--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can't be French and Muslim at the same…" description: "\"We can't be French and Muslim at the same time. And that's exactly what ISIS wants that population to think.\" — Michael Leiter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff1/michael-leiter-32796_isis_we-can-t-be-french-and-muslim-at-the-sam_2940193.jpg" --- # We can't be French and Muslim at the same time. And that's… ![“We can't be French and Muslim at the same time. And that's exactly what ISIS wants that population to think.” quote by Michael Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff1/michael-leiter-32796_isis_we-can-t-be-french-and-muslim-at-the-sam_2940193.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff1/michael-leiter-32796_isis_we-can-t-be-french-and-muslim-at-the-sam_2940193.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff1/michael-leiter-32796_isis_we-can-t-be-french-and-muslim-at-the-sam_2940193.jpg) > “We can't be French and Muslim at the same time. And that's exactly what ISIS wants that population to think.” [Michael Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leiter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. ISIS exploits identity conflicts, insisting one cannot be both French and Muslim, to sow division. **In simple terms:** ISIS manipulates identity to divide. Key Takeaway Promote inclusive national identities. Themes radicalization identity politics social cohesion Mood urgent concerned Type political social. When to use this quote - community building - education programs - media literacy Key Concepts extremism cultural integration Questions to Reflect On - How can societies reconcile multiple identities? - What narratives counter extremist claims? A Different Perspective It oversimplifies complex identities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Exactly Isis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exactly-isis-4379837/) [French Muslim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/french-muslim-3855013/) [Isis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isis/) [Isis Wants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isis-wants-1887786/) [Islam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islam/) [Muslim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/muslim/) [Population](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/population/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [I think that different leaders, whether it's Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, or Paul Ryan, saying that we're not going to turn on each other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-king/i-think-that-different-leaders-whether-it-s-bernie-sanders-hillary/) [Steve King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-king/) > [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/) > [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/) > [I would say that ISIS wants us to think so. And I think that's the real danger here. It's that what ISIS wants the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-todd/i-would-say-that-isis-wants-us-to-think-so-and-i-think-that-s-the/) [Chuck Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-todd/) > [You know that ISIS wants to go in and take over the Vatican? You have heard that. 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With the results of elections getting even tighter, those votes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/in-2012-those-french-muslim-people-voted-massively-for-francois/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [Think of ISIS as a pathogen that preys on weak hosts in the Muslim world. In fact, there is something of a political law:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/think-of-isis-as-a-pathogen-that-preys-on-weak-hosts-in-the-muslim/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [I want the vetting to be solid. But I also want to bring these people in because not bringing them in sends a message,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/i-want-the-vetting-to-be-solid-but-i-also-want-to-bring-these-people/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [While the primary focus continues to be on religious minorities - the Christian religious minorities and the Jewish community - ISIS will also go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hoekstra/while-the-primary-focus-continues-to-be-on-religious-minorities-the/) [Pete Hoekstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hoekstra/) > [Muslim women can save the world from ISIS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/muslim-women-can-save-the-world-from-isis/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [There is nothing more worrisome to ISIS than cooperation between 'the West' and the Muslim world, for it defies the narrative of a clash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federica-mogherini/there-is-nothing-more-worrisome-to-isis-than-cooperation-between-the/) [Federica Mogherini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federica-mogherini/) > [Banning the burkini doesn't produce terrorists. But it does make the people who are already alienated, who are already disenfranchised, I many cases, economically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leiter/banning-the-burkini-doesn-t-produce-terrorists-but-it-does-make-the/) [Michael Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leiter/) > [“A refugee woman said that placing decapitated heads in a row has become “a trademark, trophy-style execution favored by ISIS militants.”35”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-sekulow/a-refugee-woman-said-that-placing-decapitated-heads-in-a-row-has/) [Jay Sekulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-sekulow/) ## More by Michael Leiter > [Banning the burkini doesn't produce terrorists. But it does make the people who are already alienated, who are already disenfranchised, I many cases, economically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leiter/banning-the-burkini-doesn-t-produce-terrorists-but-it-does-make-the/) [Michael Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leiter/) > [ They \[ French\] still have an open border in Europe. And they have a Europe which doesn't have an integrated intelligence system like we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leiter/they-french-still-have-an-open-border-in-europe-and-they-have-a/) [Michael Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leiter/) > [I think the vetting we have for refugees is vastly better than the Europeans have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leiter/i-think-the-vetting-we-have-for-refugees-is-vastly-better-than-the/) [Michael Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leiter/) > [When you do have really tapped out resources that cover so many investigations, it can help you move through and discard some faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leiter/when-you-do-have-really-tapped-out-resources-that-cover-so-many/) [Michael Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leiter/) > [I think the refugee problem is Europe is vastly worse than we have in the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leiter/i-think-the-refugee-problem-is-europe-is-vastly-worse-than-we-have-in/) [Michael Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leiter/) > [The language of North Korea is always bombastic. But what has really changed is the acceleration of their nuclear program, the likelihood that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leiter/the-language-of-north-korea-is-always-bombastic-but-what-has-really/) [Michael Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leiter/) > [We need additional funding for more U.S. combat brigades in Europe. NATO needs to continue to modernize. It is starting to show with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leiter/we-need-additional-funding-for-more-u-s-combat-brigades-in-europe/) [Michael Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leiter/) > [You have the intelligence front and the engagement front. On the intelligence front, the French are better than many of their European counterparts. