, and there's the insecurities that are even transmitted through rap. Everyone is trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/you-re-always-looking-for-somebody-to-love-you-be-accepted-and-there/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [When we want to help the poor, we usually offer them charity. Most often we use charity to avoid recognizing the problem and finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-yunus/when-we-want-to-help-the-poor-we-usually-offer-them-charity-most/) [Muhammad Yunus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-yunus/) > [If the impure and the unjust, the drunkard and the licentious, are loathsome to us, what must be the infinite loathing of an infinitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyman-abbott/if-the-impure-and-the-unjust-the-drunkard-and-the-licentious-are/) [Lyman Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyman-abbott/) > [Now have two generations whose minds have been totally perverted, polluted, and destroyed by the American public education system, and, in particular, the history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/now-have-two-generations-whose-minds-have-been-totally-perverted/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Young people today seem to be coming around to the idea it really doesn’t matter which politician or political party you vote for; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-morcan/young-people-today-seem-to-be-coming-around-to-the-idea-it-really/) [James Morcan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-morcan/) > [Laws which prescribe what everyone must believe, and forbid men to say or write anything against this or that opinion, are often passed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/laws-which-prescribe-what-everyone-must-believe-and-forbid-men-to-say/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [Tis not for us to warn a wilful sinner; We stay him not, but let him run his course, Till by misfortunes rous'd, his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/tis-not-for-us-to-warn-a-wilful-sinner-we-stay-him-not-but-let-him/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [You don't bargain with terrorists. You don't appease terrorists. And anybody who believes that this is about something we've done has to ask themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chertoff/you-don-t-bargain-with-terrorists-you-don-t-appease-terrorists-and/) [Michael Chertoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chertoff/) ## More by Meles Zenawi > [The EU report speaks for itself. The statement in my view shows that the mission has turned out to be something worse than a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meles-zenawi/the-eu-report-speaks-for-itself-the-statement-in-my-view-shows-that/) [Meles Zenawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meles-zenawi/) > [Africa's downfall has always been the cult of the personality. And their names always seem to begin with M. We've had Mobutu and Mengistu…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meles-zenawi/africa-s-downfall-has-always-been-the-cult-of-the-personality-and/) [Meles Zenawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meles-zenawi/) > [It's true we have our disagreements on border issues, we have disagreements on trade and related issues, but you don't go invading a country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meles-zenawi/it-s-true-we-have-our-disagreements-on-border-issues-we-have/) [Meles Zenawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meles-zenawi/) > [Of course everybodys thinking evolves over time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meles-zenawi/of-course-everybodys-thinking-evolves-over-time/) [Meles Zenawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meles-zenawi/) > [The most stupid mistake a counter-insurgency operation can make is alienating the population. If you alienate the population, you're finished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meles-zenawi/the-most-stupid-mistake-a-counter-insurgency-operation-can-make-is/) [Meles Zenawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meles-zenawi/) > [Spending one hour with Isaias is far more worthwhile, rewarding and enlightening than reading ten books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meles-zenawi/spending-one-hour-with-isaias-is-far-more-worthwhile-rewarding-and/) [Meles Zenawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meles-zenawi/) > [As we respond to the assault of our enemy and defend our country, we must never break international laws. Crime can not be solved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meles-zenawi/as-we-respond-to-the-assault-of-our-enemy-and-defend-our-country-we/) [Meles Zenawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meles-zenawi/) > [Of course everybody's thinking evolves over time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meles-zenawi/of-course-everybody-s-thinking-evolves-over-time/) [Meles Zenawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meles-zenawi/) > [As a person, I have never been discourteous or nasty to anybody. I may have stood my ground a bit too directly, a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meles-zenawi/as-a-person-i-have-never-been-discourteous-or-nasty-to-anybody-i-may/) [Meles Zenawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meles-zenawi/) > [If it is presumed that the Kenyans will democratise in order to eat the peanuts of development assistance from the European Union... it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meles-zenawi/if-it-is-presumed-that-the-kenyans-will-democratise-in-order-to-eat/) [Meles Zenawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meles-zenawi/) > [I know more now than I did in the past about the process of democratization. I know more about the pitfalls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meles-zenawi/i-know-more-now-than-i-did-in-the-past-about-the-process-of/) [Meles Zenawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meles-zenawi/) [Explore all 12 Meles Zenawi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meles-zenawi/) ## More 21st century quotes > [The young people today are the 21st century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/the-young-people-today-are-the-21st-century/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [“You know it’s the 21st Century when someone TEXTS you from the washroom to ask you to bring them a roll of toilet paper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/comic-strip-mama/you-know-it-s-the-21st-century-when-someone-texts-you-from-the/) [Comic Strip Mama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/comic-strip-mama/) > [“I am made of a thousand ghosts. Only you can shoot me down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-james/i-am-made-of-a-thousand-ghosts-only-you-can-shoot-me-down/) [Bella James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-james/) > [Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States. Too many of our students fail to graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/like-many-others-i-have-deep-misgivings-about-the-state-of-education/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Undeniably, character does count for our citizens, out communities, and our Nation, and this week we celebrate the importance of character in our individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/undeniably-character-does-count-for-our-citizens-out-communities-and/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [The hope of Internet anarchists was that repressive governments would have only two options: accept the Internet with its limitless possibilities of spreading information,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/the-hope-of-internet-anarchists-was-that-repressive-governments-would/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Maybe we need a tax credit for the poorest Americans to buy a laptop. Now, maybe that's wrong, maybe that's expensive, maybe we can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/maybe-we-need-a-tax-credit-for-the-poorest-americans-to-buy-a-laptop/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [The 20th century has been marked by cynicism, selfishness, greed, and the desire to please, all without changing the status quo. In the 21st…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/the-20th-century-has-been-marked-by-cynicism-selfishness-greed-and/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [I firmly believe that the mission of religion in the 21st century must be to contribute concretely to the peaceful coexistence of humankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/i-firmly-believe-that-the-mission-of-religion-in-the-21st-century/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [Facebook, Twitter...Welcome to The 21st Century...Where Someone can stalk you without leaving the couch!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/facebook-twitter-welcome-to-the-21st-century-where-someone-can-stalk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Human Race is all over universe! And I am the first person to inform you. I am the most influential person of this decade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwani-kumar-ojha/human-race-is-all-over-universe-and-i-am-the-first-person-to-inform/) [Ashwani Kumar Ojha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwani-kumar-ojha/) > [Like the railroads that brought us together in the 19th century, these trails will bring us together in the 20th and 21st centuries. (at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/like-the-railroads-that-brought-us-together-in-the-19th-century-these/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [What I love about making albums in the 21st century is that so few people buy albums! I can make an album without any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/what-i-love-about-making-albums-in-the-21st-century-is-that-so-few/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [As a former Apollo astronaut, I think it's safe to say that SpaceX and the other commercial developers embody the 21st century version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rusty-schweickart/as-a-former-apollo-astronaut-i-think-it-s-safe-to-say-that-spacex-and/) [Rusty Schweickart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rusty-schweickart/) > [The computer provides the only way to give students a real foundation in 21st-century skills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-negroponte/the-computer-provides-the-only-way-to-give-students-a-real-foundation/) [Nicholas Negroponte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-negroponte/) [Browse all 771 21st century quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/21st-century/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It does surprise me that intelligent people in the 21st century could claim that if you respond to the terrorists with force, you spawn terrorism, but if you appease them, you somehow tame them. 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