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leiter/you-have-the-intelligence-front-and-the-engagement-front-on-the/) [Michael Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leiter/) > [We're not going to have a perfect batting average and it's important that Americans understand that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leiter/we-re-not-going-to-have-a-perfect-batting-average-and-it-s-important/) [Michael Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leiter/) > [ISIS, in some cases like Paris, may actually try to direct. But what it's really trying to do is inspire. So its directed activities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leiter/isis-in-some-cases-like-paris-may-actually-try-to-direct-but-what-it/) [Michael Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leiter/) > [I think we have started accelerating over the past years. It's a modernization of NATO. It's at air, it's at sea, it's undersea, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leiter/i-think-we-have-started-accelerating-over-the-past-years-it-s-a/) [Michael Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leiter/) > [You've got a huge American population, you've got a small, small, small subset that is radicalized, and you have an even smaller subset that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leiter/you-ve-got-a-huge-american-population-you-ve-got-a-small-small-small/) [Michael Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leiter/) > [I don't think bulk data collection was an enormous factor here, because generally, that deals with overseas calls to the United States. But what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leiter/i-don-t-think-bulk-data-collection-was-an-enormous-factor-here/) [Michael Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leiter/) > [We have a Muslim population which is better off economically, better engaged, and less drawn to the fight in ISIS. But as we've seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leiter/we-have-a-muslim-population-which-is-better-off-economically-better/) [Michael Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leiter/) [Explore all 15 Michael Leiter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leiter/) ## More Isis quotes > [“A refugee woman said that placing decapitated heads in a row has become “a trademark, trophy-style execution favored by ISIS militants.”35”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-sekulow/a-refugee-woman-said-that-placing-decapitated-heads-in-a-row-has/) [Jay Sekulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-sekulow/) > [ It cannot be an American fight. And I think what the president \[Barack Obama\] has consistently said - which I agree with - is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-cannot-be-an-american-fight-and-i-think-what-the-president-barack/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Banning the burkini doesn't produce terrorists. But it does make the people who are already alienated, who are already disenfranchised, I many cases, economically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leiter/banning-the-burkini-doesn-t-produce-terrorists-but-it-does-make-the/) [Michael Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leiter/) > [I'm going to be specific so you can render your verdict. Let's go to North Africa, she was the chief engineer of the disastrous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/i-m-going-to-be-specific-so-you-can-render-your-verdict-let-s-go-to/) [Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/) > [“Claiming to uphold Allah’s law, ISIS, in fact, routinely violates Sharia for its own purposes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-sekulow/claiming-to-uphold-allah-s-law-isis-in-fact-routinely-violates-sharia/) [Jay Sekulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-sekulow/) > [The Hillary Clinton foreign policy has cost America thousands of lives and trillions and trillions of dollars, and unleashed ISIS across the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-hillary-clinton-foreign-policy-has-cost-america-thousands-of/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [For ISIS, the answer is to cut off their food, their water, their armaments, you know, and their funding. I don't mean literally their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/for-isis-the-answer-is-to-cut-off-their-food-their-water-their/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [ I said \[ Barack Obama\], the founder of ISIS. Obviously, I'm being sarcastic.But not that sarcastic, to be honest with you. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-said-barack-obama-the-founder-of-isis-obviously-i-m-being-sarcastic/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Barack Obama became president, and he abandoned Iraq. He left, and when he left Al Qaida was done for. ISIS was created because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/barack-obama-became-president-and-he-abandoned-iraq-he-left-and-when/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [As ISIS begins to gain momentum beyond where they already are, it really does create - but you see the surge of refugees and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/as-isis-begins-to-gain-momentum-beyond-where-they-already-are-it/) [William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/) > [We have to go massively, like we did in the first Gulf War where we destroyed Saddam's ability to take Kuwait. We need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/we-have-to-go-massively-like-we-did-in-the-first-gulf-war-where-we/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [We've got to keep fighting, and I will defeat ISIS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-ve-got-to-keep-fighting-and-i-will-defeat-isis/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Look at these ISIS people. These people are ruthless. They don't operate by any sort of normal civilized code. That's the world. There's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-newbern/look-at-these-isis-people-these-people-are-ruthless-they-don-t/) [George Newbern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-newbern/) > [Our country doesn't win anymore. We don't win on trade. We don't win on the military. We can't defeat ISIS. We're not taking care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/our-country-doesn-t-win-anymore-we-don-t-win-on-trade-we-don-t-win-on/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [You cannot deny reality: that ISIS is systematically attempting to exterminate Christianity, to exterminate the Yazidi community, to exterminate other religious minorities in vast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/you-cannot-deny-reality-that-isis-is-systematically-attempting-to/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) [Browse all 637 Isis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isis/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We can't be French and Muslim at the same time. 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